Philadelphia Flower Show - Hair Raising

I always enjoy the entries in the standard flower show. This is a miniature category. The displays were in 6" cubical niches. The category was "Hair Raising." Each entry is somehow supposed to interpret that theme.

This one took fourth. It includes eucalyptus seed, kiwi vine, lily, and milkweed leaves. The judges said that it carries the eye well, but the heaviness of the material weighs it down.

This one took third. It includes echinops and ting-ting. Ting-ting is readily available at all kind of craft suppliers, but I can't seem to find out what it actually is, except a naturally curled plant. It may be a rush or a grass. I'm out of time to find out for today. I actually like this one a lot, but the judges said there was too much negative space. The focus on the photo isn't crisp.

The second place winner used clove, bamboo, millet, rice, and miscanthus. Everyone joked that it looked like a covid virus. But the judges only said that athough it evokes static electricity, the vertical line impedes the movement. That comment doesn't make much sense to me.

This one took the blue ribbon. The single plant material is tillandsia which is an air plant. The judges said, "This hair raising design ignites the imagination! Click."

Personally, although this was very clever, I thought the more abstract one that took third was more "hair raising." But I'm not a judge!

I've been in the mood for an odd food item, so I made it! Creamed potatoes and peas. This was a staple when I was growing up, but I rarely made it for my family because Omer didn't like cream sauces. It was a yummy dinner for today.

My new fact for today stems from seriously starting to plan when I will go back out on the trail. The Trap Hills are going to have to wait till near the end because the snow is still too deep. But I "accidentally" learned that trap rock is a geologic term that refers to "any dark-colored, fine-grained, non-granitic intrusive or extrusive igneous rock." So are the Trap hills trap rock? I still don't know. I think the answer is maybe. There is a Trap Hills Range in Wisconsin as well, basaltic volcanic flows that split and created cliffs of which there are a lot in Michigan's Trap Hills, and I think they are geologically connected. I overlaid the trail on a geologic map, but I'm still not sure. I'll keep digging!

See PFS- Blue