She's about to... 65... Spring will be here soon!!!

Happ:

Here's a link to a list of native wetland plants:

http://www.wetland.org/nursery_plantlist.htm

Of course, there are lots of cultivars and hybrid plants that derive from these natives, but it might jog your brain and give you some ideas.

I worked in the nursery for a summer - it was awesome. :)



This message was edited May 5, 2012 8:38 PM

Faye, there's a huge market on eBay for old postcards. The trick is knowing how much yours are worth and not under or over pricing them. I still occasionally collect old black & white postcards from my hometown. The ones in your pics are really neat.

Susan (FruitoftheVine) asked me to stop by here and post my 2¢ worth on greywater.

Last fall I got under the house and diverted the drain pipe from the washing machine to the yard, which slopes down to the creek. I plan to put in a series of small pools and bog/filter plants this summer to filter the water (for the safety of the creek and my garden), but right now it just empties into the yard. I'm designing the "ponds" so they will both water some of the garden, and attract water critters that eat insects.

The most important thing to do is switch laundry detergents, and I've had a difficult time with my sister's resistance. Her daughter has been living with us and does all their laundry, using the cheapest soaps my sis can buy, but she's moving to Elmira, NY tomorrow. That will make it easy for me to purchase all the detergents used in the washer, and my sis will just have to use what I buy! (I've always bought my own laundry soaps for years because of allergies to dyes and fragrances, so making another switch was easy for me, albeit a little more expensive.) My sister is not a gardener and could care less if the eventual build-up in the soil harms anything.

Grey Water Compatible Soaps and Laundry Detergents... READ THE INGREDIENTS!!!
Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), and Sulfur (S) are okay for greywater going directly into the soil / mulch basin.

The first thing is to switch to liquid over powders as powders often contain sodium based bulking agents. Secondly, read the labels and avoid products that contain sodium, chlorine and boron.

Chlorine is used in laundry detergents as a bleach, and it should really be avoided anyway since it is harmful to the environment. Hydrogen peroxide is a slightly safer alternative.

A few recommended detergents include the following:
* Oasis Laundry Detergent
* ECOS liquid detergent
* Dr. Bronners liquid laundry soap

Ingredients to Avoid:
* boron/borax (toxic to plants)
* sodium, and ingredients with the word "sodium" in them*
* chlorine bleach (acceptable alternative: hydrogen peroxide)
* sodium perborate
* sodium trypochlorite
* peroxygen
* petroleum distillate
* alkylbenzene
* water softeners (contain sodium chloride or potassium chloride)
* anti-bacterial soaps & cleaners
* "whiteners", "softeners"
* enzymes (enzymes in biological washing powders break down protein or fat stains on clothes)
* titanium oxide
* chromium oxide
* artificial colors; FD&C colors
* synthetic fragrance
* artificial preservatives
* no toxic waste down the drain!!

More Acceptable Laundry Detergents — Liquid:
* Bio Pac Laundry Liquid
* Biokleen Laundry Liquid
* LifeTree Laundry Liquid
* Ecover Laundry Wash (some salt)
* Mountain Green Laundry Detergent
* Vaska Herbatergent

Limit:
* Lullwater Soap Nuts Seventh Generation (enzymes)
* Citra Suds (sodium chloride)
* Planet (salt, sodium carbonate/washing soda)

Other Laundry Products:
Avoid:
* Clorox (chlorine bleach)
* Borax

Limit:
* Biokleen Bac Out (sodium percarbonate, enzymes)
* Biokleen Oxygen Bleach Plus (sodium sulfate)

Avoid:
* Tide (enzymes +???)**;
* All (perfume, brightening agent, colorant, +?);
* Arm & Hammer (baking soda, water softener, optical brightener, +?);
* Woolite (?);
* Ivory Snow (enzymes +?)

I've found some acceptable detergents (other than on the list above) in the natural foods stores, but even then, you have to read the label as many contain some of the no-no ingredients. For the occasional items that really need bleach, I do them in a plastic tub and dispose of the water far away from my garden... like on the poison ivy patch!

Amazon carries Oasis but I haven't ordered any yet. I'm not sure if it's all hype (advertising) and any better, just more expensive.
http://www.amazon.com/Oasis-Laundry-Detergent/dp/B001KWGW3G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336318032&sr=8-1
Oasis Biocompatible Laundry Detergents are not only non-harmful for plants and soil, they biodegrade entirely into plant nutrients. Oasis Biocompatible Laundry Detergent is designed and tested to be biocompatible with plants and soil, as well as for the disposal of treated wastewater in aquatic ecosystems. It is the best choice for septic tank disposal and is a good choice for reusing wash water for irrigating plants-the most ecological alternative. Disposed of in a septic tank or greywater system, microorganisms and plant roots will biodegrade Oasis, removing the break down products and leave only pure water behind.

Thanks Susan, still don't know how to make a smiley here.
Darius, wow!

