#geranium sylvaticum

[tofreezetime]

Geranium sylvaticum

[plantpest]

they are early this year

[rabbitcruiser]

Freemark Abbey Winery, St. Helena (No. 5)

JUDGING HISTORY

It’s hard to start a conversation about the long history of Freemark Abbey, which began in the 19th century, without skipping ahead to The Judgment of Paris.

That momentous occasion in 1976 helped put California wine on an international stage of recognition when its wines were included in a blind tasting competition against several top red Bordeaux and white Burgundy producers. In fact, Freemark Abbey was the only California winery to have both a white wine and a red wine in the competition.

Along with bottles from ten other California wineries, Freemark Abbey wines were selected for the French-judged tasting by its organizer, the English wine merchant Steven Spurrier. When the results were in, the 1972 Freemark Chardonnay placed ahead of both grand cru and premier cru Burgundy Chardonnays. And Napa Valley reds and white finished a shocking first place in each category.

The rest, as they say, is history. But there was plenty of history that led up to that Paris tasting in the 70s.

FAMILIAR NAMES, EVEN TODAY

Over a century earlier, in the years during and after the Civil War, a handful of winery names that are familiar today in Napa Valley—Charles Krug, Schramsberg, Inglenook, and Beringer—had become established producers in the valley.

The decade of the 1880s saw an increasing number of wineries constructed up and down Napa Valley, including Tychson Cellars, an estate a few miles north of St. Helena. Josephine Tychson, a single-minded, young woman from Philadelphia who had migrated west with her family a few years earlier, was the first woman to own and operate a viticultural estate in California.

Phylloxera forced her to sell the vineyard and cellar in 1894, which soon passed to an Italian immigrant, Antonio Forni. He renamed the estate Lombarda Cellars after his home region in Italy. Forni, in a sense, completed what was likely Josephine’s vision for the property by constructing a winery out of hand-hewn stones from a nearby quarry.

With The Judgment of Paris still more than 75 years away, the groundwork was laid for what thrives today as Freemark Abbey’s Historic Tasting Room and winery.

Source

[i-identify-plants-in-pictures]

Geranium sylvaticum / Woodland Geranium

Beautiful summer flower

[dame-de-pique]

Hanna Resvoll-Holmsen - Skogstorkenebb, Geranium sylvaticum, 1911

[fjordfolk]

Geranium sylvaticum

[the-nosy-neighbor]

Julie as a Deity

I realized I didn't explain the theory. It can be found here:

This theory began with the idea of Frank tending to bugs pre-hibernation and Julie wishing flowers goodbye (which, in other places is good night/hibernation.  Goodbye seems final).  Then we find out that Julie is kissing the flowers goodbye, so they will bloom in the spring.  This is very god-like behavior, so I went on a journey.

The Greek goddess of flowers is Chloris, with a Roman understanding of this being as Chloris is the dryad and Flora is the goddess she becomes.  As with a lot of mythological history, there are multiple origins and multiple names for each god/goddess, one would assume based on the differences in regions, who was in power at the time, and things falling in and out of fashion.

Flora is considered the goddess of flowers, particularly the blooming of flowers.  She was a dryad that was kidnapped by Zephyrus (the West Wind) and deified.  This is a sadly common way of the making of a goddess/mythological being.  Sources note that she is somewhat similar to Persephone in this way, in that they were both kidnapped, and both associated with the blooming of flowers (though in Persephone’s story, it is her mother, Demeter that brings the spring, not Persephone herself.  Demeter is thought of as a more agricultural goddess, so there is some difference there as well).  She is also thought to have turned mythological figures into flowers such as:

Adonis (pheasant’s eye), Narcissus (also daffodil, because they are supposed to turn and face the sun)

Crocus (saffron)

Attis (Pine tree)

The flower most associated with her is reported as two different flowers (at least two), the mayflower and the geranium.  Oh, and a rose, I guess, but I would assume the single petal rose, as opposed to the rose we know today (that was bred to have multiple layers of petals).

A third flower associated with her is the geranium sylvaticum “of the woods”, so basically geraniums that grow wild in the woods.

Flora is associated with light green or green, and lives in the Elysian Fields (also known as Elysium, is a paradise-like meadow in the underworld where the souls of the most virtuous and heroic people reside, aka the Christian concept of Heaven). 

