Here is a little portrait of a new pot of succulents at my house.
I love these guys.
I've been doing some experimenting experimenting, and it seems to be working...
Outside our South Carolina spring is definitely here, everything is covered with a fine sheet of yellow pollen and the temperature is rising. We've signed up for our plot in the community garden again this year, and are slowly starting to plant. The potatoes we put in early are coming up, and there are a lot of them! (squeals of excitement from the kids) I'm hoping the early planting will trick the pests and last years potato bugs will arrive to late...
Every day I go out my back door, down the walkway to my studio.
It is still winter around these parts, even though severe cold appears to be behind us. In Colorado we KNOW that we could still get 3 feet of snow! .. all the way into April.
Still, in my mind I have been planting flowers now. This flower bed that looks so bare, will be full of plants in around 12 weeks! The grass will be green even before that! I am so excited! I love Spring! I love when the birds get back from their vacation down south! The woodpecker is already pounding on our chimney and I just smile! Its all signs of Spring! Soon I will be working in my studio with my door and windows open. I am READY!!!
Filed under:
The Great Outdoors! 
In honor of Halloween I've decided to celebrate October with a series of portraits of poisonous plants.
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Phytolacca americana
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We have a lot of Pokeweed here in South Carolina, and although I knew it was poisonous and grows like, well, a weed, I hadn't given it much thought. It turns out the US constitution was written with ink made from fermented pokeberries. Once you start looking there is a lot of information about the
American pokeweed. It 's a "food and medicinal plant", native americans used to paint arrows, feathers and even horses with juice from the berries, and although every part of the pokeweed is poisonous, it's also a
popular food. Surprisingly enough, the berries are the least poisonous part .
Kid Lit Reviews welcomes Angela Shelton, author of The Adventures of Tilda Pinkerton Book 1: Crash-landing on Ooleeoo. Kid Lit Reviews generally does not delve into articles for authors unless there is something of interest to the young reader. Today will be an exception. Ms. Shelton is writing on the importance of the teacher-writer [...]
I think valentines day should be about celebrating the people and things that make you happy.
Happy day to you, actually, take the weekend! We are off of school for 4 days.
Enjoy.
How Does a Seed Grow? by Sue Kim, photographs by Tilde
A visually interesting book all about seeds, sprouts and the harvest. Each page is dedicated to one kind of seed complete with photographs of the seeds. That then unfolds to show a large photograph of the seedling in a cutaway format that shows below the ground to the roots and up above the ground for the leaves. Readers then unfold the page one more time to see a photograph of a child holding the fruit or vegetable. The text is very simple and rhyming. The illustrations are the heart of this book. It is a book guaranteed to fascinate children not only with the unfolding pages but with the details of the seeds and seedlings.
The book covers tomatoes, blueberries, bell peppers, peas and oranges. The brief rhymes do give a sense of the needs of plants from loose dirt to warmth to water and sunshine. Readers will enjoy looking at the differences in the shapes and sizes of the seeds and the different ways that the seeds grow. The children pictured with the fruits and vegetables are multicultural. One quibble is that some of the pictures are a little blurred, which is noticeable when compared with the crispness of the other images.
This book will work well in a classroom setting or in a story time focused on spring and plants. The foldout pages will not survive circulation at a library for long unless they are reinforced with tape. Appropriate for ages 2-5.
Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.
Flark: a long pool of water between two strings, or ridges, of peat.
Hummock: a small, round, raised mound of peat moss in a bog
Unfortunately, most of us have never had the opportunity to visit a bog, or if you're like me, you most likely don't know much about them...until now.
Big Belching Bog will take your young readers on a fantastic journey through the Eco-system of a bog with its many hidden mysteries. For example, did you know many species of birds, butterflies and plants call this place home? Or that the water is so acidic in a bog that only one species of frog (the Wood Frog) can tolerate and flourish in its waters?
Big Belching Bog by Phyllis Root is a wonderful look at a real-life bog. She has written this tale not only to be educational, but to be fun and mysterious (find out why it belches). The illustrations by Betsy Bowen are bold and bright and will have your little reader riveted to the pages as the story unfolds.
