Plant Propagation part XXVIII based on my own experience

Sounds restful.

WAKE UP.......LOOK OUTSIDE......THE SUN IS SHINING. HURRY, IT WILL ONLY LAST A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE NEXT STORM IS DUE. That is Tuesday.

I am going to get another cup of coffee and finish my Income Tax stuff to go to the accountant.
Then, I am going to work on the AARP next lesson. As they go I am getting worse. I am still passing but I am not doing well on the tests. I never did do well on tests because I try and outguess them even when I know the answer, I do not put it down. Do not ask why, I have always had a problem with written exams. Orals I do fine with, but not written. I do not comprehend the questions for some reason, or I read something else into them. These are all multiple choice and that is not good for me.
If the sun is still shining and the mud is not up to my butt, I will walk again. What a mess it is out there. But the up side is that the snow is slowly shrinking. Not melting, shrinking.

I should start to repot plants but honestly I have completely lost interest just now. I guess it is because it seems like a waste of time when I can not control the heat in the GH. It never gets too cold, but the sun is a mess when it does come out. It is already 100 deg. in there with the humidity only 16. Oh well, soon it will be Spring and we do need the sun. If I water too much they will rot. Why is the humidity staying so low is what I want to know. Maybe the darn hygrometer is not working properly. I don't care anymore. I just want summer to come soon. 90 deg. and all, just come back please. Then my plants will be my priority.

Jen, I sent you a private email regarding your last email to me. Loved it. Bopped around here for hours after listening to it. Great. Keep them coming. Yes, I was a Bebopper and a Jitterbug most of my life. I started dancing when I was very young. Took lessons and had a job in a Chicago Club where they hired girls to dance with the men. That lasted three nights and my girlfriend and I got tired of the extra crap you had to put up with, but we made enough money to buy train tickets home. LOL. That is another funny story. That was the beginning of my education regarding "street smart" and how it is the survival of the fittist. I think it was after my experience there was when I decided it was back to Country life for me, forever. LOL

And Jen, I will not send you another Aimee to kill. So there.

Howdy:
well I got out yesterday with Kim. we went to her officeto pick up more materials to work from home. they have it set up where she can log onto their system and do work that needs to get done.
well we gow another 3 inches the other day. the funny thing was they were calling for an inch but we got 3. now they are calling for like 3 inchesso who knows what coming. it was a nice day outsideand a lot of the snow had melted but I am sure we now have frozen patches all over town. the strange thing is they plow the roads but fail to clear off the drains so the water has no where to go.
Of course there were a few idiots out there getting onto the packed snow lane and going super fast for the conditions. dumb a**.... I hate it when they make me hope for a wreck.

I have to get some plug trays ready for cuttings tomorrow. they will fit on the propagation cart and then i will be out of room for new plants.

JB just give your friend my email address ... of course thats assuming they have a computer..... I have to say that because i have a friend in south florida that still has yet to get one or get online so communication is tough at times.

well not much else to add take care
Dave

jb the other Aimee is so lonely... it needs to be with others of its kinds...

Oh yea ... while I was gone one of our visiting preteans was suposed to shovel snow off the drive. whell while looking for a shovel he accidently locked the cat in my plant room . luckily ther was no damage but he had to find a place to do his business and yep you guessed it...he found a 4 gallon pot with dirt so he dug a hole and peed in it.... well it couldn't be just 1 pot but 2 of my new brugs. I am thinking of flushing the soil in a 5 gallon bucket. I gueass my question is .... Do you know if brugs are imune to cat urine? or should I worry and flush the plants to give them a fighting chance?
any help would be deeply apreciated
Dave

Might want to flush them out Dave. Brugs take a lot of water anyway, so shouldn't hurt them, and then let them dry out some, but not dry. They do not like dry.

Don't know what effect the urine would have on them. It is pretty strong. Especially if the cat couldn't get any water.

Yeah JB, that was a fun one to watch and listen to. It did get you in the swing of things didn't it? LOL Lee said they called it jitterbugging. What was the difference between that and the boogie woogie? You must have gone to the USOs??

Well, Bob went down and got the newspaper so guess I'll hang it up for now.