She had sons with Zephyrus, including Karpos, who died while swimming with a minor (male) river deity that he was in love with (Calamus), who also drowned himself as he thought his father was responsible.  I thought this was interesting, seeing as it was earlier interpreted to be a different figure in mythology, who was female.  It is interesting to see such a heteronormative bias in a subject be revised.  Anyway, Karpos was the god of vegetables, and may have been turned into a potato, while his boyfriend was turned into a reed in the river. 

Flora was one of the more important gods, and as such, had a cult, temples, and priests.  Flora’s priests were called flamen florialis.  There is a lot of information about priests such as these, but the important aspects for this purpose is that priests were required to be married, the husband and wife had different duties but had to work together for most everything, and they could not be divorced or could not continue being a priest after being widowed (though it does appear that a priest could be appointed and then choose a wife.) 

Flora’s celebration seems to have been a favorite of the people.  As a goddess associated with blooming flowers, it makes sense that she was also considered to be a goddess of fertility and spring.  So, her festival was all bright colors, sexy times, and enjoyment.  The more serious minded of the culture were not down with the unseriousness of it, leading to it getting banned for a time until they had a few years of bad blooming, and she was back.  The games related to this festival were considered a bit out there, including mentions of tightrope walking elephants and releasing wild animals into the Circus Maximus, which may be fore a few different purposes including hunts, parades, spectacle, and regular circus stuff like trained animals. 

In particular, this festival was really well known for being the festival of “seamstresses,” which, if anyone reads Terry Pratchett, realizes that this means sex worker.  Interestingly, I thought Pratchett made that up until I searched it for this, and apparently that has been a euphemism for hundreds of years.  (As he describes it, there is plausible deniability in the idea that a group of young women working and living together are sewing, and for men to be in and out of their residence.)  As such, there was bawdy theatre, dancing, etc.  The festival falls in late April to early May, seemingly based on the bloom for the year.  The idea of the maypole may originate in this festival. 

Ties to Julie

Julie is a name with Roman origins, meaning of the Julian family (related to Julius Caesar), downy haired (fuzzy faced pre-puberty in men, also potentially light-haired) or youthful.  It could also be related to Jupiter.  Julie has light hair and she is very youthful.

Julie’s avatar is a flower, she has a skirt, when seen from above, that is a flower, and her official image has a paddle ball with a flower on it, she is standing on a flower, flowers outside her house, she talks to flowers, makes the flowers bloom, kisses flowers goodbye

(doodle but also julie’s skirt from above)

Not only does she have a paddle ball with a flower, but she has one that looks like the flowers posted before:  single petal, larger center, lines that either mean pistil or markings on the petal

She likes to play crazy games

She wears bright colors, notably red (shades of saffron)

I may think of more, but I definitely have some stuff coming up about an alternate/additional goddess and how Frank might fit into this.

[frank-olivier]

Geranium sylvaticum

The Wald-Storchschnabel, also known as Geranium sylvaticum, is a perennial plant native to Europe and Asia. It belongs to the Geraniaceae family and typically grows in wooded areas, meadows, and mountain slopes. This plant can reach a height of up to 80 centimeters and produces distinctive purple-blue flowers with five petals. The leaves of the Wald-Storchschnabel are deeply lobed and have a fern-like appearance. It blooms from late spring to early summer and attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The Wald-Storchschnabel is valued for its ornamental qualities and is often used in garden borders and naturalistic planting schemes.

May 12, 2024

[francescointoppa]

G – Geranium sylvaticum L. – Geranio silvano (Geraniaceae)

(sotto, digital watercolor)

[tapionokuni]

ウッドクレインズビル

フィン語名: metsäkurjenpolvi

学名: Geranium sylvaticum

[oilyfry]

chelidonium majus, geranium sylvaticum, geranium robertianum

[tofreezetime]

go higher, then higher

[hortascountrysidenotes]

Cold Late Spring

Since the last entry and the hopes that spring had finally arrived, once again here in Norfolk we are being plagued by a very cold onshore wind, drizzle and the need for a hat and gloves to walk the dogs.

However the preceding two weeks have brought great activity - the new shed, dog kennel arrangement has almost come to an end and the whole thing looks perfect. Once the oak and larch cladding turn to silver it will look as if it has been here forever. We just await the very last bits such as final electrics, the flooring and the worktops and shelves before Mr Horta can move himself back in with all the bee and fishing gear at present stacked up in the garage.