Check out Big Belching Bog at the
University of Minnesota Press or
AmazonYou read my review, now check out the sneak peek trailer of
Big Belching Bog
Prezler, June. 2009. Meat-eating plants and other extreme plant life. Read by Charity Jones and Patrick Olson. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press. (audiobook version)
About 20 minutes
Yes, this is an odd choice for an audiobook review, but there are reasons. My mp3 player was empty. I needed a quick downloadable audiobook for my commute. My daughter recently performed in the pit band for a local performance of "Little Shop of Horrors," and, in addition to the obligatory, closing night bouquet, she received, a meat-eating plant! (It has since become the only one of my thirty or so houseplants which my husband holds in any regard. He even bought a companion plant. We now own Fred and Wilma, the Venus fly traps. But I digress.)Meat-Eating Plants and other Extreme Plant Life is part of the Capstone's FactFinders series for younger readers - Grades 3-5. (
Complete reading level information is available from the publisher) It begins, of course, with the Venus Fly Trap, a great way to grab the reader's (or listener's) attention. Did you know that their leaves are "spring-loaded," and snap shut with the aid of a forceful stream of water shot from within the plant? And how about the Pitcher Plant? Did you know that it has been known to trap a mouse?! The first few chapters deal with all manner of "extreme plants," and their prey.
Later chapters explain the photosynthesis process, but in a way that kids will find interesting. Rather than dwell on the process for a simple house or garden plant, Prezler explains the process for plants adapting to extreme circumstances - intense temperatures, lack of sunlight, etc. The deviations are so much more interesting than the norms!
Also included is the role of plants on earth (and in space!). Plants are tested on the International Space Station and are seen as key in any attempt to colonize space. If it weren't for plants, we wouldn't have meat to eat, or clean air to breathe. Plants have numerous and quite interesting ways to travel and propagate themselves.
If this book doesn't awaken an interest in plants, nothing will. It features meat-eating, poop-eating, and poop-traveling plants - what more can you ask for?
Meat-Eating Plants doesn't translate easily to an audiobook format, however - photographs are a must for this type of book (in at least one instance, a caption is read for a photo that the listener cannot see). The simple text is made more interesting with the employ of two narrators, one male and one female. Patrick Olson reads each word very precisely - even using the long A sound for each instance of the word "a." I found it slightly irritating, but in truth, his exacting pronunciation would likely make this a great companion audiobook for struggling or reluctant readers to use in tandem with the text copy.
Bottom line - for plants, this is about as interesting as it gets, however, the book version makes a better choice than the audiobook. For struggling readers, choose the audiobook as accompaniment for the book.
Download a free sample MP3 for this title
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| Danger! |
I usually write about animal topics because they interest me the most. But quietly living alongside all the animals that catch our eyes are millions of plants, and they have exciting stories as well. Two surprising plant stories have recently made the news; while they do not quite range from the ridiculous to the sublime, they certainly do go from the bad to the good.
First, the bad plant news. I recently wrote a blog about an
invasive fish species. There are many invasive animal species–both on land and in the water–that wreak havoc on native ecosystems. There are invasive plant species as well. Conservationists are already familiar with invasive plant species that can clog waterways or take over landscapes. But people usually do not think of invasive plants as personally threatening in the way that invasive animals can be. Think of the pythons that are now spreading through Florida. Now, however, there is an invasive giant weed that poses a threat to humans and it sounds like something from an
Aliens movie. Called the Giant Hogweed, this plant is originally from the
Caucasus region of Eurasia. In the 1900s, it was introduced to Europe, Britain, and North America as an ornamental species; it grows to over 15 feet in height and sprouts clusters of attractive white flowers. Now this plant is officially listed as a noxious weed; people are warned not to touch it because of the risk of skin irritation. It turns out that the sap of the Giant Hogweed can cause blisters and scarring in humans, and can even result in blindness if it comes into contact with the eyes. Giant Hogweed is called a phototoxic plant because its sap causes severe inflammations when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Blisters develop within 48 hours and form scars that can last several years. The plant should be removed by personnel from government environmental agencies, since cutting or mowing it can expose one to the dangerous sap. Be on the lookout for this giant plant and do not be tempted to touch it!
Now, the good plant news. Some plants are known for their ability to absorb toxins from the air and from the soil. That’s why certain species of trees are planted along city streets and why some houseplants (such as English Ivy) are popular; they help purify the air. Now a particular plant is being enlisted to help clean up the radioactive soil that resulted from the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in Japan. Thousands of packets of sunflower seeds have been sold to people all around the area of the power plant. The seeds are to be planted in hundreds of parks that have been affected by the radioactive fallout. The good news is that there will be an attra
I'm honored to be featured in Sylvia Browder's wonderful blog for women authors.
