Beautiful Bloggers!

My Beautiful Blogging Friend, Susan of Simply Susan, Central Florida Gardener, and Life in Old Florida, was recently awarded the Beautiful Blogger Award, which is very well deserved.  Bravo, Susan! 

In turn, she nominated me for the same award, along with 9 other truly beautiful bloggers.  What an honor to be considered! 

In accepting my award, I am tasked with answering 10 questions about myself.  Oh boy!  So, here goes...

 1. What would you do if you won $10,000 tomorrow? This is where I tend to go astray.  I have too many questions and tend to analyze instead of simply answering the question.  For example, is the $10,000 tax free?  *sigh*  Ok...so I'll simply answer the question.  I'd probably get a few things fixed, have a nice dinner with my family, and save/invest the majority of it.

2. Best lifetime moment? Of course, my wedding and births of my two children, hands down.  But, recently, on my birthday, I had one of the best experiences of my life.  My family and I were on our boat enjoying the day, leisurely following the shoreline when a large pod of dolphin (porpoise...ie "flipper") joined us.  They swam with us for at least 15 minutes with 5-6 of them at the bow of the boat, jumping, crossing the bow, and rolling on their sides to look up at us.  We were leaning over the front tip of the boat to see them, laugh with them, and touch their fins each time they jumped up.  Both groups had such a great time, and truly enjoyed each other.  I am convinced they came by to wish me a happy birthday!  Sheer bliss!

3. Are you happy? Absolutely!

4. Do you prefer Facebook or Twitter? I'm a Facebooker...no time for both.

5. If you could change something in your life what would it be? I'd move my entire family near me.  But this is fantasy since they are die-hard Midwesterners and I am now a Florida girl.  So visits must suffice.

6. What is your biggest vice/habit in life? Plants. If I didn't have a budget, I would have the finest botanical garden in my very own yard.  I am a collector and lover of plants and all that comes with it (beauty, peace, birds, butterflies, wildlife in general).

7. What is a good point about you? I see goodness in most everything and everyone.  If I don't see it right away, I look really hard for it.  A negative point? I have little patience for people who don't try. I must remember that I don't see the whole picture and do not know all the circumstances.

8. What is your most embarrassing lifetime moment? It's hard to say...there's so many!  HA! For instance, when I had to tell my boss, a very refined individual, that I had to run to the store to buy a pair of shoes for my son because I forgot them...again (for the 3rd time)...and the day care would not allow him to wear his slippers all day.

9. What is your favorite flower? This is too tough and a bit unfair. It's like asking who is your favorite child.  They're all so beautiful in their own way.  However, if I had to pick just one, I would probably stick with the amazing Queen Emma Crinum Lily.  It takes my breath away every time!

 

10. What's your biggest love in life?  Most certainly my family, without a doubt.  Otherwise, I hold nature in very high esteem...plants, wildlife, environments...it all adds so much joy, wonder and interest to my life! 

Now, it's time to share my award with others and nominate Beautiful Bloggers.  This is not hard for me.  The hard part is choosing just 10...

Steve of The Rainforest Garden
Costas of Nature Digital
Bernie of Bush Bernies Garden Blog
Robert of Robert's Tropical Paradise Garden
Gary of A Day in the Life
Aaron of Aaron's Gardening Blog
Tufa Girl of Texas Tufa
Jayne of Green and Serene - Jayne's Country Garden
Shyrlene of The Bunnie's Buffet
Jennifer at Keewee's Garden

Nominees, if you choose to accept this award, here is what you need to do:

1. Include the award logo somewhere in your blog.

2. Answer the same 10 questions I did, for fun, if you want to.

3. Nominate 10 to 12 blogs you enjoy. Or you pick the number.

4. Pay the love forward: Provide your nominees' links in your post and comment on their blogs to let them know they’ve been included and invited to take part.

5. Pay the love back with gratitude and a link to the blogger(s) who nominated you.

Purple Datura or Brugmansia?

Here's my newest addition...Double Purple Datura...or Brugmansia!

I love the shape and color of this bloom.

The double bloom and the curling tips are hypnotic to me.

 

Admittedly, I thought the plant to be Brugmansia (Angel Trumpet)

even though it was labeled Datura (Devil's Trumpet). 

And so the investigation ensued....!

 

Apparently, there are distinct differences between

the Brugmansia (Angel Trumpet) and the Datura (Devil's Trumpet). 

 

 

First, Brugmansia does not come in purple/blue hues...only Datura does. 

Additionally, Brugmansia blooms are pendulous

while Datura are mostly erect or slightly pendulous. 

 

 

Brugmansia has a woody stem

while the Datura has an herbaceous stem (non-woody). 

Mine is woody and appears more like a shrub or tree vs. a vine. 

Hmmmm! 

However, there is an exotic form of Datura

with a black woody stem, just like mine. 

 

 

And then, there's the seed pod. 

Brugmansia has a smooth pod

while the Datura has a thorny pod. 

Although my seed pods so not have thorns,

they are pointy and definitely not smooth.

 

The pods burst open to scatter the seeds.

The Datura is smaller than the Brugmansia and not as long lived.

 

Additionally the Datura likes drier environments while Brugmansia enjoys moisture.

 

Both are very fragrant and all parts of the plants are highly toxic/poisonous. 

 

 

So it's decided that my plant is a lovely double purple Datura.

I'll keep sweet Lola away from this intoxicating beauty...

she's too precious!