Lilies

Josh's upside down baby at 12.5 weeks. All is well. They can test for Down's Syndrome at this point by measuring the neck folds

Some of my lilies from last summer. Oh so long ago. Last year, we had summer in March. This year: all winter

So what makes a good present? Obviously, something the recipient would want but, as I argued, something the recipient would not have bought for himself. We compromised: a gift card so he can buy himself even more books. And lilies....Day lilies and Asiatic lilies and Easter lilies. Pictured above are tiger lilies.

Plantings will be sparse at their new house. Day lilies spread and are easy to take care of. They have a collectively long blooming period (though individually..only a day). The other lilies have a brief period of glory but they are so, so pretty. They are also easy to maintain year after year.Well at least Julie seemed excited.

We had birthday dinner last night with Shanna, Josh, Julie, Steve and myself. Fun. Naomi was out celebrating St. Pat's Day somewhere. Oh my Irish genes are becoming more and more dilute. I have one Irish great-grandfather. But even he was part French. I don't think Julie is bringing anything Celtic to the table either.

What I haven't determined yet is whether these lilies will become beautiful deer food. Their new house is adjacent to a large field. Even before deer were being spotted almost around every corner, twenty to thirty years ago, I would see them in a park I cross country skied in only a mile, as the crow flies, from their house. During that time, I rarely saw them any place else in Southern Michigan.

Note: I later researched this. Next to hostas, day lilies apparently are the deer's favorite food. Mixed opinions on whether deer like the other kind of lilies. One lady thought that since the deer ignored them for 10 years, she was safe to plant more. But one day, they all were eaten down to the ground. What won't they eat? Cosmos, zinnias, marigolds, cleomes, lavendar, herbs.

I awoke to see a large mass of snow quickly approaching from the south. If I was going to run on relatively unslick streets, it had to be right then. Fortunately the strong winds subsided when the snow came. Gee, last year at this time, it was eighty. Where is our global warming?

I will go to yoga now. My attendance has been rather sporadic due to illness and bad weather.