Day By Day

Edison and Ford Estates Part Two

3/1/14

palm tree

This is where I'd like to be. In Florida under a palm tree. Unfortunately, I am still deep in winter in northern Virginia. After three days of 60 degree temperatures, most of the seventeen inches of snow on the ground melted, and we could see the grass again. The dog was happy about that. Then we had two days of minor snowfall this week which covered the grass again, but it melted away. Now we are in another arctic deep freeze (it was 11 degees last night) and facing another round of ice and snow starting tomorrow night. Get me outta here! This palm tree on the Edison estate in Ft. Myers, Florida is in the back yard area of the house where many of the plantings are and faces the Caloosahatchee River.

back yard area

This is another view of part of the back yard area. The entire back yards of both Edison and Fords winter estates faced the Caloosahatchee River. Edison built the stone seawall that lines the edge of the yard.

Royal palms

These Royal palms (Roystonia regia) line the back of the Edison house.

botanical research laboratory

This is a photo of the inside of the laboratory where Edison carried out his botanical research on many plants. One of the many plants he grew on the estate was bamboo because bamboo fiber was a material he researched as a filament for the light bulb. Here are some photos of the different bamboos he grew on the estate.

Alphonse Kaar bamboo (Bambusa multiplex)

Common bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris)

Oldham bamboo (Bambusa oldhamii)

rose garden

This is Edison's wife Mina's rose garden. There wasn't much in bloom in January when we were there. Most of the bushes were very old rose species. I like the layout of the garden.

moonlight garden

This is Mina's moonlight garden, designed in 1929 by renowned landscape architect Ellen Biddle-Shipman. The building in the background was Edison's office. The pool and bright flowers were meant to reflect the moonlight. Most of the flowers planted here have white blossoms, but many were not in bloom.

gardenia

But this luscious, fragrant gardenia was in bloom in the moonlight garden.

Snowbound

2/16/14

Fifteen inches. That's how much snow we had at our house. And then two more inches on top of that the next night. The weather forecast is for 60 degrees next weekend. Maybe that will make all this snow history. I am so done with winter. Meteorological spring is two weeks away, yet seems so far off. I took some photos around the front and back of the house that has buried a few tulips and daffodils that were starting to emerge. I couldn't open the front door until I shoveled my way to it and cleared off the porch.

front yard looking toward street

This photos shows the trees in the front yard with the snow covering much of their trunks. The trunk of the Yoshino cherry tree in the background is half buried.

driveway to street

Our driveway to the street was shoveled yesterday and is now covered with the extra two inches we received overnight.

mailbox

The mailbox was mostly buried even before the snow plow came down the street and threw some additional snow in front of it after I made a path to it.

back garden

The emerging tulips in the back yard garden here won't see light for a week or more.

deck

I have no idea where the steps are on this stairway from the deck to the back yard.

back fence

The fence and gate in the back yard are only half visible.

deer in front yard

Enough of the snow. Two days before the snowstorm I was able to catch a few pictures of the deer as they came through the front yard.

stopping to eat

This one actually stopped to eat. Most of the time they don't linger in the front yard. Too much open area I guess.

in the side yard

They always quickly go down the side yard.

into the woods

And then into the wooded area behind the house. This was the only photo where I could get all four of them together. Next post I am going to take you back to Florida (warmth!) and show more plants and trees from the Edison and Ford winter estates.

Edison and Ford Winter Estates

2/4/14

Edison Winter Estate

My family and I are just back from our Florida vacation. The weather was good about half of the time. The remaining time was cold (the temperature hit 32 degrees two nights), cloudy or rainy. But it was better than the northern Virginia weather where we missed two snow events and an arctic cold blast.

While in Florida we visited the Edison and Ford winter estates. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford both had winter homes in Ft. Myers next to one another. Although we were not allowed to tour inside the houses, we were able to view some of the rooms of both houses through glass panels.

walkway into the gardens

But the gardens were most interesting to me. The following photos are just a sample of the many trees and plants on the estate grounds.

red powderpuff

The red powderpuff (Calliandra haematocephala) is an evergreen shrub that likes full sun and high humidity. This one was from Bolivia.

