Long Buoy for Green Thumb Sunday

Long Buoy for Green Thumb Sunday







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We found this buoy on one of our trips to the ocean.

It was attached to a stake in the ground, and the whole piece was quite solid and immovable.

I was surprised that the next time we went back, about two months later, it was gone - with no visible sign that it was ever there.

I thought, at the time, that it was a decorative piece of artwork as there was no name or number on it that all lobster buoys must have on them.

I hope it was removed by the person who placed it there, but I tend to think that someone helped themselves to it, unfortunately.

Don't know how long it was there, but I was glad to have seen it.

Two Gala Apples for Green Thumb Sunday

Two Gala Apples for Green Thumb Sunday







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I haven't done a Green Thumb Sunday post for a few weeks, so I will post this image of two Gala Apples for this one.

It was taken last fall, and I just couldn't resist them while walking through the orchard.

There were gorgeous specimens everywhere, but this one seemed just perfect with the light.

You can eat while you pick, and they tasted so good!

Purple Columbine for Green Thumb Sunday

Purple Columbine for Green Thumb Sunday







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The pollen is out in full force now, and it didn't take long for those little yellow balls to cover the camera lens with a fine layer.

Not too overly impressed by this, I snapped a few quick shots of the beautiful Purple Columbine in the garden.

These beauties have been coming back for many years - always the deep purple with the white centers.

Well, in another garden across the yard, I now have a patch of these growing - and I didn't plant them there.

One of the birds to my feeders must have done the job for me.

And the ones growing in the new area are all one color - an even deeper purple than the ones pictured above.

It makes me wonder if they were brought from a neighbor's garden, or if the seeds were hybrid and were going back to their original genes.

Guess I'll never know, but I wonder what next spring will bring for these pretty Columbines.

Vibrant Vines

Vibrant Vines for Green Thumb Sunday







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These vines were so vibrant last autumn, I just couldn't resist them.

Not an overly interesting photo, but the colors just jumped right out - especially with the way the light was hitting them that particular afternoon.

More Ivy for Green Thumb Sunday

More Ivy for Green Thumb Sunday







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Last Sunday's post showed ivy growing on an old brick building.

Here is another brick building in the same historic district of Strawbery Banke.

I like the way the ivy appears to be creeping around the side - stretching out it's long fingers and hanging onto the bricks.

I remember my grandmother lived in a brick building, and she was always arguing with the ivy outside the windows.

She didn't like it around them because of the bugs, and I could understand her concern at the time - you could hear the bees buzzing around it when the windows were open in the summer.

The screen always kept them out though, and I used to love to look out that window and watch the ivy blow in the breeze.

Watching those bugs was pretty interesting too, and having that window framed with that greenery was always pleasing to me.

When it got too much for her to bear, out would come the scissors and the ivy would be trimmed back as far as she could reach out that little kitchen window.

That is the only building I have ever been in that I could look out through the ivy rather that at it.

Ivy and Circle Window for Green Thumb Sunday

Ivy and Circle Window for Green Thumb Sunday







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The Strawbery Banke area in Portsmouth, NH is steeped in history. History that dates back to the late 1600's when the first settlers began arriving to this country.

I grew up in this area, and it has always been one of my favorite places to go back to every now and then.

One used to be able to stroll through the grounds and around the cobblestone walkways, but this has been stopped in the last 20 years or so.

It is now all fenced up and it costs to get into the grounds - and forget getting into any of the old houses.

This is a sad thing for those of us who would take an evening stroll to enjoy the quiet and history of yesteryear all those years ago.

This photo is of a house that is not on the Strawbery Banke grounds.

It is just a street away and is still in the historical area.

Plenty of old brick buildings are there, and this one had a couple of unique windows.

Notice the door that closes over the round window - the whole thing reminds me of a captain's wheel on an old ship.

And the way the green ivy is slowly creeping up the side of the roof just adds to the charm of the whole scene.

Most think the ivy is a nuisance, but on these old buildings it just looks like it belongs there.

What to you think about the ivy?

Wet Sand Texture for Green Thumb Sunday

Wet Sand Texture for Green Thumb Sunday







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I was lucky enough to find this patch of sand that had not yet been disturbed by the many little feet running around in the sand.

