A White Sports Coat and a Pink Hibiscus
We planted a hibiscus last year. We nourished it all spring and into the summer. It finally burst into flower. It did not have many flowers but those that it did have were big bright red ones. Ruby throated hummingbirds came, visiting it methodically.
We took it inside to winter to save it from the killing frost. It could not make the transition from the cool damp outside air to our hot gas furnace forced air. FAIL. The big gray cat did not help matters eating all things chlorophyll. Evidence on the Persian carpets indicated he did not enjoy the leaves as much as his ravenous appetite seemed to indicate.
This spring we decided to get another hibiscus. This year’s plant began growing very tall. It had to be propped up so the main stalk would not break under its own weight. It had several buds at the top. We waited and waited and waited. Finally after two solid days of rain two of the buds burst open this morning. They are huge fluorescent pink Fourth of July daytime fireworks. Digital cameras cannot make the pinks as pink as they really are.
It seemed forever that it took this to happen.
I am still waiting for the hummingbirds.
The state of expectation I had early this spring is turning into anxiety now.
We had colorful flowers around our downtown urban forest historic neighborhood and residence. That did not matter. The hummers were a no show.
Hummingbirds remind me of Almeda who lived across the street and religiously nurtured the hummingbird population. She kept feeders around her deck and near her sun room so she could be entertained. We always brought Almeda something hummingbird when we went away for vacation. She had hummingbird paraphernalia all around the house. She had the live hummingbirds everywhere outside of her windows. Neil used to watch his baseball on the old CRT television. Almeda was glued to her windows and had her hummingbirds to watch. She rarely watched anything but them. Almeda frequently reported her hummingbird sightings and their unique and extraordinary adventures to me.
We went to the big box home improvement store and bought a hummingbird feeder. I decided to get some nectar that when mixed is almost as red as last year’s hibiscus. Four plastic flower blossoms below the reservoir for the nectar with bright yellow centers are big enough that even blind hummingbirds should be able to find them to dip their hypodermic beaks into the sweet stuff.
Three fillings and two locations and subsequent cleanings brought no birds.
I have been in touch with some of my imaginary friends on the interwebs that live at about the same latitude north of our oil covered Gulf of Mexico. For years they have posted the visits and typed reports of hummers at their feeders. Not so much this year. The hummers seem to be elsewhere.
I have also missed the honey bees this year. I have not seen a single honey bee on a flower anywhere. Like the hummers I keep looking for them but they just aren’t here.
I have seen some butterflies... the big black and blue swallowtails, even a few humungous yellow ones have been hanging around the yard. Maybe the bees and the hummingbirds have sent them as scouts.
The hibiscus is in bloom.
I'm all dressed up for the dance.
A white sports coat and a pink hibiscus…
Where oh where are my hummingbirds and bees?
I'm in a blue blue mood.
I’m just going to keep watching and waiting. Maybe I will go get another red hibiscus and wait for it to flower.
Some things are worth waiting for.
© 07.03.2010 steven d philbrick SR+ DakotaDawg
POSTED BY SRPLUS AT 8:53 AM
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