Hazy mid-summer day on the Sods, Part 2.

The planet's fantastic life energy reaches its peak in mid to late summer as the sun's precious light shrinks by the day and every living thing senses its time is running out. On the Plains of Dolly Sods, where the growing season is already compressed by the high elevation, plants compete for the swirling, buzzing masses of insects with their gaudy blooms and produce successive waves of berries to seed new generations. The drone of the insects carrying out their instinctive missions of renewal is constantly in your head as they dive and dart and skirt around you. You barely register as a distraction against the great drama playing out here - one whose stakes are survival, regeneration, salvation. I feel so privileged to have connected with this life force in the most intimate way, even for the few short years of my mayfly existence. I will die a happy man for having immersed myself in its lovely, purposeful chaos and becoming part of something much greater than myself.

Rosebay Rhododendron Great Smoky Mountains by Mark Via Flickr: Rosebay Rhododendron Along Walker Camp Prong Sevier county, Tennessee Mountains Accessed via US-441 (Newfound Gap Road) in Gatlinburg Date taken: July 12, 2016 While I've concentrated on Catawba Rhododendron blooms for years now, I've failed to show the same attention and appreciation to the more common Rosebay Rhododendron. I made it a point this year to spend a couple of days in the Smokies to check out the bloom along the many waterways. I found the Walker Camp Prong along Newfound Gap Highway to be particularly dense with blooms. Rosebay Rhododendron are evergreen shrubs that thrive in understory and typically can be found around riparian areas of the southern Appalachians.

n108_w1150 by Biodiversity Heritage Library Via Flickr: L'Illustration horticole : Gand, Belgium :Imprimerie et lithographie de F. et E. Gyselnyck,1854-1896. biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4747729

Rhododendron catawbiense / Catawba Rhododendron at Duke University's Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham, NC

Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense). Also known as mountain rosebay, purple rhododendron, and rose bay. Highly poisonous.

If you had to pair up each MicaClan cat with a flower, or any other plant of choice, who would be paired with what and why?

Ooo hmmm I'll need to think about that! Mudpaw and Wrentail already have a bit of plant association in the finished PMVs (mud's omen flower and wren's grave flower), but I'll need to think about the others in the clan!

Putting this under a cut cause it got long haha

Spent wayyy too long finding plants that not only fit the characters, but also making sure those plants could plausibly be found in micaclan territory!! because I love causing myself suffering I guess!!!

Mudpaw - ghost pipe flower, lotus - the ghost pipe is obviously because of its part in the omen Owlpounce received about him, but the lotus is because it's a beautiful flower that blooms from murky water, which is sort of similar to my thoughts on Mudpaw's storyline :)

Wrentail - bloodroot - the bloodroot was the flower that Robinsong placed over Wrentail's grave in The Garden. I chose it in the video for lots of reasons, but mostly it was because it's a simple, seemingly harmless flower, but it's sap is quite poisonous

Larkstar - dogwood - this flowering tree symbolizes resilience and rebirth, which are qualities Larkstar had to embrace when leading her clan from the brink of ruin

Foxjaw - magnolia - a very sturdy flowering tree, with thick, leathery leaves and large white flowers. They symbolize stability, which I think fits Foxjaw quite well

Owlpounce - bee balm - a very beautiful flower with lots of medicinal uses! It attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. it's just a very sweet and helpful plant, like Owlpounce is sweet and helpful :)

Whitepaw - oconee bell - a delicate, yet resilient flower that grows close to the ground. They are quite rare, but very beautiful! Not sure specifically why these fit Whitepaw, but they just fit his vibe you know

Hawkpaw - black-eyed susan - an incredibly resilient plant that thrives in full sunlight. They have bright yellow flowers and come back perennially; from my experience, these are nearly impossible to kill. big Hawkpaw vibes

Puddlepaw - rosebay rhododendron - a beautiful flowering plant that thrives in the shade; Puddlepaw is content to let their friends have their time in the spotlight while they relax in the background

Robinsong - trillium - this small white wildflower can symbolize conscientiousness and elegance; I chose this one for Robinsong because the alternate name, birthroot, sounds so similar to her brother's flower, bloodroot.

Gullytuft - pokeweed - this plant has deep red stems and dark berries; it is quite poisonous, but when utilized properly, can be used as a medicine for certain ailments. Just like gullytuft; striking, outwardly dangerous, and yet helpful

Sandleap - wild ginger - the flowers of this plant are interesting and a bit unusual looking, and the plant itself has properties that can sooth upset stomachs! Helpful and a bit odd, I think it fits Sandleap well :)

Embertooth - sourwood - the leaves are bitter to taste, but are actually quite helpful in treating certain ailments! Much like Embertooth, who is a bit unpleasant to be around, but is still kind deep down.

