World Labyrinth Day

So, lately I have become interested in Labyrinths.I suppose, to the extent that I ever knew anything about them (not much), I always thought that they were interesting. When I was a kid, I LOVED maze books. I even made some of my own on paper, just simple mazes to draw a line through. At one point, in high school, just before I started considering architecture as a possible major, I liked to sketch and draft various things. I sketched out a possible LaserTag maze once. Also, once when I was about 10 I saw the movie Labyrinth (David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly and Jim Henson), and loved it - especially the Escher castle, but also the whole labyrinth itself.

I now have a relatively large, and empty, yard that I am trying to figure out what to do with. I keep getting gardening books from the library, hoping for inspiration. Right now I'm in the middle of a book on Labyrinths. First of all, it's interesting that labyrinths and mazes are actually different: labyrinths consist of a single path, and mazes have choices. So, I think I actually like mazes better (and the "labyrinth" in Labyrinth was actually a maze). Still, the book is more about labyrinths, and it is interesting to know the history. The first historical reference to a labyrinth seems to be with King Minos of Crete, who supposedly had a Labyrinth with a Minotaur at the center (the story reminds me of Hunger Games). Later, the the labyrinth was adopted by many medieval Christians, who took it as symbol of one's spiritual walk: you many not know where you are right now, but your path invariably leads to the center (these early labyrinths were usually made with the paths forming a cross in the center). Supposedly, walking one of several official labyrinths setup in churches throughout Europe could substitute for making a required pilgrimage to Jerusalem. In the 1600s-1800s, the labyrinth somehow morphed into hedge mazes, which were popular in public spaces and on wealthy estates. Recently, there seems to be a renewed interest in Labyrinths, both by Christians of more traditional denominations, as well as people seeking general spiritual and meditative experiences. There also seems to be more interest in mazes, as a form of novelty and entertainment - but I haven't gotten around to any books on mazes yet (still need to finish the one I have on labyrinths).

The is now a World-Wide Labyrinth Locator, and a World Labyrinth Day (today!). So, I found some labyrinths in our state and Adrian and I went to check them out. There wasn't really much variation in the design, but it was interesting to see some actual labyrinths. The denominations most likely to have labyrinths seem to be: United Methodist, United Church of Christ, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and a few non-denominational sounding churches, often with "Unity" in their names. Also, several hospitals and health centers seem to have labyrinths. Which makes sense, both walking and mediation have known health benefits.

So here are the some labyrinths I walked, and I decided to put them together in a post today:

First Day of Spring: Take Two

I haven't posted a blog here since last year... to the day. Not going to DBG today though :( I don't know when I will either. I don't even have my own garden now, because Adrian and I moved to a new house and I had to leave my old garden behind. But, I've got a great blank canvas to start another, bigger garden - but I haven't started that yet, so garden-wise it's a rather bleak first day of spring. Adrian and I did visit the Xeriscape garden a week or so ago, and their crocuses were up (along with one broken pasque flower, and some dwarf iris). However, yesterday I painted my house: grey. It may have turned out slightly more blue than I had anticiaped :-/, still waiting to see what happens after 24hrs, and moving all furnishings back. Anyway, the idea is to create a dramatic, modern, perhaps even minimalist grey and yellow color scheme. Examples:

Pinterest: Dream Home with Design Public
Pinterest: yellow & grey
Houzz: yellow & grey

So what has happened to me in a year? ALOT! Mostly good:

1. I finished my C# class and got a new job (Jr. Software Engineer, maybe I should even say Actuarial Software Engineer).

This sure beats working on a help desk, from so many points of view: Money and benefits are nice (not that Adrian can't take care of me), work environment (social), interestingness level of my work, future career prospects, etc - but I really do miss being part time. 40+ hours a week cuts down on my ability to do much else :-/. However, it's ok for now because it forces me to prioritize, and think about things like time management. I don't read as much anymore, but when I like something at a store I am more likely to just buy it on the spot (instead of mulling it over and then coming back to buy stuff later - I don't have time to mull it over, and I have more money available to just buy it). Not sure if these are great lifestyle changes, but I'm beginning to think that it doesn't hurt to try on some new habits, at this point in my life.