The outgoing tide had left behind these ripples in the sand - some of them still filled with little pools of water.

Nature's art - the next time she works on this little patch, it will be totally different.

Yellow Berries for Green Thumb Sunday

Yellow Berries for Green Thumb Sunday







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Another shot from last fall's visit to the ocean.

I found tons of these yellow berries growing on a tree and there was nothing around eating them.

I was hoping at the time that it was because they were just not ripe enough yet.

Or perhaps they are just for decoration only.

I can just imagine how that tree is doing now - with the amount of berries it produces, it must be bursting with blossoms.

I don't foresee an ocean trip in the near future, so I won't get to see the flowers, but there is always another spring to catch them in their full glory.

A Bit of Last Autumn for Green Thumb Sunday

A Bit of Last Autumn for Green Thumb Sunday







I am not sure what kind of flower they are, but I found them quite interesting when I visited a local garden last autumn.

They look sharp and spiky, but they really are not.

Even their solid, round shape is odd for a flower.

I don't know if they open up, or if this is the mature plant.

The color was quite striking - even their stems are red.

If any of my readers know what they are, please don't hesitate to leave a comment.

I thank you in advance!

Mystery Plant Solved for Green Thumb Sunday

Mystery Plant Solved for Green Thumb Sunday







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In last week's post I was hoping to find out the name of the plant in the photo.

I am happy to say that my readers are a lot smarter than me, and the first commenter had the correct name for it.

Lynda, over at Peripheral Vision - Inner Sights by Lynda Lehmann knew right off that it was Jimson Weed.

Several other posters also recognized it and I thank everyone who responded.

Well, from reading the wiki on this plant, I discovered a few things about it.

See that photo above? My husband had a heck of a time cutting that spiky thing in half so I could take a photo it of it.

We handled it quite a bit, and I even took some of the seeds from the dried pods so I could try planting some of them.

Come to find out - every part of this plant is poisonous and may be fatal if ingested.

Now we were not stupid enough to start eating it, but I know that some things can be absorbed through the skin - we were lucky that we didn't get sick from them.

I never planted the seeds, and when I come across them this spring in my gardening tote, I will trash them immediately.

I think that next time we come across a new plant that looks so forboding, we will heed it's spiky warning and leave it alone - photos on the bush will be just fine!

Mysterious Spike Plant for Green Thumb Sunday

Mysterious Spike Plant for Green Thumb Sunday







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I have a mystery that I am hoping someone can help me solve.

I found this plant last autumn while we were vising the ocean.

These green spiky plant pods were growing in the rocks and grass right before it all turned into the sandy beach.

They were in all stages of development - the plant had flowers, these green spikes, and dried brown pods that were shriveled and splitting open.

The plant only grew about 3 feet tall - it was a rather low, brush type.

I am really interested in finding out what it is, and if anyone has any idea, I would be most thankful!

Many Gulls for Green Thumb Sunday

Many Gulls for Green Thumb Sunday







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Last week the sea gulls were floating around in the cove on the incoming tide.

This week's post is showing where they are all hanging out - at least until the tide is full.

They were coming and going - spending time on the water looking for food and then taking the time to preen or nap.

If you look at the larger image (by clicking on the photo), you will see some with their heads tucked under their wings - secure that the rest will let them know of danger.

Some are sitting on the rocks - enjoying the warmth they have to offer - some of them are standing on one leg in the typical bird sleeping position.

There is a "pecking order" to this group, as there often is in the bird world - and my guess for the leader would be one of those sitting ones - napping on the highest, driest spot.

Gulls in the Cove for Green Thumb Sunday

Gulls in the Cove for Green Thumb Sunday







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First, I must apologize for missing last Sunday and not posting a Green Thumb image. I had promised to show what the little ocean creatures in the seaweed were hiding from, and I am sorry for the longer wait.

Well, this week, I will make that entry, and as you can see from the image above, it's these seagulls.

Now, all looks nice and peaceful as they float along on the top, in and out of the seaweed beds, but don't let them fool you.

They were bobbing up and down with their heads ducking under water and coming up with small morsels. And they were doing this at a very frantic pace so there must have been quite a bit hiding in the seaweed.

