“I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best laid plans.” ~ J. K. Rowling
Have you ever set foot in a place of business and the first thing you laid eyes on became yours?
That’s exactly what happened to me on April 13th ….
Adoption
Upon entering a local grocery store, I immediately fell in love with a beautiful display of tulips growing in glass vases, their rooted bulbs producing bright spring green leaves surrounding fledgling flower buds and blossoms! Without hesitation (or consulting my shopping list), two healthy looking plants landed in my buggy! Like a proud parent, I proudly carted these treasures about while finding the actual items on my list, all the while justifying such a frivolous selection (the lovely tulip nearly in full bloom would be a gift for a dear friend; the other with a wee whisper of a bud would be mine to ‘nature journal’).
Nature Journaling
In a few days, my friend was enjoying her new tulip, and I was busy charting the growth of mine in my nature journal. It was amazing how quickly that little bud grew. When it broke free of the vase’s rim the petals and sepals (tepals) began to open, and the yellow became more intense while their centers grew more orange. It was very exciting to see these changes.
Disaster
Then on April 24th, something changed. Tiny white dots appeared on the bulb’s papery cover (the tunic) and the tepals drooped. Over the next few days, the white dot population steadily expanded over the bottom of the bulb, along with soft white threads that seemed to reach out from the dots. Mold! A fungus was aggressively devouring the poor defenseless tulip bulb! Why and could it be saved?
Although I’d been careful not to submerge the bottom of the bulb in water, the occasional slip-up had occurred. That, combined with the poor ventilation in the vase and the presence of fungal spores that float naturally in the air made for the perfect mold-loving environment. Even the use of filtered water wasn’t precaution enough to prevent this disaster. Even after gently rinsing the bulb, cleaning the vase and replacing the water with fresh, wasn’t remedy soon enough to save the bulb. The brief life of my adopted tulip had come to an end.
Lessons Learned
Following the demise of my tulip, I scoured the internet for diagnostic clues of a fungal attack and effective first aid. Apparently moldy fungus growth on tulip bulbs is very common, and I learned quite a bit about identifying and treating it in my post-bulb moments. Most importantly, never having grown a bulb of any kind in water (hydroponically), had I begun my aquaculture experiment by searching for helpful tips, my tulip bulb may still be alive. That’s my hindsight lesson.
However, knowing full well my passion for research into any and all things, had I 1) paused just a ‘sec’ and admitted to my lack of knowledge and experience in hydroponic tulip rearing, and 2) gone home to conducti my research in a careful and thorough manner, and 3) returned the next day to buy the two tulips, well ….. they might’ve been sold! (In fact I did return the following day and noticed the tulip display was gone.)
There’s something to be said for spontaneity!
“It’s good to be prepared, but spontaneity is very important — just to let yourself go and let it be whatever it is.” ~ Aron Eisenberg
If you’ve successfully raised a bulbed plant in water, what precautions did you take? If you’ve had an encounter with bulb mold, if you were able to stop it’s rapid spread, what measures did you take to save the bulb?
Hope you enjoyed journal pages I created to chart the life and death of my tulip bulb. Because I was conducting an experiment in hydroponics, I decided to experiment with various watercolor techniques, including trying out something new in adding backgrounds. Please let me know if and which compositions and/or colors you liked. I found experimenting with different watercolor materials and color mixing added valuable lessons for future journal pages. (On my pages I provided a brief description of what was used to color each stage of growth.)
As always, thanks for coming along on my nature journaling journey!
When the last Spring snow melts and the runoff soaks into the nooks and crannies of dehydrated soils, there’s a thirsty little shrub that eagerly drinks its fill. The leafy stems of this tiny shrub, so easily overlooked in the winter, rapidly grows on bare ground, around the drip line of pinyon and juniper trees, in the negative spaces between rocks and broken branches, and through beds of dried grasses. Then in a day or two a very small flower bud forms on the top of each stem, and in half a week the buds open simultaneously. What a spectacular display of brilliant white daisies ….. bouquets of light!
Barely ankle high, each flowerhead can have up to 24 white ray florets surrounding a rich buttery yellow center of 12-25 disc florets. And don’t fret if you notice the ray florets have curled downward in the evening. They magically unfurl to their full length by mid-morning the following day.
