And The Winners Are...

Winter Quarter is finally over and I realize I have yet to show my favorites in the conifer line-up.  Oh no!  First a little background... in the horticulture department of Edmonds Community College, the fine institution I am attending, plant identification courses are required.  In the fall we had broadleaf ID and winter quarter is conifer ID.  At first I was sure I would hate conifers but then I was introduced to some fabulous plants.  Conifers may just be some of my favorite plants out there.  I'll give my final verdict on that note after I take deciduous ID this spring.

So, to round off my ever-growing list of conifers I'm now in love with, here are my top four.

Let me introduce you to Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Filicoides' or the fernspray Hinoki cypress...

Through my conifer journey, I have realized I totally dig plants and trees that look like they've been bonsai'ed.  I like seeing the definition of the branches instead of just one big ball of plant-life.  The Hinoki cypresses satisfy that need.  And the cool part about the fernspray one is the branchlets hold themselves even closer to the branches so you can see even more definition.  And it is just very cool to see a conifer that looks like a fern.  I mean where did that come from?  Oh that's right, genetic engineering ;)  Here's a picture of the absolutely stunning one we have on campus.

My friend took this with her phone so it's not the best quality but I LOVE IT.  Just very awesome definition.  

The second runner-up is Cedrus lebani or Cedar of Lebanon.  

The form is just beyond cool and it holds its branches so straight.  Very cool.  Here are a few other pictures...

Cedar of Lebanon foliage and cones

The runner-up for the top conifer pick would be another cultivar of the Hinoki cypress.  I love Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Gracilis' or slender Hinoki cypress.  There are other forms that are similar that are great like the dwarf version or the dwarf golden version.  Upon my recent visit to a wonderful local nursery, I saw 6" versions of these that were absolutely adorable.  Here is what appears to be a dwarf version...

This foliage looks like cupped hands and it dances around the branches...

Here's the golden form...

The slender or 'Gracilis' form shows a bit of the trunk which is a beautiful red color.  I just love this.  And this tree is often bonsai'ed which is very cool.  

But I have saved the best for last.  My favorite conifer is the Juniperus chinensis 'Kaizuka' or the Hollywood juniper.  This one is very showy and takes on such cool forms.

These plants just grow like this, they have not been trained.  Sometimes there might be some shearing or pruning such as on the one on the right to make way for a walkway.  But most of the time, thankfully they are let to just grow in their own funky manner.  Two great specimens flank the doors of the Seattle Asian Art Museum...

And then there's this juniper - Juniperus squamata 'Meyeri'... another sculptural flashy specimen.

Just so cool with such character... characteristics I aspire to.

Hopefully you enjoy these cool plants as much as I do.

Ode to Vida

On September 20, 2002, a very sweet girl named Vida came into this world...

Her mama and papa were looking for an addition to their family and they knew Vida would be that certain special someone they needed.

Let's pause for a moment and adore baby fila brasileiros.  I mean really, the loads of skin and big ears, just too cute!  

Ah.

Just in case you need another example of cute puppy fila, here you go...

Everybody now... ah!

I met Vida a little while later as she came bounding into a hotel room after her big brother Ukiah who I've mentioned before... It seemed like at the time he was rather annoyed by the wee tyke bouncing around him but they soon became great friends.  They spent many years doing what fila's do... basking in the sun and in their case, watching their mama and papa surf...

Ukiah (in back) and Vida chillaxin at the beach

Along their beautiful lives, a little accident happened and as explained before, Fynn came into the picture.  For that I'm eternally grateful as this lovely gal not only carried my sweet girl but she took good care of her as a wee pup.

Vida taking care of her two pups.

Since then, my partner and I have had the pleasure of hosting Miss Vida at our "retirement home" (as we have a bunch of "senior" dogs) for the past two summers.  We spoiled Vida with lots of love and a few other treats:

Trips to the beach in Neah Bay.  I imagined this felt like a bit of home being back on the beach...

We enjoyed our evening constitutionals in the nearby cemetery as well as walks to the dog park and camping trips...

Tuckered but happy Vida at Magnuson dog park

We also enjoyed a lot of rest and relaxation!

I always thought this was such an attractive photo.  Pretty girl.  We always took lots of pictures to keep her mama aware of our adventures.

As fate would have it, my darling niece Vida passed this Monday, March 4, 2013.  Her mama made the brave and humane decision to end her pain as she was suffering a great deal from cancer.  I can only hope that I will be as wise and brave to make that call if necessary in the future.  She passed in Jennie's loving arms with her papa looking on and me calling to her from afar to join me for a walk.  

As my heart is still breaking, I am remembering the beauty that was Vida.  She was such a strong girl.  She was the ultimate princess as her papa spoiled her from day 1.  She had her mama wrapped around her little finger as she was treated like a queen every day.  She was stubborn (such a fila) and there was so much humor in that.  Vida would talk to you and tell you a story about her day when you got home... talk and talk and talk...  She would also curl up and loved to be a "Vida burrito" under her blanket where her nose would be bunched up against the side of the bed.  

Yesterday morning as I was getting ready for my day, I asked Vida to send me some signs from her just to comfort me. Later on that day, my Pandora station flipped to the following...

Van Morrison's "Tupelo Honey".  Vida and Ukiah were raised hearing Van Morrison's sweet refrains echo through their home or be the soundtrack to their road trip.  The lyrics touched my heart and made me think of Vida...

She's as sweet as tupelo honey 

She's an angel of the first degree 

She's as sweet as tupelo honey 

Just like honey from the bee.

And then I smiled through tears realizing, "my goodness, she certainly thinks highly of herself!"  That's my Vida.  I love her and miss her terribly.  I know she knows and is watching over us now.  