The garden despite the cold looks wonderful having had a good week last week with the tulips now putting on a good show. Half of me is grateful for the cool weather as it might hold them for another 12 days until the garden opening on 7 May - that would be wonderful. Irises are showing several buds, the Viburnums are poised and dear Maigold as ever is now just beginning to show a peak of her apricot colour - she is usually one of the showstoppers for a spring garden opening. Daffs are over so must be deadheaded, Cosmos seedlings now potted on look strong, the first courgettes are through as are the French Beans and asparagus is well on giving us our first pick on Saturday.

Having got the garden in tip top form I set off for Cornwall last week for a four day break with two good friends. We stayed in one of the Caerhays Estate cottages right on the beach at East Portholland which was lovely - a tiny little cove that joins with West Portholland at low tide. We were blessed with pretty good weather over all the UK last week and although never hot we did manage one late afternoon of sitting out with books! Caerhays garden itself and the castle is a most blissful setting - the National Collection of Magnolias and several Champion Magnolia trees - sadly not out due to the cold spring, but the rhodies, camellias, Pieris and smaller Magnolias that were out were beautiful. Gosh what those plant hunters brought back was nobody's business. A long morning at Heligan followed which was a wonderful experience - a bit more commercial than Caerhays and with 350,000 visitors a year understandable, but fact that it was only discovered in 1990 is extraordinary. Our last day was spent on a little tour - first to the village of Veryan famous for its 5 little round houses with thatched roofs and a cross on top. Apparently the vicar of the time built one for each daughter and they were round in order that the devil might not find a hiding place. They hold a special place in my heart as the last postcard I received from my mother was of those very round houses. Following a walk from east to west along Pendower Beach and a welcome coffee and sausage roll, Georgie and I walked the three hour walk back from Nare Head to Portholland west to east along the coast path going through Portlooe which was enchanting. Very very windy and the path is quite close to the edge but we made it - Common Blues, Wall Brown, Peacocks and Tortoiseshell butterflies, - pretty standard flowers but nonetheless very pretty primroses, bluebells, campions, pennywort, stitchwort - etc.

Home again to slightly better weather than expected so a big day in the garden on Saturday - planted out the things that had arrived in my absence thereby gap filling before the opening. Geranium Blue Cloud and sylvaticum Mayflower, Calamagrostis Avalanche, Polystichum for shady dry areas and still to do some small leaved Agapanthus Streamline which might be tougher for the pots where the larger leaved ones have perished this winter. Much had also arrived for the greenhouse where Jane aided by Simon and Mr Horta did a great job in unpacking rooted cuttings and potting them up for both my pots and a client. Quite a few bits and pieces for the plant stall and I still keep finding little bits - Saturdays swoop through with new planting yielded a nice bit of Sedum Jose Aubergine, Geranium renardii and Astrantia Ruby wedding.

The girls have been in very good and loving hands in my absence - Simon and Jane have walked them everyday - Inca has never done so much in a long time and need to recover! She has done a lot of sleeping since but was determined not to be left out. Bertha and Mavis have loved it and so after a quick refreshing training session on Saturday we set off yesterday for the Norfolk Gundog Club Novice Working Test at Sandringham. 35 competitors - I had both Bertha and Mavis. We expected cold drizzle and showers all day but Sandringham was like a micro climate - not only did we keep dry all day but we sat on the grass with a delicious hog roast at half time.

The girls went very very well - Bertha sadly did her beastly trick of putting the dummy down at one test which cost us a placing - the rest of her marks were consistently high so had she got the mark she could have at that point, I calculated 4th or 5th place. Pity but she ended with a really wonderful retrieve the memory of which I took home. Dear Mavis was her usual happy self - popping about over log and branch, not wanting to get into the rather cold lake but doing it, and just happy to be included and IMPORTANT. Next on the programme is an Open Charity Working Test next Sunday - maybe beyond Bertha's range but a great fundraising day so important to give it a go. My mentor is one of the judges so I shall hope for kindness!

The natural world is interesting as ever. Birds have taken up positions all over the garden - sadly the song thrush that was sitting tight in the clematis outside the sitting room window has deserted - eggs still there so clearly not predation. The always do seem rather nervous. Bluetits and greattits are in most of the boxes, Long Tailed Tits definitely somewhere in the garden and the usual blackbird, robin, dunnock, and wren brigade busy and established. We do get bothered by jays and a magpie but are trying to keep calm that this is balance. We are being visited by a swallow and sometimes two or three but as yet not in the garage and definitely not a pair. We hope that now the building team are gone and the garage quiet it wont be long but really until the weather settles a bit it is hard to see the situation changing. The common is becoming covered in Ladysmock and King Cups but still no frog or toad spawn anywhere.

