Pollinator Pleasing #AtoZChallenge

For today, let's visit a pollinator garden on the edge of downtown Binghamton, New York.

Why a pollinator garden?

Sometimes, alas, Nature's creatures need a little help from humans.  It's not because Nature's creatures are helpless, but, rather, because we change destroy the environments they need.  Hence, this Pollinator Friendly Garden fills an increasingly important need.  Even in a downtown.  No, especially in a downtown.

Let's take a look at this garden, which we visited during a music festival in September of 2023.

New England asters, a fall flower.

Salvia, and ornamental grass.

Goldenrod against a blue sky.

Zinnias.  In a normal year, I would have seen monarch butterflies, but I didn't see one.  Not one.

One last look.

It doesn't take much room to create a pollinator friendly garden.  Even if you have a small urban plot of land there may be something you can grow, including a lot of ornamental flowers:  alyssum, black-eyed Susan, cosmos, lavender, zinnias, and more.

 "P" day at the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme Gardens, History, Art and The Unexpected.

Outdoor Art #AtoZChallenge #WordlessWednesday

Today, for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge and Wordless Wednesday, outdoor art installations from August of 2023 in North Bennington, Vermont.  This is an annual event called NBOSS and what you are about to see are works from the past 20 plus years this event has been held.

Here are some samples of more than 40 art installations we viewed during a visit in early September of 2023 after attending Bennington's annual Garlic Festival.

Gomorrah, originally built in 2000 by Stephen Davidson, who died in a car accident in 2003 at the age of 37.  Friends rebuilt the art in 2018 after a tractor-trailer accidentally knocked it down while backing down a driveway.

Blue Profile, by Liz Howe.

Fittingly called No. 2.  I don't have the artist's name for this.

By a restored train depot which is now the North Bennington town hall, a commuter waits for a train that is more than 50 years late.

Octopus's Garden by Joe Chirchirillo.

Trojan Horse. 

Angel of Death by Jack Howard-Potter.

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

"O" day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme:  Gardens, History, Art and The Unexpected.

Not (in Vain) #AtoZChallenge

 In blogging life, one can pre write a post but something comes up that you really want to talk about - this is one of those times.  My intended post for today will be published at a later date.

CONTENT WARNING - injuries, dying, death, organ donation.

Last week a man I know (not well but I know others who knew him better) started to walk across an intersection I, and many others, have crossed many times.  It's in front of a department store in downtown Binghamton, New York, an area with a lot of pedestrian traffic.

He never made it across.  He was hit by an SUV traveling in the other direction that made a left turn, hitting him.  The SUV left the scene at a high rate of speed, according to witnesses. The police caught up with the driver, a 17 year old boy, later that day.

The pedestrian arrived at the hospital with a severe brain injury and internal bleeding.  The hospital did what they could.  The family was summoned.

The next day, the pedestrian was declared brain dead.  He was only 45.   But, his story does not end there. 

Why?  Because he was also an organ donor.

I can not imagine what the pedestrian's family has gone through since they were notified of the accident.

I also never knew the process for what happens in a situation like this. What I found out, from someone who knew him better, is that the pedestrian (we'll call him the donor going forward) was kept on life support a couple of more days after he was declared brain dead.  

Then, when it was time, a special ceremony called an Honor Walk was held.   This ceremony is explained at length here, but basically, all available hospital personnel line up from the donor's room to an operating room, and the donor's family accompanies the donor to the operating room.  Special music or other honoring gestures can be requested by the donor's family.

His gifts from his untimely death in a hit and run accident might benefit more than one person.

My drivers license has the organ donation endorsement, because I made this decision years ago. It's an intensely personal decision.

If you are curious about religion and organ donation, and haven't made your decision yet, there is a lot of information online, including this discussion, that may help you.

One man's life was taken in a tragic accident, but his death will not be in vain.

May he rest in peace and may his family find peace in his final sacrifice.

"N" day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme:  Gardens, History, Art and The Unexpected.

Meme (Garden Bloggers Bloom Day April 2024) #AtoZChallenge #GardenBloggersBloomDay

(If you are looking for my Music Moves Me post, please click here.)

