Winter Morning Sun - 2020

 Late Summer afternoons are some of the best times to capture those magical shots. Here in Northern CA there's a time in December and January where the sky is clear, the air is still and the sun is just strong enough that if you can find the right spot it's still t-shirt weather for maybe an hour or so. Because the sun is so low in the sky the light feels unique. Within a few months we'll get maddening, daily winds that blow through the Summer months so I'm enjoying this season.

Aloe wickensii unopened blooms
Early December


Aloe wickensii unopened blooms
Late December


Aloe cameronii unopened blooms
Aloe cameronii


Aloe cameronii
Aloe cameronii

Aloe ferox blooms about to open
Aloe ferox about to burst

My wife mentioned the other day that she likes single stem Aloes - and not the multi-branching aloes (like A. cameronii above). The latter are too messy and chaotic.


Aloe vanbalenii
Aloe vanbalenii

Aloe castanea in bloom
"Cat's Tail" Aloe

This is only the second year that the Aloe castanea above has bloomed so I'm happy to see this year it's putting up four stalks.


Aloe mutabilis in bloom
Aloe mutabilis

Aloe mutabilis flower close up


Kalanchoe sexangularis bloom
Kalanchoe sexangularis bloom early December



Backyard garden that looks like a jungle
Hodge-Podge Jungle

The backyard is feeling more and more like a jungle (but made of plants that would never actually live together.) This is going to sound odd but during those later summer days, after work, I'll hide a blue-tooth speaker in the garden, play some ambient jungle noise, crack open a beer and watch the sun set.  Instant micro-vacation. :)

Happy Holidays

Comments

  1. Micro or not, anything you do that makes you feel like you're on vacation is something to preserve, especially given present circumstances. You've got some great aloe blooms to celebrate with the new year. I've only got a handful of aloes with bloom spikes but that's still better than last year. When you start with small plants, you have to be patient.

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    1. Thanks Kris - I will take your words to heart.

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  2. Sounds like the perfect COVID era vacation! Lovely shots.

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    1. Thanks Loree. btw I will definitely keep an eye for your new book. To be 'dangerous' here I'd need to grow something like Hydrangea - and maybe bring it indoors for the summer :)

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  3. Excellent Aloe collection. Good year for blooms here also. 4 stems on castanea! Mine has only one.

    I'm with Mrs. Hans, far prefer solitary Aloes. The clumpers look chaotic, and more than looks, reducing a clump size is a fair bit of heavy work. I'm removing most of the clumps and going as all-solitary as possible. Aculeata, reitzii, peglarae, tomentosa...so many beauties.

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    1. Sounds like a good plan. I don't mind branching Aloes but I definitely see the appeal of an elegant, single stem specimen. Maybe the 'chaotic clumpers' are best saved for the background or along property lines etc.

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