Check it out: http://sylviabrowder.com/featured/mary-batten.html/
SCENES FROM LIFE: A SHORT PLAYETTE
AT THE GARDEN CENTRE
SCENE: CUSTOMER STANDS AT THE RETURN COUNTER IN GARDEN CENTRE, HOLDING A PLASTIC BAG OPEN AT THE TOP
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
"Number 14...who's number 14?"
CUSTOMER
Here! That would be me! See? Here's my ticket. Number 14
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
Now that we've agreed on that, what can I do for you?
CUSTOMER
I'd like to return these plants, please
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
Flowering or green?
(customer opens bag, removes contents and places them on counter earth spilling everywhere)
CUSTOMER
These plants. They're annuals as you can tell...then again, maybe you don't garden...not everyone likes to play in dirt. That's a little garden humor, there!
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
Come again? You want to return...dead garden plants. Now I've heard it all
CUSTOMER
You have a money-back-no-questions-asked policy?
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
Yes but...
CUSTOMER
...well - these former, vibrant living things are no longer in this world. Gone to see their maker. Never to feel the heat of the sun, again. I have the bill here...
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
Lady - those plants are dead!
CUSTOMER
Right - and that's why I'm returning them! Oh the angst and guilt of garden passings!
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
That doesn't include plants!
CUSTOMER
Show me where it says that. Money back is money back.
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
When did you plant these? They're a collection of black mush. Can't even tell what they were
CUSTOMER
Dahlias. Planted them the week that you started selling them. March...I think... Yup - March
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
March? The ground was still frozen! How did you even get a spade in the ground
CUSTOMER
I managed. We garden lovers can make the impossible happen. So are you going to give me back my money?
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
Damn - there's ants crawling all over the counter...
(garden center employee smashes ants with her hand and fingers)
CUSTOMER
Even more reason to return me my money as soon as possible. Oh look - there goes a earwig. Boy those bugs sure can move fast...right accross the counter...
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
How about I replace those...whatever with live plants? Would that be okay?
CUSTOMER
That would be perfectly okay with me. By the way, what should I do with these dearly departed?
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
'I will not open my mouth to a customer...I will not open my mouth to a customer...' Um - just leave them here
CUSTOMER
Is it okay if I say good-bye to them?
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
Whatever...
CUSTOMER
(touching plants)
'Plants - I'm very sorry that my TLC didn't save you from extinction. I tried - I really tried! Go now - go meet your friends in the garden in the sky!'
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
Good. Said your goodbyes?
CUSTOMER
Yes. It's always so hard to deal with plant deaths
GARDEN CENTER EMPLOYEE
(grabbing dead plants and tossing them in trash can)
Not really. "Number 20 - who's got number 20?"
I've seen a number of books over the years about how seeds move from one place to another.
PLANTING THE WILD GARDEN, written by Kathryn O. Galbraith and illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, is a beautiful, quiet book that had me hooked from the opening pages. It begins:
The farmer and her boy plant their garden. They drop seeds--tiny, fat, round, and oval--into the earth. From these seeds, pumpkins and peas, carrots and cabbages will grow. In the wild meadow garden, many seeds are planted too, but not by farmer's hands.
On this first double page spread is a pictures of a woman and her son, both kneeling in the dirt planting seeds. I was most enamored of the illustrations of the growth stages of the pumpkin, carrot, cabbage and pea that border the main illustration.
On the pages that follow are may examples of how wind, water, and animals help seeds disperse. Galbraith uses language that evocatively describes the sounds of the wind (Oooooo--whishhh!), rain PLip-plop!), acorns falling (thump, bump) minnows dining (Gulp! Gulp!) and more. The sentences are simple but so carefully crafted. There is a lovely rhythm to the lines and the story they tell. It all comes full circle when readers learn that people also help to plant the meadow.
The muted colors and dreamy quality of Halperin's work gives readers much to appreciate. Many of the illustrations beg to be pored over.
This book is a terrific introduction to seeds, how they travel, and can even be used to introduce the growing stages (life cycle) of plants. I'm using this one with my preservice teachers next week and predict this will become a classroom favorite. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Author: Kathryn O. GalbraithIllustrator: Wendy Anderson Halperin
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers
Publication Date: April, 2011
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: K-5
ISBN: 978-1561455638
Source of Book: Personal copy
This review was written for
Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to
Books Together and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.
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| sketchbook |
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| watercolor sketch |
hanging out with my plants...
thinking about color and pattern...
more soon...
This one starts out sounding as dark as any middle-grade dog story but lightens up at the end in typical Grimm fashion.
