Ground/soil in Texas is so unstable a basement is prohibitive. In the olden days everyone build a cellar. Rarely see such these days but the danger is still very real. I might have to check into such.
Have lived through some 5 tornadoes in my life. None of them were very much fun. Thankfully, I was never hit head on but the peripheral damage was substanstial. I have GREAT RESPECT for what most people call "Mother Nature". In my mind, it is the Rath of God.
Take care.
The coconut wireless - chat thread
We did get a thunderstorm and rain last night. Lightning hit right next to the house and about knocked me out of bed.
Happy flowers this morning
We were hit by a hurrican two days after I moved into this "hous" - which at that time was some cement block walls, no windows no roofs. I temporary roof over my bed blew off and I finally slept a little in my RV which also leaked. My crazy neighbor Charles was out on the roof of his shed in the worst of it, trying to nail down roof panels.
It was quite a mess. However, the little house where I had been living up to two days earlier was completely under water. I got dengue fver, was in bed for a week and thatnked God that I had gotten out of the other house.
The house where I live now is well above the flood plain and the worst hurricane we've ever had, about three years ago, barely rouched me. Others lost everything.
One thing that happened during that hurricane was that I was on my way home from Ca., knowing that the hurrican was slowly headed our way, when the hurrican speeded up. It's the one that hit Mulege the hardest ever and I got held up when the road went out. I spent several days under a portoco about 60 miles north of Mulege. I had several books and a lot of boxes of crayons for Christmas so I read a lot and handed out boxes of crayons to all the children. I remember especially that many of the children who had siblings were happy that the each got their own box of crayons and didn't have to share.
Meanwhile, the road from the town of Mulege east to where I live was washed out. The part of the story that most surprises people is that Tony, my friend who works for me, stayed at my house. until I got back. several days. He and his wife have a large extended family and he ended up with 28 people in their two-bedroom house. He stayed to my house mostly to be sure my dogs were OK. When people are surprised at that (think of New Orleans plicemen who desserted when Katrina hit) I say it's a measure of our relationship. When I did get home the twenty-five pounds of brown rice and ham that I'd brought back with me immediately went to Tony's family. Whcih is also my family.
We have been spared since but we take nothing for granted.
My schotia tree lost a lot of its top leaves and this year is the first time that the whole tree has leaves. I didn't lose any of my trees, nor was there damage to my house.
Enough of memory lane. Tony is taking his son Antonio to Santa Rosalia for x-rays so he won't be here today. He put in a long day yesterda, moving soil in the arroyo. Our plan is now clear so we can work without stopping to think or maybe change things. It's kind of fun to have some mindless work to do.
It's another lovely day here.
hugs, katie
I've told you this before, Katie, but once again....YOU ARE ONE STRONG WOMAN.
RJ, petunias? They are beautiful but not your usual kind of choice.
Been deadheading the annuals/perennials and trying to decide which ones to pull up. I have other things pushing through the ground and the larkspur are overshadowing much of it. Finished cutting the seed heads of the poppies I had already pulled up. The stalks are on the curb today.
Mike is gone to his mother's at the assisted living facility. Yesterday the title company e-mailed me all the papers with a cover letter with instructions. I marked each page as to what it is and marked where she is to sign. They have a person there who is a notary and only 4 pages must be witnessed. He called and said he had another appointment at 10, come now. Kind of glad I didn't have to go. One less stressful encounter.
Aloha,
I am so very happy to hear that the tornados missed you both - I have been watching the TV while at work, and it's just horrific. I don't ever remember such an active year in all the years that I have lived in this country.
Sylvain, was it you that paid over $31,000 for Princess Bea's hat?
PK, so glad to read that your MIL's house is almost settled, it's been a long road to get to this point. Did you manage to get rid of the things that were left over?
Katie, I'm with PK - you really are a strong lady!
