E is for Extraordinary

Spring has finally emerged (another e!) here at Geddesburg and I'm behind on finding and photographing my alphabet. But it is April and that means it is time for my most extraordinary garden plant to show up.

Arisaema sikokianum (Japanese Cobra Lily) grows from an underground tuber and rises in early spring, the dark pitcher and two five-lobed leaves emerge on a 1' tall fleshy petiole (stalk). As the pitcher opens, it reveals a swollen, pure white marshmallow-like protrusion (spadix), which provides a dramatic contrast with the purple of the pitcher. After flowering, the foliage remains attractive until it goes dormant in late summer.

I planted this flower two years ago. It hasn't spread, but it has always produced the one flower each year. From what I've read, this plant won't produce viable seeds. You need a male and female plant for that. So hopefully it will eventually spread out and have more flowers. I'm mostly impressed that the deer haven't eaten it yet.

I won't have much knitting to share this week, but I do have handspun ready for Friday. We are having company this weekend and my long neglected household chores have to be finished before Friday. So I spent a good portion of the week doing some of those tasks, so the knitting was put on hold. I still have a lot of chores to finish too.

I have been working on Lady Eleanor and it is getting close to finished, maybe next week. It will just depend on if I get any time to knit through out the week or over the weekend. I've also been working on my carpool socks, but this is my week to drive so I probably won't get very far this week.

My fair Isle class was great. I'm only about halfway through the class project; it is a small headband. As soon as I get it finished, I'll write up a post about the class. I did enjoy the class and I"m encouraged that I can actaully finish this small project and move on to something larger.