Just got an email from neighbor Dana that Amiga, who has been refusing to eat since my dogs attacked her, DEVOURED the food that I gave Dana to try on her. It's was the chicken and brown rice that I fix for my dogs, sprinkled with a little brewer's yeast. I'm cooking more now and will take over a big batch. I'm so relieved. That is a good sign. I just hope Tom stays out of the way when I go over.

My hollyhock seeds are germinateing well, also the goldenberries whose seeds are so small they can barely be seen. However, they are one of the currently touted "superfoods" and are supposed to grow well in poor soil and we have a lot of that so I'm making an extra effort. Have to repot many of my adeniums; glad they are not too fussy. Ordered some seeds from Singapore for a special mango. They also have durian and mangosteen but they are all much more expensive so I thought I'd try to less expensive mangoes first.

Very happy about Amiga. I cried when I read the email.

hugs, katie

OH I am so happy for the little dog. On the way to recovery. Stay cool, you are doing all the right things, just hope the neighbor appreciates it, if not, just consider the source.

Katie, that is great news for you too. To make you feel better. BTW, what is the brewers yeast for? I have heard of people using it. In fact, I am sure that is what the fellow at the health food store sold me to put on popcorn. LOL yes.

I had bought some popcorn at an estate sale where some Amish ladies were making and bagging it in their kitchen. We didn't try it until we got many miles away and it was too far to go back and ask them what they put on it. It was really habit forming. First we weren't sure we even liked it. But then the more we ate the more we liked it. It kind of tasted like a vegetable powder.

Well, I was in the health food store looking at their popcorn and described it to them and as soon as I said vegetables he said "brewer's yeast'.

I cook chicken and rice for my dogs too, but add carrots, and frozen string beans and peas to it. They love it. Love the carrots too. I was amazed. My sister got me started on that.

Also, for your FYI, every once in a while I get 10# bags of thighs and drumsticks at Walmart for $.54 a pound. When I get over that way. And, sooooo much meat on them. Much more than a 5# whole chicken when I use a half a bag for a batch of food. I cook it in a roaster and Bob freezes it in bread loaf pans. Then just takes one out at a time and it lasts a couple of days 'cause he also puts in some dry dog food and water then warms it all up in the crockpot.

Are my dogs pampered? Yup! LOL, I debone the chicken. Blob will not give them chicken bones.

Well, enough of Paula Deen for the day. LOL

We have done the chicken and cottage cheese thing for the dogs, carrots too but raw. I think they are so used to it that they won't eat if we have some disaster because the food is so plain, they will let it sit until they are really boney. My Choe runs non stop and the vet thinks she has a high metabolism. she looks like she is malnourished but it does not really fatten her up. I may have to take her back again and run thyroid and blood sugar tests though the vet did not think she had either. She was younger then, last year.

I like the healthy food for the dogs though. Brugs doing well but no sign of bloom. I tell you this, they do suck up water though.

Yeah, I forgot Bob gives them cottage cheese for dessert.

My dogs have lost a lot of weight too Dawn, but that was because they were much overweight and inactive too. Even now they live very sedentary lives. But, they are both quite old. For dogs. Their ribs aren't sticking thru tho. So, I guess they'll live.

Well, really, this is not the time of year that plants normally start producing and flowering is it? For you, in your area? I would say if they aren't getting the amount of light that they would get from the summer sun, and fertilizer and water, that they may not bloom until summer.

Does the plant that you had before the ones I gave you bloom now? Your brug? So, I would say you are doing good to keep them alive with the changing weather.

Ok JB, who are you taking, Green Bay or Steelers?

Tell me, why do they pick to defend when they get the coin toss? Second time I have seen that in a couple weeks.

Green Bay, great game too btw, so far. Were up 11 in the 4th quarter.

No I was not thinking anything would bloom this time of year, but you had mentioned that they might. It has been record breaking cold in the mornings, so the room is quite cold too for a lot of the day until the sun sets. They look so pretty though, especially the Sunset one, it is so bushy, it leaned so far toward the sun that I flipped the pot so it can stand up a little straighter for when I transplant it. It doesn't matter really anyways.

