My Photography

Calamus Swamp and Photo Dump

Posted on by kmarrs

I honestly thought swamps were only in the southern United States like Florida. However, a friend posted about a local swamp they went to and all the frogs they saw/heard and I was super excited. Within a week Iris, Lucas, Sammy, and I were at the swamp frog watching and hiking the trail. Then a couple of days later I went back with Robin. It was glorious. The frog songs lifted my spirits. The startled splashes as they hid from us were endless fun. We did see a few. And I got some photos. I also took photos of the flowers, greenery, and the swamp in general. I’m going to go ahead and dump them here. There are… a lot. I’d apologize but I wouldn’t mean it.

I’ve decided that once or twice a month, from now until forever, we’re going to explore Ohio. The fact that there was a swamp with frogs only 27 miles away and I didn’t know about it, is tragic. So I’m dedicating myself to exploring trails, reserves, and parks in Ohio that are outside my usual stomping ground.

Later this month we’re going to Clifton Gorge. It’s about an hour away, just to the east of Dayton. In August we’re going to take a day trip up to Lake Erie. Then in September and October, we’re going to explore a couple of caves at Hocking Hills. Next spring we’ll visit the waterfalls there.

I want to see Ohio. I love nature. I love hiking. I love bonding with my family. I can’t afford to pay admission for all of us to do things like Cedar Point. But the parks? Parks are free and amazing!

I Think I’m Addicted To Dirt Under My Nails

Posted on by kmarrs

Ok. Starting from the back. The three on the left with the cage, as explained in me last post, are Roma tomatoes. The one on the right in the black pot is cherry tomatoes.

The two pots immediately in front of the Roma tomatoes are sweet basil. Two plants in each pot.

To the right, immediately in front of the cheery tomatoes is a strawberry plant. It’s baby and might not thrive. And even if it does thrive we’re going to have to fight the skunks and raccoons off.

The final pot there on the right is curly parsley. It’s kind of limp so I cut the worst of it off and it’s hanging up to dry. I’m hoping what’s left will double in size. I want a parsley bush. I’m going to need a parsley bush because the 8yo has declared it a tasty snack.

Sweet Basil
Curly Parsley
Strawberries

My rose, named Joy, is in the ground. She has fairly decent soil, lots of worms, and a few handfuls of blood meal. She’s a happy baby. In a few weeks, after the hibiscus is in, I’m going to buy a bag of mulch and cover this bit of earth.

Finally… Sammy went to the garden center with me on one of three trips and made friends.

Meet Sammy’s petunias, Patricia and Lucifer.

She was really good and didn’t beg for a million things. So when she fell in love with the section of petunias, I wasn’t capable of telling my budding gardener no. (Pun intended.)

Mather’s Day

Posted on by kmarrs

This post is a few days late. But then, so was my gift.

Since I’m both a mother and a father to the kids, my gift for the year can fall on either holiday. The same goes for the wife*. So I’ve started calling them both Mather’s Day.

Anyway, over the past year we’ve discovered I can’t eat a single tomato product that has been in a can or a jar. Nothing that’s been preserved in the usual methods, which we at this point assume it apple cider vinegar since that falls in like with my known allergies. I have confirmed that I’m not allergic to fresh tomatoes in the slightest. So it has to be in the preservation methods. That said, Robin* can make basically any tomato product you can think of, from scratch. That said, that takes a LOT of tomatoes. So…

*My spouse of 17 years is now officially my wife, they use they/them or she/er pronouns, and their chosen name is Robin.

I was sent to the garden center to buy the means to grow our own tomatoes. Meet my new children!

The three on the left are Roma tomatoes. The big girl on the right is a cherry tomato. We won’t cook with the cherry tomatoes unless we pull them for salads and such. They are meant to be a snack, fresh from the plant, warmed by the sun.

Here is a close up of my cherry tomato baby. I bought her exactly like this so she’d be ready to go asap.

I was lucky enough to find one that is already starting to grow fruit! My cashier was super excited for me when she saw them growing.

Plus, judging by these flowers, there are plenty more tomatoes to come and soon!

Here is a close up of one of my three Roma tomato plants. As you can see, it has a ways to grow. But I found 3 that look super healthy so I have hope for plenty of fresh tomatoes to come!

Now for a confession.

I was sent for tomato plants and pots and such. But in my defense, I was my own and only adult supervision in the garden center. And well, it’s known how I am.

Meet my surprise rose. The true surprise isn’t that I bought her. The true surprise is that I bought only one. Which, fair. I guess I am predictable in my love of plants.

Though the reason I only bought one is that I also have a hibiscus bush and a lilac bush on the way.

In my defense, I’ve been planning and plotting that hibiscus bush for a solid year now, but for some reason keep talking myself out of it. And there was never a good reason to talk myself out of it. It was like 15$ and I know where exactly to put it.

But

When Robin wandered into the room and I told them about the hibiscus, they mused allowed that someday they were going to buy a lilac bush because they have always wanted one. And what was I supposed to do? I’m helpless to the longing of a pretty girl! So I had them pick one out, which was also inexpensive, and I added it to the order and that was all she wrote.

Photos to come, I’m sure. But like my new rose, they are coming in with bare roots. It’ll take them a bit to really grow and flower and flourish.

My Plant Children

Posted on by kmarrs

The last couple of posts have been kind of heavy soul baring stuff. So I’m going to lighten things up by showing you and telling you about my plant children.

This is Frederick. My local Kroger had a selection of succulents this past spring and I asked Pat to buy me one. This is the first plant I’ve kept alive for more than like a month. I work very hard at it. By mostly ignoring him and then once every Thursday watering him until the soil is not drowning but soaked. He thrives under those conditions. He needs a better light. That’s why his leaves are so spread out instead of nice and condensed. But I’m working on that. He is next to a window so it’s not horrible. But the lighting could be better. As an added bonus, since it’s a uv light and he’s sitting on my desk, when I’m at my desk in the winter it’ll work as light therapy for SAD. I think. Won’t hurt, anyway.


This little gal was a mother’s day gift from my Sammy. Her school likes to buy those little cardboard pots and put a single… uh… something flowery for mother’s day. I think they are meant to go outside with friends. Or maybe sit on the window sill. I’m not sure. I accidentally killed the one she brought home in 2017. I am not good with plants. But this one I put in a bigger pot (there is room to plant a second if she brings one home this year) and gave it some light and the beauty flowered well through the summer. She hasn’t flowered in months now. And she may never again? But she is still a pretty touch of green on my desk that is, as you can see, thriving. New leaves all the time. And you can see from a couple of the photos where completely new shoots are starting. I know she was meant to be outside, but she’s lasting much longer on my desk and I like that.

This gal was a Christmas present from my Lucas just this past Christmas. I actually know what this plant is. She is an aloe and I love her. She’s too new to have grown much in my care but I have strict instructions on how to keep her alive and well, so I’m working hard at it. I did not expect this beauty at all. My LouBear kept that secret spectacularly. And I love him for it.

Anyway, all three of my plant babies live on my desk. I’m getting them a better light soon and hope to keep them alive for years to come.

I might actually be acquiring a green thumb. Which I never expected. But apparently, while it was late in coming, I do take after my mom and grandma after all. This makes me super happy!

I want to try violets next. I’m notoriously bad with violets…

Edit:

Oops.

So this is Florence, or Flora for short. And she is a Tradescantia Zebrina.

See…

IN MY DEFENSE!

I’ve been eyeing her for weeks upon weeks and loved her from the start.  So when I finally asked how much she was and found out she was on clearance for 3$ I just… what was I supposed to do?

She’s purple.