Hackberry Trees, etc, #7

Fabulous news Sharon,

Wonderful for you to get out. Great activities. Great guy. Am very big on cooks myself! Convertible! - watch those hats don't bloom off.

Love the pictures. Goldenrod is very popular in England, Germany and the like, but took time to catch on in North America as garden cultivars. It really is a very pretty plant. As you know, they were quite wrong here about goldenrod and hayfever. Goldenrod is a credit to Kentucky or is it, it's to Kentucky's credit to have choose goldenrod as it's state flower?

As you well know, Charlie, goldenrod does not create the allergies....other plant around it might, but not goldenrod. It is a gorgeous plant and one I look forward to as soon as fall arrives. It's one thing KY did right!

Yeah, I just let the wind do it's thing to my hair in the convertible, no hats, I don't want to lose one.. ^_^
And the hair doesn't matter, it is what it is anyway, like a freaky curly brillo pad.

Gotta run....and that is literally what I do, I hope I remember to stop and smell the roses.

Probably, the flower type of goldenrod (compact) is an indicator that it is insect pollinated (know latter is correct). At least the wind pollinated ragweed plant (causes hayfever - and as you suggest blooms at the same time as goldenrod), is overall quite open (viz. a lot of flower exposed to the wind).

A few pictures of garden #2.
Best current part of front garden:
New England asters (Including Alma Pötschke), Helenium, Phlox (Little Laura), the last of the Echinacea and Agastache (second bloom).

Helenium 'Flammenspiel' (Dancing Flames).
Like this one. One reason it has become one of my early fall signature plants is that it has been readily available here over the last number of years.

Little purple coneflower to right is Kim's Knee High.
Been using it for a couple of years.
Nice compact little Echinacea.
Like the recurved petals as can see flower well in side view.

Agastache 'Blue Fortune'.
Deadheaded - now blooming again.

Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' has just been deadheaded, for appearance sake.

Goodness me, Charlie. I would hire you in a minute if you could be my gardener. Everything is just beautiful.

Chrisit

Gorgeous, Charlie...love Helenium...and agastache, too.
Well I love all of them.

Christi,

Admit I'm being selective in what parts of a garden I show, but do make an effort to optimize all parts of a garden. Sometimes difficult to deal with certain locations, especially small areas. In recent years have refused to put in shade gardens. I like colour throughout the growing season. With shade here, at least, you can really only get colour in spring and the shade can't be dry shade.

That front garden above is very largely three or less years old. Find a perennial garden looks good about two or three years after it was first put in.
After that it gets much more challenging to keep it looking nice year after year.

To be honest, though I love perennial gardening, I do find maintaining perennial gradens that I have installed, on other people's property, a bit stressful. Perennial plants just don't stay put, usually need to be periodically majorly disturbed and have varying lifespans in varying conditions. And that without even thinking about watering, weeding, staking, deadheading, cutting back, etc.. I now count it luck that most of the people whose perennial gardens I installed could'nt afford to then have them maintained by me!

Gardening with annuals is so much easier, but then you're stuck with the same colours (blooms) all season.

Charlie

Thanks Sharon,

Sorry for the complaints above!

Just why did the little Dutch boy put his finger in the dyke?
Surely there was an easier way to deal with the problem.

Well we did it to create something beautiful!
But of course, one can only arm-wrestle with Nature for so long.

Charlie

Complain away, Charlie...I seriously enjoy all the perennials I have, but know of the mess I have facing me right now.

Need to spend some writing time on the story thread tonight, maybe tomorrow I will have enough time for more than a word or two here. I really will try, promise.

Hugs in all directions...

I have taken up literally a pick-up load of perennials the last two days. Yard crew just left and they picked up all my messes before they mowed. My compost pile is so full I don't have room for anything else until it has "done it's thang".

Christi, you sound as though you've been very, very busy gardening!

Been busy too. Garden #2's family is having a wedding tomorrow and only got told about it yesterday. Having to use a lot of mums and manicuring Goldsturm and the last helenium. The asters are fine. Still business man who owns the property is a very nice guy and I'm happy to pull the lead out. Gardens going to look nice, but light showers forcaste for afternoon. Hope weather is OK for them.

Have to finish the garden before noon tomorrow and then get a birthday gift.
Going to birthday party for the Mayor! I certainly believe she's that nowadays rare politician whom you can trust. Met her through David, as she has been a strong proponent of preserving and extending parklands and also of preserving our wetlands (important to migratory birds).

Maybe as said, the Town Council is having a real problem in handling an elderly renegade Council member. The latter was a former Mayor herself, who was then elected back to the Council. She also caused problems for the Mayor before the current one, but has got worse since then. I hadn't heard the term until my later years of teaching, but she's a classic 'blocker'. She just can't cooperate as a member of a team and undermines the efforts of the rest of the team. She may be having a fun time herself, but she's certainly not helping the electorate/tax payers.

Mayor's birthday party sounds fun, and good for her for supporting parklands and wetlands.

There's always a blocker...they simply enjoy that particular purpose in life, and I think they do feel it is their unique calling. Boooo for them, there is usually one in every group. I often wonder what makes people that way.

This message was edited Sep 25, 2009 11:26 PM

Interesting, Sharon,
I should really ask this one "what makes (her) that way". Of course, she may hit me with the large beach-type bag that she seems to carry around. Or she may even sue me, as she is the Major, the Council and the Auroran (the local newspaper)!

Charlie, you have a very good way with words. Maybe you could engage here as a casual friend and you and the missus could help her change her ways. At least you might deduce why she is so disagreeable with every proposal. It's amazing what can be done with kindness. You really have nothing to loose and lots to gain.

LouC, you are much kinder than I am....

Not really. Remember in the not too distant past I was HOA president of 140 rooftops. I can be VERY DETERMINED. Also can play the political game when necessary and sweet talk someone into seeing it my way. It is called manipulation. Now, Sharon, every female in the free world is familiar with that characteristic. Starts with their daddy's. Sounds like this lady has developed a habit of being her own team and going at everyone else. There is more to her story. Most likely, enjoys the spotlight just because she is obstinate. Boy, what amount of attention if she agreed, just once.

Now listen to me. I have been trying to win over MIL for 50 years and haven't been successful yet. hahahaha

Christi

Hope you have a restful day.

Christi, guess you're saying: "there's more ways than one to skin a cat" (pardon the metaphor, Sharon). Think there's one about catching more flies with honey, or is it using carrots rather than sticks!

Bet you can be determined, Christi, and I'm beginning to see also cunning!

Re the MIL, we do have a sister-in-law whom we really don't like. She says very spiteful things about other people and has all the charm of a lily beetle. Carol's mother's mother who was a very likeable and entertaining character used to say" "You like your friends, but you love to hate your enemies". However, as you say, in politics (and business) this is not a productive strategy for success.

Below, only the third Monarch I've seem this year, but with the wet summer
there's been more plants in bloom than there usually is. This is the first I've seen on a flower, this year: a traditional no-name pink New England aster. I clearly remember them, in past years, on the purple coneflowers, but the latter have almost all finished blooming. Maybe the migration is somewhat delayed this year?

Fun to hear from you both,

Charlie.

Josephine (Frostweed on the Texas forum) gave me a type of milkweed last fall. Counted 10 Monarch cats this morning. Am told they only lay their eggs on milkweed. I have 19 chrysalis waiting to hatch in the butterfly cage. Had some 25 more cats and I had to put them back on the rue. We will be leaving next Thursday for 11 days and I was afraid they wouldn't be ready to inclose. Fascinating.

Christi,
I've heard milkweed (several kinds) too.
Fascinating, as you say.
Know our Monarchs winter in northern? Mexico. Think one generation breeds here and gets to Mexico. Think it takes two generations for them to return. I wonder if your breeding ones are the first generation of the two it takes to get up North. Am going to try to check this out.

Aaaarrrrggghhhh...moan....groan....ugh....

Planted 5 ferns, one very large healthy climbing rose (Peggy Martin), seeds from five stalks of hollyhock, and weeded 2 huge beds before I planted. Sigh.

And did 3 loads of laundry and hung a painting in a different location.
I took this weekend off to relax, but couldn't relax till I got some stuff done. Now I only have 25 bulbs to plant. And a mimosa tree. And a tall thing that I have no clue what it is. And another rose bush. But they will have to wait till tomorrow, I have run out of steam for today.

Just had a bright yellow butterfly visit me while I was planting, Christi, it is solid yellow with a very thin black edging, like it had been outlined. Never saw anything like it before, but it was very very pretty. It was everywhere I was, sat on the blooms on the cardinal vine for awhile, but I am not sure what kind it is. Any ideas? Was not a monarch or swallowtail or anything I am familiar with.

Where are you traveling to, Christi...maybe Kentucky? I think you and Charlie and spouses should all come to KY. Wouldn't that be fun. You could help me weed and dig holes.

Talk about the Labours of Hercules, Sharon!

Coming to Kentucky would be fun, weeds aside.

Used to love digging holes when I was quite young. Still, was a bit worried that
I would get close to the other side of the globe and the ocean would come through. Dug lots of holes doing archaeology in England. Continued digging holes subsequently with gardening and still like digging them (as long as there are'nt electrical cables or sprinkler pipes present). Weeds are another matter!

Picture below:
Remind you of anyone? Maybe Buddy?
Think caption should read: "Buddy and Little Friend".

Talk about a mundane life!!! That I have had. I live 13 miles from the hospital in which I was born. Lived in one home with my parents. Had a rent house the first year I was married. Bought a little bungalow and had 2 children in 5 years. Then moved to this house I am in Feb. 10, 1967. Had a toddler and one 10 months old then. Still here. Charlie, I think my personal roots must be somewhere in China. Couldn't get them up if I wanted to, and I don't.

We are going to Gulfport Mississippi and the surrounding area. Hope we haven't made a bad choice. Our best friends are going, too. She is the only one that likes to gamble so the rest of us will watch the crowd. I don't know how far they have come since Katrina. The casinos have all the money in the world anyway so they are all up and running again.
For kicks, we do have reservations at Emeril LaGasse's Fish House in one of the casinos.

Charlie, you must share your biography with us. Sounds so interesting.

Christi

Cross posted. That is so cute. Did you or the missus make the head and paws?

Cute, cute, cute, Charlie.....but WOW, how did you know I love nasturtiums?? I love them, love the scent, love their little faces...ahhhhh, and I have not grown them in years. I hope that's what they are, I am so tired I am not sure my eyes are working properly.

Now that photo just plain made me smile.
Thank you.

Going out to dinner tonight, so best get moving. You all have a great evening.

wooowooo!

Sharon, take advantage of any and everything. Life is short, eat dessert first.

Christi, bought the head and paws, I think at a fall fair (Carol loves the fairs and aims to buy Christmas presents there). Even then (on a pumpkin), they reminded us of Buddy (who used to be close to 30 lbs).

Still make us smile too, Sharon.
We also like nasturtiums!

Interesting to read a very! brief summary of your biography, Christi. It sounds very steady and sensible. Know from what you've previously said, you're a person who finds interest in things. Me too. Clearly, Sharon as well. Can travel in our mind (ideas, places, good company, etc.).

Love that advice to Sharon "eat dessert first". Have a sweet tooth too. Think Sharon mentioned the same.

My sweet tooth history: As young children, we always had "Sunday morning sweets (candies)". You'd wake up in the morning and there'd be a saucer of candies by your pillow (placed by Dad).

One particular event makes me smile: We were pretty young and sitting on the little bridge in the garden (Tilly (my sister), myself and our dear Mum). Mum had a paper bag with 2 lbs of custard cream biscuits (cookies) in it. She said to the two of us, "Let's all have eight (or a number like that) each". Then she said "Well, let's all have another six each". Then she looked in the bag and said "We might as well finish them off" and we all had another four. A great lesson in sharing, generosity and inclusiveness. Maybe not the best in good eating habits!

Hope it was a great dinner, Sharon.
Trip sounds very exciting, Christi.

Charlie

Well, it was a short dinner because I had worked all day in the yard and in the house and I had an article on my mind that I wanted to write....so I came home early and as I sat down to work on the article, I had a chocolate craving. Got up and ran in the rain to the deli, grabbed some still hot chocolate no bake oatmeal cookies and munched my way through the article.
My kinda night.

Now the article is written and believe it or not i still have cookies left!

Christi, I always eat dessert first, and in between. Isn't that what desserts are for?

Charlie, your description of your Mom and your sister and you made me think of what we call cream puffs, a flaky crust filled with custard. Yummy.

No, I won't be baking any tonight, probably not tomorrow either. All this chocolate should take me through the next week or two.

You all have a great evening, I think I am about to crash into my computer, and the trouble is, I'd never feel a thing, I am that tired.

I'm such a stay at home. Already getting anxious about being gone for 11 days as we will have 2 days travel on both ends and stay there for 7 days. I took all of the caterpillars that had not yet become chrysalis and put them back on the host plants. There are 19 chrysalis still in the little cage and there is no way they will inclose before we leave. I don't know where to put them outside the cage where they will be safe. May just leave them in there and open the top so they could fly out. I have become so attached to yet another living thing that I feel responsible for interrupting nature. But they are low on the food chain and most don't make it without help.

Then there is Chester and Mattie. Chester is Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, 1 1/2. Mattie is Schi-Tzu, 6. Both of them are horribly spoiled and expect a treat at certain times of the day. It is astounding how they start barking at just the same time everyday for the treat. We have a doggie door and a wonderful yard so they are happy with that.
It is the constant companionship they will miss. Our daughter will come to feed and water and give one of the three treats.

Instead of feeling excited, I am anxious for my animals. We did get the bird feeders restocked. I didn't get this way as I have gotten old. I have always been like this.

Our trip to Gulfport and Biloxi will be a lesson in humility I am sure. Have heard from others that the results of Katrina are still very evident. Only the moneyed casinos are back in shape. Lots of tax money has been thrown around and an unprecedented amount of donations. Wonder where it went?

