On the Trail in Spring

April 26, 2008

I'm back on the Trail, enjoying springtime in the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area. Here's some wildlife that I met along the way - I was glad it wasn't a rattle snake. Up here at 4,000 feet elevation spring is in an early stage, but the through-hikers are out in force. 

Show and Tell ...

April 15, 2008

Here's our corn leaf dracaena (dracaena fragrans) in bloom! A thrilling event that happens every 2 or 3 years - our plant lives in our bathroom where it likes the bay windows and humidity.

Every morning a selection of flowers begins to open, by evening they are wide open and the smell is just incredible all night. When we wake up in the morning the flowers have shriveled and a new set are starting. It goes on for almost a week with such great fragrance and also some very sticky sap droplets falling from the stem. It seems to be a plant native to Hawaii - we've had ours for 25 or 30 years.

And just in time, too - I'm getting psyched to get back on the Trail next week! So look forward to more adventure stories from southern parts.