My boss is finally back at work today so I am off until Sunday - YEA! I am having a light put in over the dining table and I came home last evening to a real mess. The ceiling has a whole chunk taken out in order to run the electricity, furniture all piled into one corner, etc, etc. I guess you have to break some eggs to make an omelette, but I will be glad when everything is back to normal! They are also replacing the wood on all five of the windows that are up near the ceiling that have termite damage, at least this new wood is treated lumber instead of the untreated that the house was built with in the seventies, so we should be good to go when it's all done.
The figs are starting to ripen a few at a time. The birds are having a field day, especially the little white eyes who seem to love them. One of them sat two inches from Franks hand and scolded him as he was picking yesterday morning. It really was quite funny.
We are starting to get our summer weather here now, although the temps only stay in the eighties the sun is very strong. Mom and I work from 7 until 9.30 in the morning and after that it's too hot to be anywhere but the deep shade. We are winning the war with the Monkey Pod tree, the new leaves have come out overnight and the mess is getting less and less everyday. Mom is happy - it's almost over for another year!
Not to sure what I am going to do in the garden this morning, I haven't had a chance to even walk around to pick my battle, but I do have some small trees that have to get their feet in the ground so that will be my first job. I also need to clean out the pond filters - man! I hate that job!
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Jenn
Hi, everyone.
I have a bevy of question here. I know someone will be able to answer them.
I have somehow become known in our development as a good place to bring unwanted or distressed plants. Yesterday, someone dropped off an autralian fern tree (cyathea cooperii). It's about 14 inches high with 2 fronds. It was dug up using a teaspoon, or a 2X4... I can't be quite sure. It was then unceremoniously thrown into a cracked plastic pot and left here.
On with the questions: I don't have any space in my garden for such a thing, but I do like the way they look. I can, however, house it in a very large terracota pot. Would it do well in there? What kind of light should I aim for? I can provide everything from full sun to full shade. What about watering, fertilizing and such?
Oh, and I am getting 2 more buds on my lotus plants. I can't wait! And I'll avail myself of my bragging rights and post pictures of the blooms.
Take care, everyone.
Pu'ole, aka Sylvain.
Sylvain, RJ has had an Australian Fern for several years growing in the middle of his pond. I would suggest you check with him because he has become an expert on this matter, as he is on all things gardening. I would think you should be flattered to be the recipient of some distressed plants. It is obvious to your neighbors that you have the midas touch. Actually, I have found that the green thumb is at the end of a lot of elbow grease.
I bought an Austrailian Fern at Home Depot 3-4 years ago. Had to give it away as any contact would give me a rash like poison ivy. Don't think that is true for most people.
PK
Hi.
I am blessed with the kind of skin found in barnyard animals. Plants reported to cause reactions and irritations in others don't bother me in the least. I guess that's lucky.
Sylvain.
Sylvain, so glad to hear your lotus are blooming. I just had my first flower this week, so very late for here.
We don't have basements here either, the water table is too high. Tornados along the coast are very rare but one did come down here about 10 years ago killing a woman.
There are storm clouds all around us today but no rain and it has been more than a month since we have had some. We are due and I hope mother nature agrees with me.
alice
I managed about an hour-and-a-half in the arroyo today. Tony made it a little longer and we got part of a PERMANENT path done and lot of soil moved. It's so funny. To look at it, it's big mounds of oil and rock, a bunch of dead aplm laogs and a lot of old tire, most just kind of tossed together. But I look at it and see how beautiful it's going to be.there are several magenta bouganvillas which bloom almost constantly. As we get the PERMANENT (I love that word) paths done I have lots of aloes and other succulents which can go in between the tires.
With Tony's help I'm putting together my first tipsy pot (See the Trash to Treasure forum if you don't know what this is, or Google it). I cut the rebar and got the base done, then found I don't have enough strength in my arms to pound the rebar into the soil. Tony to the rescue. I've started stacking the pots. I have little portulaca and marigolds I can plant in them.
