Podster I think I'm jealous of your greenhouse! The wind is taking it's toll on one of mine. I keep looking for a spot to have a more permanent one, but we just don't have the space. You've had great luck with all your plants staying so active this winter. I think mine are just hanging on....like me, hoping for spring! I lost a huge anthurium that I'd had for quite a few yrs. It was on the covered porch, but DH didn't turn the heater on because it was only going to get down to 40. They don't even like it when it's 45!
I'm afraid I will have to give up my Wildlife Habitat designation. DH caught and relocated his 23rd. One day during a nationally televised golf tournament in Austin, a golfer will be attacked by a pack of crazed squirrels right on the big screen!
I think I'm going to try to get DH to take me to Marshall's Pottery before it gets hot. I love that place. Need some big pots for brugs. Getting cabin fever from being inside too long. Trying to figure out how to make the ETRU and the one in LA. Just not going to work. Might go to meet the LA bunch at Forest Hill on Friday, and then double back to TX on Sat. Still plotting....
Weather not fit for man nor beast. Let's stay by the fire!
It's good to watch a plan come together!
Lee...my DH would say..."a scheme come together..."
Lee....whatever you had to say didn't come through for me.
Kenboy....That is a neat background story. I love the Japanese Gardens. Recently when we had the record snow someone forwarded me a powerpoint show of the JG covered with snow...it was a beautiful scene.
Oh Sheila! I would love to see that! Do you still have it? If so, I can Dmail you with my email addy.
I've been out plant shopping today. What a gorgeous day to be out wandering around the nurseries. I found my Cedar Elm at Great Western and was really pleased with it. I got a huge 15 gallon one that's about a 3" diameter x 12' tree for 49.00. I was thrilled with the price. I then went to Cornelius and wandered around for an hour or so and came away with a Sweet Olive and a new dragon wing begonia. All my dragons got frozen and are dead as nails, so I can start lots of new ones from this one big plant. I'm still looking for a chalk maple, but can't find anyone who stocks them. I've found a mail order place out of Florida and may try that, if I can still find a spot to put it.
Hope everyone else has had as good a day as we have. DH even felt up to walking the nursery with me. Great day!The weather is just perfect out today.
Crow
Crow, the best news is of DH. Glad he is feeling better. Hang on, girl, we're with you.
Thanks Lou. I certainly appreciate all the moral support I get from my Dave's family. Y'all certainly beat the bunch I got born to :)
Crow
NOw, I'm jealous! A day at the nurseries! And me, at work. Oh well... are you the one on the shovel handle? Tell me, will those plants endure any future freak cold weather? Except the angelwing of course. Glad you both had a good day, hoping for many more.
Sorry ...had temporary "virtual laryngitis".......sadly ,...it also can cause CRS,,,,'cause I don't remember what I may have said
Golden Manor......here I come
No, no, no! Not that serious... I am sure it is just "sometimers disease". Sometimes I can remember, sometimes I forget. LOL
LOL - early stage of sometimers, at least
"temporary virtual laryngitis"..Good one Lee!
Crow....glad the DH was feeling up to getting out and enjoying the sun.
Everyone keep thinking those wonderful warm thoughts......the weather is getting pretty again!
By Monday night we are to have snow showers and a low of 30 again. wwhhaaaa
Well, I may have jumped the gun, but I had the 3 and 5 year old grandsons today and we planted tomatoes. The 5 year old called me at 8:00 a.m. and wanted to know "what time you want me there to work". He was ready to garden. I took them both to Lowe's where we bought some tomato plants and they saw the blueberry plants and wanted some. They actually wanted some of every seed packet they saw. We wound up with 6 tomatoes, 2 blueberries, some peppers, some seeds for sugarbaby watermelons and I already have seeds for speckled butterbeans. They cracked everyone in line up when the 3 year old asked could we eat the blueberries when we got home. I explained they had to grow, flower then fruit. He wasn't at all impressed. He said he'd rather just go to Kroger :) They had fun planting though, especially finding the earthworms. The hardest part of the day was getting garden gloves on the 3 year old. I swear it was as bad as trying to herd cats. I'd show him how to hold his fingers apart, and as soon as the glove touched the tips, he folded those little fat fingers as tight as he could. Took more time on the gloves than all the planting.
Hope everyone else is enjoying this gorgeous weather.
Oh, and Pod, on the "business end of the shovel" for the big stuff will be a paid worker bee. My back and joints would really do me in if I tried to dig a hole big enough to plant this 15 gallon elm tree, especially in this clay soil I have.
We get to do M. D. Anderson again all day tomorrow and Tuesday, so y'all behave while I'm out of pocket and have lots of fun things to tell me about when I return.
Crow
I know y'all had fun. I am sure they feel they need to help you garden... I know how little people think of us "old folks" but I think you are teaching them things that will last them a lifetime. LOL on the blueberries ~ I can't blame that little guy. I am into instant gratification too.
It is supposed to start raining tomorrow which is far better than snow but it has a way of interfering with my day off.
Be sure and pack your pillow. We'll be thinking of you but don't think you will be missing much.
Who ordered more snow?!? Yes, there's falling temps & SNOW in the forecast for Monday. How in the world am I supposed to get my garden planted if it continues to rain/sleet/snow and freeze??
Crow, I, too, have a three year old. She keeps me going. Presently she is collecting any kind of container so we can plant seeds. What a blessing.
Will be praying for you and DH the next two days. Especially that the procedures will be successful.
