Friday, October 27, 2017

Halloween Forecast

Right on cue Colorado weather changes in to fall (or winter) around Halloween. Until we get to the 31st we often experience extreme temperature highs to lows in a matter of hours. One day this week we hit a record of eighty-four degrees, less than twenty-four hours later we were in the thirties. It looks like Halloween will be in the forties - jacket weather for sure.

Ferris is going as one of the Blues Brothers!
Growing up in Montana, I remember Halloween being pretty cold. Wearing a coat over a costume always spoiled the look. "We didn't care, all we wanted was candy." Today, trick our treaters use sturdy, pumpkin themed candy totes, back in my day we used a paper sack or a pillow case. "The vessel didn't matter, all we wanted was candy." 

In celebration of Halloween and associated themes feel free to read my bat article from 2015. Click on - Batty for Bats.

Happy Halloween, hope your coat matches your costume.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Flashy Fall

Do you wonder if nature is prideful? Perhaps a bit boastful and flashy about the clever way she paints fall leaf colors and manages the light angles and intensity? She must be justifiably full of herself this season, the colors are remarkable - take a walk before they all fall down.

In my October 20, 2017 Denver Post Punch List, I write about why leaves change color and include some other timely fall chores.

Below are a few recent photos from around central Denver. The top two are maples, lake photo is from Washington Park and you know Ferris - standing near 'Autumn Brilliance' Serviceberry, a wonderful large shrub or small tree that grows well in Colorado.



 

 

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Canada Getaway - Part II Vancouver

Our vacation to Canada was earlier in September, but the sights and sounds are quick to the memory forefront as I remember pristine coastal waters back dropped by impressive mountains, parks and gardens within a busy, metro city. The place - Vancouver, British Columbia was the second stop on our six-day vacation. As always, we didn't have enough time to experience what's listed in the guide books, but what we saw was more than worth the price of the favorable monetary exchange rate.

Our brief stay was picture weather perfect with sunny skies and mild temperatures - not at all like the locals description of mostly rain, then some more rain, followed by a drizzle, then a downpour and more rain. It made me wonder if people had to dust off their sandals instead of wearing their usual galoshes and gor-tex. My water resistant light hikers worked out just right for all the city gawking and Stanley Park exploring one can do in two and a half days.

We arrived to Vancouver via ferry from Victoria, B.C. where we started our Canadian vacation. The witty bus driver from downtown Victoria drove us right on to the massive ferry - we were the first bus on and first bus off, he must know people. The ninety minute ferry was a like a smooth flight in first class, only the seating was for hundreds. 

The ferry had six decks, restaurants, a game room, shopping and plenty of space on the outside decks to breathe in the views or stare at your mobile device, which is what the locals were doing. Upon arrival to the Tsawwassen Ferry outside of Vancouver, we re-boarded the bus for a quick thirty minute ride through scenic downtown. With a friendly farewell we were dropped a block from our hotel.

Do you remember that feeling of unexpectant joy as a kid when you walked by the candy shelf in the grocery store with your Dad and he says it's okay to buy something? Then he smiles and hands you fifty cents (hey, I grew up in the 60s when that was a lot of moola). 

That's the jubilant surprise Glen and I felt as we walked by the Vancouver Art Gallery on our way to the hotel. Guess what exhibit was showing (not hard to guess, you see the photo). It couldn't have been scripted better for a gardener and lover of impressionist art - Claude Monet's Secret Garden.

Needless to say, we checked in to our hotel quickly and dashed over to the exhibit where we ended up spending about the best three hours of any vacation.

Ian M. Thom, Senior Curator–Historical at the Vancouver Art Gallery, couldn't have said it better. "This exhibition presents thirty-eight paintings spanning the course of Monet’s long career from the unparalleled collection of the Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris. It surveys the diversity of subjects in his art, from the portrayal of modern life in his early figure studies to the inventive treatment of light in his scenes of the Parisian countryside and views of the River Thames." I simply say "we hit the Monet exhibit jackpot!"

'Water Lily Garden' 1918-1919
Luckily for us this exhibit had been showing for several months and was leaving in October, so we were able to gape and gaze mostly unobstructed and unhurried.  
  
What's so contemplative about viewing artists like Monet is there's just no way you'll not like his painting style (sorry if I'm being presumptuous). But we were looking at Monet, after all, the father of impressionism! It almost felt like I was a spy in to his private garden and seeing how he viewed it on both good and bad days, and perhaps during his few years of frustration with his eyesight.

In case you don't know - Monet suffered from cataracts and was diagnosed with this condition in 1912. He underwent surgery in 1923. Often, people who struggle with cataracts have color vision and clarity issues, perhaps reflected in his 1921-1922 'Weeping Willow' painting?
'Weeping Willow'
  
You can imagine how thrilled we were viewing and studying each of his thirty-eight paintings. 

We were almost asked to leave the exhibit area before closing. 

Scroll down to see some of my favorites.

'Wisteria'
The painting titled 'Wisteria' (1919-1920) was large and so beautiful that I stood there frozen and blinkless. I think this was the painting where Glen had to let me know that I couldn't move in to the gallery. 

'Taking a Walk Near Argenteuil' 1875
'Field of Yellow Irises at Giverny' 1887 
                    
'Roses' 1925-1926     It's not often I get to stand so close to a Claude Monet masterpiece!

I'll end the Vancouver story here - even though we had a terrific time slow pedaling around Stanley Park plus an afternoon exploring VanDusen Botanical Garden - perhaps a future blog? 

A quick morning flight back to Denver gave us plenty of time to stop by the dog sitter and pick up our happy, but tired from a week of play - Ferris.  




























Sunday, October 15, 2017

Berries and Busyness

It's been a busy weekend cleaning out spent foliage in the outdoor containers and the vegetable garden. Plus getting the raised beds ready for garlic planting this week - they're dry enough now after the snow storm last weekend. Ornamental bulbs need to be planted too. Needless to say, I'm a little behind in my blog writing, hope to catch up soon. These hawthorn tree berries remind of Bronco orange, let's hope for a winning season!

Friday, October 6, 2017

Cover your Sprinkler Pipes

Colorado October weather can be anywhere from divine warm sixty degree days to disastrous, sudden cold - often with snow that can snap branches on leafed out trees in mere hours. Guess what is predicted in about seventy-two hours? Are you ready?

I am prepared, mostly - the landscape trees and new plantings are well hydrated from recent rain storms, plus some supplemental deep root watering earlier in August. It's never a good thing for plants to go in to the fall and winter with dry roots. Dry means damage to the fine root hairs, so try to remember "winter - wet" (not sopping, but moist). Here's more information on fall and winter tree watering from CSU Extension.

One easy to delay fall chore is scheduling the automatic sprinkler blow out. I'm guilty! In the meantime I have securely wrapped and covered the exposed back flow preventer and the attached pipes so they don't freeze. It's about a five minute job, so don't delay.  For extra insurance turn off the water to your sprinkler system. The shut off valve is usually inside the house (should be two shut offs, one for the sprinkler, one to the whole house). Drain excess water in the exposed pipes as well by opening the ball valves attached to the back flow preventer. Check out this video from the Broomfield Parks Department for a good resource to winterize your pipes.

Also, please watch my short video on wrapping the sprinkler pipes. Ferris wanted to be part of the action.