My dogs scarfed their food tonight, I bought full fat Ricotta and put a hard boiled egg in their Come and Get It food.

LOL, sounds good enough to eat Dawn.

Yes, it was a good game.

Glad the brugs are doing good. I wouldn't try to force them if you don't have a place to keep them warm. At least if it isn't warm you shouldn't have aphids or mites. LOL, that is important.

I was for the Steelers.................................good game.

Just returned from town. Mailed my tax information to the accountant, picked up some shampoo at the Pharmacy and got a coke and a sub at WaWa. The sun was shining and the temp is in the 30s.......well, so much for that. Now the temp is dropping and the sun has gone away, Rain/snow is expected late today. Honest to God, I am so tired of this. I think every bone in my old body hurts today. Arthritis is not happy with these changes in temps.

How are you Dave, are you hurting. Misery loves company .....I am looking for company.

My grandson and his girl called me on Skypes Sat. and we had a nice visit looking at each other and kidding around. Then during the game yesterday, he kept texting me because we had a quarter bet. I was for the steelers, he was for the Packers. Before the game I took two paper plates and put the same thing on both of them. Sat them on the floor and then showed them to Barney. The one had a S on and the other a P....well, he picked the Packers. I should have known. But, my son was a Steeler fan, so I was not alone. LOL I mailed my GS his quarter today. LOL Nothing wrong with me, I need to get a life.

The greenhouse looks pretty good considering. The jasmine cuttings really look good.
The gardenias, well, not too great. One little one has a bud on it but it is so tiny. It is soon Spring. Thank God.

Hope you are all o.k. You are very quiet today. I hope that means you are just tired from the game. So am I and so is Barney. Here is what he is doing. Too much football.

Good afternoon:
yea I have had a tough week. along with the weather we had visitors from out in the sticks. missed my steriod shot on friday and its set for friday at 11:00 am.. of course we are suposed to get 5 to 8" tomorrow night which will put us in line for the snowyest month. we already beat the snowyest day and record for the day of the month. we need to get like 10 more inch's to beat the snoweyest year...
so how is snoweyest spelled??? snowyest? snoweyest? snowiest?
we still have yet to melt all the crap off and we are getting hit again so its gonna be a pain wednesday.

The cat does not spend much time in the garage let alone my plant room. I think he was in with the brugs for about an hour so I hope nothing will happen to them. I will be flushing the 2 out. funny thing is I have to keep rotating them to get a balanced growth. I have 2 plumeria canes that are so curved and they wont curve back. I am afraid they are toast as they have not put on any leaves.

I am starting to soak my tropical seeds I have gotten in last year. I use my hydroponics brew to soak them in. I often get sprouting in the soak over night. I have abutalon, canna's and other miscellanious tropicals I forget at the moment. I also Have to do my daylilies this year also. I just hope I have the room for them as I might wait if I don't have the room. and of course if I wait it might carry on into the late spring.
the soak is a combo of Terantula, kelp and Michorhiza compounds. I useally use another compound with them but I am out and its 30 bucks so i am making due this year. I am thinking once i complete the flushing of the brugs I will water them with the compound mix.

well my computer has started being a pain in the butt. its way too slow to boot up and its so slow loading internet explorer i am reminded of windows 2.0.....

not much to add stay warm and dry everyone. JB sorry but here comes another blast. complain away as I am in a similar boat. I am so tired of hurting I am wishing spring would hurry up and get here.
ttfn
Dave

Yeah, me too JB. I owe Bob a nickle on the game. My sister asked if I were paying interest until I paid it. LOL told her I would be gone before it paid a penny.

Give those gardenias a shot of fertilizer. I am going to put in an order for one in a month or 2.

Do you take anything for your arthritis? I have been taking meds for mine for the last 50 years. Couldn't move without it.

It has warmed to 39 degrees here after getting 2 inches of snow last night. Bob cleaned off the decks but everything out here is still white.

Just waiting for the mechanic to call and tell me he fixed my car. Cars anyway. Afraid to hear this bill. Customers have started a class action suit against them for this very thing he is working on mine for. I might get a nickle out of it to pay Bob for the superbowl. LOL

Well you all, have a nice day. Oh BTW Dawn, I forgot to say I beat up a dozen eggs and pour on top of that concoction for the dogs and then roast/bake it all for an hour.