This annual Spring show, which takes place all across the U.S. west and western Great Plains, is brought to you by the “petite” perennial called Rose Heath (Chaetopappa eriocoides). (Widespread and common in New Mexico, Rose Heath is adaptable to a variety of soils, elevation, and drought.)
The show typically begins in late March and continues into early May. And for those craving more, flowering resumes in August and can run until November; no charge. You just have to get out there and see for yourself!
Origin and Etymology – What’s in a Name?
Origin of the Scientific Name, Chaetopappa ericoides
Augustin Pyramus de Candolle, a Swiss botanist, named this genus Inula in the early 1800s. But in 1827, it was the American botanist John Torrey, who named the species Inula ericoides, from a specimen collected by botanist Edwin James along the Canadian River during Major Stephen Long’s Expedition of 1819-1820. Since that time, the species has undergone more than a dozen name changes including Leucelene ericoides (Edward Greene in 1896) and finally Chaetopappa ericoides (Guy Nesom in 1988).
Etymology of the Scientific Name, Chaetopappa ericoides
The genus “Chaetopappa” is Greek for ‘bristly pappus’ (pappus refers to the score of tiny white bristles surrounding the disc florets; the same bristles, one per seed, that helps carry Rose Heath’s mature seeds up, up and away. The species “Ericoides,” also Greek, means ‘similar (“oides“) to Heath’ (“eric”); i.e., the plant’s tiny, overlapping leaves are similar to those of some Heaths (Ericaceae is the scientific name of the Heath Family.)
Common Name, Rose Heath
From the previous paragraph, it’s obvious where the name ‘Heath’ comes from, as Rose Heath does have stems and leaves very similar to a heath plant. But why ‘Rose?’ What I found is ‘Rose’ is Latin in origin, derived from “rosa,” referring to the flower. Because the daisy-like flowers of Rose Heath don’t resemble a rose flower, deeper diving was needed. I discovered that throughout history ‘Rosa’ and ‘Rose’ have represented love, passion, innocence, and beauty. So perhaps ……. ? If you’re familiar with Rose Heath or have seen photos of the plant in bloom, do you love or could you love its beautiful floral bouquets? I think whoever thought to call this plant by the common name ‘Rose Heath,’ must’ve loved its stunning display!
Perky Sue has to be the happiest little sunflower on planet Earth!
“Is it because Perky Sue is an early spring bloomer, it’s smiling face opening in mid- to late March? Maybe it’s how those brilliant yellow flowers climb above fields of drab, dry grasses to brighten the landscape? Perhaps it’s those tall, soft and silky flower stems that dance with wild abandon to the music of our spring breezes?”
No matter why Perky Sue always brings smiles, you can’t deny that encountering a blooming bunch makes you instantly happy!
Look for these stunning sunflowers in the open areas scattered throughout and adjacent to the subdivision. Separate the dried grass and discover the soft sage-colored, spatula-shaped leaves densely clustered at ground level. Remember this spot and return every Spring to watch our grassy meadows awaken with dazzling yellow sunshine.
Did You Know ………………. ?
When you encounter Perky Sue (or most any other sunflower) take a close-up look at one of it’s flowers. What you’re actually seeing is a collection of tiny flowers (florets). The most numerous type of floret lies within the face or center of the flower head (these are the disc florets). But you may be surprised to learn there’s a second type of floret often thought of as the sunflower’s petals (called the ray florets).
The Sunflower Face
The face or central part of the flower head is called a disc; the individual flowers, the disc florets, are arranged in clockwise and counterclockwise spirals. Look close and notice each floret has five distinctly flared petal lobes attached to a fused floral tube (which together form the corolla). Each floret is fertile, having both male (staminate) and female (pistillate) organs, able to produce pollen and seeds.
The Sunflower “Petals”
Radiating out from the disc like the rays of the Sun is a showy ring (or multiple rings) of what looks like flower “petals.” However, each “petal” is a single ray floret consisting of a single strap-shaped flower (ligule) of five fused petals (corolla) that form a tube at the base. In Perky Sue and some other sunflowers, the ray florets are pistillate. But in the majority of species the ray florets are sterile.
