Apropos of Nothing v.17

Wow lots to catch up on.
I am a gimini pixy and I love it
Was reading about all thr falls and I had to laugh...my 12 year old just fell off of a 3 ft high tree branch and broke his wrist.......only sad thin is we don't have health insurance :(

Very nice to allow your garden to be danced in Melissa. What a wonderful way to spend a night. Tonight I sat way above Zimovia straight watching a sunset while a sailboat was anchored below. I longed to be in that boat at anchor tonight. I think you too Melissa would have enjoyed smelling the ocean mixed with pages of a good book.
Can you imagine what children go through today with all of the required lists of conforming to the world around. I am myself well trained in conformity, now rapidly running from such unnatural bondage. The space on this planet is too small for some children to develope if they choose a different way of adapting. No person like Jerimiah Jones would make it anymore and develop autistic processing.

Oh no, GardenChick! That's too bad, for sure. It's hard to be a 12 year old boy, but even harder to be the parent of one.

Bonehead, that's it! And I actually DID buy that cultivar, and then promptly forgot about it. I didn't recognize it because in its previous location it did not fare as well. It really likes it in this location, I guess. I would not call this 'well behaved' in my bed. I wonder if mine was not labeled correctly, which is entirely possible. It definitely does not have a clumping habit.

Portland, I forgot to answer your question about where we are heading. Yes, somewhere near the boat and on the water. The plan is to actually live on the boat on the water, which will make gardening a wee bit difficult. It won't be forever, just until we get tired of it. And it will take a few years of planning, etc to make it happen.

Wow, Pixydish, talk about hauling up anchor and being adrift with the tides! I have known people who have done that, and it sounds very neat. You certainly need to be very compatible with your spouse in such close quarters. Where do you keep your boat now - is it sail or motor?

When I was a kid my stepfather bought a 74' diesel-run boat; you could definitely live on that! But it cost the earth to move it anywhere.

That is a huge change, from gardener to sailor. You'll need some hanging baskets to hang on the rigging, or some such thing, to have your love of plants assuaged in that situation. And maybe an earth box on the dock? Or maybe just sailing into myriad ports to visit botanic gardens will be sufficient. There you can enjoy the gardens without having to do any weeding whatsoever. I have to say that is sounding like an attractive option.

I have been and will be offline for a time. My computer got a virus and has crashed, so I have limited access at the library and occasionally a friend's computer. I am not sure yet if I will try to fix it or buy another. All my pictures are not on disc. I tried to get going on that project last year and only got so far. I need to figure out if there is a way to save them. The virus was very tricky. It seemed to be coming from my internet provider as an error message.

Bummer. Computer problems are bad enough without losing all your photos! Hopefully you can get them retrieved.

MHF I hope you don't end up losing photos! Computer problems suck.

Pix my sister and her husband lived on their sailboat for 6 years, cruising around at whim and as the weather allowed. They loved it, but are back on land now and gardening near Eugene.

Oh no, Holly! computer problems are the worst and there are so many viruses written by mean people! I hope they can recover your photos.

Greenhousegal, we have a 34ft sailboat. We'll get one a little larger when we put this plan into action, but certainly it won't be a 74 foot boat! More like 40ft. Yikes! The expense of that '74ft boat would be enormous. We keep our boat down in the Tacoma Foss waterway.
It won't be forever, just until we get tired of living that way, so I figure I'll have a garden again in this life. Getting the boating bug is similar to getting the gardening bug except more expensive. Well, maybe not considering all the plants I've bought over the years, many of which I no longer have.

Portland, what kind of boat did your sister live on? Six years sounds about right to me.

I just posted an interest thread for a "Mini R/Up" Please look and respond.

Holly, have you Googled the messages you're getting? I've had situations where my problem was spyware rather than a bonafide virus and was able to download for free the software I needed to get rid of it. I just had to then restart my computer in safe mode and run the cleaning software.

Pix - your new adventure sounds like fun. I'll be interested in hearing about this as it pans out.

Pix, this is info from my sister. I know nothing about boats, except that hers was really pretty, with beautiful wood.