This message was edited Feb 7, 2011 12:33 PM

I am here. Amiga will have her hernia surgery tomorrow. I took her a big bowl of food and a small jar of brewer's yeast. Dana and I are friendly with each other. Tom was polite which is the best I can ever expect from him and is fine with me. Amiga was happy to see me. I seem to have an afinity with dogs that I lack with people.

My internet connection went out yesterday. I spent about an hour on the phone with a tech in Mexico City and got it working again. Thanks goodness. A moden needing to be replaced is a catastrophe here.

My brugs got shredded with all the wind alst week but I think they have all survived. Temp is in the low 70's today. Just beautiful.

Dana is very involved with the pet clinic here and suggested that we each contribute $50 for the operation. That sounds fair to me. I am also making a basket into a bed for Amiga. I was going to give it to her for Christmas but my ear infection got in the way. I will probably make another to give to the animal clinic to sell for a fund raiser. I'm having fun doing it as it allows me to stay off my feet most of the time.

I have some garden work to do either later today or tomorrow. Tony finished the second gate so the entrance here is now like a prison system with two gates required for entering or leaving.

My energy is low but I'm not depressed for a change. Will just take it easy. Say a few prayers that Amiga's surgery goes well and enjoy the nice weather.

hugs, katie

Katie, was the hernia caused by the tussle with the dog? Or was it something Amiga had already and just needs to be taken out? I am not sure what a hernia is. My little blind dog has had one on her belly ever since we got her years ago. I guess it depends on how bad, where it is, and the activity level of the dog as to whether or not to operate? Is that it? The vet told us not to have anything done to it.

Sounds like you and your neighbors might make a go of it. Got my fingers crossed for you.

Well, must get busy, ttyl

The hearnia was apparently caused by my dogs' attack but the vet said there was probably a weakness in the stomach to begin with. We are all so happy that she seems to be recovering and that we are both determined to take care that it doesn't happen again that we seem to be past any blame, at least with Dana and me. Tom is at least staying out of it.

I get twenty pound boxes of chicken legs for my dogs. I let them defrost a bit, then bag three or four legs to each gallon bag and refreeze them. I cook one or two bags with brown rice and often add a few eggs at the end. I leave dry food out so the dogs can eat that if they get hungry but it is so low in nutrition that I don't make it part of their regualr diet.

kb

Katie, didn't you say you use brewers yeast on the dogs food? Why?

And JB, what is the AARP test you are taking? Sanity?

LOL

Brewers yeast has lots of vitamins and minerals. It is also, like garlic, reputed to help repel fleas. The dogs like it. I've had cats who like it "straight." One of them would move her yeast dish to the middle of the kitchen floor if I neglected to fill it. Another used to dip her right paw into it and then hold it up - like a communion offering. She was a very spiritual cat.

kb

Jen, the AARP Sanity test is only given in WA.

The class I am taking is the Driver Safety Program and if I pass it and send it to my Insurance Company, they will give me a reduced rate in my Auto Insurance. If you look up AARP,ORG and see if you can find the Driver Safety Program. It really sucks. Dumb and costs $15.00 but if it helps my Insurance rates I will spend that. Also, in August my license will need to be renewed. The State is talking about making Seniors over 70 retake the drivers test. I thought a refresher would be worth the money.

I used to love Yeast as a kid. We ate it like candy. Maybe that is what is wrong with me.

Glad the dogs are o.k. and the neighbors are being civil.

Dave, you need to keep up with your shots. I take nothing for my arthritis. Never have, never will. The chiropractor helps me weekly.

Off to have a salad. I am not hungry and I hurt. Hugs. JB

Hi All,
Hope you are all warm and comfy. I've had a slow day, but fun. It was Mom's bday so my sister and I collaborated on a drawing for her. My sister is a very talented artist and I have recently become a wannabe. LOL. The picture turned out great though and even though my sister is in CA. we were able to complete the project just in time for Mom's bday.

