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Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Maaaaaahmeeeeemaaaaahmeeee

I was outside snapping some photos of my hydrangea when I heard what sounded just like a small human child screaming mommy but really drawing it out so it was more like maaaaahmeeeemaaaahmeeee. Scared me at first. I looked around and there was a juvenile mocking bird trying it's best to sound like a human child. Seriously it sounded like it was imitating the neighborhood children.
I managed to snap a few pictures and then a few more after it's mother chased it off into another tree. I'm pretty sure the second picture is the same child although it looks a little older so in the chasing that transpired, I may have caught another mockingbird in the next tree.
Once the birdie theatrics died down, I went back to zooming in on the hydrangea. I've photographed my hydrangea bush many times but never tried to get an individual out of the cluster blossoms. I'll admit that I got the idea from Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. I recently discovered her blog and am blown away by her photography. She had a photograph of an individual blossom on her hydrangea and I didn't even recognize it as a hydrangea until she said what it was. Although my photographs are quite different from hers, looking at what she does has helped give me some ideas which was why I was out playing with my hydrangea photography when the rowdy mockingbird sidetracked me, briefly.
I'm not quite sure how my hydrangea has ended up with a mix of blue and lavender blossoms. I know you can change the color based on the type of mulch used and how acidic the soil gets. However, I didn't realize that mixing pine straw and leaves would make my blue hydrangea end up blue and lavender.
Well, that's what has happened. The bush is practically split down the middle, one side of my blue hydrangea is still blue, the other side is lavender. It's so bizarre it makes me laugh and as Martha would say, that's a good thing. Somehow I doubt Ms. Stewart has any bushes that have mixed mulch and result in mixed flowers. It's not always easy being a slightly haphazard person but I do love the fun and surprises that sometimes come to the nuts.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous pictures! Most of our hydrangeas were deer nibbled and had to be moved behind the fence. Good leaves, but no blooms. I plan on being here to see them next year. :)
We have a mocking bird in the holly next to our bedroom window. It sings each morning at 5:00. Then the dogz want breakfast. Early birdz are kind of annoying and so are early dogz.
(Wish AbbeyDog luck...she goes in for a teeth cleaning and removal of a benign lump between her eyes tomorrow. She will be heart broken with no breakfast.)
Thanks for the great photos!
Love, K.

I'm not a sponge exactly, but I find that something I look at is a great opportunity for ideas.
-Martha Stewart

Carver said...

Hi Kim and AbbeyDog,

I hope the teeth cleaning and lump removal go well for both of you. Abbey you can ask your human mom for tips on how to deal with nasty old biopsies as she is a pro at this. I hope the mockingbird lets you both sleep a little later since it's such a big day. Good Luck, Carver

Anonymous said...

Are you sure you are not a professional photographer? Your photos are simply outstanding. Hydrengeas..forget the spelling..respond to iron in the ground..thus, many people bury nails next to the plants to turn them blue...we used to do the same thing..silly, I know but it worked.
It's like planting marigolds all around veggie plants..it keeps the bugs off and so far this year..have not seen one bug or afids..guess those are bugs of some kind too. lol

I hear wonderful quotes all time but can never remember even one..I'm glad you can Kim..you are awesome with those quotes. I love them. here's one I love but have know idea who said it...

Don't worry, be crabby!
sue

Carver said...

Thanks Sue. What a cool trick to bury nails next to hydrangeas. I never heard of that. I used to always plant a bunch of marigolds to help with the bugs.

Don't worry be crabby is great. Ha.
Carver