Spring is in the air…. (Chihuly Red Reeds, Weeds, Johnny Jump Ups, Custom Burger, & COMICS) 3-19-23

Posted on by Prior...

Hello Readers.

Spring is in the air and here are some photos to share how the start of my spring season is unfolding.

First, a pet peeve of spring. This invasive weed keeps showing up in parts of the garden. It is almost like they arrived in the mulch!

I think this is Japanese Knotweed – and it is easy to remove if you pull them early. But they seem to grow fast, like bean sprouts – ugh

Second, a consistent joy of spring. The viola, Johnny Jump Ups (which I used to call “jumping jacks”), which are from a small transplant I brought home from an art-teaching  job I had 15 years ago.  The viola is also in a 2019 post here, with a poem about GRIT, because this flower rebounds well.

When I was grabbing this image of the Johnny Jump Up, I noticed it had the leaf in it but later I realized we could maybe find all four seasons here.

This photo has all four seasons: left is a sliver of a white seashell (summer), then a crinkled leaf (autumn), center is the Johnny Jump Up flower (spring), and to the right, on the rock, seed pods from Rose of Sharon (summer). I honestly did not stage this – even if it looks like I did – 🙂 

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Third, the permanent installation of Chihuly RED REEDS at our local art museum (VMFA) have different looks depending on  the season.

In this photo, we have the Chihuly Red Reeds donning their early spring look: the red glass spikes stand tall with very little foliage (compared to late summer and fall when the foliage hugs the spikes); we also have the line design of our leafless, winter trees. And on this spring day, the bright blue sky is deceptive because the ripples in the water came from a frigid breeze. brrrrr

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Fourth, this old house sits across the street from the museum and the flowers they have out front always sync with the season.

Daffodils = spring

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Fifth, some of the news this spring had me curious, like this story about a lawsuit:

The last time I went to Buffalo Wild Wings was actually last fall (and only the second time in ten+ years). I ordered a burger because I just wasn’t thinking about how good their chicken wings are.  Then when the wings came out  – and were SO good – that was what I ate. Anyhow, during our visit, we were actually talking about the so-called “boneless wings” and how they really were just chicken nuggets. To then see the law suit this spring was funny – but also had me wondering how this litigation will turn out. I noticed that my latest carton of unsweetened almond milk no longer has the word “milk” on the container – so this verbiage in advertising does matter. 

Oh and speaking of burgers – yesterday we had some ground beef that needed to be cooked up.  Here is my husband’s custom burger – the meat bun is closing in on the mozzarella cheese slices (weird….) and I caught the mustard going on… and notice the Jap slices? 

Hearty food can warm you on a very cold spring day….

Closing with some comics – because it has been way too long since I shared some comics.

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79 thoughts on “Spring is in the air…. (Chihuly Red Reeds, Weeds, Johnny Jump Ups, Custom Burger, & COMICS) 3-19-23”

    1. Good afternoon Dawn – I think the museum owns that old
      house – and a few others along that whole block – I am going to check it out more the next time I visit there
      😉

      Liked by 2 people

  2. Oh my, that house is gorgeous! Is a private residence? I’d love to see if the inside was as beautiful as the outside (I’m sure it is). I had heard about the dairy industry pushing back on the use of the word “milk” when it wasn’t a dairy product. I guess I can see their point but… really? Are people confused?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi – there is another house (similar to this one) and I think both are part of the museum (there are signs in the door)
      And I actually took the pictures to possibly share with Dan’s Thursday Doors series – anyhow – next time I visit I will see if we can go inside and if so…. I will grab a few inside images for a future post !
      Thanks for the comment
      😉

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Regarding the milk- I did “not” think people were confused about the verbiage — but just this week I was talking with someone (who has Crohn’s ) and when I asked her if she tried almond milk she said a few times that she can’t have any milk at all!
      I showed her the two kinds I bought (we were shopping together) and I let her try the one that said “Simply Almond” and I was glad it didn’t have milk on the bottle because it helped her see it was a beverage
      Anyhow – some folks might really be confused
      And I remember seeing some little video where they interviewed these city children and asked “where milk came from” and not one of them picked a cow or an offer udder

      Liked by 1 person

  3. I love the yellow daffodils in front of the old house. Beautiful photo. It’s a little too early for spring up here, although there are a few buds. And, as a hamburger lover, your husband’s hamburgers have my mouth watering.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I thought of Dan’s Thursday Doors when I saw that amazing house with the daffodils. What a great photo! I forgot about the violas, I think mine is dead. Yours is beautiful 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  6. Spring is looking so pretty there! I haven’t seen a Johnny Jump Up in ages! I used to go to Sunol Regional Wildness in the Bay Area every spring to look for them and other wildflowers. I’ve not seen any at all here in No. NV.

    I’m going to copy that comic with the pirates for #1 Grandson to read. It’s so funny and he’s into pirates at the moment.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I hope your grandson likes the comic – that was my favorite one of the month — especially because the captain says “the pirate looks nice but….”
      Because that first like changes the tone – he could have just walked in and said “those are not the lashes I meant”
      Do you know what I mean?
      Oh and some of the lashes these days are SO long – wow

      Liked by 1 person

  7. I’m with everyone else enjoying the yellow daffodils but I think you said their garden changes with the season so you’ll have to show us the later images! loved the comics especially 20 lashes!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Tina – I will definitely try to show this house with other seasonal flowers – it will be a nice challenge for me to also give me a reason to go there more
      Have a great day
      ☀️😊🌸

      Like

  15. Lovely photos especially that house and garden. The point made of boneless or nugget is so stupid for someone wanting to sue. What is it with the US and suing people and companies with frivolous stuff?
    I totally understand the dairy industry and milk. Milk comes from mammary glands. I can see why the other products want to use milk. Would you buy a carton of “Nut Juice” lol
    Love the cartoons. It’s morning now and I am one of the Muses in my kitchen at the coffee machine willing it to hurry up 😂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi bb
      Thanks for the huge laugh with “nut juice”

      And I know some stores have always called it almond beverage but I guess some companies do not want that word on their containers ?