"flicka was small-a 32 ft ketch designed by thomas gilmer...she was designed as an ocean going boat and was sturdily made and could store supplies and stores for 6 mos... she was an allied seawind II...they have not been made for years!...an allied seawind was the first fiberglass boat to circumnavigate...we had radar ,ssb radio, ham radio 2 GPS, an EPIRB, water-maker, life-raft w/ hand-held water maker, a storm anchor to be deployed at sea, several different heavy-duty anchors, a 10 ft inflatable w/ a 15 hp outboard which we later exchanged for a 10 hp which was a lot more easily handled at anchor...we had a storm sail and an assymetrical spinnaker made...and more...i think i'm forgetting one very important safety item...will be happy to answer any specific questions they have."

My goodness this thread moves, been out weeding for the past couple days and just too tired to logon in the evening when I come in. Have to admit, in earlier tonight - just too too tired. Need day off. Its holiday time (or, as you say, Vacation!) - must catch up before adding in my next tuppenceha'penny. some lovely photos - thank you Pix - and some interesting comments. And lots of lovely chat. Right now

Pix years ago when I lived in Southern California my sister & her husband were taking the boat from Sausalito down to Mexico and they had to stop in Ventura to have a repair done. I went up to the marina to visit, and the place was ugly and dirty and I was searching for my sister's boat among all the dry-docked vessels, ruffians, tools, and paraphernalia, and finally I found it, climbed up the ladder to the deck, brushing dust & dirt off as I went. I found my sister, down in the hold, making a chocolate souffle.

So.....we will expect chocolate souffle when we come to visit pixy on her boat!

Judi, we're familiar with the Allied boats. They are so beautiful under sail, especially a nice ketch. Mike would love to have a ketch rig.
Is your sister's husband named 'Ted'? I find a reference to an Allied Seawind II ketch owned by a man named Ted back in 2002, and then another on owned by a woman named Tricia in 2007. Could be the same boat. I would love to communicate with them as the time for choosing another boat and getting serious about actually launching gets closer.
Gwen, don't hold your breath on the chocolate souffle! I don't do those even in my land based kitchen! LOL!

I had to laugh at your description of the marina and the 'ruffians' who frequent those places, Judi. People can begin to look a little rough around the edges when they work on boats all day. I guess you get used to it after awhile and it begins to look 'normal'.

This message was edited Aug 4, 2010 9:15 AM

LOL Pix - I was just not accustomed to walking among a bunch of boats that are up out of the water, and they seemed so big, and there were greasy guys with big tools and lots of clanking going on. My sister's husband is named Bob - Georgi & Bob Samuelson. Georgi kept a very interesting log of their travels, complete with little sketches. She would be happy to talk about it when you are ready. They had committed to 5 years on the boat but then were not ready to give it up and move back to land. They were very creative about storage, and had a clever system for wine. They replaced the shower floor with plexiglass, stowed the wine under it, and tied strings with labels on the ends so that they could easily pull out the desired bottle of wine. And they had a cat (with no tail) and held cat overboard drills so it would learn to climb up a towel that was trailing in the water.

Judi, great mental pictures! Just off the water ourselves, crabbing in an 8' dinghy, almost got our limit. Nothing better than getting really close to the water. Pixy, did you happen to see the article in the Seattle Times last Sunday about living aboard?

Okay, I think we all need to hear the story of Georgi and Bob's travels complete with wine and slide show . . .

Oh goodness! Poor cat, but how creative and hilarious! I would love to hear about their adventures one day. We're reading everything we can about it. I have pretty much given up my gardening magazines and have started laying in bed with DH at night reading 'Good Old Boat' magazine and looking at classified ads for boats we cannot afford.

I will have to look for the article in Sunday's paper, bonehead. You know, I got my dh a crab trap for his bday last year and he has never used it. When we were getting ready for this year's trip, I asked if he wouldn't like to take it with us since he loves seafood. He declined because he read about the method people use for killing the crabs and he didn't think he could do it! LOL! This is the man who catches fish, takes the hook out, and then releases them, denying that it hurts them one bit. This I do not understand.

Here's a link to a website that shows where we went and has a few photos. http://www.spotadventures.com/trip/view?trip_id=212555

Pix, pix, how do I slow the slide show down - all those lovely pictures flying by and I can't look at them closely - help, I want to linger! Looks fab.

Those photos look like paradise. What a lovely adventure.

Laurie, look for the little 'x' at the top right of each of the pictures. Click on that for a picture and thumbnails will appear for all the pictures at bottom. You can click on each.

