Sunday, May 13, 2012

suppressing pollen panic, plus pretty posies


11 a.m. today, this was the scene:

Honda lid. DARK BLUE Honda lid. 

Normally barely visible orb web in window rendered BRIGHT by pollen coat. 

Bank o' pollen bashing against Honda weather stripping. It wants to be everywhere

Pollack-y pollenart on white Mazda pickup. Plus random tiny bug.

So, I hosed down our cars, the narrow walk around the house, some of the house walls, and the nearest grasses to get the EXUBERANTLY abundant pollen wet and DOWN.

Make it be still.
And not hover around my face.

And I felt better. =)
And cooler... ah....

6 hours later, I see this.
Note pollen donors reflecting, mocking...


SIX HOURS and there's a brand NEW layer upon everything.
Looking out earlier I thought there was a dust storm blowing between the trees.
Nope. This dust is a greenish yellow.

These trees are determined to GET IT DONE!

Man.

So, the original reason I went out was to examine an oak gall
Bear told me about, so I'll post about that, and the other things I found, next.

Meanwhile, however, two flowering plants I saw while out this a.m.,
including one of my faves, Sisyrinchium bellum, blue-eyed grass.

Shining with newness.

Profile:

hubba. hubba.

Gasp

These 2 were only 3 inches tall, max. SO CUTE!
Lilliputian, if you'll forgive the flowery pun.

Based on this post, it could be 1 of several yellow violets native to the area,
and I'm too hungry right now to figure out which
(pardon, but still-warm banana bread beckons).

And, by the way, actually WATERED my FEW remaining irises
(the gopher keeps eating them) this a.m.,
and this afternoon, one bloomed!
Now, that's a nice thank you!

Will post on oak gall, and serendipitous bugs, next.

xoxobb

4 comments:

  1. Aren't those beautiful blooms.
    Sorry about all your pollen. This time of year is a pain for an outdoor lover with ....ah ....ah.....choo!-allergies!

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  2. Oh my goodness! I'm sneezing just looking at the photos. That's a lot of pollen!

    I wonder what the spider thought? I'd be pretty cheesed off if I had spent all that time building a webby ambush trap only to have it (de)cloaked by the...er...products of plants.

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  3. Hee. I hadn't thought of it from the spider's perspective, GREAT POINT. =)

    ReplyDelete
  4. yeeargh! Texas has great wildflowers but i do miss California's after seeing these. And a spiderweb with a pollen coat - that's kinda sweet!

    ReplyDelete

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