Next up for the garden is a big blitz of the veg patch tomorrow and sowing some more salad - one lot is through but again slow. It needs a good weed and a lot of self sown Purslane needs taking out of both paths and beds.

Apple and Pear Blossom is at its peak so I am hopeful for the 7th May!

[sciencespies]

Fewer moths, more flies

https://sciencespies.com/nature/fewer-moths-more-flies/

Fewer moths, more flies

Their service is invaluable. The army of insects and other animals that pollinates the numerous plants of this earth has an essential function. Without these flower visitors, numerous wild plants could reproduce only poorly — or not at all. Ecosystems would thus no longer be able to function in their current form. More than three quarters of the most important crops depend on pollinators in order to be able to produce a high yield and good quality. A loss of pollinators would therefore also lead to economic losses amounting to billions.

It remains unclear whether the pollinators will still be able to provide their usual service. That’s because plants and their pollinators are intertwined in an elaborate network in which the distribution and abundance of the species involved as well as their seasonal occurrence, physiology, and behaviour are finely tuned. Even small changes could throw everything out of balance. Experts thus fear that human influences such as changes in climate and land use could lead to less effective pollination services.

However, because few studies have investigated the interaction between plants and different pollinator groups over longer periods of time, it is difficult to say whether and to what extent such developments are already under way. This makes the more than 120-year-old data from Finland on which the new study is based all the more exciting. Between 1895 and 1900, in the vicinity of Kittilä (a village that lies about 120 km north of the Arctic Circle), forester Frans Silén systematically recorded which insects visited which flowers and how often.

“I am passionate about working with historical datasets like this,” says Prof. Tiffany Knight from the UFZ. “If you repeat the historic studies again today, it’s often the only way to learn about long-term ecological processes.” For her, such work also challenges the imagination. “I am trying to understand what motivated the people who collected the data in the past and what challenges they faced,” she explains. “This information can then be used to plan a comparable modern study.”

The scientists thus first looked around Kittilä for sites where Silén had also made observations — and where the 17 plant species he studied best still grow today. At these sites, the team repeated the pollinator census in 2018 and 2019. The area remains sparsely populated, and little has changed in terms of land use. However, it has not escaped the consequences of climate change. “We have noticed drastic changes in the networks of pollinators,” says Leana Zoller from the MLU. Only 7% of the flower visits observed involved the same species of insects and plants as back then. “That is surprisingly little,” says Zoller.

For example, hoverflies and moths appear much less frequently on the flowers around the village today than they used to. This is probably not good news. That’s because these two groups have some particularly effective pollinators among them. These include the bumblebee hoverfly (Volucella bombylans) — a large, furry fly resembling a bumblebee. In Silén’s time, this species was the most frequent visitor to the Arctic raspberry (Rubus arcticus) and the woodland geranium (Geranium sylvaticum). The bumblebee hoverfly was likely able to effectively transfer the pollen of these species from one plant to the next.

Also moths use a physical advantage during pollination: with their long proboscis, they can also reach the nectar from the base of tubular flowers. This is why they used to be the most frequent visitors of the fringed pink (Dianthus superbus) and bladder campion (Silene vulgaris), both of which have such flowers.

Whilst these insects have become rarer, the flowers around Kittilä are now getting considerably more visits from bumblebees and certain flies. Whether these animals work as effectively as the earlier pollinators is not yet known. However, one trend in particular concerns the researchers. There are now considerably fewer insects that are specialists for certain flower shapes. These have been replaced by flies of the genus Thricops, which visit many different plants. Such generalists are often more robust when it comes to environmental changes; if one of their host plants is lacking, they can easily switch to others. But they also carry the pollen of various other plant species onto a flower, thereby potentially providing a less effective pollination service than the specialists.

“So far, the pollinator network in our study area still seems to be working well,” says Zoller. “There is no evidence so far that the plants are getting too little pollen and are thus less capable of reproducing.” But according to the scientists, this can change in the future if changes in the insect communities continues. So far, the flies there seem to be coping with the rising temperatures. But further north in the high Arctic, one study has revealed a massive decrease in the number of flies. “If this also happens in our study area, it could become a problem,” says Zoller. Because at some point, the plants will no longer be able to compensate for the losses in their pollinator network.

#Nature

[imaginarykarin]

"Sorry, occupied" Geranium sylvaticum (we call them Midsummer flowers in my language) with guests

[ash3]

So soft