Orange We Happy?

These plants were looking healthy this year, so I was hopeful they would bloom. It's Blackberry Lily, Belamcanda chinensis. I don't think they've bloomed since 2011. They haven't been a huge success although they do survive. In fact, they have spread a bit. However, they never really fill in to make much of a splash of color. But they are pretty interesting. I may share again when the seeds pods open.

Here's something I never noticed before, and I love it! The buds are spiraled like a soft-serve ice cream. They close at night and open later in the day.

I haven't showed you the blanketflower this year (except the seed heads). The variety is 'Arizona Sun.' I think next year I'll look for one other variety. They tolerate the heat of the rock garden quite well and bloom for a long time.

You will hear more about the marigolds later. A few are blooming.

And I gave in to temptation and bought one of the popular Heuchera. This is 'Caramel,' sort of orange. Not marked down. It's not my favorite, but it is a bit different from the others I have.

I was doing well until about mid-afternoon. Not sure if it's the horrible air quality, the humidity, age, or just whatever. But I did work some on most of my projects and the gardens. Walked 3 miles this morning and braved the store. Meijer was a zoo. Maybe I'll blame my fading energy on the stress of shopping.

Miles hiked in 2025- 324.6

See Back to the Blackberry Lily

The Orange Doors

 
I've wanted to show this on the blog for years. I finally stopped and took pictures.

This is fun on many levels. In the first place, it's a wall that hides a junk yard. Secondly, it's made from old steel doors, so it's a great upcycling project.



And it's rusted and weathered to the point where it has become almost a work of art. I always enjoy looking at it as I drive past.



On US 10, just west of MI-37.

In other news: Well, I worked on the book in the morning, but then I had to make yogurt, do a bunch of small odd tasks, errands, and then bell choir practice and writer's group. Long day. All good. I got through the entire list. Received a stunning review on Accidentally Yours, the collection of my short writings. I'll finish the formatting for that in the next few days, and then it will be available for purchase.

	See Maggie Says, "More Orange Mom"
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Philadelphia Flower Show 2019 - Orange

 
Let's just go through the colors at the 2019 Philadelphia Flower Show. Next up is orange.

I'll start with an interesting cactus in bloom. It's a Parodia, a genus of cactus native to South America. (Doesn't seem to fit that genus to me, but I'm no cactus expert.)



This is the winner in one of the miniature contests, the theme of which was "Light My Fire." Plant materials are a Ginger blossom, and Curly Ting-ting, a dried grass.



Next up is one of the displays from a commercial exhibit called Happy Together. It's supposed to explore relationships between plants and people. It had one section for each color with neon tubes. I'm not sure I understand this one but it sure is orange.



Tulips are always wonderful to see in early spring. They never disappoint.



And I love the variety and colors of Begonias. You may see a whole day of them.



Can't let you go without one more kind of tulip.



Finally, this is from the World Cup exhibit by Korea.



The furnace is fixed. Can't say I mind. It didn't get below 58 in the house, but it's nice to have indoor spaces be indoorsy. I finished the book I needed to read, and wrote in the morning. Didn't accomplish much else. The forecast was rain, so I didn't walk. Should have... no rain.

	See Red or Bright Pink
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Aposematic Coloration

 
Orange and black are colors of warning, "aposematic," at least in the insect world. They usually mean "I don't taste good and will make you sick" to other insects and birds. In fact, some insects have adapted to use the colors when they don't taste bad at all, but the warning still works.

The reason a lot of them taste bad is that they feed on the leaves of milkweed and milkweed relatives. The sap of these contains high levels of cardiac glycosides. If you've ever accidentally tasted milkweed sap you know how bitter it tastes. (And this is why you should only eat baby milkweed greens and boil them thoroughly)

Today I found two of these little larvae on some milkweed. It will become the Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle, Labidomera clivicollis, which is-- you guessed it-- orange and black.



This is common milkweed, but they aren't too picky although they prefer swamp milkweed. They can chew through a lot of milkweed, but they are native, so I'll let them live.



I did learn that you want to be careful to never get milkweed sap in an eye-- it can cause severe inflammation and blurred vision for days. You'd think with all the bad press giant hogweed is getting that someone would mention the danger of this common plant. I also can't believe I've never had this happen, since I rub my eyes way too much.

Right next door on a goldenrod were some End Band Net-wing beetles, adults, Calopteron terminale.



Ah! I did find what I was looking for-- a Monarch caterpillar.