Laureltail - mountain laurel - because. because her name is—no but seriously, it's because it's a very pretty and delicate looking flower that's also a bit dangerous!

Pearfur - queen anne's lace - a simple and resilient plant with lovely clusters of tiny white flowers; it is usually associated with safety and refuge

Snaptail - flame azalea - this delicate flower can symbolize caring for others, as well as homesickness. The blooms can fall apart at a touch.

Birchspeckle - turk's cap lily - a real showstopper of a flower, with large and distinctive blooms! The flowers have little dark speckles, too :)

20220709   MP260.3  Blue Ridge Parkway  North Carolina Jump Off overlook  

Rosebay Rhododendron

Ericaceae Rhododendron catawbiense

Catawba Rosebay

Identification via Pl@ntNet

The rhododendron along the river had just begun blooming when I visited the other day. I had hoped to see it in glorious bloom, but this was one of the only ones that had opened. 

Asato fidgets with the vase in his hands after he steps out of a flower shop. It has a small bouquet in it, composed of nightshade, fig and common marigolds, and rosebay rhododendron. He’s not entirely sure he trusts the florist, but they swore up and down they’d created the message he wished to deliver. The book they used was perfect for it, they said.

Whatever. He’s sure Tachibana won’t know what any of it means.

[OPEN POST IN NEW TAB IF ON BLOG; READ THE DRABBLE THERE]

The hospital isn’t too far away from the flower shop; probably intentional, he muses, as he walks. The hospital doesn’t have one, but perhaps there wasn’t room within the building. He’s wondering about completely random things, he realizes, in an effort to not think about the incredibly stupid way he's going about opening Tachibana's room in the Metaverse.

To most, it would make sense: visit the man, let him know that there are well-intentioned strangers out there concerned for him, that see what's going on, and go from there. Easy. Only, for Asato, it's everything but easy. He doesn't approach people in this way, doesn't offer comfort to anyone, really. He throws out harsh opinions (oftentimes lies, as well) when people annoy him badly enough. Surely, he isn't the man for this job.

And yet, here he stands at the front desk of the hospital, politely requesting to visit Tachibana, because he knows Crowley doesn't have the time to do this herself.

Yes, that's the reason he's doing this, Asato reminds himself as he heads to the elevator, pressing the button for the third floor with his elbow. Crowley insisted that she wanted to see this through, but she has an entirely separate life to deal with. She wants to help this man, and Asato had sighed and said he would ferry her in and out of the Metaverse. He likes her enough to attempt to lessen the load that she's placed on herself. Hell, she may not even be aware of needing to do this.

At the very least, perhaps it'll lead to an increase in the Sun's rank. Asato's still not sure he understands the point of it, but he might as well try to see it through.

Now, he's been standing outside the door to Tachibana's room, delaying his entry. He was quietly hoping to hear something in there that would give a hint regarding how to approach, but he'll just have to wing it. Sighing, he adjusts the vase to knock on the door, pausing for an answer.

"Come in," a tired man says, and Asato plasters a shy smile onto his face before entering the room.

The room is more bare than he expected. There's a few cards sitting on the windowsill, and someone's forgotten jacket on the back of the only chair, but nothing else. Judging from the look that Tachibana is giving the vase in his hands, it's not due to being ignored; he just hasn't gotten rid of them yet.

"Hello," Asato greets him. "Apologies for surprising you like this, Mr. Tachibana, but this was the first chance I had to visit." Not exactly a lie, as Asato busies himself with the Metaverse and his two jobs, but he certainly could've done so sooner. The man watches him with mild interest, shrugging and setting his phone to the side, face-down.

"More surprised that a stranger showed up with flowers," he says. "Because I have no clue who you are, and I don't think I'd do this for someone I didn't know."

'That makes two of us,' Asato thinks as he places the vase beside the cards. Aloud, he says, "Ah, sorry. I'm Gushiken Asato. I read about what happened and wanted to express my sympathies. I've been in a similar situation, and it was... difficult." Tachibana rolls his eyes and Asato pretends not to notice as he pulls the chair back to sit.

"Sure. Difficult. That's a word for it." Tachibana mutters, staring at his lap. Asato watches him, hands folded in his lap as he waits for him to continue. Perhaps Tachibana would be more willing to spill and snap at a stranger than a loved one? "You don't know what exactly happened, so don't act like you do, Gushiken." Asato hums, glancing away for a moment in thought. Well, not really, as he already knew what he was going to say, but it's better to look like he didn't plan everything he was going to say.

"I think it's very easy to piece together. You escaped the crash, but you're not able to move on. Most would think that it's because of your injuries," he points to the man's lower half, "if they don't put more thought into it, but it's not that. Or, at least, not that alone."

Not that Asato needed the confirmation, but the way Tachibana's hands are clenching fistfuls of hospital sheets tells him that he hit the nail on the head. He decides to adopt a softer tone, now, raising a hand as though to place it on the other side forearm, then dropping it again. "It hurts to still be here when they can't be, I know, but..."