Old Sultan is a dog, a toothless wonder who has outlived his days, is slated to be taken out into the fields and shot the next day by the farmer. Overhearing this to dog trots off to the forest to whine to his cousin, a wolf. The wolf has an idea: the next day the wolf will
![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
jenlibrarian is gathering flowers for a virtual birthday bouquet. She asked for our favorite flowers. Well heck, here I am in the middle of planning my native garden, no flowers at all at the moment, and she wants me to pick just one? I can't I tell you, I just can't.
California has so many beautiful native flowers that it really hard to just pick one to highlight. Consistently though my heart warms when I think of the sturdy yet stunning and dependable Ceanothus, the native California Liliac.
the colors range from deep blue to lilac to white.
What I love about this plant is how I can ignore it and it rewards me with evergreen beauty and beautiful blossoms. Plant it in the fall, water it once a week the first year (in the summer), maybe once a month in the summer the second year, and after that, you can pretty much ignore it. The birds and the bees love it.
The plant, the Ceanothus, and the more well-known Poppy, are the two plants that say California to me.
Happy birthday, Jen!
My name is Lynette, and I'm a painter/drawer from the mid-west United States. I'm happy to be a new member of SFG and look forward to posting with you and seeing all of your work. I put myself in the magic realist category and enjoy working in acrylic, egg tempera, charcoal and graphite. This is an acrylic painting called Labyrinth that is an approximate self portrait. If you'd like to visit my blog, Mythmaking from the Other Side, the address is: http://lynettesartblog.blogspot.com Thanks for inviting me to be a member!
By:
Anita Mejía,
on 3/10/2009
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By: Di,
on 5/21/2009
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Sunflower Friends
© Diana Ting Delosh - Ink and Watercolor
I scored this beauty at a library book sale and you will be seeing more of it.
We decided to try this with a fresh bunch of carrots. We started the "garden" about 2 weeks ago. The nice thing is that you get to eat the carrots and the tops don't go to waste.
We just put our tops in water without pebbles and it didn't change the results.
Within about 3-4 days the first shoots appeared and we have been quite excited checking how tall they are getting.
So while interesting that carrots do this, the book doesn't say why or give an answer to what I have been asking myself - "what do I do with these things now?"
Any ideas?
A Seed Was Planted by Toulla Palazeti, illustrated by Pamela Barcita
From a single seed being planted, people share shoots of the plant. With friends, neighbors and family members who each take it in turn, plant it and then pass on a shoot to another person. The book uses the refrain of “It grows,” as each person plants their shoot. In the end, the small plants grow and grown until they are trees large enough to climb. The book speaks to the wonder of seeds, the power of sharing and the way that one small idea can lead to transformation.
Author Palazeti keeps the text very simple with only one sentence per page. This makes it ideal for new readers of both English and Spanish. This simplicity of language belies the depth of the story and its gentle and powerful message. Barcita’s illustrations are realistic and very friendly. Readers get to see each sharing of the tree along with a framed image of the newly potted shoot. The different pot styles and settings speak firmly to our differences as well as our commonalities.
Recommended for new readers in either English or Spanish, this book is universal in its message and appeal. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
This book comes in both English and bilingual English/Spanish. I reviewed from an ARC of the bilingual version that I received from the publisher.
The King and the Seed by Eric Maddern, illustrated by Paul Hess
King Karnak has no heir and is coming to the end of his reign. So he puts out a call for anyone who wants to be king to come and join in a competition. Knights come from across the land, ready for the battle to begin. But the king surprises them all by handing each one of them a seed and asking them to bring it back in six months to show what they have grown. A boy, Jack, who came only to witness the competition, gets a seed for himself. Jack tries and tries to make his seed grow, but nothing works and six months later he heads back to the castle. There he finds the knights with armloads of plants, huge flowers, all different from one another. Jack doesn’t want to admit his defeat to the king, so what’s a boy to do?
Maddern’s storytelling has a great flair, filled with small touches and humor that really bring the story to life. The book has a strong message that is not overdone. It also has a classic folk tale format that is mixed with a modern storytelling style, creating a very engaging book. Hess’ illustrations are bright-colored and offer interesting perspectives on the action. They will work well with a group.
Ideal for reading aloud, this book is a great modern folktale that emphasizes the importance of honesty. Appropriate for ages 4-8.
Reviewed from library copy.
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lovely, so enjoying your enthusiasm for the plants and the spring growth (including yours!)