cameraphone
POTD: Shadow Man
I saw this on an afternoon walk. “Only the Shadow knows…” ~Vic

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Picture of the Day
FFTD: Vitex
The species of this is vitex agnus-castus or chastetree, chasteberry, Abraham’s Balm, lilac chastetree and monk’s pepper. ~Vic

09-14-2019
Flower for the Day
FFTD: Canna
I can’t determine the species. ~Vic

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Flower for the Day
POTD: Birthday Sunset
It’s been a good day. ~Vic

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Picture of the Day
FFTD: Ruellia
A member of the Acanthaceae family, this could be a Ruellia Simplex or Mexican Petunia, Mexican Bluebell or Britton’s Wild Petunia. It could be a Ruellia Tuberosa or Minnieroot, Fever Root, Snapdragon Root or Sheep Potato. Honestly, they look the same to me. ~Vic

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Flower for the Day
FFTD: Marsh Tickseed
It took me a while to find this one. Even Pl@ntNet had trouble. At first, I thought it was a Coreopsis but, the petals didn’t match. Then, I thought it might be a Cosmos but, the petals still didn’t match. This is a Bidens Trichosperma. I think there has been some classification shuffling but, they are all in the Asteraceae family or Sunflower family. ~Vic

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Flower for the Day
Foto Friday: Furry Characters
These four furries showed up at one of our local Farmers’ Markets on October 18, 2014. Why they appeared there, I have no clue. Their costumes were really cute. Digeri was the only one that spoke. The pictures turned out surprisingly well from my old flip phone. Click on each image for a larger view. ~Vic


with the different colored eyes.


One of the farmers assisted.
FFTD: Purple Dead Nettle
Also called Red Dead Nettle and Purple Archangel. It’s an edible herb. ~Vic

03-23-2019
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Flower for the Day
POTD: Cycle of Life
I wasn’t expecting to see this. I was a bit startled and thought I might scare the bird. The small creek was quite a bit of a steep drop. This may be hard to look at but, the carrion eaters are the necessary clean-up crew. At first, I thought it might be a deer but, the tail appears to be too long. Click on the picture to see a larger shot, if you wish. ~Vic

Picture of the Day
POTD: Lovely Box
Update:
Thanks to blogger J. T. Twissel, this is an insect trap, used to study insect infestations. Thank you, dear!
We have a small kids’ park called Turnip Patch Park. It has a little stream running through it with a covered wooden bridge, park benches, a butterfly garden and, at one time, a piece of artwork on a concrete slab. On the back side of it, adjacent to someone’s home is this lovely box. Out of curiosity, I opened it, expecting to see guano, thinking it was a bat box but, instead, I found wasps. Hm. ~Vic

Picture of the Day
Town Tuesday: Twin Chimneys 1768
Another one of Hillsborough’s oldest homes. ~Vic

Historic American Buildings Survey
February 1965
Twin Chimneys, so named for the paired chimneys in each gable end, is sited on a hill on West King Street, directly across from the Colonial Inn and the Parks-Richmond House […]. An iron gate from Stewart Iron Works in Cincinnati, Ohio, separates the house from the pedestrian traffic of the sidewalk. [It] is reputedly a pre-Revolutionary house, however, the exact date of construction is not known. It is important to note that a house is sited at the exact location on the 1768 Sauthier Map of Hillsborough but, it cannot be assumed that the houses are the same.



Photo Credit: Pinterest
This is a most delightful old house, with four huge chimneys and a second-floor balcony, from which a view of the busy thoroughfare, King Street, may have been enjoyed down through the years. The lot on which it stands was once owned by Edmund Fanning.
It is interesting to know that this house was the setting for the old romantic novel, “Joscelyn Cheshire.” According to the story, the heroine concealed her lover in the attic to protect him from Cornwallis’ army. The house served at one time as Hillsborough’s Post Office.
Archibald DeBow Murphey was a North Carolina politician known as the “Father of Education” in his state for his proposals that benefited public works and public education. [Murphey] died at Twin Chimneys in Hillsborough on February 1, 1832. He is buried at the Presbyterian Church […]. The town of Murphy, North Carolina (despite its spelling) was named after him.
Additional Information & Sources:
Twin Chimneys Photos (Library of Congress)
National Register of Historic Places Inventory (PDF) (North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources)
Twin Chiimneys (Open Orange NC)
Joscelyn Cheshire Full Text (Project Gutenberg)