To his surprise, Tachibana speaks, quiet and furious and miserable.

"All I had to do was read the damn map right. A goddamn map. And I made us take the wrong turn, I started the argument that distracted her, I'm the reason she's dead and I don't give a fuck if I can't walk anymore because that's just part of my punishment."

While Tachibana attempts to calm himself down, Asato thinks. That series of events is certainly easy to take the blame on, if you don't take into account the fact that... "The truck driver was on the wrong side of the road. That's not your fault."

The other growls something to himself before responding. "Still wouldn't have been there if I hadn't fucked up." Asato only sighs, looking off to the side. He doesn't really think there's much else to say here, so while this visit has been rather short, he thinks it may be about time to leave.

"While that may be true," he concedes, earning a double take from Tachibana, "I don't believe that it can be pinned on you in the end. The other driver should've been on the correct side of the road and paying attention, and, if he had been, none of it would have happened. But there's no going back, so I think that you should be more focused on the future, and continue living in Kotori's stead."

He stands and bows, smiling at Tachibana, as though he hadn't just come in out of nowhere to help (read: anger) him. "Goodbye, Yuichi. I hope you'll think about what I said." With that, Asato leaves Tachibana with his thoughts, already pulling out his phone to check the Metaverse once he leaves the hospital proper.

2020/05/26 散歩🚶‍♂️の途中見事なシャクナゲの花が咲いていましたよ🤗 5月のいっとき誇らしげに華やかに✨ 確か実家の県の花だったような…🤔❓ ． #シャクナゲ #しゃくなげ #石楠花 #おうち時間 #お花大好き #季節の花 #花男子 #男子花部 #花部 #ザ花部 #花のある生活 #花のある暮らし #花好きな人と繋がりた #リビングフラワー #花と暮らす#rhododendron #rosebay #flowerstagram #flowerstagramer #mensflowers #livingflowers #livingwithcharoflowers https://www.instagram.com/p/CAp2hcmHTG4/?igshid=1du7c2si0fg1

Above are a few photos from a late afternoon hike in the Cheat River Canyon, just after a line of heavy thunderstorms moved through the area.  The storms were still brewing at the southern end of the canyon near Albright when I reached the overlook area. Great rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) is starting to bloom in the canyon, but the real show is probably a week away. Milkweed is also coming on strong, with three varieties growing in the open fields and clearings around the canyon - poke milkweed (Asclepias exaltata), common milkweed (A. syriaca), and butterfly milkweed (A. tuberosa).  I once heard milkweed described as a “mega-supermarket for insects”. It’s true. If you want a good starter course on the insects native to your region, then cozy up to the nearest milkweed plant in bloom with an insect field guide in hand.

From top: great rhododendron, also known as great laurel and rosebay rhododendron; American black elderberry, also known a American black elder (Sambucus canadensis), whose purple-blue berries will soon be used by locals to make wine, jam, jellies, and pies; common milkweed, which draws insects, including the banded longhorn beetle (Typocerus velutinus), in droves; butterfly milkweed, also known as butterfly weed; poke milkweed; eastern teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens), whose edible berries and leaves are used to flavor everything from tea to ice cream; and the adorable shinleaf (Pyrola elliptica), also known as waxflower, a shade-tolerant perennial of moist woods.

Rosebay Bouquet by Michael Kight Via Flickr: A last image of rosebay rhododendron with the continuation of wildflowers of the Blue Ridge… it’s kind of hard to overlook the rhododendron of the Blue Ridge. These mountains are covered in them! Not just that, there are three distinct species of rhododendron here, as well as other members of the Heath family, such as wintergreen, pipsissewa, azalea, sourwood, blueberry, doghobble, mountain laurel, and, of course, heath. Of the three species, this is rosebay rhododendron that blooms in late June through mid-July… the buds are usually a deep pink that open to white tending to pink, some being a blush pink. The showy purple/pink Catawba rhododendron bloom from late May to mid-June. The rare Carolina rhododendron shows its deep pink in early to mid-May in only specific places throughout the Blue Ridge, most prominently in Linville Gorge. The deep canopy of mountain forests covers many stands of rhododendron here, where an occasional beam of sunlight makes its way through. While perhaps not as eye-catching as the Catawba, the rosebay is still nonetheless beautiful. A couple of things of note here: rhododendron flowers, while having five lobes, have only one petal. The spots seen on the upper lobe are known as bee-ways… they apparently guide the bees in, much like lights on a runway guide aircraft in at night. That assures contact with the stamen for pollination. It obviously works, as they are countless in these mountains. Lastly, everything about rhododendron, roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and even the pollen are highly poisonous to humans… if anyone offers you rhododendron tea, just kindly refuse with a curt “No thank you.” Then pop them in the nose.

