A Little Summer

Since I whined about the weather all summer, I feel I owe it to Mother Nature to praise this lovely fall weather we have been having. It was a bit hot for a day or two, but now it is just balmy! The skies have been filled with glorious cloud formations and there was event a bit of a sprinkle from a random cloud yesterday. The leaves on the native sycamores are starting to turn brown and fall off and the hydrangea flowers are drying out on the bush, but it could be a late summer for those of us that are willing to suspend belief just a little!

Spreading Around the Ambiance

This scene is on the small patio outside our family room in SJC. That is Spanish moss hanging from the candelabra, my touch of ambiance. Every morning when I open the door, some of the moss is spread out all over the table. It seems that the birds have discovered it and are thrilled about adding it to their nests. It is easy to see how it spreads so readily throughout the south where the humidity helps it thrive. Propagation of this bromeliad is incredibly easy. Just pull off a piece and hang it somewhere else. Or let the birds do it!

Made For Each Other

Tillansias are interesting little bromeliads that don't have roots systems and grow in nature where ever they happen to land. I find them fascinating and quite charming. These ones are tucked into the trunk of a Washintonia palm tree.

A weekly soft spray with the hose will keep them happy. A spray bottle with a bit of diluted bromeliad fertilizer will make them ecstatic.