This is getting to be fun. We have spent so much of our time and effort on the bones - the fruit trees, windows, roofs, floors, brownbagging some walls, building up the soil, and collecting materials that doing some flowers is a real treat. I've no regrets on how we set our priorities - I llike to think of Tonys' grandchildren (as yet unborn) living here and enjoying the fruits (literally) of our labor. And we are demonstrating some profound improvements that can be done with very little money.
I have several little cherimoya trees which will go in when they're a bit bigger. I also have six or seven of some kind of coral tree. I collected the seeds from a tree in Chula Vista and now have enough to use for the top of the tire terrace.
Today I was remembering something that Ruth Stout wrote in one of her gardening books. She had a young man helping her in the garden but he didn't like the work and she let him go because she didn't want to eat food grown by a person who did not enjoy gardening. While neighbors like Dana and Tom look down their noses at what we're doing I think of all the joy that has gone into our work. To each his own, I guess.
Time for a late lunch.
hugs, katie
Aloha everyone,
Work is over for another week - Yea! The Island is quieter now, most of the winter visitors are gone and the summer visitors are not here until school on the mainland lets out - it is nice to have the roads to ourselves again! We have few visitors checking in, so I have been spending my time working on my quilt while waiting for them to arrive - I am lucky that my Manager doesn't mind what I am up to!
I hope everyone had a nice Memorial Weekend, I saw lots of local families having Luau's along the beaches and in the beach parks on my way to work - it looked like a lot of fun and the smell of roasting pig wafted over all day - gosh it made me hungry!
The construction work at home will be continuing today - nothing quite like construction dust! Too bad as I have some friends coming over this afternoon and everything will be in total disarray - oh well, we can at least sit out on the lanai and visit.
We have had my FIL (who is 95) in hospital for a few days after he collapsed, had a blood pressure of 40/20, and was unresponsive. After every test known to man, they still don't know what was wrong with him, but it's been quite a worry. He is back in the assisted care home again and seems to be fine...
I hope you have all those documents signed now PK, and everything is good to go with your MIL's home.
Nice to hear that you have your PERMANENT paths in Katie, I have to look up tipsy pots - they sound like fun.
My plans for today (besides doing the usual laundry, etc) include taking a large rug down to the lower patio and hosing it off. The constuction guys managed to get stuff all over it even though it was rolled up out of the way. I just hope that I don't ruin it - at least the sun is strong enough to dry it quickly, I hope! Not really exciting stuff is it? LOL!
I haven't got a clue about what is going on in the garden as I haven't even set foot in it for days. It's always a surprise to see how much changes in a few days...From my window I can see that an orchid tree is full of bloom, and it looks very pretty.
I hope everyone has a lovely day.
Jenn
Hi Everyone,
Our weather has been a little cooler than usual adn we are enjoying it. Tony and I (more Tony than I to tell the truth) have been able to continue work in the arroyo. I've not had to turn on the air conditioning yet.
Lots of plants are growing well. They like the weather, too. Lots of plumarias blooming. The schotia is making seeds while the flame tree starts to bloom. A lucky accident of planting.
My house sounds like an aviary. The schotia tree in bloom has so much nectar that all the birds came to ffeast in it. Many of them are sticking around and they are a talky bunch. Every couple of days one of them flies n the house.
There are lots of hummingbirds around, too. There is one that is an irridescent green that is just beautiful.
Scout the visiting dog who may be permanent is exhibiting some jealousy of my other dogs. She is used to being the only dog in the home. At most, she's only had to deal with one other dog, so having four others share the space and the people seems to be hard at times.
It's 11:00 am and I'm worn out. I have a couple of errands to do in town if I can stay awake.
Tony and I are doing an area of the arroyo where we have to get it right or risk having to re-do it. However, once we get it laid out a lot of the rest of the work will fall in place. At least for that area. I think it might turn out to be a good area for the dragonfruit.
Must get moving. Have a good day everyone.
hugs, katie
The Hawaiians are better at the C. Cooperi than I. They are picky (except in Hawaii) and like undercover light- They grow under the canopy. I've seen folks grow them here in pots and they've gotten to be about 4 feet high. Mine is at the edge of a pond, they don't like being over watered, or under watered. A bit of water down the throat so that the hairs get wet as I understand that is part of their root system. Mine is a C. Australis and is much hardier than the Cooperi.