Vida Pita, know that you are loved even still and always.  Know that I'm forever grateful for the gift of my darling Fynn and for the blessing your life has been to me.

Love, your Auntie

Listening to her auntie and basking in the love...

Vida love her some Auntie time

Sweetest picture of her RainBow, pretty girl

Quite the view...

We went to Chelan last weekend to celebrate our anniversary/Valentine's Day/Beth-needed-a-break and it was wonderful.  So we packed the 3 pooches up, bid adieu to Ella the cat and headed out for great adventures.  Apparently many other people had the same bright idea as all the wineries were packed.  So instead we went exploring, our specialty.  We stayed at a nice hotel in Manson and I had no idea I would wake up to this view the next day...

Okay, so this is a view on the way to another packed winery but you get the picture.  Gorgeous.  I highly recommend going in the winter but I also am more of a fan of going to places when tourists aren't there.  All the locals assured me this place (Lake Chelan) gets a bit crazy in the summer.  Not for me.

On another note, as promised, I would like to share another plant that I am finding quite sexy ;)  This would be Juniperus squamata 'Meyeri' or Meyeri juniper.  Check this out:

Juniperus squamata 'Meyeri'

This puppy is cool.  It can be pruned a bit more easily than many conifers which can be handy.  Mostly, I don't like junipers but this one has a great look.  I think I'm partial to things that look bonsai-ed and this definitely has that look.  Just a stunning specimen.

Dear Mom & Dad:  This is one bush I would love to put in your yard as it is likes the heat and sun and can tolerate cold which is pretty much what you need.

Now to leave you... one last picture from our Chelan adventure, enjoy!

Ah, water so calm, great reflection on Lake Chelan.

Amateur Photography... at your service

So, as you may or may not know, I have dabbled in one of my loves, photography, for a long time now. Here are some examples of pictures I have taken that have been my favorites over the years...

Hobuck beach in Neah Bay, Washington

My lovely sister on the south side of Maui on our way back from Hana.

Lovely beach near Lahaina

I have also managed to do some photo shoots for some people over the years... weddings and pregnancy photos.  Over the years, I have shot a few weddings and here are some of my favorites pictures...

 

And most recently, it was my pleasure to do a session for my friend who's about to have a baby...

So now, I must embark on a journey where no full-time worker/mostly-full-time-student dare go... an amateur photography business! If anyone in the Seattle area would like cheap wedding or maternity photography, I am here to help!  My services are completely negotiable.  So, just on a whim to see if this could actually help out my pitiful student pocket book, feel free to contact me if you are interested!

Fountain of Cool... Stomatal Bands

As I've been a horticulture student for some time now, you'd think the excitement would have died down but alas, I'm still loving it.  From the first day, I was hooked.  Last December I shared my favorite plant from my Broadleaf Evergreen Identification class.  Now that it's winter quarter, I have embarked on Conifer Identification, a subject I originally thought would be fairly boring.  But of course, it never ceases to impress!  So now, I think I might have to periodically share some highlights and favorite plants as the learning journey continues.  To my dismay, I actually have more favorite plants this quarter as opposed to last quarter!

But before I introduce one, let's take a moment and get educated...

Most conifers have what is called stomatal banding.  It's typically found on the underside of needles. Here's a good example:

Eastern hemlock stomatal bands

You can see a few leaves turned over showing the green topside of the leaves.  Often these bands appear as thin white lines that follow the shape of the needle/awl.  Here's another version of stomatal bands:

Chamaecyparis obtusa

Now onto the good stuff.  Today, we were introduced to another conifer tree that seemed fairly ordinary - Thujopsis dolabrata or false Hiba cedar.  Here's what it looks like.

And then cuttings were passed around to the class (don't worry, the tree is still very much intact).  The topside of the branchlets were fairly normal looking, nothing to write home about.  This is a variegated cultivar so you can see a little yellow (variegation) in some of the needles.  

But when we turned the cuttings over, we found something truly cool...

 This is the stomatal bands on the underside, so very cool.

So that's it, just had to share my newest discovery.  I'll leave you with this ultra-cool photo some amazing photographer took (aka me).

Happy Birthday, Fynn...

I must give a quick update and make sure to acknowledge my technical firstborn... Fynn.  

Fynn at 9 months old... stoic

She celebrated her 8th birthday on Sunday the 27th!

To get to know this lovely girl, you should know her family...

Ukiah, beach boy

This is Fynn's papa Ukiah, a gorgeous fila brasileiro.

Vida at the beach watching as her momma surfs

My sister Jennie and her partner got Ukiah and then along came Vida, an equally stunning fila...


















And one day, by accident, the two were left alone at the perfect time and poof, magic happened!  At first, Jennie didn't know what was happening but we soon came to realize that Miss Vida was pregnant!  Of course, I was first in line to get one of the pups and then on January 27, 2005, Fynn and her sister Corazon came into the world.

First picture of Fynn in the operating room.

Vida had some troubles giving birth as most filas do so she had to have a cesarean.

Fynn with Auntie Jennie

Jennie and the two pups

And then it was time for my little girl to make her way up to Washington (from California) so Jennie brought the whole family up...

Vida, Jennie and Ukiah, moments after handing over an 8 week old Fynn.

Fynn close to 3 months old

And then Fynn grew, and a proud mom took lots of pictures...

Vida (top), Ukiah and Fynn at Christmas 2005

And there were reunions...

Since then, we've been blessed with 8 whole years with Fynn who usually celebrates her birthdays with a juicy burger or some fish concoction... two equally tasty dishes.  

To my beautiful girl, happy birthday!  Thanks for eight years of your soft nose, snoring, long walks, funk Frito chip smell and undying love.