In which Shadowfax gets some camouflage.

When you're raised in the nursery business, even when you leave, it never really leaves you.  It's in the blood - there's always something being sprouted, planted, and watered at our place.  The veggies are going bonkers and swamp mallows that I started from seed are looking like plants that might actually flower next year.  This summer's project was a little coontie production area on the back step.  I took some seeds from my parents' numerous coonties, soaked them for 24 hours to loosen up the orange seed coat, then scraped it off and planted the seeds.  

This started out mostly as an experiment because I've never seen a coontie started from seed.  A google search helped me with getting the seed coat off, but I couldn't find any reliable information about how to plant the seeds, so I put some on the surface, some halfway submerged, and some buried just under the surface.    

Turns out they like to be on top or halfway in the soil, not totally buried.  It took on average 3 weeks for seeds to sprout, although some were speedy and others are taking their sweet time.  

Here, the speedy ones are just beginning to unfurl and put out baby coontie leaves at the tip of their shoots.  

When I planted these seeds my expectations were low.  I was hoping for one or maybe two to grow, but wasn't going to be disappointed if none did.  Et voila, about 90% of them have sprouted at this point.  Now I just have to keep them alive, then I'll have more coonties than I know what to do with.  Maybe start a nursery?  Just kidding!  

In other news, Shadowfax felt that her coat was not providing her with adequate camouflage for sneaking up on squirrels, raccoons, and feral cats, so she invested in some greener camouflage.  She calls it Real Grass Collar Camo.  

In which boats abound.

On a rare almost-study-free weekend in April, I headed back to the panhandle to take Swan to the Apalachicola Antique and Classic Boat Show.  My dad, Brian, and I each entered our home built wooden boats.  It was an overcast Saturday and the wind was hurtling down the street where our boats were on display, but people came out to admire all of the boats, and we kept warm with hoods up, drinking steaming coffee and tea from a cafe down the street.  (If you ever have a chance to try cardamom tea, I highly recommend it!)

Swan and Blue Tang, decks swabbed, ready for the show to start.  

Brian's Tramontana, with his tent full of incredible watercolors in the background.  

(Click on the link above to see his website and artwork)

Were we surprised that people were amazed/incredulous/delighted that a girl built this boat?  Not really.  But I am always surprised by all the people that seem taken aback that I can sail it by myself - people don't have much faith these days.

Daddy awaits onlookers with his Blue Tang.

 A variety of other boats were on display.  There were quaint sailboats with tiny cabins, a grand Maine lobstering sailboat, the Governor Stone, steamships, canoes and kayaks, fancy-schmancy motor boats, and even antique cars and outboard motors polished so they'd shine even under the heavy clouds.    

At the end of the day, after the judges had come around twice, we heard our names being announced during the informal awards ceremony.  Swan won the Best Home Built Boat!  Tramontana won the Best Sailboat!

The cockpit of Tramontana with portrait of herself.

We enjoyed the antics of Joan of Arc's crew attempting to paddle up the canal to the boat ramp.  We took pictures while they worked hard.

I'd been to Apalachicola many times growing up because my great uncle and grandmother lived on their houseboat at the end of the same canal Joan of Arc was moving along in.  Since we always had the super-fun houseboat to stay on, we never got to stay at the Gibson Inn - so this time we finally stayed there.  It was a neat hotel - the bed was so tall I was afraid I might fracture my collarbone again.

This poor guy is just a surprise to end the post.  I guess he tried to get out of the house, but couldn't quite make it...