Charlie, I have forgotten where you stay in Florida. The past 5 years we four have stayed in a condo on Mustang Island which is just across the causeway from Corpus Christi, Texas. We decided a condo in Gulfport might be a good change. We shall see.

Christi

Awwww, Christi, it isn't just you.
When I am up at the shop, only 2 blocks away, I think of my cats.
And now that I have Cupcake (abandoned neighbor's cat) I turn down my street dreading that I might see her lying wounded or worse in the ditch.

And if mine aren't watching for me from the window, then I wonder if they are somewhere suffering in the house.

But usually, I try to think of the glass as half full, not half empty. Outlooks and perceptions can change, I think, but it takes work.

Remember a few years ago when the young girl went missing in Aruba...that nearly drove me crazy, still does when I think of it, she was on her senior trip. Remember?

Anyway...I am trying to change my way of thinking, because I sure can't change the situation.

I still have holes to dig today. And I am suffering from digging holes yesterday. But the day is gorgeously clear and sunny, and quite cool, so I will enjoy being out in it, whether or not I have the energy to dig a gazillion holes.

Your trip will be great, I just know you will have a good time.

I'll be back later, and I hope I am not moaning by then.

Sharon, love Ethan's linguistic work (Christi, reply to comment after current article). Kittywhomp would be a very useful word for us, but I'm not sure if they had animals like Buddy on Noahzark. Used to have a numerical taxonomy (said to be objective classification) article and one of the fictional animals to classify was called a zark - so they do exist!

"Hot chocolate no bake oatmeal cookies" = haute cuisine!

Christi, go to St Pete Beach.
Sure everything on the home front will be fine while you're away.
Your daughter will be keeping an eye on Chester and Mattie.
And the little dears will appreciate you and Mike even more when you return! Wouldn't worry about the (pre)butterflies, you sound like you've got it all worked out.
Very sad about Katrina and some of what's happened (or not happened) subsequently.

Charlie

I do seem to remember the 'zark word from wayyyy back in some study or other. I was thinking it a number, though, not an animal.

At any rate, he is usually the linguist, and he teaches me.

Yes, what Charlie said about your trip, Christi.

Beautiful day here, too. One my way to transplant some lilies. Only 4 years ago I paid $1 for one Easter Lily. Put it in the ground because I didn't know what else to do with it. Well, it has become at least 50 lilies since then. Seems I am always moving something because it is not in the most advantageous spot. Often it should not have been in that spot anyway but sometimes the plant in question is overshadowing something or the other way round.

My host plant for Monarch butterflies is covered with cats. Yeah!!

Once has a young man here doing some tile work. He was from Mariposa (butterly) Mexico where the Monarchs winter. He said it was magic as they literally cover everything.

Toodle Loo,

Christi

Love lilies too, Christi, but can't keep them here, because of lily beetles.
The orange beetles breed on oriental type lilies and fritillaria, but also now feed on other things (certainly toadlily). They just eat the leaves away.
They don't affect daylilies, so I switched to them. Think I recently read there's a new pest or something that affects daylilies (only so far in a few limited areas in the States). It's got to stay away from Kentucky!

Know exactly what your saying about having to move stuff in the garden, almost a juggling act. Great about the Monarchs.

Spending next few hour working on updating plant records for our own garden, what's planted where. Worse than juggling and next to impossible.
But that shouldn't stop me!

Hi Christi and Sharon,

Bet you're really busy getting ready to go, Christi,
Have a great time.

Has rained on and off the last two days here and is quite cold for this time of year. Evenings beginning to remind one of winter. Bit too slippery (wet clay) in other gardens, so have worked (carefully) in ours. Gardening clothes very muddy.

Been reading recently local politics on-line, as feel (after the party) I too should do something to help. Blogging blocker (July) compared the Mayor and majority of Council to characters in the Snow White story. "In this place (Aurora) and at this time, we see the old story play out. The Queen (certainly the Mayor) who must be the only star in the firmament, the axe-wielding woodsman (a Councillor?), the hag with the poison apple (another Councillor?), the whole shebang". In the same entry, the blocker (a member of the Town Council !) says "Only lackeys, sycophants and lesser stars (these three categories must be intended to include the majority of the Town Council !!!) must be permitted to circulate within her (the Mayor's) orbit". At least in this case, the influence of political blogs is doing nothing for the Public Good.

Charlie

Sigh...politics.
Don't you just hate the mud slinging, charlie?

Think I've picked up a sick bug...so I am outta here for the evening.
Wish I could linger but hate to spread germs to you!!!

Take care and have a good evening.

Very thoughtful, Sharon!

Rest and get better quickly.