Hackberry Trees, etc, #4

Wow! You really have a variety up there, and beautiful it is. I have never seen Brantwood, I think. And even though I don't care much for white flowers it is lovely. I like the way it looks in a cluster, quite unique. I also like Maltese cross. I don't see much of that anymore either.

Temps are down today so I did go out and weed, but only a little bit. It is still pretty warm at 93*. Not as humid, though, and we so need rain. I can't remember having such a dry June.

Daylilies don't seem to mind, though, they are still running rampant. I did manage to dead head, and cut away the stalks that no longer had buds. Some of them have as many as 8 or 10 buds on a stalk and it is getting a little crowded. It has been a show, however, and one that so far has lasted about 7 weeks. So I will not do a bit of complaining.

Interesting what you say about Maltese cross. When I think of it, it's not being sold much here either. Be interesting to know whether the reason is related to problems with the plant itself and/or to horticultural industry profit margins.

Know have said this before, but going through my records and comparing them with what's there now, I'm absolutely amazed at the mortality rate of so many perennial plants. From what I'm hearing only a small percentage of customers ever return dead perennials for refunds. Am finding myself that
with perennials one needs to be able to recognize the plant alive and dead!

Very sorry to hear about lack of rainfall this June. With gardening, if it's not weeds, it's lack of rainfall.

I swear you could never tell it by the looks of things around here. It is only when I try to dig and hear the big thunk of the blade hitting that hard packed dirt that I know it is dry. Well, plus the fact that I have to water the pots.

Hi Sharon,
On and off raining here all day.
Been coolish and along with the damp, not exactly the weather to limber one up. Worked on our garden this morning and biggest garden this afternoon.
Lots of weeding and some staking. Am fortunate for damp soil.
Sounds like your garden is OK, but hope it's not so hot for you.
I guess Jazz and Daisy are satisfied with an air-conditioned house
(plus the provisioning of all their little needs).
Charlie

Jazz and Daisy were very unhappy with me yesterday.
I found a flea. Well, I am not sure it was a flea, but for the instant I thought I saw it, my thought was 'flea'.
Just one little moving thingy. Coulda been an ant.

Anyway. I hit the vet first thing and got a house spray and two little thingies that you squeeze onto the backs of their necks. It doesn't hurt them, but they don't like to be forced into anything, like sitting still long enough for me to apply it. Then I sprayed the carpet then I sprayed their bedding, then the furniture, then curtains....at the end of the day I vacuumed and did laundry...and in all the confusion, they were distraught. I had the audacity to wash their bedding. Good grief. They are still pouting. They only come near me when they are hungry.

Cats hold grudges, did you know?
But there will be no flea in my house, even though I would have been the one to bring it in, since neither Jazz nor Daisy would step one dainty foot outside the door.

Feel quite bad because I couldn't stop laughing at Jazz' and Daisy's predicament. And I though they were just lying and luxuriating around.
I guess from their perspective the innocents (them) got roughed up by somebody they expected better of (you)!

Yep...at least they didn't scratch.
I can handle a little pouting.

You saw that picture of Jazz on the ladder when I painted the gameroom. He was so upset with that upheaval.

They do have ways of letting us know of their feelings.

And by the way, while I was gone last week, Daisy took up residence on top of the fridge.
Not sure why. I can't even reach up there.
Good grief. I have a blasted cat on my fridge.

You did say Daisy thinks of herself as (if not top dog), top cat.
Buddy has one overwhelming feeling - hunger.
He does like to sit down beside you, but he'd truly do anything for food (and for more food).

Top Cat, yes! Right on top of the fridge! And if I climb up to get her down, by the time I get myself down, she's back up again.

It's a quandary!

I say play up to that precious little princess.
Or, do what I do with buddy - threaten to send her to the knacker's yard.
It hasn't worked yet with Buddy, but one day it might.
I've just given that greedy pig his around midnight snack. He'd been yelling for it for about an hour. Now, I'm going to sneak off to bed, before he starts to yell for more.
Nite Sharon,
Charlie.