In other news: I started planning hike food, but didn't get enough done to bother to share yet. Walked 4 miles with 26 pounds. Oof. I'm not in very good shape. Started writing the next chapter of DMS Mistletoe. Oh yeah, and I did laundry.

	See Little Brother
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Yellow and Orange Make Me Smile

 
Just got home from writers' group, so I'll do a fast post and call it a day. The two brightest flowers from yesterday are so intense they just seem to glow.

The yellow is hoary puccoon, Lithospermum canescens. It's really similar to hairy puccoon, but it's less hairy. Now you know. I think these two plants come the closest to having the exact color of the old Crayola boxes called yellow-orange.



The other is a flower that is stunning to find in the wild. The color is outlandishly fluorescent red-orange. It's commonly called Indian paintbrush (as are several other plants), but this is Castilleja coccinea. It's secret is that the color isn't the petals. the actual tiny flower is hidden inside the bright calyx.



I had never seen either of these flowers till I moved to Michigan.

In other news: I hung out laundry and wrote chapter 3 in The Bigg Boss. Also participated in a meeting via computer about trail stuff, then went to writers' group.

	See Hairy Puccoon
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Day-Glo Orange, Small and Large

 
Today was totally consumed with working on book formatting and related stuff. Wow. I've posted all that where it belongs, on the author blog. See The ABZ Affair - Color Cover.

What I'll bring you is a nifty sun-shot leaf on the Pigeon River from my trip to see Ester,



and, today's sunset.



My head feels like it's going to explode from all the concentration, but hopefully I can keep it up a couple more days.

See the other blog for all (almost all) the other news!

	See Very Early Spring Color Wheel for another leaf made orange by the sun
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Orange Details, Wet Ending

 
Today has been all about writing, but after finishing Chapter 6 in The ABZ Affair, I just had to get some exercise, so I went out for a different 3-mile walk. the sky was spitting a little bit, but real rain wasn't supposed to start till later.

The color of the day is orange (although I snuck in one picture from yesterday).

Orange lichen:



Here's the one from yesterday. I suspect the orange tree tips are some kind of willow, but not positive.



These are a willow, perhaps the same kind. I did increase the contrast a bit, but they are really orange and you know I like my colors bright, even garish.



But, it was raining steadily although softly by the time I got home, and I was quite wet, although refreshed. For those of you who like softer tones, try raindrops on white birch branches.



Supposed to rain for several days now.

In other news: I'm really pulling out all the stops on writing The ABZ Affair. I have so much to do with illustrations and formatting for all three books, I'd like to get the texts really finished and polished before the end of February. Today I finished chapter 5 (had to do a LOT of research on 1953 prices), and wrote 6 (researched earlier) and 7. They may need some content editing, but at least there is something solid to work with. No work at the paper for me again tomorrow (no Tuesday work this year- not good for the wallet), but I'm hoping I can write three more chapters. We'll see.

	See Brown Details, Brilliant Ending
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I Like Bright Colors

 
I really light bright clear colors. Sometimes I think I'm a little confused, though, because I love Impressionistic Art, which mostly features effects of light and soft colors. But, when push comes to shove, in clothes, decor and whatnot... I like the bright primaries and secondaries.

The first picture I took while on that walk in the rain on Saturday. This was just about the only bright spot I saw- maple leaf against a sedge.



My kitchen windows are filled with blue glass (mostly cobalt blue).



Today, I finally learned what the vines are that grow high in the spruce trees beside the alley at work. They are American bittersweet. Easy to tell when you can bring the fruits close with a camera lens.



Tomorrow is the biggest day at work. All those Black Friday ads go out the door. 20 inserts in the daily paper. We've been running packets all week. Stay tuned.

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Morning Light

 
I liked the earliest stripes of light before the sun actually came up.



You can see how the stripe persisted behind the apple tree on the right, but as the sun rose that bank of clouds lit up.



In a couple more minutes I realized it was going to be one of those sunrises that lights up everything to the west with interesting colors. First it turned the aspen trees pink.


This was the whole scene out back. Yet another mood of my backyard.



Just before the effect faded, it made the two mulberry trees glow. This is the same effect that turned them all pink a few years ago (link at bottom- that picture is stunning). However, this time, it made them all orange.



Back to work in a couple of hours. I'm really tired tonight, so I hope things keep moving. If I can't think about it, it's not too bad.

	See Pink, Blue (and Red)
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