In His Love,
Christi
Stephanie ~ I am sorry... the thought of more snow is not even funny. Especially if it falls on your day off. Sure seems late for that kind of weather.
Today I put up the shade cloth on the greenhouse. I noticed plant leaves were scorching as the sun gets stronger. I don't think I will be able to leave anything in it this summer.
Pod, I'm not excited about it either! I've got veggies that need to go out. *sigh*
Crow...hope you're both already in bed and sleeping soundly. Was thinking about you today. Hope all went well.
Grrrr, went to MDA for DH's chemo yesterday. They did labs on Monday morning and we saw the doc. Two hours past chemo appt time yesterday, the nurse came out and told us his platelets were low and they were trying to reach the doc to see if they should go ahead with chemo or reschedule. I asked what the count was since it was low last time too (91) and they went ahead. It was 80 yesterday, and they prefer 100 or higher. Finally found out his doc had left the country yesterday morning and they were trying to reach his sub, who was in a meeting. I told John they'd send us home when they finally talked to him because with that count, there's no way they'd go ahead with chemo. We got there at 11:30 yesterday and finally got home at 5:00 yesterday evening. All that time just to be told come back next week. They should have known that they couldn't do chemo before we ever got there. I mean, the labs were done on Monday morning. What a screwed up place. Okay, I feel better after that rant :)
I've been out in the back garden this morning trying to figure out what's really dead and what just looks bad. I think most of it is really dead. I'm pretty sure the giant in-ground brug is gone, the hummingbird bush, two tree form hibiscus, the duranta, and even the plumbagos. I don't think any of this is even going to come back from the roots. I'm gonna' rip some of them out and replace with edible landscaping. I've been wanting room for another fig, so now I've got it plus room for some more tomatoes. All my dragon wing begonias are gone, but amazingly some of the regular begonias are coming back from the roots. I was so surprised to see new leaves in a clump of dead sticks.
What's everybody else up to on this beautiful day. I'm heading back out to whack some more dead stuff!
Crow
I have to go prune dead branches off the lantanas and the Erythrina x bidwillii which dies to the ground every year. I hope it's still alive.
Crow, if you want to replace your Brugmansia, let me know.
I am headed to the back yard to do the same as you, Crow. Actually, we have to first get the collapsed canopy off the top of the 6x8 greenhouse that is caved in, in the middle. I doubt if anything in it is still alive. The jonquils are blooming this morning and the poppy seed I scattered last fall is up. Roses are trying but I have lots of tropicals that are history. Haven't uncovered the beds yet. Don't trust the weather not to freeze again. Our average last frost is March 17 but nothing has been average or near normal this year.
Christi
Still praying for John's health and you as the support and caretaker.
Gosh Crow, I realize the nurses and staff deal with critically ill people all the time, but they should have the compassion to at least say, "We're going to try to reach his doctor, but since you live close enough to get back if we call you, why don't you just go home and let your husband get some rest till we know something." What an exhausting day.
Try to resist digging up anything just yet. I bet some of your plants will come back from the roots. I have tiny leaves peeling out around a lot of mine.
Now go take a nap!
Crow, how frustrating for you and your DH! The good thing is that the weather's been nice enough the past couple of days that we can get outside and work out that frustration! LOL
Did they give your DH anything to help boost his platelet count?
Stephanie, no on the platelet booster. I told him he's lucky they didn't. When I did chemo 3 years ago, they gave me some of that stuff and my bones felt like they were going to explode. I've never had anything hurt that bad, even kidney stones and childbirth. I told the doc I'd take my chances and continue the chemo, but I wouldn't take any more of that stuff. If that meant no chemo, then that's what it'd be. I guess he knows how stubborn I am because he didn't argue about it. I imagine that the extra week off will take care of the problem. If not, maybe they'll lower the dose, but I sure hope he doesn't need those shots.
What a beautiful day out it's been today. I'm so ready for stuff to start showing some signs of life again. I'm having a bad case of "day lily shopping fever". Somebody stop me :)
Crow
You go girl! Daylilies are edible... lol You mentioned planting more edible landscaping. I think many of us are feeling that same urge this year. I've added a plum, a peach, a half dozen blueberries and deliberating on muscadines, asparagus... the mind is running amuck!
Speaking of running amuck, I love to get peeved about something. It makes me take my ire out on things constructively. I've had some good house cleaning or gardening sessions while aggravated! I am sorry you both had to spend the day there but glad you got to enjoy some of it in the outdoors.
Me? I worked. 8 (
Just want to make sure you all saw the off line statement from admin at the home page. If you don't know what I am talking about then go home and read it. The website will be down for a server move.
Thanks Sheila ~ I had caught that. It won't affect me as I will be at work. Hope all will have a nice day and get to enjoy the outdoors while DG is down...
Hey crowelli. I just want you to know that we spent time at MDA. I think sometimes they over book appointments. My husband had prostate cancer, and the night after the surgery, he almost called 911 because he thought they were going to let him die. He was having pain, and didn't feel like they were taking care of him properly. Of course, they were, but he was so drugged up, he wouldn't listen to what they said. That didn't happen while I was there. Like you, we only live a little more than an hour away, so I came home for the night to take care of the animals. They never let me know he was having problems. For the most part, we would go there again, if we had to. In another month, he has a blood test. If it is O.K., it will be three years. I don't know about you, but we used valet parking so I wouldn't have to walk the garages alone. That is a very scary place when you are by yourself. Good luck to you both.
Annette