The Sunflower “Landing Pad”
Sunflowers have one of the most highly evolved “flowers” in the plant kingdom. To maximize their visual attraction to pollinators, the ray florets became large showy structures that act as a “landing pad” for bees and other pollinators. When they “touch down” they are immediately drawn along the ligule to the bountiful pollen supply of the disc florets. Large pollinators also use the ligules of ray florets as a supporting platform to balance and feed from the disc florets’ floral tubes. So, ray florets evolved to increase the pollination success of the fertile disc florets at the center of the sunflower. And in the case of Perky Sue, insects carrying pollen as they fl to other “landing pads” increase the pollination of the pistillate ray florets.
Want to Learn More?
The biology of sunflowers is a fascinating subject, and I’ve spent many hours researching and illustrating their intricate parts and pieces, and how they work. If you’d like to learn more, check out these detailed posts I put together in the summer of 2023:
Have you ever taken a close look at its flower head or inspected the florets of another sunflower species?
What did you see?
Hope you enjoyed this page of my field guide. I’d love to know if you found the information new and/or inspired you to check out the details of your local sunflowers.
White-point Vetch (Oxytropis sericea var. sericea)
One of the first flowers to bloom in the spring, white-point vetch forms a dense bouquet of brilliant white, pea-shaped flowers that grow on 12 inch tall stalks arising from many basal, soft-hairy compound leaves.
Beautiful to look at ….. POISONOUS if ingested …
….… especially if you’re a cow, horse, sheep, goat, elk or mule deer
All parts of white-point vetch (aka white locoweed) are poisonous at all times, even when dried. The culprit is an alkaloid toxin called Swainsonine, which inhibits enzymes essential for normal carbohydrate and glycoprotein metabolism in cells. This causes carbohydrates to accumulate in the brain and most other organs preventing normal cell function. Depending on how long the locoweed is eaten, the affected cells can be permanently damaged; one to three months of heavy consumption can cause death. Also, Swainsonine is present in the milk of lactating animals affecting their nursing youngsters.
Are locoweeds naturally poisonous? Well, yes, in a way. But the poison isn’t made by the plant itself. Swainsonine is produced by a fungus (Undifiliumoxytropis) that acts as an “endophyte,” happily living between the plant’s cells of certain locoweeds in the genus’ Astragalus and Oxytropis. This fungus, thriving at high elevations on Western US rangelands, coexists symbiotically with the host plant, causing little to no harm to the host locoweed. In fact the host may even benefit from the fungus by receiving enhanced drought tolerance, as well as a “don’t eat me” sign to all hungry ungulates. Meanwhile, the fungus goes about its business of keeping the plant well stocked with Swainsonine. Only the species of locoweed without the endophytic fungus are not poisonous. Review the list at the end of my post to learn which Astragalus and Oxytropis species are known to cause “locoism.” (But the real lesson is to be wary of all species in these two genus’ until you seek expert identification.)
Symptoms of locoism in ungulates: Malabsorption of essential minerals and vitamins in the intestinal tract. Decreased appetite and weight loss. Decreased liver function and damage due to elevated liver serum enzymes. Calves, lambs, and foals may be born with deformed legs. Abortions and fetal death are common. Other general symptoms include depression, blindness, loss of coordination, emancipation, tremors, paralysis, constipation and deterioration of the coat.
We have 5 of these plants scattered around our property., and this is one of them. We also have a group of mule deer that walk by this plant almost daily. They must know not to eat the leaves and flowers, moving quickly by in search of something safe to eat.
Abnormal behaviors emerge, such as sudden changes in temperament, aggressiveness, ataxia, falling over unexpectedly, violent reaction to routine management practices such as putting on a halter or refusing to go through a chute. Horses become very depressed and sleepy, and often show more severe neurological effects of locoweed poisoning than cattle and sheep.
Specific to cattle, the major problem encountered with locoweed poisoning is decreased fertility characterized by lower conception and calving rates; semen fertility of affected bulls is also decreased. In addition, cows and bulls consuming locoweed experience reduced libido, behavioral changes, weight loss, and heart failure. Typical findings in calves are decreased growth rates resulting in lower weaning weights. Some calves may be born weak and die shortly after birth.