2. I've really gotten interested in Steve Pavlina.
3. I started taking Zumba classes at the gym (So much better than doing weights and machines with Adrian. Who knew exercising could be so much fun?).
4. I went to a Dr. and got some things taken care of that I've been putting off; also found out I have a vitamin D deficiency, so now I'm taking supplements for that. Is it making me happier and giving me more energy? Maybe.
5. I cut my hair (again) - this time really layered, so that I rarely wear it up anymore. I bought a curling iron which I was using on a daily basis for a few months. First curling iron I ever owned!
6. Adrian and I have been inviting people over somewhat more often. I seem to have a little more interest and energy for people/socialization than I used to.

Not sure what's coming up next in my life, but I've decided that "Change is inevitable, and sometimes it's good" - I don't remember where I read that. I've been enjoying these new (though still moderate) changes that I've made over the last year, and I feel like maybe this sudden change towards change means I'm building up to something. Not sure what it is, but I'm optimistic about my direction.

First Day of Spring

The Denver Botanic Gardens occasionally has "free days" - as they did yesterday, for the first day of spring. I have been to the DBG several times before, but I think it's probably been at least 6 months since I was last here. Their gardens are a bit further along than mine (as far as having things up and blooming), but then, I'd be disappointed if they weren't. Crocuses and Dwarf Iris carried the day, and with that, let's start off with a shot of 'Alba' (I think) - please click these thumbnails to see larger pics with more details:

And some more bluish ones, covering a small hillside:

And here's an odd grouping of etched stones. I can identify a torah scroll, shofar, lamb (with a cross symbol), menorah, grapes, burning bush, and a fish with a Greek(?) caption. I really don't know what it is - some kind of Messianic Zodiac?? But they are missing some months. Maybe each stone is for one of the major feasts? Feast of Trumpets, Passover, Feast of First Fruits, Hannukah...?? idk

I don't know what these are either, but they look cool! Emerging Hellebores, maybe?

Though they are not in bloom, I have seen these before. They are tulips, but they have amazing foliage:

A close up of some darker dwarf iris, amidst what looks like creeping thyme:

One of many lovely hellebores seen that day:

Lamium and heather:

Little snow crocus, big Dutch crocus, winter aconite (yellow) and muscari (grape hyacinth).

A few primroses nestled amongst the Dutch crocus:

I love this pairing of 'Pickwick' Dutch crocus with a dark viola:

Indoors there were several orchids in a rainforest setting. I was really wishing I hadn't worn a sweater!

A nice shot from behind the waterfall:

After walking around the gardens, Adrian and I went to India Oven, one of our favorite Indian Buffets in Denver for a late lunch. Though we arrived after 2pm, the place was packed! There was a large group of Indians all seated together, and I noticed what looked like bright pink powder in one man's hair. I remembered seeing in some Indian movie (Outsourced?) something about an Indian festival that involved throwing colorful powders on each other. Later I had a chance to confirm this via Wikipedia. They were celebrating the first day of spring too!

See Wikipedia's entry on "Spring"

Holi or Phagwah, the festival of colors, celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month Falgun (February/March), is the most vibrant festival of colours celebrated by Hindus in India. People throw water and apply colour powders on each other.

 Then we came home. Here's the beginnings of spring in my garden(s). For starters, the Hellebore finally came:

 Emerging sedum, allium, and Pasque flower:

 A tulip leaf coming up in the middle of a blue flax plant:

 Muscari (grape hyacinth) comign up through creeping thyme:

 Hepatica:

Annual Time Lapse: Winter Nostalgia

June 2007 -  December 2010

May Day!

