Springtime Gypsies

I use patio paint or acrylic paint and I spray them with clear acrylic sealer after they are completely dry. I painted a concrete piler, the kind they used to put under mobile homes, and sprayed it. It has been out doors since 2000 and gets rained on, snowed on and the heat in the summer can be over 100 degrees and very, very dry. The only thing I tell people is that every spring they should make sure the rock is clean and dry and than respray it. The concrete piler is painted to look like a square basket filed with flowers. It still looks as good as the first day I put it in the garden were it sits at a friends house in Calif.

Marti, what is the name and brand of your clear acrylic sealer?

Patricia Nimocks decorative crafts clear acrylic sealer by Plaid. I keep both matte and gloss around. That way I have a choice of the finish.

Marti those are fantastic! I LOVE them!

My problem is that I can't find the rock I need to keep painting here in Kentucky. I need smooth river rock. In Calif, I could find it in any river and at the beach. I found a place to buy small ones for frogs, ladybugs but to do my gnome houses and bigger rocks, I'm going to have to do a road trip to another state. I know I can find some in Arkansas so am planning a road trip this summer.

According to the weather report, this rain should stop by Tuesday afternoon than we'll have sun/partly cloudy thru May 10th. Highs in the 70 - 80's. That should dry out the yard enough so that I can get some work done out there.

Marti, thanks. You must find that in a craft store, like Michael's?

Yes, and at WalMart in the craft section.

Marti, you have nice artistic talent, maybe some canvas painting until the rocks come in would be something to think about. Love the coffee table rock. We have rocks everywhere here in NC. Not the area I live in so much, but down the road or just about anywhere you go there are nice smooth rocks. Have a rock quary just a few miles away too.

Marti, those are so cool!

Whats so funny is that I took art for two years in high school and barely got a passing grade. The third year the teacher refused to allow me back in the class and I had to take study hall instead. I tried to take classes for college prep and the nuns refused to allow that. They said I wasn't smart enough to go to college and I had no artistic talent. Their answer was for me to marry a guy who could surport me and be a good catholic girl and have babies.

How times have changed.

Marti, awww, that's too bad. Stuff like that can stay with you a long time. It looks like you have gotten over those remarks now.

How do you get a cutting from a lilac bush?

Beside the concrete steps were I fell down, are a couple of fairly tall lilac bushes. There were only 4 total of clusters on the bushes. The flowers are purple with white edges. So very pretty. I thought I could get a cutting from them. But how?

I have!! I found out they were lying to me. Once I figured that out, I got on with my life.

Here ya go Venice. http://www.ehow.com/how_5953723_root-lilac-cuttings.html

Hey Marti, while you are waiting to get larger rocks, ya might want to consider a few other objects to paint. One year I bought a number of 2 inch terracotta pots for a quarter a piece. We painted the entire pot, put a small design on the front and planted herb seeds in them. My DD's brownie troop sold them at a garage sale for $4.00 each, making a $3 profit (approx) per pot. Maybe there is a farmer's or Flea market near you where you could sell them. We also looked in secondhand stores, flea markets, etc and got old watering cans to paint....those with rusted through spots we sold as planters. You have a lovely talent for the whimsical....think about a cottage industry type venue to help fund your garden. Once you start looking I am sure the ideas will flow.

My sister and I are trying to put together painted rocks, planters and gourds to take to the local flea market for some extra cash. I hadn't thought about planting anything in the pots. I'll have to try some herbs and maybe flowers.

Thanks for that suggestion.

Birdhouse gourds are big sellers also, as well as small bird feeder gourds. You are too welcome....

my problem is I paint the birdhouse gourds than find something I want on DG and trade them for plants. I guess that works.

It is the same as money....and barter is a great system. I really don't see that as a problem....GRIN

Marti, I have seen gourd bowls in odd and unique shapes. Maybe that is what you use as planters.

Hey!!! I got a new picture of my grandson!!

And my son and grandson!

Marti what a nice looking son and adorable grandson.
Looks like he really enjoys his peanut butter.

Thank you! I think their both gorgeous, but than that's a mother and grandmother speaking.

Marti, good looking son! And really cute GS! Was that taken around where you live?

I see the big HOLLYWOOD sign in the background. Nice looking guys, both of them!

Ok, I see it now. You have good eyes and are very observant!

oh that's adorable with the peanut butter jar!

I can take my 8" jagged saw and go get a lilac sprout after dark. I live in a very large apartment complex. When I started my zinnia garden in the common space, I didn't ask. All the neighbors and maintenance guys really liked it. If I had asked I am sure they would have said no but it worked our fine and no one ever said anything. The lilac bushes are getting pretty big and even could use a trim.

Venice, use pruners rather than a saw. You only need a couple branches 6 to 8 inches long and about the thickness of a pencil. A pruner will give you a cleaner cut.


Marti, Your grandson is such a cutie and is really giving that peanut butter the dickens....grin That is a handsome pair of fellers you have there Lady....certainly gives ya bragging rights.


Hi JJ, Hi Smiley hope y'all are having a good day today.

He's not bad for a 3 yr old, is he? My son is now 42, but still my baby.
My son's name is Charles and my GS is Elijah.

They will always be our babies Marti, no matter how old they get and much to their chagrin....LOL

you got that! My son gave up years ago trying to tell me he was not a baby anymore. Now that he is a father himself, he says he now understands what I mean when I say he is my baby. Of course, he asks that I not try and treat him like a baby in public.

Picky-picky...LOL Amazing how smart WE become when THEY have children....Grin

You said it! My son and his wife and her parents have a different opinion of how to raise a kid. I raised my son with the same belief as my father raised me. The punishment fit the crime. My GS is very head strong and large for his age. His Doctor says he is the size of a 4 and 1/2 to 5 yr old. His mother believes that you explain to a child why their behave is wrong and explain how they should behave. Thats her parents talking. They now have a niece who is 17 and out of control and they do not understand why. Maybe letting her run up a $600. - 700. a month cell phone bill every month might have something to do with it. They have never told the girl NO. Now she thinks she can do anything and there is no one to tell her no except the Law and they buy her out of that too. To some extent I'm with that you talk to a child, but there are times that you have to step up and show them why you said NO.

One time my son and GS came to visit me and I was babysitting a Jack Russell terrier for friends who had to go out of town. I blocked the Jack in my bedroom as he is not used to children. My GS tried to climb over the barracade to play with the dog. WE both told him no and I got up and removed him from climbing and said Doggie does not want to play. After the second time I got up, I applied my hand to my GS bottom and said NO and let him know I ment business. He never tried to get near that dog again. Even when I visited them one day and had the dog with me for a trip to the beach. Eli would point at the dog and say NO Doggie. We praised him for being a good boy and leaving the dog alone. My sons In laws almost got my GS bite when they all went to visit friends and did not watch out for the dog there. Thank god my son was keeping an eye out and managed to yell NO at Eli when he went for the dog. GS froze than cried and everyone thought my son was mean for yelling at him. But like my son told them, better to yell than to pay for medical bills cause they let the kid get bit.

My GS suffered a broken collar bone when his grandfather (on the wifes side ) fell while carrying Eli. He had taught Eli to play slappy face with him and when my son objected the idiot FIL would not take Eli hand and say No slap, instead he's carrying him and trying to keep his face away from the kid and stepped off the road way and into a hole and fell. Good thing I don't have their phone # or the means to fly out and have a talk with them. I'd of skinned that idiot alive with a dull, rusty knife. Hurt my GS!! Wisely, my son refuses to give me their address or phone number. And they do not have mine.

You have to be smarter than the child....or the pet for that matter in order to teach them. Kids need boundaries and need them explained...beyond that, they need to know there are consequences for overstepping those boundaries....and it is up to the parents to set those boundaries and the consequences.

That was my fathers theory in child raising, my belief and my sons. Now my DIL can not understand why their son obeys daddy better than her. My son has to step in as needed to make sure Eli obeys mom. I don't believe in hitting a child, but a smack on the bottom as a last resort is occasionally needed. But I don't let a kid get away with something until I'm so frustrated that I lose my temper with the kid.

AS little as I see my grandson, he will mind what I say and egnores what his other grandparents say.

They definitely want to know their boundaries, with all adults, I think. Sometimes "because I said so" is reason enough too.

I always used the smack on the bottom as a way of getting their undivided attention. I think they get a little shocked at that, it's a good time to reinforce something.

One of my SIL's was very good a t redirecting her kids when they were little. She would redirect them from something she didn't want them to do. The problem was, they never heard her say 'no', she would just redirect. 2 out of 3 of them gave her hell as teens. Why? Because they didn't know their boundaries.

Redirection is fine....as long as the child understands this is not acceptable and this is. This will not be tolerated and these are your options. There is very little room for subtlety when teaching behaviour.