"And here Comes ... Feetlebaum."

Feetlebaum, as I mentioned in an earlier post, was a fictional racehorse, in Spike Jones' 1940's-era spoof of the "William Tell Overture;" the horse trailing far behind the others. I don't know how often I heard my dad repeat the line: "And here comes ... Feetlebaum" (with the last syllable in a sepulchral bass.)

"Feetlebaum" was also what I nicknamed one of my in-development ponderosas, the one that was lagging farthest behind all the rest this spring. As of mid-June, Feetlebaum's buds, while alive, still had not opened.

But in the last five weeks, Feetlebaum has made very encouraging progress! The new needles have opened; the gray arrow in the first picture points to some of them.

Next year's branch-end buds have set; see the next picture.

Next spring's apical bud, set and maturing.

And -- the most encouraging development -- Feetlebaum is doing well enough to break, and sustain, an adventitious bud on the lower trunk.

Breaking of adventitious buds indicates a tree with plenty of resources available.

In the Spike Jones piece, 20-to-1 underdog Feetlebaum somehow comes from behind to win the race. This tree has not "passed the field" -- others in the project are still further along in development -- but it's sure doing better than it was!

Go, Feetlebaum!

(To see my earlier post where Feetlebaum is mentioned, please click here.)

:-)  :-)  :-)