This seems an appropriate day to post some updates on the garden. Actually, when I was a kid, I loved May Day! I always wanted to take part in a celebration with a May pole, and perhaps even get to be May Queen. But, I don't remember ever celebrating May Day in any social setting. On my own, however, there was at least one year when I went out and picked wild flowers, and arranged them in little paper cups which I left on people's doorsteps. Then I would ring the doorbell and run away.

Anyway, my hellebores still haven't bloomed. I don't think they will now :( Perhaps next year? But, these are the things I've had bloom since my April 1st post. In about a month, the garden will REALLY come alive when the columbines start to bloom! I also have various kinds of lettuce, spinach, radishes and sugar snap peas sprouting. I think I will wait until average last frost (May 15th) to buy tomato and zucchini plants. If by May 5th the 10-day weather forcast looks fairly friendly, I may risk it and buy early.

The Hellebores are coming! The Hellebores are coming!

Imagine this said in the spirit of when Bilbo was running around in circles yelling "The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!" during the Battle of Five Armies at the end of The Hobbit (at least, I think that's when it happened). Now let me explain what a Hellebore is. It is a kind of plant that is know for flowering in winter. That is, in warmer climates it flowers in winter. There is an all-white variety called a "Christmas Rose", which will actually bloom at Christmas time in some USDA grow zones (not mine). I do have some Hellebores in my garden. However, they are not blooming yet. Not even close. So, now that I've gone to all the trouble of explaining my title, allow me to excl.. APRIL FOOLS'! Actually, it's not quite an April Fools'. The Hellebores ARE still coming. They just won't get here for a while. But in the meantime, I've had Hepatica, Crocus, and Glory-of-the-Snow to keep me company.

The Year in Flowers

Some of the best shots from my garden this year:

Some early Muscari



The shade garden in spring





A spectacular snapdragon specimen (taken by Adrian)




Some Sweet William grown from seed





Lone Monte Negro Lily with California Poppies and Sweet William



And probably my favorite of the year, a volunteer Shirley Poppy (I think)

My Medley

I decided to record myself singing a few of my favorite songs. The recorder I was using timed out at about thirty seconds. So, I just sang a few dozen different ones, and strung the best ones all together. They're all acapella. Also, they're in ogg vorbis; so if your player doesn't support that you made need to download a plugin.



 -----

 12/9/2010
I've since put the medley on YouTube (with pictures of flowers, of course - what else could I use?):

Orange SOOO totally rocks!

Well... it does. *blush*

Latest Garden Time Lapse

June 2007 - June2009

Organic Farming and Backyard Gardening Possibly to be Criminalized???

From the Campaign for Liberty:

HR 875  http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c111:1:./temp/~c1112RD9bb:e11439: 

This bill is sitting in committee and I am not sure when it is going to hit the floor.  One thing I do know is that very few of the Representatives have read it.  As usual they will vote on this based on what someone else is saying.  Urge your members to read the legislation and ask for opposition to this devastating legislation.  Devastating for everyday folks but great for factory farming ops like Monsanto, ADM, Sodexo and Tyson to name a few.

I have no doubt that this legislation was heavily influenced by lobbyists from huge food producers.  This legislation is so broad based that technically someone with a little backyard garden could get fined and have their property seized.   It will affect anyone who produces food even if they do not sell but only consume it.  It will literally put all independent farmers and food producers out of business due to the huge amounts of money it will take to conform to factory farming methods.  If people choose to farm without industry standards such as chemical pesticides and fertilizers they will be subject to a variety of harassment from this completely new agency that has never before existed.  That's right, a whole new government agency is being created just to police food, for our own protection of course.
 DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, READ THIS LEGISLATION FOR YOURSELF.

 The more people who read this legislation the more insight we are going to get and be able to share.  Post your observations and insights below.  Urge your members to read this legislation and to oppose the passage of this legislation. Pay special attention to Section 3 which is the definitions portion of the bill-read in it's entirety. section 103, 206 and 207- read in it's entirety. Red flags I found and I am sure there are more...........

• Legally binds state agriculture debts to enforcing federal guidelines effectively taking away the states power to do anything other than being food police for the federal dept.
• Effectively criminalizes organic farming but doesn't actually use the word organic.
• Affects anyone growing food even if they are not selling it but consuming it.
• Affects anyone producing meat of any kind including the processing wild game for personal consumption. 
• Legislation is so broad based that every aspect of growing or producing food can be made illegal.  There are no specifics which is bizarre considering how long the legislation is.  
• Section 103 is almost entirely about the administrative aspect of the legislation.  It will allow the appointing of officials from the factory farming corporations and lobbyists and classify them as experts and allow them to determine and interpret the legislation.  Who do you think they are going to side with?  
• Section 206 defines what will be considered a food production facility and what will be enforced up all food production facilities. The wording is so broad based that a backyard gardener could be fined and more.
• Section 207 requires that the state's agriculture dept act as the food police and enforce the federal requirements.  This takes away the states power and is in violation of the 10th amendment.
• There are many more but by the time I got this far in the legislation I was so alarmed that I wanted to bring someone's attention to it. (to the one person who reads my blog)

Didn't Stalin nationalize farming methods that enabled his administration to gain control over the food supply?  Didn't Stalin use the food to control the people? Last word...... Legislate religion and enforce gag orders on ministers on what can and can't be said in the pulpit, instituting regulations forcing people to rely soley on the government, control the money and the food.  What is that called?  It is on the tip of my tongue.......... I haven't read any of the Senate's version of the bill as I have been poring thru the House's version.  Here is the link and I hope some of you can take a look and post your observations and insights below.  One thing I am pretty sure of is that very few if any Senator's have actually read the legislation and when it comes up for a vote they will more than likely take someone else's word on how they should vote.  The other thing I am pretty sure about is that the legislation was probably written by lobbyists and industry experts.

S 425  http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:s425: 

Things you can do

1. Contact your members at 202-224-3121 and ask them to oppose HR 875 and S 425.  While you are at it ask them if they personally have read the legislation and what their position is? If they have not read the legislation ask them to read it and politely let them know that just because other representatives are not reading the legislation and voting on it does not mean they can do the same.  
2. Get in touch with local farmers and food producers by attending a local farmers market and asking them how business is.  
3. Attend a local WAPF meeting, this is a good start to learning about what is going on in farming and local & state initiatives .  The website is http://www.westonaprice.org/localchapters/index.html
4. Check out the Farmers Legal Defense Fund at http://www.ftcldf.org/index.html
5. Find out who sits on your states agriculture and farming committee and contact them with your concerns.
6. Continue to contact your elected officials and let them know your position on legislation and why. Contact your Representative here: https://writerep.house.gov/..writerep/welcome.shtml
   Contact your Senator here: http://www.senate.gov/..general/contact_information/..senators_cfm.cfm?State=
7. Get active at the local and state levels, this is the quickest way to initiate change.

Natural Addictions

srsly:

Turtle

Plants

Thinking of Spring

More Flowers!

Iron Cross 'Oxalis' that I received from a DGer. They have actually been blooming for a while, but I just got around to taking the pic:

My first Toad Lily:

...and more Torenia:

Torenia fournieri

I grew this from seed sent from a Dave's Garden SASE trade. They are annuals, but are supposed to reseed well. I love it, it's so dark!

Morning Glory ’Star of Yelta’

Another new flower bloomed! This is Morning Glory 'Star of Yelta' which I grew from seed:

...and Rachel sent me a really funny MP3. It's an acapella overture of John Williams themes sung with Star Wars "lyrics."

Daylily

So, my daylilies finally started blooming this month. The name comes from the fact that each flower lasts only one day. Fortunately, there are several flowers per stalk (and on mature plants, several stalks) to keep the flowers coming for quite a while! In this case I was lucky enough to have two simultaneous blooms from one stalk: