Here's a very autumnally-colored flower -- a big dahlia! I was lying when I said recently that the only things blooming in the garden are the sunflowers. We still have several blooming dahlias, as well as the Plectranthus, the Peruvian lilies and some other stuff. The plants are looking a bit tattered and their stalks are sagging, and when the first frost comes they'll all be over for the season.
It doesn't look like frost is imminent anytime soon, though. We're going to be in the mid-70s through the weekend and nighttime lows don't go any lower than 50ยบ F through the 20th (which is as far as my forecast projects). It's practically balmy.
I was shocked to read in The New York Times last night that a guy I knew when I lived in New York had died. James was the boyfriend (now ex-) of a friend of mine there, and I'd been to several social events with him. In fact, when I lost my job at the Times in 2009, I went to dinner with James and Carl to get some advice about becoming a paralegal, which is what James did to make money to fuel his opera obsessions. I never followed through on that, obviously, and I hadn't been in touch with him since, but I was still sorry to read this shocking news. He was 12 years older than I am, but still, it felt like the reaper whispered in my ear!
Here's my October "Florida Memory" postcard -- a 1930 image of men recovering mastodon bones from Wakulla Springs near Tallahassee. "Included are G.M. Ponton; Mr. Christie, owner of the spring; Herman Gunter, geologist; and J. Clarence Simpson, member of diving team." Not to mention those bones and what looks like a large, curved tusk.
This postcard actually came about two weeks ago. For some reason my mystery mailer was overly prompt. Oh, and thanks a lot, Post Office, for the lovely postmark on the front!
23 comments:
Why do they do that?!? Postmarks on front sometimes. It drives me crazy. I don't know why I was so surprised by the idea of mastodon bones in Florida.
The dahlia is gorgeous.
Wakulla Springs? Ms Moon has often reported on happy trips to that location. As for the reaper whispering in your ear - I guess we all get that sensation when an old friend or contemporary passes through them pearly gates.
You never know who is reading your blog.
Your bloom is truly beautiful.
Mastodon bones in Florida.
Well, the state is a political dinosaur ....
That dahlia photo is perfection! I love it!
The postcard hits quite close to home to me. I have seen those bones. There is a museum in downtown Tallahassee where they have recreated a mastodon skeleton which stands in place of pride. It is magnificent! We did indeed have mastodons in this part of the world.
Wakulla Springs is magnificent on its very own. It is one of the world's largest and deepest freshwater springs. Here's a link for anyone who is interested in it. https://www.floridastateparks.org/WakullaSprings
I've spent many, many hours there.
I love that dahlia photo. So perfect, Steve!
I love that dahlia! So geometrically pleasing... James sounds like he was an interesting guy.
I get regular art postcards from my granddaughter, and good old Canada Post regularly scrapes off a chunk of the image with, I suppose, their machinery. And sometimes post marks the image side. So I get accidental collaborative art cards.
That dahlia is just lovely.
They were a little skimpy on the raft flotation back then.
there are some idiots out there who think they have enough mastodon DNA to recreate one. how utterly stupid is that. the dahlia is perfect.
For a minute, I thought that postcard picture was from Venice's Snook Haven, where the old Tarzan movies were filmed.
That dahlia is beautiful! Such a soft, buttery yellow color!
Colorado has had its share of dinosaur bones being uncovered!
As long as you have pleasant weather , some of the colorful blooms will hang around.
I surprised me to see the postcard of Mastodon bones in Florida. I don't know why it never occurred to that there were Mastodons there back in the day.
Truly beautiful dahlia photo.
That's far too young to die and I'm sure a sad shock to you. I'm so sorry.
I love the postcard and have quite a collection. But yours tell very different stories.
The dahlia is absolutely gorgeous!
Enjoy the pleasant weather this weekend.
Beautiful postcard. Lovely photos!
I love dahlias. There are so many beautiful varieties! My Master Gardener friends tell me they just don't do well in our area and I don't think I've ever seen one in real life!
Mastodon bones, wow! I love dahlias but have never tried to grow them. I'm not sure I have the room. However, I do need to get some cyclamen, my favorite fall flower.
I love dahlias but don't have any - yet - so I live vicariously through your photos.
It's sobering when we realize our contemporaries - or nearly - have come to the end of their days. Your phrase said it all: "it felt like the reaper whispered in my ear"- that's exactly right.
It is difficult to lose someone you once knew. I have that problem too though most of mine are younger than me.
Mitchell: Florida is full of fossils, actually. The same geological deposits that gave the state a lot of phosphate left behind tons of them.
YP: Yes, it's very close to Ms. Moon!
Andrew: Are you trying to warn me not to say something? I don't think I said anything problematic, did I?
Bob: Ha! Good one!
Ms Moon: Interesting that you've seen them! It's great that they stayed local.
Ellen D: Thank you!
Bug: He was indeed an interesting guy. I find opera bewildering but I love people who have passions.
Boud: I've seen that before too, where a roller scrapes away part of the picture. How did our postal technology actually deteriorate over the years? Old postcards never show that kind of damage.
Ed: Styrofoam hadn't been invented!
Ellen: I think it's a cool idea, actually! It would be amazing if we could resurrect extinct life forms through genetic manipulation. I'm all for it.
Marty: It does look like Snook Haven! I haven't thought of that place in years. I thought the Tarzan movies were filmed primarily at Silver Springs?
Marcia: Oh, I know Colorado and Utah are famous for dinosaurs. Isn't Dinosaur National Monument in Utah?
Red: I'm surprised how well our dahlias are persisting. I don't think they usually last this long.
Robin: Well, I'm sure the coastlines were different, given the rise and fall of the oceans.
Jeanie: It was surprising! Like I said, I hadn't been in touch with him lately, but still, you don't expect to see the obituary of someone you know in the NYT.
Damselfly: Thank you and thank you! We will indeed.
Bindu: Thank you!
Kelly: That's interesting. I wonder why? We grow ours in pots because the slugs eat them otherwise. I bet you could grow them in a pot on your porch or patio.
Margaret: I think dahlias do quite well in the Pacific NW. I like cyclamens too -- we have a few blooming now! (Future blog post!)
Jenny-O: It really is alarming.
Catalyst: That's even scarier!
Marty- Some of the old Tarzan movies were filmed at Wakulla Springs. Also movies like Creature From The Black Lagoon.
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