Nite, Charlie.
Nice to know Buddy has you so well trained.

Trained Sharon!
If I was a boxer, I'd say I was punch drunk.

Hi Sharon,
Today's Canada Day - Think a holiday Government styled on July 4.
Nice that a lot of people don't have to go in to work.
Taking it easy myself. Did an hour or two's weeding gratis for neighbour.
Felt I should because a lot of the weeds in their brick path had come from our side of fence (my potting area). Several clematis seeding in there and lots of golden corydalis.
Off to a movie this evening with Tim. Carol and I really like mindless movies. Last one we saw was 'Beverly Hills Chihuahua'. And it didn't disappoint us! "Tiny, but mighty" was the movie's most memorable quote.
Going to see 'Year One' today. After all my palaeoanthropology courses
(taken and taught), I'm certainly well prepared for this one.
Hope you day's not too hot.
Charlie.

hi Charlie, enjoy your movies!

It has been a beautiful weather day, but I had much to do inside, minor things like tons of laundry....so I chose to finish all that before tackling the weeds again.

I've been reading about Canada day, too bad it is not on a Friday, so all could have a long weekend. No matter when our July 4th is, it is always celebrated nearest its weekend.

Enjoy your evening. I haven't been to a movie in ages.

Hi Sharon,
Movie met every expectation: no gratuitous violence, just gratuitous stupidity.
Actually the story, soon moved away from hunters and gathers (I initially took them to be Homo sapiens sapiens (us), though the stone tools could have been taken to be more Neanderthal) to interactions with Old Testament peoples and characters. The overall relationships were all pleasantly positive, a huge plus for me.
Tim was reminding me that Canada Day used to be Dominion Day. A lot of what Canada is today, politically, is what the former PM Pierre Elliott Trudeau made it. In some ways it may seem rather contrived, but Trudeau himself was certainly an idealist (and not simply just a politician). In many ways, Canada is very like the U.S., but in some attitudes it (Southern Ontario at least) is rather European. Toronto, the big city, is very cosmopolitan.
Like the idea of long weekends for working folk. Have been told that the U.S. has more, through the winter, than Canada. Funny how retired folks also have lots of work, besides weeding, e.g. the tons of laundry.

Great that you enjoyed the movie.
It was a laundry day for me...a massive task sometimes, when I'd rather be doing some thing else. But it's done, so that's that.

Maybe tomorrow I'll get back outside.

Need a break from gardening.
But probably more rewarding than laundry!
Going to rain again here tomorrow, but will be back gardening.
We are also shopping tomorrow for old friends (fraternity brothers and wives) visiting on weekend. One of them, who graduated from engineering, then worked for CP(Canadian Pacific - originally famous as a railroad company). He always loved trains and when he retired he started a small business making precise models of old railway rolling stock to order. This included going to museums and taking measurements on old carriages and making the models from moulds he had made. He's made all sorts of contacts since then and his business is just expanding outside Canada and the U.S..
I love it when people can expand interests and hobbies once they retire. You with your writing (and art and gardening) and me with my gardening follow this path.

I think at this age, and with this experience, we seem to be just now becoming who we truly are.

Hard to explain, but only now do we have the experience and the time/means to do what we were always meant to do.

Yes, I could never just sit back and wait to die.
Too much to do, to many things to learn and to explore.

But I have seen those who are my age just sitting there day after day, doing nothing, with no interests, nothing.

Sad.

I can easily get on my soap box again...sorry.

Not soap boxing - just common sense.
I think it may also sometimes be a matter of confidence.
Of course, when you're in the job market, you may be doing what you like, but you still don't just do it for fun. For me, although I sailed close to the wind on occasions, I still had to play the institution's game. It's liberating to play your own game with your friends. Freedom 65 (or whatever it is) isn't just about living expenses. Think I just joined you on the soapbox!
Off to feed fat stuff who's giving me the urgent eye.
Nite Sharon,
Charlie

Good night, Charlie.
Daisy is still on top of the fridge.
Good grief.

Hi Sharon,
Hope the girl is down by now!
My garden:
Yellow verbascum got from David and common monkshood.

A rose campion which has been reseeding for number of years (Flottbek).

I think this is Kent Belle - but getting rather confused with giant bellflowers.

Hi Charlie,
Love that verbascum, and also the campion...altogether lovely.

Yes...Daisy is down for the moment, but looking upward. Not sure what's going on in her little mind. She is a strange cat.

Had a friend who needed some help tonight, with a family member, so I have been saturated with problems of others. I have no answers, but guess having someone listen was all that was needed. I did take some photos today, only a few, but have not had time to load them. I am excited because I have 2 bell peppers on my one and only pepper plant, also a tiny tomato. That is almost as exciting as the daylilies, but not quite!

How was your day....still no rain here, are you getting it all?

Not that productive Sharon.
Kept at home this afternoon waiting for tradesperson, so worked on own garden. Has rained daily, on each of previous three or four days and I think is due to do same for next couple of days. Makes weeding very easy. Wish I could send you some (that is rain, not weeds!).
We have always intended to plant some vegetables, but then just added more flowers. Am sure vegetables give one a sense of useful achievement. Love tomatoes and peppers. David, at Merlin's Hollow, once had a large vegetable garden, now the fragrant garden. What he's kept is in large containers on the deck of the house: cherry tomatoes and scarlet runner beans. Dierdre and he like scarlet runners, but the other reason is that the humminbirds love the flowers. His containers also have nasturtians in them as well. Was thinking of trying to follow his example this year, but not organized enough.
Sounds like you've been doing some kind work this evening. Families can be funny (as in strange) things. Tend to think that in terms of priorities, health is the most important thing, with enough money coming in second.
Charlie.

You might be right about families and priorities, Charlie.
I have just learned that giving advice is unnecessary, people will do what they choose to do. No stopping them. I can only listen. That's all.

I have some more writing to finish up tonight and then will upload the photos from today.
If I don't get back before you turn in for the evening, then maybe we'll chat tomorrow.

You have a great Friday. Tell your lovely wife to stay in outta the rain!
Be well, my friend.

The positive influence may come later.
Nite my friend,
Back tomorrow.
Charlie

Aha...'tis very late, or very early, depending how you look upon it...
But before I forget, which is something I am prone to do, here is the fruit of this vine today...

Another vine..another fruit....

Actually they aren't vines at all, but it sounded much more poetic, didn't it?

Impressed! Regular farmer. And it's not even big agrobusiness.
Tallamy book: doesn't favor even native vines:
reason, like deer, they're forest edge organisms and organisms of disturbed land. Know up in Lake-of-Bays, the deer tend to eat themselves out of house and home and do damage woodland areas (e.g. the trilliums). Guess at least some vines kill the trees.
Poetry - yes. Ecology (they weren't really vines) - yes.

Morning, Charlie....
I had a favorite cousin named Sonny once...he has long since passed away....but everytime I write to you, I almost say Sonny. That's strange since he has been gone so many years, and I haven't thought of him. He was a star football player, by the way, neither a teacher nor a gardener. But he was a great friend as well as cousin, one who was slightly older than me and when I entered high school he introduced me to all his football playing friends. Which was a huge thing to this little girl, till I learned that not all football players were as brilliant in mind as Sonny was. My huge discovery: brawn with no brains is very boring. Was I ever disappointed. Those big guys sure tended to want tiny girlfriends.....maybe to keep up their strong brawny tough images.

The hero worship did not last long for me. I never could engage in football talk for much more than a minute.

I need to go out and water those baby veggies....so I'll check back in on you a little later.

Hope the rains have gone away for you for a while. Watering is no fun.