It has been in the 50's today, but rained all day. I love the rain so I won't complain, but it does seem to make the aches and pains seem worse. My feet needless to say are still very painful, but I am very thankful I didn't hurt anything else.

Katie, that is great news about amiga. I hope everything will be ok.

I cook for my animals too. They love it when I get those little round steaks on sale and cook them for a long time. Put them in the magic bullet and even the cat goes wild. They often get chicken quarters too, when they are cheap. I don't like giving them prepared foods and they seem to eat this so much better.
Spud, ( my youngest) loves raw carrots and broccoli, but Titus the older dog won't touch veges. Orchid ( my cat) will eat anything I give her and loves cantaloupe. I have never seen a cat eat like she does. It is funny though. She is 17 and still rules this roost. LOL The 2 dogs definitely defer to her royalty.

I am forcing my son to fill trays with potting mix tomorrow. He wanted money. LOL so I took advantage of that and told him that was the only way he could earn any. Which means, I can soak seeds tonight and then start some tomorrow. I can do it at the table and not have to stand up to do it. I will try anyway, I can't let this whole planting season get away and me not start anything.

Hope everyone has a great night.
Linda

I do have some aphids Jeanette, I saw them this morning. I am going to put hot pepper sauce and dish soap on them and see if that does it. Some of my yogurt seeds are showing signs of algae. I don't know if I should just use peroxide or if I should put a fungicide on or make a natural one. ?????Some of the Petunia are coming up in those containers and I don't want to lose them.

mornin:
yea I know I need to keep up with my shots or i might get taken to the pound for not keeping them up to date. I am suposed to get it this friday.
well we are suposed to get 6 to 10" of more of the white fluffy stuff. looks like we are breaking the most snow for a season as well as the other ones. looks like we just have one left to beat and i am hopefull that one stays unbroken. most snow in a single year. the record is 25"... . yes i know some of you get that in a single storm and manage to get by without it messing up the work week. we are not used to it. they have hired 8 contractors to work on street clearing as well as putting the emergency vehichles out running the streets to pack it all down. the best part is we are suposed to be close to 60 on friday. welcome to oklahoma weather ...if you dont like it wait a min and it will change.
I did flush my brugs yesterday and its watering time for my seedlings. it looks like most everyone will sprout. I have a couple of hold outs but i have faith they will join the party.

not much else going on. i will check in later
Dave

Linda, what is a magic bullet?

I use a diluted water and peroxide Dawn.

If I could be promised 60 degrees in a few days I wouldn't mind the snow Dave.

Get out of the way guys, JB is taking her driving test!!!

Where is Evelyn??

And Sharon and Lee? They must be sleeping in.

Katie when is Amiga's surgery?? How is she doing?

Well, gotta run.ttyal

Jeanette: I agree... its ideal when it happens that way but the last few years we have had several weeks of fridgid temps with a nice blanket of snow. I like the typical tulsa snow storm... the temperature drops a front moves in and it snows then in a few days a high pressure system comes in out of the south and we get 40's, 50's or 60's. It really makes for perfect flu weather which is why I stay inside.

I think you are right or maybe lee is digging out of the snow bank. sharon is most likely busy cleaning the garage. I wish I had the enrgy to clean our garage out... just too much crap and a dumpster would have to be ordered.

Jeanette: a long long long time ago you asked about my gorilla tape and i don't think I gave a discription to you... its like duct tape but stronger. I am so ready for spring

Dave ~ Have your columbines sprouted yet? I have read that they are slow germinators. Have the brooms shown any signs of life? I had doubts about one that I sent to you...the one that I pulled out of straight gravel. So what all do you have started from seed, and which ones have come up? At what temperature do you keep your greenhouse? Is it heated?

Sorry to be absent so long, but I have had quite a long spell of pain that left me with little energy. I neglected a lot of other things as well, and now I am trying to catch up. I have not started a single seed and I need to send some seeds to others. I hope to at least do the mailing today, along with my regular household chores.

