Reed and I traveled to Blue Earth, Minnesota today to deliver some plants to my friend Felicia. I especially wanted to take her an orchid cactus that has a big bud ready to open. Also called night blooming cereus – mine is still blooming.
We also took her a pretty big Hoya, a pencil tree, two varieties of aloe, pregnant onion, heart shaped Hoya, several cacti and a Moses in a Basket – and a couple more I don’t know names of.
We went to the Dairy Queen for lunch and then walked over by the “sprout”. Blue Earth is the home of the Jolly Green Giant.
It was 94 degrees! Here’s Reed!
And here’s where he’s standing – between the legs of the Jolly Green Giant!
Another visitor in the park offered to take our picture with Felicia by the sprout. Do we look hot? We were!
When we got home we did the chores and then Reed wondered if we’d have time to dissect the owl pellets. Here they are – regurgitated food from an owl found on the ground near an owl tree. Pellets are made up of bones, teeth, feathers and other non-edible parts of prey.
Here’s Reed pulling the pellet apart and finding bones, teeth and feathers.
Hazel loves Reed and got as close as she could.
You’d think she had a contribution to make, wouldn’t you?
Only a curious young boy would want to take apart that owl barf!!! You gotta love him for his enthusiasm!!! It sounded like a great summer day till I got to that part- Ha! Thanks for sharing your day with us Mary.
Love your posts keep them coming
Thanks for sharing. Paula in KY
Ms Mary,
I think it s awesome that you do things with Reed. He is learning so much from you!
Oh wise plant lady, I have a question about the Orchid Cactus. Someone gave me a big pot of one, with arms about 3 foot long and it looks like it needs new soil. Can I trim it and give it new soil? How do I start new plants?
Gina – your plant can be trimmed and each long arm cut into sections. After the cut heals over plant the sections. Your plant probably would love new soil. If doing that don’t cut the arms off too short at the same time – it will be too much of a shock for your plant. Has it bloomed?
Mary,
Yes, it had one bloom about a month ago. Almost a Magenta color. Very pretty!
Thank you for the advice. Do they need special soil?
When I was teaching 3rd grade, used to send for owl pellets when we studied owls. Kids loved it and it was fascinating. They’re an interesting bird!
Maryjane – and I learned about owl pellets from Reed!
I have been following your blog for several years now and always enjoy seeing what you are doing. I have to tell you that the picture of Reed with Hazel on the table is my ALL TIME FAVORITE PHOTO!!!!
Pamela -thank you! I’m just waiting for somebody to write and tell me dogs shouldn’t be up on the table -haha! Life is too short to worry about such things!
Love the picture of Reed and Hazel, standing on the table, she is so darn cute!!! You are so lucky to have Reed and he is so lucky to have you. You are a great mentor for him.
Mary, It’s nice to see Reed has other interests rather than social media!!!
Launa – Reed does not have tv, computer or cell phone.
Love the picture of Reed and Hazel. Thanks for sharing your day.
Linda from Tennessee
Nice to see your friend Felicia and Reed! Reed is so lucky to have you. He will have a lot to say when going back to school—“what did you do during your summer?” Hazel loves Reed…so cute! Enjoy your musings bout the farm and your life!
That owl poop looks dry…now it is a science experiment…glad he is curious. Love sprout and the green giant!
Marilyn – I just have to correct you – it’s not poop. It’s vomit -recurgitated parts they can’t digest. I learned that from Reed!
I do hope Reed is keeping a journal of his summer. You two have so busy and made all those chores fun. It would be even better if he had all or some of your pictures to add.
Certainly a time to remember.
Wow, Mary; what a post! I did not know anything at all about owl pellets. I love it that you and Reed teach each other. That is a great picture of Reed and Hazel. Thanks.
What a wonderful day you and Reed had – again! Even though it was so very hot! Reed and Hazel look so happy to be together, what wonderful friends they are and with you as well. So love seeing the pictures and hearing about your adventures together!!
Mary I wish you were my mother. We never did anything together except canning and sewing.
Looked like a nice day trip with Reed. As a retired teacher, I could always tell which students came in with rich background information. Their life experiences are a big influence on them. I’m sure Reed will always benefit from his time with you!
Love to hear about the road trip with Reed. So glad to see the interest in nature. We are getting more rain in Emmet County right now!
What? Dogs aren’t allowed on the table? How is Hazel going to see if she can’t get up close and personal?
Squeak is on the table a lot and any other surface she chooses.
The owl pellets are so interesting and you are a great teacher. Our son, at about Reed’s age, found a dead owl, and the Biology teacher stuffed it and kept it in the Bio lab. When I son reached HS, there it was!
I have to admit, I have never heard of most of your plants, but I love seeing the pictures. Roses, tulips, daffodils, and petunias–those I know–LOL. Thanks for sending the pics of the Jolly Green Giant and Reed with Sprout.
Mary, Do you have Facebook? I follow the Cincinnati Zoo and yesterday they had a video of them feeding their new baby screech owls. Reed may find it interesting! Go to their page and click on videos and the scroll to the right a little bit and there it is.
Noel – thanks! I’ll do that when he’s here the next time! After my rescue of the owl last spring, they really interest me, too!
Wow what a great day! I had no idea about the owl pellets, can’t wait to tell my nephews. Don’t be suprised if you get an order to ship one to Atlanta : )
Amy – well , I had no idea either until the owl was here last spring. After Reed told me I found two on the ground!
Hi, Mary! I was so tickled with your visit, Iam still glowing! I think Sunshine and Zena were glad to meet you too because you are such an animal lover. Thank you for the plants, it rained yesterday and I still have to plant them.
Tell Reed that I enjoyed meeting him, he is so polite and so handsome! Well, it is true that he is interested in science. I know about owl pellets because Bill told me about. When he was at the U they had to dissect them too. Zena is laying right next to me, her favorite spot to be at. Have a nice day, hugs, Felicia
Felicia -I wish we had helped you plant all those little succulents when we were there!
Mary thank you for sharing the owl regurgitation! I learned something new again from your blog today! I love to read about you and Reed’s adventures! You are both so lucky to have each other, Hazel is lucky too!
Saw an episode on Dirty Jobs where a guy goes and finds the pellets wraps them in foil and sells them to schools etc.
Ramona – wow! And I never knew a thing about owl pellets!
Thank you for the patterns. They arrived yesterday. I enjoyed your pictures, especially Reed and Hazel. The two of you make a great team.
One of my favorite projects was my high school biology final. We had a list of 100 things to find in nature and our teacher checked off each one. I only missed one point because I couldn’t find an owl pellet. I’ve had my eye out for one ever since!
Where do you find such interesting plants? I have one of all the standards: Pothos, Christmas cactus, etc, but have never even heard of the ones you listed.
Kayla – now I look for owl pellets every time I go to the grove – so interesting! I have collected these plants over the years and always start more whenever I trim them. I give them to anyone who wants them so now I’ll start some for you! One of the best places to find small inexpensive succulents is Walmart but only when it’s a new shipment
The picture of Reed and Hazel is so cute. We know someone who as a young girl liked to take apart the owl pellets that she could find. Today she has her Phd in Neurobiology from Harvard Univeristy so good for Reed there is no telling where his curiosity will take him.
Judy – I can’t wait to tell this to Reed!