And Before The Month Of June Arrives, Please Enjoy The Flame Azalea!

The Flame Azalea, known by botanists as the Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. Flame Azalea, graces the gardens of the Boston suburbs during the month of May! (And possibly the early days of June?)

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

When is it impossible to tie a ribbon in your hair?

Have you figured it out yet? When is it impossible to tie a ribbon in your hair? (Drum Roll!) The answer? It's impossible to tie a ribbon in your hair when the ribbon is ribbon candy! Original Riddle by MarashGirl©2022

Marash Girl Just Met The Purple Toothwort! Would You Like To Meet Her As Well?

She's a lot prettier than her name!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

A Look Back At That Not So "Common" Periwinkle - Vinca minor L. Common Periwinkle In May!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

Meet This Spring Flower: Calibrachoa parviflora (Juss.) D'Arcy Seaside petunia Solanaceae

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

Ornithogalum umbellatum L. - Star of Bethlehem

Marash Girl should have waited until Christmas to share this beautiful flower with y'all. . . but she couldn't wait! So here it is! The Star Of Bethlehem!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

TULIPS GATHER TO CELEBRATE SPRING ALONG THE CHARLES RIVER

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

Prunus cerasifera Ehrh. DD Cherry plum, myrobalan -- Sound scary? Don't be scared! Take a look!

Whoops . . . or is it the Choisya ternata Kunt - Mexican Orange Blossom?

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

Meet the Hosta plantaginea (Lam.) Asch. - August-lily Asparagaceae

More simply known as Hosta, this plant graces many a New England garden in spring!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

A Goose Along The Charles River Pauses For Marash Girl On A Sunday Afternoon In Watertown . . .

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

How Did The Chaenomeles Speciosa (Sweet) Nakai Chinese-Quince Find Its Way To The Suburbs Of Boston?

Photo by MarashGirl©2022 Or could this be a Flowering Dogwood? Or possibly the Alpine-rose known as the Rhododendron ferrugineum L. LC?

A Red Tulip All the Way from Bologne?

A Red Tulip All The Way From Bologne Flowers Along The Shores Of The Charles River On A Sunday Afternoon In May

Photo by MarashGirl©2022 Possibly the Tulipa agenensis DC. or, translating into English, the Red Tulip of Bologne!

Solomon's Seal Graces Marash Girl's Front Garden!

See below the Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All. ... better known as Solomon's Seal!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

The Japanese Flowering Cherry Blooms Throughout New England!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

The Eastern Redbud Adorns New England Gardens In May . . .

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

What school teaches you absolutely nothing? The answer?

Riddle: What school teaches you absolutely nothing? Have you figured it out yet? (Drum roll, please!) Answer: A school of fish! BrotherJames©2022

A Riddle from Brother James . . .

What school teaches you absolutely nothing? Riddle By BrotherJames©2022 Check in tomorrow for the answer!

From Aleppo To The Shores Of The Charles River . . . Love Knows No Boundaries!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

Have you ever tasted an Asiatic Apple?

Yesterday you may have met the Asiatic Apple Rosaceae popularly known as the crab apple! If not, see below!

Photo Taken On May 2 by MarashGirl©2022

Did you know that crab apples can be eaten?

Yes, crab apples can be eaten when they become crab apples (although Marash Girl doesn't believe that these apples can be eaten by crabs). Haven't tried eating the flowers yet . . . especially on Friday The Thirteenth!

Above photo of Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill. DD Crab apple Rosaceae (or, as another website identifies the flower, Malus × spectabilis (Sol.) Borkh. Asiatic apple Rosaceae) taken by MarashGirl©2022

Meet the Doronicum pardalianches L. - The Great Leopard's-Bane

Meet the Doronicum pardalianches L., better known as the

Photo by MarashGirl©2022 The Great Leopard's-Bane decorates Marash Girl's front yard! You may not be able to pronounce it, but please do enjoy it! (Could it be the bane of every leopard's existence?)

"OUR BODIES ARE RESPECTED!"