The flowers of White-point Vetch are bright white and quite lovely. This close-up shows how their form resembles a garden pea flower.
There is no effective treatment for locoweed poisoning! Recovery depends on the duration of ingestion and severity of the lesions. Locoed horses are considered permanently affected.
So why do animals eat poisonous locoweeds when other non-poisonous forage is available? One reason is locoweeds are palatable and have a similar nutrient value to alfalfa. Also, they become habituated to eating them from each other. Once one animal starts to eat locoweed others follow. Removing animals that are locoweed eaters from the herd can reduce the chances of other animals ‘learning’ to eat the plant through social observation.
Is the toxin Swainsonine poisonous to humans? While primarily a risk to livestock, unintentional human exposure, usually through ingestion or smoking, can cause hallucinations, severe liver damage, or even fatal poisoning.
From what I’ve read, people seeking to get “high” from Jimson weed (a Datura species), aka “locoweed,” often mistake a true “locoweed,” (like Oxytropis sericea) for the Datura, even though they look nothing alike. As they begin smoking the leaves or any other part of O. sericea, they can experience severe and rapid hallucinations, delirium, intense paranoia, psychosis, anxiety, agitation and disorientation as their heart races, pupils dilate, vision blurs, and a high fever sets in. Chronic ingestion inhibits cellular enzymes, potentially leading to long-term neurological impairment, reproductive dysfunction, and severe organ damage.
My hand carefully holding a flower stalk. This shows just how large the flowers are. Notice there are quite a lot of buds present at the flower stalk tip. (I did wash my hands after handling the plant)
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Well, that’s a lot of scary stuff! Let me end my post with something light-hearted and laughable from the Wild Wild West — something unbelievably crazy involving the extreme measures that were taken by Colorado ranchers during 1881 to 1885, to prevent their livestock from dining on poisonous locoweed.
Locoweed—The Most Infamous Plant of the Southwest!
As early as the 1800s, livestock growers in the west considered the presence of “weeds” (whether native or non-native) on rangelands an unwelcome nuisance, especially if they outcompeted the growth and availability of “desirable” plants (forage) needed to feed their herds. And if a tasty “weed” or two turned out to be poisonous to their livestock, then its elimination was critical. This was the case with white-point vetch, aka white locoweed (Oxytropissericea), and its close relative, purple locoweed (O. lambertii), both native perennial species found throughout the intermountain west. Ranchers in the late 1870s were shocked by the skyrocketing deaths of their livestock that were eating locoweed. And in Colorado, ranchers demanded action.
This is a true story of locoweed, the first “weed” for which the 1880s Colorado legislature enacted radical management regulations; the first “weed” where detailed steps were laid out to not only control locoweed, but eliminate all signs of this poisonous plant from Colorado rangelands.
The following is an excerpt from an article written by Charles Bryant, Huerfano County’s (Colorado) Noxious Weed Manager, and printed in “The Learning Ledger” on June 2, 2025.
A young bouquet of White-point vetch was nearly 10” tall, with more growth expected.
One of Colorado’s Most Loco Laws ………
….. the ‘Loco’ or Poison Weed Act of 1881
“At the time of enactment, Colorado had been a state for less than five years and was the epitome of the “Old West,” with the livestock industry being one of the primary drivers of the newly-formed state’s economy. Because of the impact locoweed was having on the health of livestock by 1881, Colorado legislators became preoccupied with the native Oxytropis species.
“The 1881 “Loco or Poison Weed Act” (Act) allowed citizens to “dig up not less than three inches below the surface of the ground any ‘loco’ or poison weed during the months of May, June or July and shall receive a premium of one-half cents per pound for each pound of such weed dug up, to be paid out of the state treasury as hereinafter provided; provided, that such weed shall not be weighed in a green state, but shall be thoroughly dry when weighed.”
“The Act went on further to describe how locoweed bounty hunters of the state were to deliver their dried loads of locoweed to their county clerk within two months of their digging. Upon delivery to the clerk of the county where the weeds were gathered, the clerk was to weigh the load and require those seeking reimbursement to sign an oath stating: “I do solemnly swear that the weed here produced by me this day is ‘loco’ or poisonous weed of X amount of pounds, dug up by me within two months last past.” Upon the recitation of this somber oath the county clerk was to “forthwith destroy such weed by burning” and issue a certificate for payment that was to be paid by the county, with the county later being reimbursed from the state treasury after their submission of an annual report that detailed the amount of locoweed gathered and to whom bounties were paid.
“By 1885 it became glaringly apparent that the locoweed bounty program was unsustainable, to say the least, and rife with fraud. The February 12, 1885, edition of the Rocky Mountain News lambasted the “loco industry” and pointed to the handsome sum of $8,727.27 that had been paid out in one month alone to El Paso County, equivalent to over $283,333 in today’s dollars. The coverage went on to question how over half a million pounds could be collected in El Paso County in a month, and stated that the monthly locoweed bounty expenditures for El Paso County matched the total monthly operating cost of the Colorado State Penitentiary. Only six days after this scathing review, Colorado legislator Rep. Abraham Bergh of Park County led the repeal effort of the Act, and the state finally did away with perhaps one of the most “loco” laws to ever be enacted in Colorado.”
Are you familiar with your local locoweeds? If so, I’d love to know which species you’ve encountered and if they’re on the list (below) of those known to cause locoism?
After learning more about the poisonous nature of locoweeds, next time you discover one, will you think twice before handling the plant? (And please, if you do, be sure to wash your hands!)
Hope you enjoyed this post! Thanks for stopping by!
Astragalus and Oxytropis species known to cause locoism:Astragalus lentiginosis (spotted loco), A. mollissimus (woolly, purple loco), A. wootonii (Wooton loco), A. thurberi (Thurber’s loco), A. nothoxys (sheep loco), A. dyphysus (blue loco, rattlewood), A. earlei (Earle’s loco), A. argillophilus (half moon loco), Oxytropis sericea (white-point vetch, white loco), O. lambertii (purple point loco), O. bessyi (Bessy point vetch), and O. campestris (field loco).
(I’m thinking that just because these species are known to have the poisonous toxin Swainsonine, it might be best to err on the side of caution and treat Astragalus and Oxytropis species as suspect? Do you think so too?)
Last month (mid-March), while looking everywhere for signs of spring (something green and growing), I dared to peek under a flat rock and gasped with surprise! Instead of uncovering a tiny flower bud was a gigantic “creepy-crawly” bug! Yikes! After quickly dropping the rock back on his head I realized my run-away imagination had gotten the better of me.
So gathering my courage, I took another look. There, hiding under that rock was a “cuddly” Jerusalem cricket trying his best to be invisible (while avoiding the bright sunlight).
This wasn’t my first Jerusalem cricket, but seeing this guy prompted me to learn more about this curious insect……
Firstly, Jerusalem crickets are neither true crickets nor are they native to Jerusalem
Taxonomists agree, “Jerusalem crickets are in a very different family than true crickets. This includes a bunch of flightless varieties, and some with wings, found in Africa. The Jerusalem crickets are wingless and are found in the Americas.”
“The origins of the name, “Jerusalem” cricket isn’t certain, but it’s thought that it comes either as a reference to the skull-shaped head (they’re also known as skull crickets), which is associated with skull hill in Jerusalem; or, comes from a watered-down swear word from the ‘40s and ‘50s. Around this time, in the US, both “Jerusalem” and “Cricket” were expletives, associated with being startled.”
Next, some Jerusalem Cricket Mating Characteristics
Similar to true crickets, each species of “sings” a different song during mating. They actually sing by drumming and they drum by beating their butts on the ground.
Once a larger female has successfully mated with a smaller male, and before she lays eggs, females usually eat the males!
She lays her egg masses in holes in the soil. After hatching, over the next 1-2 years, nymphs undergo several molts (as many as 10) until they reach sexual maturity which lasts for only 2-6 months.
Adults can reach up to 2 to 3 inches in length. Females are often larger in size; males have longer hind legs.
Third, Jerusalem Cricket Habitats and Out-of-Sight Living Quarters
They are “well-adapted to living in sandy soils, but can be found in sand dunes, chaparrals, grasslands, woodlands, and forests.”
Being nocturnal, they spend a majority of their lives underground.
They hide underneath organic matter and other debris like rocks, wood. With their powerful mandibles, spiny legs and specially adapted feet, they also dig underground burrows for comfortable living quarters.
And Almost Lastly …. the Cultural Significance of Jerusalem Crickets
Of great importance to Native Americans as food, many tribes in southwestern U.S. also considered Jerusalem crickets as a powerful cultural symbol. Its striking appearance leads some to think the cricket brings mortality, as depicted in the folklore of the Chumash people of southern California.
The Hopi, who settled in Arizona, portrays this cricket as a spirit being (a Kachina) named Sösööpa who races. As a result, it’s often carved into their Katsina dolls as a yellow humanlike character with black beady eyes, a black-and-white plaid skirt, and antennae made from sand grass, depicting traits of the cricket.
The Navajo associated the Yucca plant with the insect; you had to eat the plant as a cure of the cricket’s painful bite. This myth possibly gave rise to the misconception that their bite is venomous.
It’s Greek to Me! (Entomologically Speaking)
Learning the meaning of a scientific name assigned to a species not only helps me remember uncommon words and how they’re pronounced, but often describes aspects of a species’ characteristics that may help differentiate it from another similar-looking species. Learning about these complex names falls into a study called entomology.
Ammopelmatus fuscus, the scientific name for the Dark Jerusalem Cricket, is quite a mouthful. Curious about the meanings (in plain English) of these two strange words, I learned the name originates from Greek and Latin roots meaning “dark sand-sole” or “dark sand-burrower,” obviously referring to their sandy habitats, dark color, and burrowing behavior. But to learn how the common name with the word “sole” ties to one of the cricket’s characteristics, my dive continued. Here’s the entomology breakdown:
Genus Ammopelmatus
Ammos (Greek) means “sand,” referring to the cricket’s specialized adaptation to arid, sandy environments.
pelma (Greek) means “sole of the foot,” highlighting the specialized leg structures the cricket uses for burrowing.
tus (Greek) is a common word meaning either “them” or “their.” In this case, “tus” ties the first two parts together into “their sand sole.”
Species fuscus (Latin) means “dark,” “dusky,” or “brown,” describing the cricket’s color.
Here’s the underside of my Dark Jerusalem Cricket. The leg spines really show well as does the strong mandible. A scary fascinating view!
After learning more about the Dark Jerusalem Cricket, maybe next time I discover one, I won’t jump so high?! Do you think?
Have you seen a Jerusalem cricket hiding out in your yard? If so, what was your reaction?
Hope you enjoyed this post! Thanks for stopping by!
Eaton, Eric R.; Kenn Kaufman (2007). Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America. New York: Houghton Mifflin. p. 84.
Milne, Lorus Milne, Lorus and Milne, Margery (1980) The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc, pp. 437.
Stoffolano JG, Wright B (2005). “So so opa —Jerusalem Cricket: An Important Insect in the Hopi Katsina Pantheon.”American Entomologist. 51 (3): 174–179. doi:10.1093/ae/51.3.174
Here’s one of my favorite birds that’s a regular visitor to our yard. Spotted towhees, especially the males, are year-round residents throughout most of New Mexico, which means they breed in the shrubby vegetation surrounding our home. In our area, males sing at the crack of dawn until late afternoon beginning in early February. Instantly recognizable, their beautiful songs carry far and wide. Their songs not only signal to their mate it’s time to pair up again (spotted towhees are monogamous), they also let other male competitors know they’re horning in on his territory.
With favorable weather and abundant food, spotted towhees can produce two clutches of chicks during the breeding season. Their ground nests are hidden so well under a dense oak that I’ve never been able to find one. But it’s a lot of fun to watch clumsy fledglings trying to master the “two-footed-hop-forward-scratch-backward” forging technique all spotted towhees use to uncover hidden bugs and seeds.
Fun Facts
The spotted towhee and the eastern towhee were considered to be the same species called the rufous-sided towhee until 1995.
Male towhees have been recorded spending 70% to 90% of their mornings singing during breeding season.
Once a male mates, he only spends about 5% of his time singing.
It’s thought that the spotted towhee’s white spots are a form of camouflage.
Spotted towhees will sun themselves by lying on the ground feathers spread.
They will bathe in the dew or fog that has collected on vegetation.
Nesting females have been seen running away when disturbed rather than flying.
A group of towhees is called a “tangle” or a “teapot.”
When two towhees fight, one bird will pick up a piece of twig and carry it around as a sign of submission.
Their bright red eyes act as a visual signal during the breeding season, standing out in their dark, shady, ground-level habitats.
Do spotted, canyon, green, eastern or any of the towhee species visit your yard?
Hope you enjoyed this post! Thanks for stopping by!
A Poetic Medieval Adventure Birthday Card for Elaine
March 24, 2026
If you’ve followed my blog for a few years, you may recall an annual post in late February or early March featuring my handmade birthday cards with one of my poems created for my most excellent and dear friend Elaine. Because she loves goats, all of the cards I’ve sent her include a variety of my goat illustrations. No ‘kidding!’ And because she’s an extraordinary poet, I try my best to write a unique poem following the rules of a lesser known (at least to me) style, and reprint my words somewhere inside the card. My efforts at poetry are usually hilarious (I would never call myself a poet), but always prompts Elaine to write a fantastic reciprocal poem in the same style.
The major prompt I follow every year is simply …… Have Fun! But I strictly observe a few rules, or else! (Or else this annual project would take me half a year to complete!) Haha!
Rule 1: Think of a theme. This year I had castles on my mind (I don’t know why), so illustrations could focus on things Medieval. You know, towers and moats, knights and shields.
Rule 2: Find a style of poetry that would not only work with my theme, but has a high probability of generating a bunch of belly laughs while I wrote it and while Elaine read it. Next, write the poem. This year I chose to write a Paradelle (a parody on the Villanelle-style poem) that has high comedy potential. Also, the history behind the Paradelle was a hoot …. claiming to have been developed in the 11th Century (fitting my Medieval theme), but was actually introduced in the 20th Century (so I included the history behind the Paradelle in the card and below so you can read it for yourself).
Rule 3: Design and make an accordion card that would comfortably hold all the illustrations and the poem (and the history and rules of a Paradelle-style poem). Issue A ….. at this stage of the project, the illustrations and the poem were still vivid parts of my imagination. Exactly what would be an appropriately-sized accordion book? Hmmmmm? Issue Z ……. because I tend to have grandiose project ideas, the accordion book ended up being, well, grandiose! The outside cover panel was 9”x9” . and with two inside front-facing panels and a front-facing back panel, the entire length of the accordion book, unfolded, was nearly 3 feet long!
Rule 4: Complete the entire project during the first 3 weeks of February, allowing 1 week for mailing from central New Mexico to western North Carolina, arriving in time for Elaine’s birthday on February 28th (her birthday is actually on the 29th, but in years that don’t “leap” she always parties on the 28th). Not being able to complete the card until late the first week of March, I blew this rule, but did send her a ‘place-holder’ birthday puzzle of an underwater fantasy castle atop a sea turtle (alerting Elaine it contained an embedded hint of her actual “gift card” which finally arrived on 16th).
The following photos were taken of the pages from Elaine’s 2026 birthday card.
The cover panel, 9”x9”. I had to introduce a tortoise to tie together the card with the ‘place-holder’ gift she received in time for her birthday. Of course, a goat! Flambé approves!
The Medieval Castle from my imagination. This 4-panel castle took up the entire inside of the accordion card, measuring nearly 3 feet long. The two center panels are bisected to make room for more printed words and illustrations. In this illustration, can you find the goat? Elaine busily composing her Paradelle? Flambé?
This was the line work. I began by pencil sketching the top panel, but before that was finished, I buried my pencil and finished the rest in ink only. The entire structure, top to bottom, is mostly from my imagination; making it up as I went. At first it was scary, but then I just went for it without fear. It was great fun!
After the ink work was done, next came watercolor. I used a 12 half-pan set of van Gogh watercolors with a size 6 round brush for all the initial washes. Extra detail was then added with Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils and a water brush. The last step was to add extra shading with my neutral-colored set of Tombow dual brush pens which are water based and blendable. All fun!
Castle details – top panel
Castle details
Castle details
Castle details
Castle details
This is -art of the center 2 panels underneath the castle. On the left is the humorous history of the Paradelle; on the right are the official rules you must follow when composing a Paradelle (should you wish to do so!)
This is the illustration under the right side flap under the castle. This is one of the Queen’s performers! This little guy works for goat-chow..
This is the illustration under the left side flap under the castle. This is the official banner bearer for the King when his Knights in Armor march off to battle. This little goat works for premium goat-chow..
Paradelle for Flo!
The Paradelle for Flo layout, keeping with my Medieval theme.
The Final page as Flo (and Flambé) quietly says ‘good bye’
Elaine loved her birthday card! Can’t describe how much fun it was to create Paradelle for Flo for such a wonderful friend! Thinking up the idea, making the accordion book, creating the illustrations and writing the poem was a great way to spend 5 weeks! It turned into quite a satisfying challenge, as well as a learning experience when it came to mixing various medias together and bringing to life all the components into one card!
If you enjoyed Paradelle for Flo, you might enjoy this one too!
For the last few years my “someday” goal has been to create a nature field guide, of sorts, highlighting my many years of observations in the East Mountains of central New Mexico. Well, my “Someday” is officially here! Coinciding with the February 22, 2026 kick-off of the 100 Day Project1(Project), I began by committing an hour/day to developing that field guide as my project and immediately penciled out an outline and a few thumbnail sketches of a sample page. But, after retrieving my iNaturalist lists of East Mountains sightings I’ve made from home and during countless hikes, eliminating redundancies, and totaling up the individual species, my reported observations still numbered in the many hundreds. I would be working on this Project for the next five to six years!
Interlude
When we moved to the East Mountains in the summer of 2017, we quickly fell in love with the beauty of the wide open landscapes, the grasslands and woodlands habitats, the diverse populations of wildflowers and mammals, resident and migratory birds, and the insects and reptiles. So yes, nature is plentiful; species are many.
Now Back to the Project
Not to be overwhelmed (or defeated) by the potential magnitude of my Project, I decided to:
“Divide and Conquer” by focusing on a single location …. our current subdivision and surrounding area and trails; and
Prioritize quality over quantity by creating one page over two days, keeping each work session to one hour; and
Keep the Project motivating and interesting, by adding fun facts or other research tidbit about each species.
“These guidelines seemed more realistic,” I thought, with a cautiously optimistic chance of achieving my goal of creating a nature field guide.
So with that as an introduction to my Project, here’s Page 1 to “An Illustrated Guide to the Nature of Las Leyendas Subdivision & Environs, Tijeras, East Mountains, New Mexico” — with many more pages to follow. 🤞
Constance’s Spring Parsley (Vesper constancei)
The final pageAn early draft of the page with live samples of this pretty wild parsley
1“The 100 Day Project is a free global art project that takes place online (https://www.the100dayproject.org/). Every year, thousands of people all around the world commit to 100 days of creating, and anyone can participate. The idea is simple: choose a creative project, do it every single day for 100 days, and document and share your process online. The most recent round of the Project began February 22, 2026, but any day is a great day to begin.”
One of my virtues is impatience ……. when it comes to Spring ….. and its arrival ….. finally.
Admittedly, winter has its perks. After a long, hot summer and fall, winter’s crisp air is a mood lifter, and cooler air temps allow for cozy sleeping under piles of blankets. Longer nights mean my favorite constellations hang in the sky longer, and somehow the moon always seems brighter and friendlier. In New Mexico, winter hiking about is more casual without having to watch every step for rattlesnakes, and certainly any snowfall we’ve been fortunate enough to get helps recharge water tables, tempers our risk of wildfire, and is absolutely beautiful to watch while falling.
But ….. since Winter Solstice and with daytime hours lengthening, I’m ready for Spring. And the closer it gets, my impatience for the upcoming change in season is obvious. My nature journal, pencils and 10x magnifying loop are packed and ready, each daily hike begins by plucking from a yucca one of last year’s flower stalks to poke the ground for signs of growth, and I’m anxious to snap photos of any passing migrating bird or resident roadrunner in search of a perfect nesting spot.
Meanwhile, I’m thankful for my late winter attack of impatience, because it get’s me out there every day, in anticipation of the first flower bud!
a curious nature 