Summer Rain

Today the weather finally broke; the storms began this morning and will most likely last partway into the afternoon. For the past week or so it has been consistently humid and blue-skyed with only partial cloud-cover, and the sparse rains got me to wondering about flowers in the summertime, which are hardy and which are best left for seasonal planting, and I immediately thought of succulents. I have two in my apartment and they hardly need watering at all (only when the soil is dry as a bone) and I have noticed an upsurge in folks planting them in their outdoor gardens. Though they are built to withstand desert-like heat and minimal rainfall, I do suppose that they are just as adaptable in any climate, save persistent wintry conditions. They are often underappreciated, but, to me, they are some of the most beautiful plants. And they do not ask much of their keeper.

John Spain's MA succulent garden.

Happy Independence Day

This will be my 23rd Fourth-of-July. It's a particularly nostalgic holiday, for I associate with it many wonderful memories from childhood: foot-long hot-dogs, lightning bugs, Bomb Pops, games of catch, writing our names in the dark with sparklers. The older I've gotten I find myself looking forward to nothing in particular about the 4th, but the colors red, white, and blue remain an appealing combination, regardless of their patriotic usage. Check out this flower, Aechmea cultivar (photo taken by Stan Zimmy), to see what I mean: