No Mow May 2023

It appears that No Mow May  will also become No Mow June in 2023. There are two reason for this. The first was my doctors instruction for "light duty" after my procedure in early June. Pushing a lawn mower is a workout and one that I really don't relish. The second reason was the weather. I'm writing this during another downpour. I've haven't seen it this green in years. When I finally take out the mower again, I'll be setting it on the highest setting to plow through the meadow.

https://flic.kr/p/2npGp7H

Do you like butter?

I remember holding a buttercup under the chin of a friend and looking to see if it reflected a yellow hue. If it did that verified that they "liked butter". I suspect that this practice is fairly universal in spite of being rather odd. There were plenty of buttercups growing in my un-mowed lawn this spring.

https://flic.kr/p/2oHgKhv

Something new

This year I spotted a group of shockingly bright pink dianthus growing in a clump. When I did mow a bit, I avoided cutting them down.

https://flic.kr/p/2oJsETQ https://flic.kr/p/2oJsEQD

Dianthus, Sweet William and Carnations are called "Pinks". However this is not a reference to the color of the flower. The term is a reference to the shape of the petals which appear to be cut with "pinking" shears.

The pollinators

Sadly I haven't many pollinators, no honeybees. I noticed that the thyme in the lawn is beginning to flower. I hope that brings some in. I hate to think of the consequences of no pollinators. This is photo taken a few years ago at Beaver Brook conservation area. I hope this what I will see this year in my lawn.

https://flic.kr/p/2ijH8rm Taken on July 7, 2018