The tree guy is back and here with his son as he says that he needed help with the oaks. Not too many people want to work for him as the work is not so steady in winter, but we have had quite a long period of warm weather for a change. It has been around 60° for about a month, though it will dip to freezing sometimes at night. Last year I was moaning about all the snow and no chance to get out and work. This year our Jan. temps have allowed plenty of time to work, but I have been down for most of January. I had to force myself to go outside yesterday and managed to do a few things and start the clean up the last of the 8 square foot gardens. The others seemed fairly easy but this one was a soggy mess....and why? Too much clay in there so a lot of sifting out and adding amendments. I thought I did all of them the same last year, but I guess not seeing the weed roots at the bottom with soggy hard clay. The weather is scheduled to change by the weekend and bring rain and/or snow so I must do what I can until then.

So far in one box I have planted several kinds of peas and several kinds of lettuce. In another I have Chinese cabbage, as the broccoli and regular cabbage was demolished by one hungry deer who managed to jump the fence. I purchased a dozen more broccoli plants as I wasn't sure if they would be ready in time grown from seed, but I will start some anyway as our cool-season garden did so well last year. Maybe the tomatoes will do better since some of the trees are going. There is more sun in there already, though there will be some shade from the taller trees farther away.

JB ~ How are you coping with all the blizzard-like conditions you have been facing?

Jeanette ~ Do you still have snow at your house too? Maybe Dawn, Sharon, Linda, Katie and I are the only ones without snow right now?? Anyone I left out?

Sharon ~ How is the garage coming along? And the "Blue Garden"? I hope you can give us a list of what you put in there and please take some pictures.
Have you read Gertrude Jeckyll's "Colour Scheme for the Flower Garden"? It is a classic and is on most shelves of garden designers. It has been reprinted as it was originally printed in the early 1900's. Almost all articles that have ever impressed me in magazines seem to rely heavily on her color theories. As much as I do not agree with every single thing she presents, I have put to use many, many of her ideas. I would do more if it weren't for the "deer problem", (and gophers!) as we cannot afford to fence off the entire 12 acres, though I wish we did have more fenced land. I will work with what is available as I can barely keep up with what I have planted these days anyway. There is no use planting more if what one has planted cannot be maintained properly. Some areas need more plants, like creeping phox and other flowering ground covers.

Not much else now, I must go and pack up some seeds for people on exchanges. I don't think I will get so involved with that anymore as one box filled with seeds has yet to be sorted, even though I got all of what I already had in order. So, I need to do that as well as getting my setup in place for starting indoors and outdoors. Have a great day every one.

Evelyn

Oh, Jeanette - You would love a Magic Bullet! I had mine for about 2 years until it wore out. By the time the company either called or emailed me back, I just tossed it, as they said they would send me another one. It makes making smoothies in just a few seconds, instead of minutes with the blender, which I now use. And it whips cream in 2 seconds. My husband used to take out the mixer on a stand to make whipped cream, and of course we would have more than we needed most times. You can make just what you need in 2 seconds, with their separate mixing blade. It is really a mini-food processor. I suppose that you never saw their infomercial?? (I had the original one.)

JB ~ You have to drive in the ice and snow for your driving test? YIKES!

Katie must be enjoying the nice weather as she seems to be in the same weather holding pattern that most of us in the southwest have been having. I think of myself in the northwest when we get snow, though, since I live in northern CA.

Lee ~ Are you still buried in snow as well?

Back down to a -10 last nite, so anything that tried to melt is now solid. Poor Storm cant get any traction even to play, just slides around. Thought since the snow was melting, we might get rid of some of it, but I think it just packed down. Then when the sun goes away, seems like it starts snowing again. We still have about 2 ' on the ground, and that is packed. It has receded back from the edges of the yard so guess there is hope.
I am with Jeanette, can't seem to get into seed, or plant starting. Hard when you only see white outside, and too cold to go out unless it is a necessity.
Later, Lee

This morning it rained. Lots of snow melted yesterday, now the pile beside the barn is down to 6 ft. LOL The barnyard is a mud hole and the delivery guys are having a fit. I am able to walk more since more grass is showing on the South side of the house and Barney is so much happier now. It is now just cloudy and extremely cold with 40 mph winds. I just do not know where this s**t comes from.