Queen's wreath

Queen's wreath (Petra volubilis) is a tropical, twisting vine that looks similar to wisteria. It can have blue or white flowers. This photo shows the twisting base of this particular vine.

white frangipani

White frangipani (Plumeria alba) is a species of plumeria from the Caribbean that is different from the others; the leaves are long, narrow and curl inward.

sausage tree

The sausage tree (Kigelia africana) from tropical Africa has long sprays of maroon, trumpet-shaped flowers. The fruits look like giant sausages and can weigh up to 19 pounds.

Achiote or annato shrub/tree

The Achiote shrub/small tree (Bixa orellana), sometimes called annato, has fruit that is heart-shaped and covered with spiky hairs. It is native to tropical areas of the Caribbean and Mexico.

open fruit pod of the Achiote shrub

This photo of the open fruit pod shows its red seeds. A yellow to deep orange dye is extracted from the seeds and used as a natural colorant we call annato in food products. The extract is also used as a commercial dye and for medicinal purposes.

We spent a delightful and most interesting day at these estates. I will have more information and photos of other plants and trees we saw in future posts.

Crazy Weather

1/16/14

tulips

     Ten days ago we hit one degree. The beginning of this week we had four days of above freezing temperatures. One of those days it was 60 degrees. It is becoming hard to know what to wear.

   All the ice and snow melted. As I inspected the yard, I noticed these tulips emerging in the backyard garden. And a daffodil peeked up from the soil in the front yard garden.

     We had a dusting of snow this morning, and the weather forecast is for very cold days for the next week.

daffodil

But I am escaping the cold as my family begins the drive to Florida tomorrow for two weeks. When I get back, I'll see how much these tulips and daffodils have grown. Meanwhile, I am looking forward to the warm weather and all the tropical plants I'll see while in Florida.

Cold and Snowy

1/5/14

Yoshino cherry tree

I have had enough of this weather.

Arizona desert

Almost makes me want to return to the heat and sunshine of Arizona where the sun shines 85% of the time.

backyard deck

We have had single digit temperatures at night, and it has been in the teens for a couple of days. The side streets are sheets of ice. When I was walking the dog yesterday, a car coming toward us started to skid. It spun completely around back and forth across the road a couple of times while heading straight toward us. I ran, dragging the dog way into a neighbor's yard. Luckily, the driver got control of the car just at the edge of the yard and was able to bring it to a stop.

back yard

We were lucky we only had about four inches of snow. here. But the weather forecasters are predicting a much worse cold snap come Tuesday. Temperatures are supposed to be colder than they have been in about 40 years. I was reading in the paper that Lake Michigan has ice and should freeze over. I can remember about 40 years ago living in the Chicago area shortly after my husband and I were married. We lived there during one of the coldest decades they had there in a long time. I can remember Lake Michigan freezing over every winter, and people could walk and skate out on the ice.

the beach

Fortunately, my family and I are escaping to the warmth and sunshine of Ft. Myers beach in two weeks. I can't wait. Happy New Year to all!

Winter Solstice

12/21/13

holiday lights around our deck

     The winter solstice arrived today, but you wouldn't know it from the weather. Two weeks ago, with below freezing temperatures, ice and snow, it was perfect winter solstice weather. Today is the second day of above average, record-shattering temperatures. It was 70 degrees today. Forecasters say tomorrow it will be 73 degrees.

     Today my husband and I cleaned up all the pine limbs and branches that fell during the ice storm. We felt really strange working in the yard without any coats. Monday the temperatures will fall dramatically, and by Wednesday, Christmas Day, the high will be 37.

     Not much is happening in the yard or gardens right now. All the activity has been indoors, preparing for the Christmas holiday. Below are some holiday photos from around the house.

A poinsettia and tumbling santas grace the kitchen table.

A rocking horse music box

Glittery reindeer ornaments in front of a Christmas card on the mantle

The three wise men figurines that are part of our creche

A glass snowman sitting in shredded paper "snow"

From our house to your house

Merry Christmas

Ice and Snow

12/15/13

ice-covered Yoshino cherry trees

     Our area was hit last Sunday with an ice storm and then two days later our first snow. We only got about three inches of snow. It has been very cold here, so not much melting has occurred.

     The ice storm caused some trees to come down in our area, but many more large tree limbs (particularly pine) and branches fell from the weight of the ice. Luckily we missed out on the snowstorm this weekend. It just grazed us with a brief period of sleet and freezing rain yesterday.

     Here are some photos I took around the yard of ice-covered trees and plants, the snow, and limbs that came down in our yard.