It's "M" day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  It's also the 15th of the month, when I join garden bloggers from all over the world who show what is blooming in their homes or flower gardens. So my M post is also for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, brought to us by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

My A to Z theme this year is Gardens, History, Art and The Unexpected, so why not show you what's blooming in my zone 6a (recently upgraded from 5b) flower garden in the Southern Tier of New York?

Spring arrived early this year, despite some recent efforts on the part of the weather to reinstate winter.  But spring is fighting back and it will eventually win.   Yesterday was springlike, though, with several thunderstorms through the afternoon.  We even got some soft hail.

First, let's go to my backyard.

I used to have three different types of brunnera, but this year I am only seeing two of them. 

This one is brunnera Jack Frost.And my regular brunnera.  I love their blue flowers.

Another brunnera.

Purple lenten rose.

A red and yellow primrose, which we originally got from my late mother in law's yard.

Perennial vinca. 

This is a spring ephemeral, bloodroot. Sanguinaria canadensis, which is a native wildflower.  We bought this years ago at The Plantsmen Nursery in Ithaca, New York. It only blooms for a brief time and this year, apparently, only for a day.  My spouse took this picture on April 12 and I'm breaking a GBBD rule to show you this.

Now, to the front, where bulbs rule.

These hyacinths were bought, forced, at a supermarket several years ago over a span of two or three years.  I planted them after they bloomed indoors, and they've come back.  They don't look as good as freshly planted ones but they smell as sweet.  Here's some in white.

Pink hyacinth.

 One purple hyacinth opening up.

Daffodils.

Jonquils.

A species tulip.

Thanks go, as always, to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting the 15th of the month Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Why not visit Carol's site and see what else is blooming?

"M" day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme:  Gardens, History, Art and The Unexpected.

Post Eclipse Music #MusicMovesMe #ShadowshotSunday

 It's Sunday, and today it is time for a Sunday edition of Music Moves Me, since today is an off day on the Blogging from A to Z Challenge).  It's also time for Shadowshot Sunday.  But first, music!

Let's introduce the Music Moves me bloggers:  We blog about music each Sunday or Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please! Otherwise, your post may be removed, or may  be labeled "No Music".)   Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and, last but not least, me.

Every other week, we have a theme.  On alternate weeks, we can blog on any music theme we want.  Today is freedom of musical choice, so let's get started with several songs I heard on a trip to view a total eclipse of the sun.

This song has been an earworm for several days, so I will try to get rid of the earworm by listening to this song.  From 1979, Poco and Crazy Love.

Talking Heads - Same as It Ever Was, from 1980.

Next, who can resist Creedence Clearwater Revival and Bad Moon Rising?  I was so tempted to try a version performed on Tesla coils (maybe I'll devote a post to that type of music one day), which is something I experienced for the first time where I watched the eclipse.  No worries;  I'll save that for another day and give you CCR's original.

Now a couple of songs I just felt like including.

Tomorrow will be Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, and in honor of that, let's choose a song related to flower gardening.

Simon and Garfunkel - Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall, from 1966.

Finally, because I heard it yesterday, here is Chevelle and I Get It, from 2007.

Now, it's time for Shadowshot Sunday, brought to us by Lisa at Lisa's Garden Adventures. 

My entry today is a picture I took during a total eclipse of the sun last Monday.  The eclipse was totally blocked by thick clouds but parking lot lights that came on during the eclipse made for interesting and long shadows during the three plus minutes of totality.

One more for you. Both of these taken at 3:22 pm in case you were wondering.

And that's a wrap!

Join me again next Sunday for another episode of Music Moves Me/Shadowshot Sunday.

Lorenzo (State Historic Site) #AtoZChallenge

Last fall, we visited the Lorenzo mansion at Lorenzo State Historic Site in Cazenovia, New York.   The village of Cazenovia was a lake resort community.  It still is well worth the visit.

Colonel John Lincklaen, founder of the village of Cazenovia, had this mansion built in 1807. 

President Grover Cleveland visited and had dinner in the mansion in 1887, had dinner, and spent the night.  Why don't we step in his footsteps?

The walk to the mansion in fall is lined with Japanese anemones.

Closeup of this beautiful display.
 

The outside of the mansion.   Let's go in. (Take the tour; it is well worth the money.)

Unlike many other historic mansions, all the furnishings of this mansion are original to the family.  

A chest. 

Artwork.