Thank you, RJ. Mine is in dappled shade and it gets water every other day when I do the rounds and douse every potted plant well. I haven't had it long, but it is not showing any signs of stress. I am anxiously awaiting the first frond.
The lotus should bloom again any day now and I will be posting pictures. Aren't bragging rights awesome? People will show you pictures of their kids and grandkids. To each his own. This is a big thing for me. I have wanted a blooming lotus since I started gardening in Montreal: not the best climate to grow lotus, even in the middle of summer.
I planted a pineapple crown last night and a critter of the night made off with it. Silly raccoons! It probably wants to grow its own pineapples.
In other news, one of the mice I keep on hand to feed my ball python (Lucy) had babies in the middle of the night. That's all I need: a menagerie of baby mice. But they are pinkies and awful cute. Mice, left to their own device will reproduce. I wouldn't mind if mice didn't stink so badly. Oy, how they stink! The things we do for out pets. But Lucy is worth it.
Oh, BTW... with apologies to our beloved LooC: I didn't pick the snake's name. That unfortunate animal was abandonned here 2 years ago, lock stock and barrell. We started caring for her and raising her. Now, she's our darling baby. Lucy was rescued twice: once from a horrid pet shop that didn't know how to care for her, and a second time by Gail and I, who took care of her after her owner wasn't in a position to care for her. Now, if anyone so much as looks at Lucy in a cross way, Gail goes after that person with her cane and walker. She's not fast but she's persistent. No good can come of that, I assure you. Be afraid of Gail, be very afraid. It's always the quiet ones that you have to watch for. You have all been warned.
Take care, all.
Sylvain.
Today Tony picked two papayas from a tree that I gave neighbors Dana and Tom over a year ago. The green papayas sat all winter doing nothing. As it has warmed up they began turning yellow. Tony took one and I took one which I just ate (sorry, no pictures) and it was very good. The Hawiian type which are not usually grown around here. I think if they are planted in my most southern location with some protection from winter cold I may be able to grow more. I am encouraged.
Getting ready to leave for Ca. Maybe tomorrow but I had a bit of a stomach bug today so we'll wee. Amma will be in L for almost a week, starting the 10th and I do want to see her even though it is increasingly a mob scene.
Today our weather really warmed up which may be why my stomach rebelled. Tony got the van cleaned up inside and out and I don't have much packing to do so we'll see how things are tomorrow.
hugs, katie
Please allow me to bore you with what's in bloom here today. A celadine plumeria.
Sylvain.
A lotus (nelumbo nucifera).
Sylvain.
Gail's favorite bush: snow on the mountain. Does anyone know that plant's latin name? I tried looking it up and there are so many plants called snow on the mountain, it's not even funny.
Thanks.
Sylvain.
My philodendrons are really enjoying their full shade, windy corner. It's not such a great picture, but I love my philos.
Sylvain.
Aloha,
Nice pictures from your garden! Could Gail's favorite bush be what we call here an Hawaiian Snow Bush - Breynia nivosa?
What a wonderful decision you made when you and Gail moved from the condo. You are a natural born gardener. Beautiful plants.
PK
Jen, every single "stick" you sent has growth on it now. Must take some pictures and send to you.
So glad the sticks are growing for you PK!
Forgot to add a very Happy Birthday to RJ - today's his day!
That's right. Happy Birthday, Randy. Hope you have a really big celebration. Thursday, June 9th, the Gibson's will be married 50 years. Sure surprised a lot of people....including us.
PK
Happy Birthday, RJ.
Sylvain.
Happy birthday, RJ. Enjoy yourself and don't eat too much cake.
hugs, katie
Thanks guys- am getting fat with a chocolate butter cake at work!
Happy Birthday Rj!!! Chocolate butter cake, YUM!!!!!!