Unknown Photographer These courageous women spent Mother’s Day advocating for abortion rights at the U.S. Supreme Court. One such demonstrator, Maryland State Delegate Charkoudian, writes the following. "I am devastated and outraged by the draft SCOTUS opinion to take away women’s control over our own bodies. The possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned had already fueled our work to expand and protect reproductive healthcare access here in Maryland...Last month the Maryland General Assembly passed the Abortion Care Access Act to ensure that women have enough practitioners trained and licensed to provide abortion care. It also removes financial barriers by requiring Medicaid and private insurance plans to cover abortion care without cost-sharing or deductibles. Maryland Governor Hogan vetoed this bill, but the Maryland General Assembly promptly overrode Hogan's veto. Now, Hogan refuses to release the $3.5 million needed to implement the training program created by the law. I joined with over 80 of my colleagues to call on Hogan to release these funds."

Say Hello To The Hybrid Violet!

Please allow Marash Girl to introduce you to the hybrid violet - better known in the scientific world as Viola melissifolia Greene Violaceae!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

Coccocypselum hirsutum Bartl. ex DC. Yerba de guava Rubiaceae

Bet you can't pronounce the name of this beautiful spring flower! Let's hear you try: Coccocypselum hirsutum Bartl. ex DC. Yerba de guava Rubiaceae!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

Newton Flags Its Support For Ukraine!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

And In Celebration Of Mother's Day . . .

Known as the Lesser Celandine, many a garden in New England celebrates Mother's Day with this flower!

Photo By MarashGirl©2022 The FicariaVernaHuds, better known as the Lesser Celandine, blooms in celebration of all mothers!

Photo By MarashGirl©2022

Meet The Narcissus pseudonarcissus L. Daffodil

Meet the Narcissus pseudonarcissus L. Daffodil. Put more simply, meet the newest addition to Marash Girl's front yard garden . . . the daffodil!!!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

So This Is What Phlox Looks Like On A Sunday In May In New England. . .

Meet Phlox subulata L. Moss phlox Polemoniaceae...also known as Moss Phlox!

Photo By MarashGirl©2022

Let's Not Forget the Hyacinthus orientalis L. Hyacinth Asparagaceae

Photo By MarashGirl©2022

Please meet the Prunus padus L.LC?

Bird Cherry [Prunus padus L.LC]

Photo by MarashGirl©2022

Angelina The Goat

Visitng Blogger Rene writes the following . . . A holiday dinner wasn’t a holiday dinner without my grandfather, Ashod, telling the story of Angelina, his beloved goat. The topic of milk would inevitably come up in discussion (maybe in relation to the mashed potatoes), and my grandfather would ask me, “Have you ever had goat’s milk?” I’d shake my head no, mildly disturbed by the thought of milk from a non-cow source. “Well, let me tell you, it’s the best thing! Did I ever tell you the story about Angelina the goat?” We’d all nod our heads and giggle to each other, “Here he goes again!” His face would light up. “I used to have a little goat named Angelina, and she was the best little goat!” Sometimes he would even throw in his signature exclamation, “Oooh-weee!” He would go on and on, the details having faded from my memory at this point. Mostly, I just remember him repeating this story over and over, and looking back, Angelina must have been quite a special lady! I can’t remember where he had kept the goat, but I believe it may have been up on his family’s island in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Maybe Marash Girl could remember? N.B. Marash Girl wishes Uncle Ashod had regaled her with the stories of Angelina! Marash Girl misses you, Uncle Ashod!

Have You Ever Seen Grape Hyacinth? Here's Your Chance!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022 Sorry . . . Can't make grape jelly with the fruit from this plant! Can't even pronounce it's official scientific name: Muscari armeniacum Leichtlin ex Baker Grape hyacinth Asparagaceae Can Armenia really claim the original birthplace of this hyacinth?

Mystery Quince!

Marash Girl needs your help in identifying this flowering plant! (Or is it a fruit tree? A tree that bears quince fruit?) What is it? A Chinese Quince? A Japanese Quince? Do you know its real name? Could it be, as one website suggests Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai Chinese-Quince rosaceae? Or, as another website suggests, Chaenomeles japonica Japanese Quince? Maule's Quince? Whatever it's name is, Marash Girl is delighted to have it growing in her side yard!

Photo by MarashGirl©2022