California Gardening: So. Calif. Spring RU 2010 - continued

Oh I agree, we all loved that area so much.

We enjoyed our day with everyone and I think Jules & Jack are the greatest to share their time and farm with us. Everyone is so friendly, the food was great, and I did bring home some plants hoping they all grow for me. Thanks Jules for the fresh eggs, we are so enjoying them. All the pictures are great and I thank each and everyone for sharing them. I'm still talking about that old oak tree, what a wonderful place. Isn't it amazing that we all met through the Internet, thanks to this wonderful site.

Oh yes, Jules, the eggs were delicious. Thanks again.

Well everyone, my Dad always said that DG was full of the friendliest people! : - )
You are more than welcome for taking all those eggs off my hands! Thank you!
You may have missed it, but there is nothing I like better than showing off our farm.
I think that every season (such as we have), brings a different kind of beauty to the farm. I am so Blessed to be able to live here.
We do open the farm to the public in October for the Pumpkin Patch, in December for the Christmas Trees, and on a few occasions we have rented it out for private parties. Let's not forget the annual Cub Scout Play Day too. I love those canoe races! : - )
Usually though, we like to let her rest. We get so much traffic in the fall, that Grandmother needs a break. Besides DH brought in more Bee Hives, or will if he hasn't already. No more walks out to Gma Oak, til they are gone.
Jo, if you are going to be back this way this summer, give me a call, and we'll try to arrange a tour of the bee barn for you. You can see them extracting the honey from the comb.
Good News (for us), DH's crew will start pulling honey sometime within the next week or two.
Yippee!
Last year was so dry, after 4 years of drought, we didn't make hardly any honey. : - (
My DH is a diligent beekeeper and let the bees keep most of their honey so they could build up their hives over the winter to be strong for pollination in February. He also had to feed them a corn syrup when they ran short of honey. No they don't eat the syrup straight, but they reprocess it into honey, So many other beekeepers are less fortunate, or maybe they didn't study and work as hard as DH. Hard to say.
DH is getting better at giving the Farm tours! : - )
He must have enjoyed himself, because he brought up the subject of hosting another RU, not me! : - )
I think I'm keeping him. : - )
WIB!
SW

He's a keeper and a bee keeper Jules. You both have the best of hearts. Hope we can get together soon.

Me too! : - )
WIB!
SW

I just MIGHT be back that way in September...DGD, Amy is getting married!! Jo

Tell Amy I am so happy for her and miss her.

Willl Do! Jo

Hi all

I'm so late getting this out that it's bordering on embarrassing. Rude in any case. Both my g'mas are probably doing back flips in their graves!

I wanted to add my thanks as well to SW for opening your beautiful place to us and everyone else for the gr8 first RU my family had. You know after I dropped my plants off on the patio I went to park the truck. Well, this huge black pickup pulled into your place SW and a lady popped her head out the window and asked if we were having a yard sale.

The first thing that popped into my head, and what I told her was, no, no yard sale, but we were having a reunion. And that's exactly what it felt like! It was so nice meeting all of you and talking plants and stuff.

Turns out quiltygirl's DH knew my DH's dad back in NM. How cool is that! Thank you all also for the congratulations you gave my 15yos when you learned he had earned his HAM radio license that morning. You can now call him KJ6HOC (his call sign). He's kinda on the shy side so he was just grinning. ^_^ I loved it!

And thank you all for the many plants I took home! I *finally* got them in the ground (all but the littlest ones. I'm afraid they would get mistaken for weeds so they're on the table waiting to grow up more.)

Oh, and weegy12 you are so FIRED as my official photographer! ^_^ Photographers are *supposed* to make everyone look fantastic. What happened? You skip the "don't take ugly pics day" in photo school? It's like the hypocratic oath for doctors. Ya know, do no harm? For photographers isn't it do no horrible pictures? Haven't you ever heard of "photo editing"? I've included the real picture to the left. Sheesh!

Just kidding! (I hope you know that) ^_^

So when's the next RU guys? I vote for tomorrow. ^_^

Cayte

Oh! Heather, you are too hilarious. Can I have a 'do over' too? Does it work for driver's license photos?

Heather....That's a picture of me...taken a few years./..and a few pounds ...ago! LOL Jo

Oh Heather, you kill me! That is great. Yeah that photo editing day in school, I missed it, must have been at the beach or something. Sorry about that, I'll definitely do better next time. Wanted to let you know that the hibiscus you gave me has buds on it! The fushia is in the ground and doing great. Thanks so much. It was a blast meeting you and your family.
Congrats again to your son. That is so awesome.
Hope to see everyone again. Remember I am planning a cleanup day at the iris garden probably sometime in late September when it's not too hot. Will post details as the time gets closer. I will reward everyone profusely with food and a bribe of free irises to all...I hope I'm tempting you.
Jo, I thought that was you!!!!

LOL In my dreams....

Oh, maybe you were in my dreams...hmmmmm!

I'm pretty sure you were all in my dreams last night. : - )
Beats the night before, when Buddy Holly (kitten/cat DP gave ES), jumped up on my chest with his claws fully extended. Needless to say, I carefully removed his claws, and carried him to ES's room and slid him across the wood floor and slammed the door. Sheesh, who needs to be awakened at 5:00 a.m. in such a rude way?
Weegy, I can't help in late Sept. I'll be at the beach. Drat! Could we do it early to mid September? You know I've been wanting to see your iris garden, and I loved meeting your Mom.
Keep us posted. I had already arranged with QG, to carpool out to your place, weegy.
Cayte, please tell KJ6HOC, that I think he rocks! Ask him if I can call him KJ for a nickname? Smart and polite son you have raised. You guys want some bananas? LOL!
I really cracked up reading your post, Cayte. I laughed so hard that DH, was giving me strange looks. So I had to tell him what was up and show him the photo. Still giggling over that one.
Cayte, you are such an enabler. I am still craving DeJong's chocolate milk! I'll have to go get some. : - )
I never look good in photos. Although DP, got a fairly decent one of me at KC's RU. Too bad he forgot his battery, only thing worse, is having it run out of juice before you are done taking photos. Sigh.
It was a great day, and I'm glad everyone enjoyed it. One of my fondest memories is seeing KC's husband, John, napping on the hammock after our walk up the hill. I think there must be a hammock in his future.
So many great memories, and good times. Like Weegy said, we'll be having project days to help each other with the stuff we can't handle alone. I hope to be participating and seeing you there! : - )
WIB,
SW

Oh Cayte thanks for displaying my picture instead of Louise's version.

I said September only because I'm hoping it won't be too hot to work outside. Maybe I should find out when and if everyone is available in September since this is the first time I've mentioned the garden workday. I'll start another thread on that soon.
You guys are all cracking me up!

I think that is a great idea, because from my experience, both doing it alone and reading about all of us, doing it alone seems to be the Method of Operation in the yard.

Weegy - YOU crack me up too! "in September when it won't be so hot", Indeed! I was LOL! I went to weather.com and see your average drops to a chilling 91 in Sept, but the record high for Sept (which is also the record high, period) was 117. It was pretty hot at your RU last Sept, but very comfortable on your patio and shady yard. We avg a couple degrees more than you, so I know hot. We will have to get those beanies with the little umbrella attached.

SW - I am surprised you guys, being locals, did not know of DeJongs - good milk stuff, but mediocre alfalfa. I don't know if you shouldn't wonder why Buddy Holly was waking you. My cat did that one AM, (chest/claws), in Santa Barbara, just about a minute before the Sylmar earthquake! He also had his eyes so big and wide.

I sent the group shot to a friend and she commented on John being in the hammock for the photo...

Weegy,
I'm still planning on bringing some water balloons and water guns, just for the fun of it. : - D
I may not be able to dig, but I can always separate, drop plant in pre-dug hole and cover with dirt. I don't even mind getting dirty, sweaty and muddy. That's life on a farm anyway. : - )
Please let us know what you decide, I'd really like to help, and maybe even get to see Emma in person. : - )
Sharon, you haven't chimed in yet today. So I do hope that you are getting some much needed rest, and your DH is on the road to recovery. I'm keeping you in my prayers.
Hellnzn, I think it's an excellent idea for us to band together and help each other out. One of our DG members up north had to wait for at least a month to get someone to help her move a heavy item from her car trunk to her garden. Some jobs are too big for one person. I forget who came up with the idea, of a DG group work day, but I like it.

Happy Birthday to our DG pal, MarieOrtiz, today.

One can hope can't one Lynda?!!?!!? Maybe we'll have to look into October.

It would be fine if you were just there with us SW. Andrea and Emma would love to meet you!

QG,
I knew of DeJongs', and had even heard of their chocolate milk. I just don't have any reason to go that direction usually. So it would be a special trip. I try to get everything done in one day. I thought I showed you some of the old milk bottles we found at DeJong's here on the farm after, DH inherited the place and we started to clean it up. Next time, if you missed it.
I guess, I'll be asking DH to stop for milk on His way home, since he often goes near there.
WIB!
SW

Likewise, Even though Menifee is not far, I do not go that way unless for an appt. or when DD was in 4H (meetings were in Rural Center on Haun Rd.

QG,
My kids didn't want to do 4 H, although I encouraged them to. I know the rural center well. Lots of history there. You must know my other old time neighbors too. We'll have to talk sometime soon.
Got to go for now,
WIB~
SW

Well, I have not chimed in because I am in jail for killing my DH. After 3 separate trips to ER and three separate stays in the hospital, DH is home and the Doctors have solved the mystery. His kidneys were failing. They knew that, they just did not know why. Less than fifty percent functioning. Why, because he wants to be 35 again instead of 77. He was drinking Red Bull, 5 hour energy drinks. You name it, he was drinking it and that was all he was drinking. Those drinks are a diuretic. He was totally dehydrated. So now he is on my list AND IT IS NOT THE GOOD LIST. The damage is reversible but he was close. My DH is a very intelligent man with a very high IQ, but absolutely no common sense.

My shoulder still hurts like the dickens but I am a tough old gardener. Aspercream was recommended from a wonderful person from the SW forum, so I now have it on my shoulder and neck. It is warm but does feel good. My only pain is when I am trying to sleep.

Jules, you look just like my younger cousin from Gresham, Oregon. You do not look like what I had in my mind but I like what I saw. You look like a blast to be around as Queen of your mountains.

Thanks for all your thoughts and this to shall pass. Now if just the wind would do the same thing.

Who knew? Wow! Sharon I hope you are surviving all of this trauma? Well I do them myself once in a while, but I am so hyper on my own that I annoy myself on them. I figured that one day they would be taken off the market, since they took that Ma Huan off the shelves in the diet pills and all the young kids drink them like a drug, non stop like your h. My sil used to drink 3 of the 44 oz ones, which is like 3 or 4 serving size in one can.

There is a statistic and your husband is now one of them, that will put the kibosh on these things, soon or lessen the amount of stimulants in them.

I pray he will regain Kidney function back.

I'm just glad they found out what it was Sharon. It's the not knowing that gets us.

Here's a spot we can converse about our spring r.u. and share pix of it.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1093682/

What ever works for you, Sharon. I find heat helps me, my Mom likes Ben Gay. You may want to try an Alieve before bed?
I banned power drinks and my kids don't buy them any more. Unless they are out and lord knows I wish they'd go out! Those drinks cost too much and they buy volume.
We avoid them Energy Drinks, and I've always encouraged the kids to drink water, milk or juice. Lately, they've taken to drinking green tea, with citrus. Once in a while one of their friends drag a Monster Drink or Red Bull in, but not often. Seems as if they decided they didn't like the cost. Made them get head aches and feel crappy the next day. Now, I have something else to scare them with, to keep them away from them.
Sadly most people don't realize how much we need a variety of fluids, including water to stay hydrated. Coffee, tea, soda, milk, juice all counts in daily hydration. They (Health Professionals) decided you don't have to drink 6-8 glasses of water each day, because we get some of the fluid we need in the other things we drink. Boy, am I relieved!
I am so relieved they caught it in time. I hope he recovers soon, Sharon and uses good judgment in the future. It had to have been scary, for you.
Well, as to how I look, at least you'll recognize me if you come to visit someday. : - )
I do hope that you have good memories of your cousin. (I wish I could cross my eyes and stick out my tongue and make you laugh.) Okay, keep that visual! : - )
As to whether I'm a blast to be around, well you'll just have to see for yourself. : - )
Caretaker, not Queen. You didn't see me up on that big rock chair. LOL. That was KC's DH sitting up on that rock. : - )
Take care of yourself Sharon.
WIB,
SW

What happened to Sherry, Gypsy, why did she not come to the RU?

She couldn't make it.

Haven't heard from her for a while here.

She decided not to go for the full, paid, membership this year, due to (I believe I remember) feeling the Dave's Garden Administration mis-reprented themselves. May be more to that. That would mean she can/could only use the non-starred Forums and not be able to use, in particular, the California Forum. That is where I was before the RU 3/2009 at John & Kathleen's. I had found out about it somewhere, but could not get details. Kathleen was kind enough to relay all info via D-Mail and once I met this crew face to face, decided to get full membership.

By the way, I was recruiting a new member on Saturday while at an Armstrong Garden class on roses. Her name is Terry and she lives right near Jules and Jack. (Sidebar: Jules, she was asking what is up with that 'cottage' on your property on Scott Rd where there is always so much 'stuff' outside). Also for Jules, she also knew Bob Nett, the ferrier, quite well as he had taught her son the Smithing trade. They were also at the memorial last Aug. She said she could remember "quiltygirl" well enough as she likes quilts.

You go girl. I'm hiding out from those winds, QG.
I saw, and will try to get a photo to post of a large Torrey (?) Pine that was blown over on the brothers original homestead.
In answer to Terry's question, we have a guy who keeps an eye on that end of the property. He buys storage units when they come up for auction and sells the stuff from inside. You never know what he'll have. He sorts it and takes some of it to the swap meet and some to the thrift store and some he just sells right there on the street.
That little cottage is my gift shop and I'm tired of it being broken into and vandalized. Since Dave has been out there, I haven't had any problems of that nature, nor have any squatters moved in. I've had problems with both before.
Are you all ready to start planning the next RU?
These are some lupine that Mom and YS planted 10-15 years ago. I never thought they'd bloom. They finally did the week after the RU when I got this photo. I went out and collected some seeds, but luckily most pods had already opened because they disced the ground again and wiped out a lot of the plants. ARRRGHHH!
These are growing on the other side of the creek as you go down our drive towards the mailbox. : - )
Sure made my Mom happy to see them finally bloom.
WIB,
SW

Don't you love our winds Jules. In Florida they call them hurricane, here in the SW high winds. I am coming to next years RU even if husband is in the back of the SUV on life support. Just kidding but I do want to be there. We are both getting better. My shoulder has been a bit** getting better but I finally gave in and took pain pills, Tyneole 3, for the last two days and got good night sleeps and it seems to be getting better because of the pain pills. I have not be able to garden for two weeks and that is very bad. But tomorrow, after our hurricane tonight, I will be busy cleaning up the broken branches and leaves in the landscape. Thank you for all your prayers and concern....

Worms - we had a R U last Fall also. It was in Rancho Cucamonga at Weegy's house. In spite of the over 100 degrees, it was comfy in her patio what with the patio cover and fan, pond and trees.

Sharon,
I'm glad you are able to sleep better. What is the word on the shoulder? What do the Dr.s say?
Bring RV, we'll make sure DH is comfy. If we aren't careful my DH and KC's DH will sneak into the RV for naps. LOL!
QG, I think that the only reason weegy hosted the fall RU last year, was because Dr. Don had said he was going to host one in the fall. When he never posted again, weegy stood up to the plate and hosted a RU so no one would be disappointed.
We do have a work day scheduled for Sept. at weegy's, don't forget?
Sharon, you don't need to wait for RU. When ever you are out this way, give me a holler, and we'll grab who ever is handy and have a mini RU just for you! : - )
There is a reason they call these Winds Devil winds! : - (
Only one more day, and they will go away!
I'm so used to the wind and the dust and dirt, I have a hard time understanding people who don't like the wind. Believe me, in the summer that afternoon ocean breeze (wind) is a Blessing, because it cools things down enough at night that you can sleep w/o the a/c on,
Now my SIL laughed when I told her about our flood. That much rain where she lives in TX is an almost daily occurance. LOL!
Life is good, even if the weather is windy! : - )
WIB!
SW

Two days in a row of high winds. I did not go into the garden to clean up because it was coming back today. Well the temperature dipped and the winds picked up so I spent the day in the house doing paper work.

Jules, you know I have not gone to the doctor about my shoulder. But it is getting better. I know my own body and nothing is broken just bent a little. I will be looking forward to the fall RU.

This weather is so crazy. Pioche, had freezing temperatures last night and wiped out all of the fruit. Take care and be good to yourself.