      And speaking of almond milk – did you know that there is a problem here in the US with folks stealing actual bee hives – the ones that are brought down to help pollinate the many almond trees needed for this huge demand for almond products
      – I guess bee keepers can make good money by helping pollinate at the right time of year!
      And crazy to think of folks stealing the hives –

      Liked by 2 people

    1. That memory of picking the flowers is such a beautiful one to have ….
      My memory of walking to school is staying warm and slushing through snow at times

      Liked by 1 person

  21. I am so ready for our flowers to bloom. All I have is daffodils right now. The flowers in your pictures are so beautiful! How do they keep the Chihuly Glass upright and not breaking? I find that so fascinating and unique! I thought your husbands burger looked like a face with the cheese being the mouth. Lol Loved seeing your comics again, the eyelashes one was my favorite.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Diane
      I can see the face in the burger too! Haha
      And the edges of the one he made me were so Crunchy
      –/
      Regarding the reeds – they recently gutted the entire display (and not sure why I didn’t grab any photos of it when it was being cleaned)
      But they have those strong rods to keep them upright – and folks are not close enough to touch them I I guess that is how they stay unbroken
      Anyhow – when they took sort the display they also stopped the foliage from growing right up on the actual glass
      It is better that way to keep things clean
      But it Jew looked pretty when the green foliage grew directly at the base
      I guess now all the greens will always be beside it – not inside the reeds

      Liked by 1 person

  22. Lovely photos and so interesting to see Spring where you are. The wild pansy Viola tricolor is one my favourites – we sometimes call it Heartsease here in the UK – I also enjoyed the Muses. Coffee is very much my writing fuel if I work in the mornings but as I can’t drink it in the afternoons I have to manage without the rocket fuel sometimes. Enjoy your Springtime!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Maria – I was just thinking about you this month and here you are! Thanks for the visit and I appreciate your feedback
      And I like how you said rocket fuel – haha

      Liked by 1 person

  24. Wonderful photos, Yvette! I love the uniqueness and vibrancy of the Chihuly Red Reeds and the old house is gorgeous, as are the daffodils. We also have daffodils in our yard and they’re so cheerful. Your husband’s burger looks good, and thanks for the comics too, nice for a Monday. Happy Spring!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Lauren
      Cheers to spring and regarding the Red Reeds
      These are actually becoming common around the the world – not sure how many but ours is not the only one – and I have seen photos of others
      But our local Red Reeds were the thrived mired ever permanent installation and before that – only short term exhibits were done.
      🙏😊☀️

      Like

  25. Yvette, I love these wide-ranging posts! The Chihuly RED REEDS really stood out because I’m a huge fan and have seen similar installations in St. Pete, Florida and Bardstown, Kentucky. So glad that your installation is permanent. ~Terri

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Terri! Of course you have encountered red reeds made of glass (why am I not surprised with all the gallivanting – hahaha)
      ☀️😊☀️

      Like

  28. Happy Spring, Yvette! I love seeing the sprouts coming up through the ground, such hope! Yum on the burgers…what kind of ketchup do you use? I just heard that a serving of traditional ketchup has as much sugar in it as a glazed donut. 🤔

    Liked by 1 person

  31. I love that you discovered 4 seasons with the viola . That’s fun. But that grand house with the front garden is a beauty. Happy spring. Curious story about the chicken “nuggets”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Donna — we were just looking at the menu at Guy Fieri’s small eatery at the Waterside District and they have boneless chicken wings and it says with “cut up breast meat” and so I wonder about this litigation? in the meantime, I have been following the TikTok folks meeting with Senators and hope that some litigation is put in place for what seems like a very sneaky and nefarious
      app – with subtle but very serious threats – sigh
      anyhow, talking about spring is so much more fun that litigation – and cheers to spring

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Hahaha. Yes, cheers to spring. I sent 3 hours in my yard today. I love it. ( Been following the craziness myself). Thank goodness for gardens.

        Like

        1. Hahah
          I don’t know either (but God know s the number of hairs on our head)
          And the reason I said 49 lashes – I thought it was a famous phrase from somewhere

          Liked by 1 person

  34. The Chihuly Red Reeds in the water look pretty with reflections. I like all your Spring-y flowers Yvette. None of those Spring blooms here yet – it is still a dull and drab landscape and I expect to see ponding and lots of branches around as it is gusting to 40 mph as I write this comment. I liked both comments, the the prisoner giving lashes just tickled me!

    Liked by 1 person

  35. Love the comics! Bummer about the weeds in your mulch. If only they WERE beansprouts. Then it would be a happy bonus! Lovely viola, et all. Oooh, that old house and the flowers in front–gorgeous! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for the feedback – and I just picked out about 200 of those little weedlings again today – but it was actually
      kind of nice with some sunshine – and they come up so easy (not like a dandelion tap root that is tough and tears things up) but still they are annoying

      Like

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