Be sure to note that clicking the arrows to the right or left of the line of thumbnails will reveal additional photos.

K

Thanks for sharing your lovely adventure. How did you coerce yourselves to return to our mundane life ashore?

Yeah- looking at those beautiful photos, I'm pretty sure I would have had a very hard time coming home.

Great trip, Pixy. We have fished out of Uclulet many times and love that area, too.

I saw my orthopedic doc today. Shoulder surgery coming up. Whee. Not fussed about the procedure itself, it will be pretty minor. Just not looking forward to the physical therapy and recovery process. Bleah. There's a chance my phoenix tattoo could get a little damaged too, which would be a bummer. Of all my tats, that's the one that has the most meaning attached to it. But if it happens, it happens. He did say he'd do his best to avoid it.

Ran into Pixy over in Tacoma- that was a pleasant surprise. :)

Happy that both my girls are home with me until Sunday.

Are they not just the cutest things?

Yes, Bea, what darling girls. Enjoy your time together.

Pony, is that going to help the pain you have been in? I was under the impression that the problems were lower down.

Bea, gorgeous girls! Wow, you did good.

Pony, yeow. While you are at the physio, any chance that he/she could help you with your back too - sometimes what we do to guard a sore/damaged area can cause problems in another one. Might be worth asking.

Katie - thank you for instructions (you are brillant) - works wonderfully. Now I can stroll rather than romp through pixie's pics.

Went out for a wonderful walk yesterday - spent the entire day out in the middle of a nearby vale - passed two other walkers - that is all. I just find it so amazing that less than 2 hours from town and it is so quiet. Can hardly wait for the bunch of you to come over so I can take all of you out for a walk (hmm, I need to find a place to pick up rocks for Lynn). Stopped in a lovely little pub half way round - Rose and Crown in Mayfield (just in case Sofer wants to look it up) - good food, nice dog, very nice building, looked like good drink (sorry, I don't drink when I am walking - makes the afternoon miles toooooooo looooonnnnngggggg, the hills tooooooo stttteeeeeeppppp, the legs tooooo heavvvvvyyy, the eyes closing closing closing) - definately worth doing again.

Today, gardening. Definately enjoying holiday time this year. Having real summer weather.

Sharon, no- this is a separate issue. My right shoulder has been trashed for many years- used to get cortisone shots in it, but those aren't good for long-term use. My back pain is from a degenerated disc at the base of my spine.

Oops, we crossed, Laurie.

No, my orthopedic doctor has nothing to do with spinal stuff. And I have been going from doctor to doctor with my back, including a spine specialist, but they all pretty much say I'm out of luck.

I never thought I would reach out to people on the internet the way I am about to. Some of you I know a little bit in person. I have shared much of my gardening life each week and season and some of my personal life here in print, so I have developed cyber-friendships with many of you. Right now I am going through an intensely difficult personal time. I cannot post details in such a public place, but I just ask that you think of me. Pray for me if that is what you do. Thank you, friends.

Holly, I am sending sympathy and hopes for a good outcome in whatever you are going through. We have had difficult times in the past as well and I can definitely empathize. Good luck and bon courage!

My thoughts are with you. Stay strong.

Holly, wish I could be more help than just rooting for you. Life sure sucks sometimes.

On another, and more pleasant, note.....Rarejem and I just got a 15 yard load of Tagro delivered. We are drooling and jumping for joy to think about getting all of our flowerbeds top-dressed. We are also hoping that it will discourage those awful slugs we have had this year. She just couldn't wait last night and, after work last night, brought the first tractor load to a small bed I had gotten all weeded out. Pictures will no doubt follow today as I have the day off.

Oh, Holly, I am so saddened to hear that. I am just thinking about how hard you work for all of your youngsters, what a conscientious parent you are, and what a good person to have in any community - cyber or real - please know that I am, we all are, thinking of you. Take care. Laurie

Holly, please know I am thinking of you. Difficult personal circumstances can be worrisome and very sad. You have a support system here.

Holly Good luck with all your challenges! You are in my thoughts!

Sending wishes your way, Holly- I dearly hope your situation improves quickly.

Sharon and Julie- awesome. Tagro is the best stuff ever! Mine didn't seem to have any effect on the slugs, but I use the potting mix, not the straight compost.