Thursday, August 21, 2008

Today I saw a flower open

by Andrew


At daybreak I woke up and went outside. I walked around, taking in the morning. At a certain place surrounded by my last two month’s work, I stopped, looked, and listened. I was out standing in my field so to speak.

Then, as I was noticing chew marks on a recently transplanted fortnight lily (deer), one of the delicate iris-like blossoms opened up like an origami swan right before my eyes. (I know they open up first thing, but had never witnessed it before). It quivered on its slender, green, conical stalk, the increased sail area aloft receiving signals from a phantom zephyr as yet unfelt by human senses.

I waited for at least 10 minutes, transfixed, anticipating the next one to unfurl. But no.

___

Andrew came back into the house, excited to tell me about what he had observed. I went out, determined to see one open myself. I stood there for what seemed like a fortnight. They refused to cooperate.

4 comments:

  1. That's incredible!

    I enjoyed your beautiful description. Here's hoping Dori gets to see one open next time. :)

    Take care,
    Kim

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  2. I see you guys are posting as much as I am, not much! That must have been exciting for andrew to watch.

    I searched you site, seems like you used a piece of glass over the trap or something.

    Can't use the shotgun method anymore. Lol neighbor is a jerk and would report us! Would like to get these buggers for winter. We've tried snakes, traps and various other things but still have a few to get that are being resistant. We have several different traps and they seem to know how to go around all of them.

    Hope you guys are doing well!

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  3. Oh hubby also wants to know what brand of trap you use.

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  4. Hi Kim! Hi Janeywan!
    Thanks for the comments.
    Yes, I am seriously lagging on posting. I have about 15 half-written posts I need to finish.

    Andrew mostly uses the Black Box Gopher traps (though he hasn't been trapping lately). Here is a link: http://www.planetnatural.com/site/blackbox-gopher-trap.html

    He would cover the hole with an upside down flower pot, mostly to keep the dogs from digging it up. He started putting a glass cone over the hole, but I don't know how important that really was. He thought it might reflect moonlight and attract gophers to the light...hmmmm.

    Well, good luck, and let us know how it goes. They are definitely quieter than a shotgun, so hopefully it will keep the neighbors happy.

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