Fun fact,  no one knows why it was called Lorenzo, according to the man who gave us the tour.  No one of that name was ever associated with the house, as far as we know.  

Not fun fact, enslaved men and women were kept and utilized for their unpaid labor at Lorenzo. (You'll have to scroll partway down the page for some information.  While we think of Southern states when it comes to slavery, Northern states did have legalized slavery - and, in fact, New York, while it did pass a gradual emancipation law in 1799,  did not totally emancipate all of its enslaved residents until 1827. (Massachusetts was the first Northern state to free its enslaved residents).

New York has a number of state historic sites.  I hope to feature another one of them later in this Challenge.

"L" day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme:  Gardens, History, Art and The Unexpected.

Knowing Knowledge - Total Eclipse of the Total Eclipse #SkywatchFriday #AtoZChallenge

We live in New York State,  perhaps 100 miles outside the zone of totality for the April 8 total eclipse of the sun. We knew that if we wanted to see the total eclipse we would have to travel.  But, given our normal weather on April 8 of any year, we also Knew that many early April days are cloudy. We could even have a snowstorm.  Going anywhere was a gamble. Should we travel west or easst, or try to stay within New York State?

After some research we decided on Rochester, New York.  We signed up for a eclipse watching festival at Rochester's Museum and Science Center (RMSC), figuring that if the weather was bad, we'd have plenty of other things to do.  If the weather was good....

Know what?

It was almost good.  In fact, April 7 was beautiful with blue skies.  April 9 was beautiful with blue skies.

But oh, that April 8.  If only we had Known....

Is this a historic building on East Avenue?  I have no idea

It started nice.  Here's the sky at 9:15 am as we walked from the parking garage to the RMSC, where we would view the eclipse.  But it rapidly clouded up.  

With the eclipse starting at 2:07 pm and totality starting at 3:20, we just Knew things weren't going to happen the way we wanted them to.  But that was the chance we took, right?

 1:33 pm.  The festival emcee tries to keep spirits up, explaining that someone he knew had watched a prior eclipse in a rainstorm.  Just before totality the rain stopped and the sun came out.  And we didn't even have rain.  The clouds were from a warm front.

2:50 pm.  The eclipsing sun is in that picture somewhere.  But note how those clouds look.  So far, nothing out of the ordinary.

By 2:59 pm something strange is happening to the clouds. The temperature is noticeably dropping. The clouds are getting - lumpy.  It's also a little darker than the picture shows - my iPhone 13 mini was doing some automatic light adjustment.  I wish I had known how to stop it.

3:09 pm, 11 minutes before totality.

3:18 pm, two minutes before totality.   It was darker than it looks.  Meanwhile, the temperature had dropped even more.  It was getting darker and darker.  I felt a breeze.

3:20 pm.  A shadow swept across the parking lot where we were watching.  This is my fourth total solar eclipse but I've never seen one totally clouded up.   We can't see the sun, but I Knew, with my eclipse experience's Knowing Knowledge that totality has arrived.

Part of the horizon is blocked (it really wasn't a good viewing location) and I can barely see the 360 degree sunset I know I should be seeing.  Meanwhile, the parking lot lights have snapped on.  Aaaargh!  The emcee says they tried to override the lights but couldn't. 

The three minutes and 38 seconds of totality have begun.  Elsewhere in the parking lot, a couple are getting married.  But alas, no sun.  Strangely, I can see two small crescents in this picture.  Can you? 

3:21 pm.

Reverse sunset 3:21 pm.

3:22 pm. and I decide to take several shadow shots on the ground.  Here's one.

As soon as it was over, the large crowd headed right for the exits.  We did, also, even as the sky brightened up.

The eclipse ended - or should I say, the total eclipse of the total eclipse, as my spouse called it - at 4:30 pm.

The sun showed itself again about 5:30 pm.

So, what do we know?

We are not in control.  Not on April 8, not ever.  I feel for the people in the crowd - from the huge buildup on media this is not what they had signed up for and I heard a lot of comments while exiting along the lines of "this was overrated"..  But there is always something to see and learn when you are a Skywatcher.  I can just hope I can view another total eclipse before my time on Earth is over.

Joining Yogi and other skywatchers today for #SkywatchFriday.

"K" day at the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme Gardens, History, Art and The Unexpected.