I have plants ordered that I may not get for months yet. My Cactus are doing o.k. I have two gardenia plants, Not Aimee, another Jasminoide and the leaves are falling off and the buds are growing but I know they will fall eventually. The plants look crazy. I have them in the house in order to keep an eye on them. There are a few of the plants inside other than the cactus that look good but several have mealy bug again and I swear I am about to get rid of everything but the cactus. I am sick of this bug thing. I just do not want to deal with anything at this point. No initiative to do a darn thing with the weather being the way it is. No storm this week , this one went south of us and we got lucky. There is no place for anymore snow. Dave, it missed you too??????

Forgive me for not giving you individual notes. I am not good at remembering who said what. But, I love reading all your posts and sharing all your experiences.

I am trying to have a more positive attitude and I am again working on my classes for anxiety in order to change my attitude. I feel better, but it is a constant struggle. Reading, listening to CDs , exercising. all things I do not feel like doing.

My tests are Thursday and then it will take a month until I get the results. No wonder I have anxiety. See you all later. Love and HUgs. JB

Amiga's surgery was just two hours ago. She survived but the vet said the tear was really ragged so she's not out of the woods yet. While I was asking about her, my dogs came tearing by - outside my fence!! Tony had left a gate open.

I've been doing clean up in my outdoor plant room, making room to start some seeds. Repotted my adeniums that got tossed by the winds last week. Moved a lot of epis to a table outside the plant room; They are all well-rooted and the table is up high enough to offer some protection from the dogs who like to play "toss the plant."

I finished the bed that I was making for Amiga for Christmas and also a cat-shaped throw. Took it over while Dana and Tom were gone and gave it to their worker. I included some graepfruit and lemons.

Since I was mostly sewing I tried to get through the day without a painkiller. Made it until a little after 2 pm. The bone spur in my right foot is a b###h. With the arthristis pain I can usually keep my outbursts to a moan; the bone spur has me yelling. I need a little donut - like they have for hemorroids but smaller, to put under it.

My hollyhock and golden berry plants are all doing well. I'll put a lot of my older seeds in cottage cartons and see what, if anything, grows.

hugs, katie

Oh Katie that is good news though.

I would have split the order with you Evelyn, 2 Magic Bullets for $100 but they wanted 50% S & H!! Yeah, $47.99!!

Well, I am here lurking. We had high winds last night. I thought for sure we were going to blow away.

Both dogs are back to their normal selves.

Vern had his first balance rehab today. He was there for three hours. He will be going every Tuesday and Thursday. He said he liked the workers and actually felt good about himself when he saw the other patients. I went there and the majority of their patients are from stroke or brain injury.

No snow here but we have our February winds. I have been deep watering all my landscape, a little part at a time. I have a laborer coming over next week to help me dig the cannas, hardy hibiscus and black bamboo. I was going to do it but there are just to many for me to do myself.

Dave, the garage is still clean. I have been cleaning my pantry for two days The majority of the contents of the pantry are scattered all over the kitchen. So right now the house looks like a tornado hit it. I did 25% of it about a month ago. I am posting a photo of it partially emptied and one of the kitchen island buried in groceries.

My SUV is also in the garage. It kept blowing a fuse. The short is in the passenger visor. The visor has a lit mirror. Believe it or not replacing the visor with labor is $300. I would not replace the visor but that would not fix the short and the garage door opener is on the same fuse.

Then the small leak under the car was a transmission solenoid seal. $600. $.05 for part and the rest is labor. But I am really OK with this because the SUV is a 2003, has 42,000 miles and is as good as new. I have spent very little except for general maintenance.

As soon as I get the pantry completed, I need to start on the taxes and get the plants dug and shipped. AND, get my seeds sorted and sown or shipped.

3/4 empty photo.

Later friends. Sharon.

Kitchen island with pantry etal.

Well, Sharon, at last you have an empty space to put all of that stuff back.

BTW, If you have any extra roots of the Black Bamboo, please stick a piece in with the canna for me if you would???? Thanks loads. Jeanette

Don't know if they would be hardy for any of you but I can get neem tree seeds now. They do not stay viable for long so it's now or a year from now and you should be ready to plant them fast.

kb