Rhododendron catawbiense

Mountain Rosebay, 

All though it’s not native to Ohio, it is native to the appalachian mountains and can naturalize in areas of Adams County in old property plots where they were once in a garden. In modern times you can find a nativar of this which is more purple and less pink called ‘English Roseum”. The areas in which it thrives are more along high altitude ridge lines and plateau lands where it can form dense thickets and can even get as tall as the great laurel, Rhododendron maximum.

HSA Sunday Garden

TOP: Giant Granadilla (Passiflora quadrangularis)

MIDDLE: Clematis (Clematis patens)

BOTTOM: Catawba rosebay (Rhododendron catawbiense)

This week's HSA Sunday Garden features scientific illustrations by Louis-Constantin Stroobant from Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe, Vol. 8 (1852-53). View more of these beautifully detailed and vibrant illustrations in the Biodiversity Heritage Library (@biodivlibrary) with thanks to the Raven Library of the Missouri Botanical Garden (@mobotgarden) for digitizing and contributing to the BHL Flickr album.

CATS AND HOLIDAY PLANTS

I feel like an informational post should go around every holiday season about the dangers of festive plants and cats, but I've never seen one in the 4 1/2 years I've been on tumblr. Anyway, from purina.com:

Which Holiday Plants are Toxic for Cats?

Holiday Trees

While artificial trees are gaining popularity, many people still prefer getting a real tree for the holidays. If you’re one of those people and you own a cat, opt for a fir or spruce tree over a pine tree.

The oils in pine trees can be harmful to cats, potentially leading to liver damage and even death. Meanwhile, pine needles are sharp and can damage a cat’s internal organs if ingested. They also pose a hazard to paws if stepped on.

Cover the tree stand so your cat won’t drink the water. The water inside the plant stand could contain harmful bacteria and other pathogens.

Regardless of which tree you choose, be aware of the potential for the tree to tip over. Cats often get curious about decorations and will climb the tree to get a closer look.

To prevent an accident, secure the tree to the ceiling or wall using some fishing line to prevent the tree from falling over. Otherwise, try putting the tree in a location that can be closed off so your cat can’t get to it when you’re not home.

Poinsettias

“Are poinsettias poisonous to cats?” These eye-catching red holiday favorites have gained a bad reputation amongst cat owners. The bad news is that, yes, poinsettias are toxic to cats.

These festive plants contain a sap inside their leaves that can irritate a cat’s mouth and esophagus. If ingested, cats may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or excessive drooling.

The good news is a cat would have to eat a large amount of poinsettia to get seriously ill. So, while poinsettias aren’t as toxic as some other plants, cat owners should leave them out of their holiday celebrations.

Amaryllis

Similar in appearance to the poinsettia plant, amaryllis is a popular flowering holiday plant that is a member of the lily family. Unfortunately, whether it’s the bulb, leaves, stem or flowers, this plant poses a threat to cats if ingested.

Amaryllis plants contain the chemical lycorine, which can cause adverse effects to cats such as vomiting, diarrhea and tremors.

Holly & Mistletoe

When it comes to poisonous house plants for cats, neither holly nor mistletoe comes to mind. After all, the holidays wouldn’t feel complete without holly decking the halls or kissing beneath the mistletoe. However, if you have pets, it’s best to go with the artificial route rather than risk it with these cat-unfriendly holiday plants.

Holly contains harmful chemicals that are toxic to cats. If ingested holly can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and drooling. This spiny leaved, berry-producing plant can be lethal to cats and should not deck the halls of your home during the holidays.

Like holly, avoid using mistletoe if you own cats. Mistletoe contains phoratoxins and lectins, which can cause similar reactions to holly. In larger amounts, severe reactions may occur, including a drop in blood pressure and heart rate, breathing problems, seizures and death.

Lilies

Another holiday plant cat owners should keep out of their homes are lilies. Unfortunately, the entire plant and even the water in the vase, can be toxic to cats and can cause serious harm or death. Even small amounts of this plant can cause arrhythmia or kidney failure.

Azaleas

Azaleas, which are also sometimes known as rhododendron or rosebay, are another holiday plant cat owners should never allow in their homes. However, be on the lookout because they often appear in holiday bouquets or floral arrangements.

Azaleas contain a toxin called grayanotoxin, which can adversely affect the sodium channels within a cat’s body. Azalea toxicity can cause a wide range of symptoms, including excessive drooling, decreased appetite, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea and even cardiac failure. Note that all parts of the azalea plant are toxic to cats.

What if Your Cat Ingests a Poisonous Plant?

The best way to keep your cat safe is to avoid bringing plants poisonous to cats into your home at all. If you do bring them into your home, keep them well out of reach. If you suspect your cat ingested any amount of a toxic plant, call your veterinarian immediately. You can also contact the Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) at (888)426-4435.