Motley Monday - April 29, 2024

It's an incredible year for the strawberries!

Let's keep our fingers crossed the slugs and pill bugs (which nibble a hole and curl up inside it) don't get these before I do!  These are Hood, a June bearer, planted in 2022, and Albion, a day-neutral variety (ever bearer), planted in 2021.  Both were bought bareroot from Scenic Hill Farm  Nursery, about 2 hours north of here.  

This was a path before the strawberries (most likely Albion, it has "robust runners" crawled out during the winter.  I'll have to remove some to another bed.  Oregano also self-seeded against the retaining wall blocks. 

On the fence behind the strawberry bed is a wild grape.  The new leaves are quite pretty. 

So are the small young leaves.  Pretty much the ideal leaf shape! 

I missed the flowers last year, the first time it had them.  These are the buds.  

I moved a rock that was on top of a cement block hole and found this spider.  I didn't poke it, the scissor tip is to show size!  It was (still is I expect) big!  Of course it's big, it's a Giant House Spider.  Originally from Britain, it was introduced to British Columbia, Canada about a hundred years ago, and now flourishes in Washington and Oregon. Great.  At least it wasn't near the house.  The Giant House Spider is one of the few that evolved to live indoors!  They are also gentle, and while the males can cover your palm (lots of leg space), it's said they are good for hands-on demonstrations with children.  

I thought this photo of the inside of a bearded iris from the top was interesting.  

Lastly, I got this book in the Goodwill Bins, and Mickey was not amused.  It wasn't very amusing reading either.  Jokes of course, but very dated, from back when dogs just roamed neighborhoods and females just got pregnant.   It's at St. Vincent de Paul now.

Have a good week!  Hope you check in tomorrow for the last day of the A to Z.  It's also another episode of Tuesday Treasures.