Category: Flora

Thorn experiment

On By CarynIn Craft, Flora

I found this wicked looking thorn laying in a parking lot. Most likely it stuck to a tire and fell off in route, and I’d like to say I picked it up so no one impaled their foot, but the was a secondary benefit. Really I wanted to see what I could make with it.

Photo description: approximately 4” thorn cluster with opposing spikes 1-2” long held lightly in my hand

I used my pocket knife to cut the side thorns off. The tips are wickedly sharp and hard, so I wanted to try to make a needle. I approached it as I would for carving solid wood. The center of the spikes are soft though, so the needle hole didn’t have enough support when I whittled both sides down.

Photo description: single thorn with the end carved into a needle eye, which broke, pocket knife on the side of the picture

If I were to make the attempt again, I would put the needle hole in the outer bark, and not reduce the integrity of the thorn by cutting the bark away.

Four-leaf clover

On By CarynIn Flora

I have found a new patch of clover in the front yard that is producing four-leaf varieties. I took two pictures of the same patch, a few days apart. How many can you spot? Swipe left to see the ones I found circled in red.

  • clover leaves
  • clover leaves with red circles
  • patch of clover leaves
  • clover leaves with red circles

When I was photographing the clover patch, I thought I counted eight, but in the photos I can’t switch my perspective and confirm that a fourth leaf is attached or part of a different cluster. I only circled the four-leaf clovers that I was sure of. Still, six in a single patch is a fun find.

P.S. the slideshow function I used for the images apparently only works in a browser. Bummer.

Still blooming

On By CarynIn Flora

This post is to document that my Thanksgiving cactus is still blooming in April.

Photo description: Close up of Thanksgiving cactus blooms

Texas is starting to warm up, which means the window this cactus leans against will warm up, and quit inducing buds. I’ll get to enjoy them for a little longer.

Moss ball

On By CarynIn Flora

Wandering the yard I saw a bright green ball amongst the winter browns. Thinking it was trash or an errant tennis ball, I headed over to pick it up and toss it, but what I found was a nearly spherical ball of moss. Hm.

Photo description: bright green oval of moss sitting on dirt and twigs

Although my purchased mosses in my mossarium are doing OK, my native moss did not like the inside environment, so I left this lovely mossy specimen where it was flourishing.

The importance of dandelions

On By CarynIn Flora

It is February in Texas and the only things blooming are dandelions.

Photo description: common dandelion with a yellow bloom and white seed head in a bed of fallen leaves
Photo description: bee visiting the dandelion flower

We had some warm weather interrupt winter, and the bees came out and sipped from the dandelions. While other yard owners are applying pre-emergents, the bees are feasting in our spring blooms. Dandelions are also edible. Although I have not gone down that path, it is nice to know I could.