Hi Sharon,

Interesting details: Sonny sounds to have been a very nice person.
Kind of person whose memory makes one happy. Think happy people have happy memories. They're also better able to survive life's disasters.

Sharon, you may be mother to Jazz and Daisy, but I hope "baby veggies" doesn't imply that you think of yourself as mother to two bell peppers and a tomato!

Was gardening today. One heavy downpour around lunch, but otherwise good gardening weather. I really hope you're not into heavy watering yourself.

Biggest garden: today.
Iris been done for several weeks: now salvia, Johnson's blue geranium, yellow loosestrife, Penstemon (Husker's Red) and Lychnis x arkwrightii.

Think Lychnis x arkwrightii introduced me to orange flowers. Got to like orange in the garden.

With all the rain, this bed seems particularly nice this year.
Coreopsis, gaillardia, evening primrose, salvia, erigeron, shastra daisy and red hot poker.

Looking again at above, also see campanula (glomerata) and mallow (moschata) in bloom.

Tomorrow will again be at an open day at Merlin's Hollow and on Sunday going on Aurora garden tour. Friends from the local horticultural society are assigned to one of the gardens. Have filled in a few holes in my own garden as they come back to our place for Chinese food afterwards.

Found out from local newspaper story why Merlin's Hollow is called so. Odd I didn't know, but David (loves bird watching) is full of surprises. It's named after a merlin, a type of hawk and his favorite bird. Carol and I are laughing, saying, it's not so romantic naming the garden after a killer bird - (a smaller, but aggressive hawk) (rather than Merlin of King Arthur and Camaillot).

Brings Benjamin Franklin to mind, when he said it would be better to have the wild turkey as the national bird of The United States rather than an eagle, because the latter is a predatory bird.

Not sure about the etiquette, but - July 4th - Happy American Birthday, Sharon.

Charlie.

Hi Charlie,
Thank you. I was wondering the same about your Canada Day, and was not sure how to address that one either. I did go out to dinner with friends tonight, well, two dinners, though I ate only salad. We boated for years, and my son now has a boat at the same marina. So I know most of the people at his dock, and they were having a fish fry tonight...to which I was invited. Then after that, I had been invited to meet with more friends at our yacht club, did that, and even more, even older friends were there...so visited again and again and again Thought I would truly never get away. Did not eat with all those visits, but did sip a nice glass of white wine throughout. I can make a 'sip' last a long time when I am driving. So now I am home and it was a nice evening. Friends give us a new lease on life I think, especially those we have not seen in a while, so it is good for me to do this occasionally, though I don't enjoy doing it alone. Funny how that is.

The gardens above are again, perfect. So much neater than mine, I still have not caught up with the weeds, even in the heat. Your plants are always among my favorites, and I have to ask myself why I don't have them in my yard. The truth is, daylilies have very nearly overtaken my life, along with things like monarda, phlox, black eyed susans, more coneflowers...and of course iris and tulips...butterfly bushes, and hibiscus...which won't bloom for a while. So I have no room for others or for new ones, though some days I think I might like to try some of them. On the other hand, our weather is so much hotter than yours, I need to be content with what I know will grow well and easily here.

Oh, yes, I agree with B. Franklin! Though the eagles are gorgeous.

I have some writing to do tonight, but I'll check back later. Hope your evening is good. And I will expect pictures from tomorrow....strange about 'merlin', I thought it was in reference to Camelot, too.

Later....
Sharon

Glad you had a good evening. Good to physically get out.

You're wise to sip the wine with driving in mind.
Have friends back to our place for next few days = don't have to drive = don't need to sip too much!

Re neat gardens: there's the little matter that I get paid for planting and maintaining them. Admit I do see problems that customers do not. But still more relaxing to maintain one's own garden.

Going to push self to an early night. Lots to do tomorrow. Will get some pictures at David's.
Nite Sharon.

Hi Sharon,
Long day.
Will send Merlin's Hollow pictures tomorrow.
Charlie

For me too.
Fireworks tonight.
Sleep well.