My plumies are finally starting to show signs of growth also. Right now it's just buds starting to become something but it's something!! lol
Syvain, plants are looking great!!
Nicotiana and catmint
Happy 50th wedding anniversary Christi and Mike!
Thank you, Jen. We took our anniversary trip 3 years ago to the home of a very good friend. Experience of a lifetime. Kids are doing a party Sunday. Today, we are doing the usual...nothing.
By 50 years you understand every day is special. Congratulations and I hope you celebrate many more happy years together.
Thank you. If am to be totally honest, they were not allll happy. But we loved each other from the start (18 and 19) so we kept on keepin' on. Worth every minute. Sure surprised a lot people some of whom are no longer married to the original mate.
Happy 50th wedding anniversary Christi and Mike!!!!! Everyday is a special day so even though you aren't doing anything just enjoy each other's company. :~)
A belated happy anniversary to Christi and Mike. 50 years... how wonderful. I was playing in the sandbox without a care in the world 50 years ago and my mom didn't worry that the neighborhood cats might have used it as a litter box. We did not live in an overly sanitized world back then. When we found a cat's poo in the sand, it was definitely a non-event. We used our little plastic shovels to fling it in the bushes and went on with our lives.
In Canada, if you request it, you can get a congratulatory letter signed by the Prime Minister for your 50th anniversary. You can also petition the Governer General's office to receive a similar letter from Her Majesty the Queen. Gail and I got a letter from the Prime Minister on our 25th anniversary because one of our friends was connected with the PM's office.
Take care, all.
Pu'ole, a.k.a. Sylvain.
Thank you everyone.
Goodness, another 100 degree day and more expected. No rain for more than 6 weeks. Everything looks awful.
We've had rain the last couple days. Not alot but enough that my garden is happy.
We are expecting mid-90s today. We may get some rain. Lately, we have not. I think it's been 6 or 7 weeks since we last saw a decent rain. The grass is yellow, which does nothing to rekindle my interest in grass. Simply put, I hate grass. There, I admitted it and it felt good. But the darned stuff still perk right up when it starts raining again: evil, resource-wasting plant!
Take care, all.
Sylvain.
Aloha all,
Has anybody ever eaten a Rolinia? We went to Mana Foods last weekend where they have all sorts of local fruits that we have never heard of before, and bought one to try. It was delicious! It looked rather like a cherimoya, but tasted just like sweet lemon pie filling. I have 6 of the seeds in pots to see if I can raise my own little trees, although I am not sure if I will be able to grow them happily in my warm, dry area. If anyone comes across this fruit you should give them a try.
I have had a very busy week - workmen and sawdust all over the place as we are having the termite riddled beams replaced in all the rooms. Even if only one beam has been attacked they all have to match in the same room - and wouldn't you know one in every room was eaten away - LOL! To try to save money I have been doing the priming and painting myself. Luckily I have no trouble with heights, but it's still a long way down from the top of a 12 foot ladder! It's taken me the whole week to just get four beams and a window done.
No time to go to the beach this morning because I have to make up the beds and get ready for my daughter Laurie and my grandson Dustin who will be arriving tomorrow while I am at work. We are so looking forward to having them. Frank will have his buddies to go and play with in the ocean - they both are much more competent swimmers than I am. The kayak is dusted off and stands ready and waiting...
I hope everyone is well and surviving the heat that seems to have settled in across much of the mainland.
Jenn
Love the beams!! I've never heard of Rolinia. Will have to look it up. Sounds interesting. lol
It has been cool this week til today. Today it feels like it's in the 90s though it's only in the mid to high 80s. Have had storms the last 2 nights and have another round coming in tonight. I'm happy with the rain. I don't have to water!! LOL
Heart of the Jungle elephant ear finally popped!! I also bought Kona Coffee ee yesterday. lol. It's hiding in my truck right now til I can plant it somewhere. I'm supposed to be on a buying freeze. I have done good though!! This is the first one in a couple weeks!! LOL