Oh, and it looks like there are only a few eating at this time - but they have a system and in the photo that I will post next week, I would say they have an hierarchy too.

Flowing Seaweed for Green Thumb Sunday

Flowing Seaweed for Green Thumb Sunday







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My last Green Thumb Sunday post was about a piece of abandoned seaweed on the beach in the sand.

This week the seaweed is still in the water. It is attached to all the rocks underneath it, and as the tide comes in, it begins to float and wave back and forth in the ocean's currents.

All the little ocean creatures that were hiding under it during low tide also begin to move around and scramble for a new hiding place.

Next week I will show you what they are hiding from.

Green Seaweed for Green Thumb Sunday

Green Seaweed for Green Thumb Sunday







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Another image from summer past.

This little bunch of seaweed was far from the water's edge - not quite sure how it got here though.

It is still moist with sand granules stuck all over it.

I thought the dark green color was quite a nice contrast against the white of the sand.

I am not familiar with the name of this seaweed plant, but it is quite common around our shores. Usually it is more a more yellow/brown color than this green.

Next week I will post a photo of the seaweed still in the water - lots of it too.

Autumn Sumac for Green Thumb Sunday

Autumn Sumac for Green Thumb Sunday







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This past autumn the sumac leaves along the edge of our yard were a more red color than the fiery orange that I have seen in the years past.

I kept my eyes on these guys daily - I wanted to catch them at their peak. It also had to be the right time of the day when the sun was on them. And the sun had to be out in order to have enough light for the photo.

Well, by the time all these conditions were met, of course the peak for them had gone by.

See all those tiny little white "dots"?

Those are holes as the leaves were beginning to deteriorate. You can even see the blue sky through some of them.

I had noticed they were not in their prime when I took the photo, but it wasn't until I was processing it that I noticed all those tiny little holes.

The camera had picked up the light shining through them, where my eyes didn't catch it at all - certainly not the blue sky showing through.

Sometimes it makes me wonder what else my eyes don't see - and that's a pretty unnerving thought!

White Daisies for Green Thumb Sunday

White Daisies for Green Thumb Sunday







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I found these beauties last October.

Now, October isn't the time of year that they are usually growing in the field by my house, so I was quite surprised to find them blooming so beautifully this time of the year.

We had taken a trip to the ocean, and they were growing in a garden of one of the homes along the beach.

Perhaps it's the salt air they like, or maybe it helps to preserve them. Or perhaps they are a cultivated variety.

The wild daisies around my home are long gone by September.

It was a nice treat to find them, and such a full patch of them too - all looking bright and fresh.

Grazing Cows for Green Thumb Sunday

Grazing Cows for Green Thumb Sunday







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Last week I posted about the view that the cows had behind their barn.

These are the cows that live in that barn. I believe there are more further down the hill behind the trees, but these ones were still in view from the road.

They really do have a beautiful pasture with plenty of grass and room to keep them happy.

We have another snow storm headed our way tonight. I like looking at these images to remind me that summer will eventually get here in all it's glory.

Behind the Barn for Green Thumb Sunday

Behind the Barn for Green Thumb Sunday







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It was just after a summer shower that we came upon this beautiful green pasture just behind a big old barn in Maine.

You can still see remnants of the gray clouds to the left of the image.

All the cows were in a field further away from the barn, and I couldn't help but think that they really have a gorgeous view, and they don't even realize it.

Next week I will post an image of the cows grazing away and enjoying their beautiful pasture behind the barn.

Ocean Sand Dunes for Green Thumb Sunday

Ocean Sand Dunes for Green Thumb Sunday







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Last week's post featured sand dunes along the ocean in the spring.

This week, I backed up from where we were standing, and included a glimpse of the ocean along with the windswept sand dunes.

On the other side of the dunes there is a long beach that stretches down to the water.

We were not able to access the beach due to the nesting birds, but I am sure that in the summer it is quite a busy place.

This was a nice little stretch without any houses, but on either side of these dunes the houses are packed two and three deep.

Nature and man - both vying for this beautiful little spot. For now, nature is holding on - I hope it stays that way.