This message was edited May 6, 2012 4:53 PM
Was edited trying to take out the picture that didn't post anyway....shucks
Love to all
Faye

This message was edited May 6, 2012 4:56 PM

Thank you, Darius, for the excellent information! So the Kid is finally going.

To make the smiley face, while holding down the shift key, and press ^ _ ^ but with no spaces, when you send the message it will be a smiley face.

^_^

^_^

ha ha !

I'm glad I'm so easily amused. Thanks LK! xox

You nut.

Morning! ^_^

LOL Hey I just learned something here..
Faye, lots of peeps want those cards.. look em up!

Morning everyone!

Wish I could send some rain to you all because we have been overly blessed...rofl.

Thanks for the info on the soaps, I have a front loader washer so I never use dry soap, and I am sure some of those chemicals are really bad, but after 20 years nothing has killed the grass or flowers feeding off our grey water, but it is better to be as good as possible for sure.

Went to DGD dance recital and it was really great, I enjoyed all of it not just her but she was really good and so darn cute. This was quite the performances 3 hours! One of the acts the curtain opens and here stands 5 men in suits with grey in their hair, and everyone looked puzzled, then the song comes on "Save the last dance for me" and the girls who were probably 16 and up came on and danced with I am guessing Fathers/GFathers, it was just the best thing. The Men didn't dance as much as the girls but they did dance, it just brought tears to your eyes it was just so darn sweet and with the words of the song....course I am a big ole softy, it was just too cool.

Smiles to you all...rofl.

Thank you LK for the smiley info. ^_^, Now I hope this works, doesn't show in the preview!!!! LOL Susan will tell you that I will soon forget it again. She has shown me a couple of times.
Debra, wish I knew who the card peeps are before I put the cards back into the trunk. The trunk was Grandma Kate's too, someday soon, I'm going to get help dragging it down for the yard sale.
Ray will see the Surgeon on Thursday about the new place on his back. Please pray it's not Cancer again.
Hugs to all.

I did it, I did it, I did it...^_^

Sorry to hear Ray has another spot on his back! Sending prayers it is not anything bad!

Thank you Linda.

Want to try sending a picture of me!! LOL


Edited to say..Camera broke, no picture

This message was edited May 7, 2012 7:29 PM

What fun, happ. Your GD is a cutie pie. What a great mental pic of the Father / Daughter dance. Very touching and would probably have boo-hooed too. Now I can't get that song out of my head.

I have a bunch from RU's, Faye...lol
Love you Lady and know Ray is going to be just fine.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1257034/

Raise my baby swap is open, come and join the fun! Bring your own Moonshine!

Got rain last night! 3/10th inch... rain barrel is full 55 gallons of water and who knows what dirt was on the roof. I don't care. I am sooo happy to have the water It filled to within 1/2 inch of overflowing. I have almost all my buckets filled in the garage now so there is room for more rain to fill it again. Bring on the rain... I think there is a chance for some more in a couple of days.

That's great news. :)

That is good news!

YAY!!!!

Well, I asked for it and got it! It has been raining off and on all night long. My rain gage has 1 3/4 inches in it so far and more on the way. The streets are very flooded. I drive a Chrysler 300... definitely NOT made for driving in anything over 1" of water and was at my parents when it started raining... I usually watch TV with mom until about 3am anyway. We spent a lot of time filling buckets with water, moving full ones into the garage etc. (messed up my back really bad lifting a 5 gallon one she had on TOP of her rain barrel!) I had to wake dad up to drive me home at 4:30 am because there was no way my car would make it to my house. I live in the middle of a triangle of 3 major drainage roads. Dad drives a big Expedition so it has no trouble getting through the streets to my house. I have a van I can drive until the roads are clear. One road to my house is such a river I once had the water go over the hood of my van.. that really scared me! Sooo happy to have the water everywhere.... I even got out with a cloth and used rainwater to wash the windows, glass of the front door and outdoor furniture while it was raining. I was already wet from running in the house soooo, why not! I was so happy to see rain! Having fun! Middle of the night and I love the night anyway. I was just dipping the cloth in the inch of water on the ground at my feet to rinse it... EVERYTHING was flooded around the house... LOL It was so easy. Unfortunately, none of this wonderful rain so far is going where we really need it... into the lakes that provide us our city water. We are absolutely desperate to get water into those lakes. I would give anything if this storm system was filling those lakes!

I have now fill just about every container around this house with rainwater! I think I have about 160 gallons! Good thing I bought a big package of dunks on e-bay some time ago... I can just crumble some in each container to avoid mosquitoes. I love those dunks, they are so handy. I could never afford to use them this way if I bought them in those little 6 packs in the store. They are way too expensive that way. I bought an 80 pack! LOL... I never buy a few of anything, especially something I know I will eventually use.

I am sooo happy for you.. I could just envision you playing in the rain. YAY!!!

I thought when I saw the 10 oclock weather it looked like a rain cell was sitting over ya all and just kept sitting there. It would be horrible to watch all that lovely rain water go down the drainage pipes knowing how desperate you all are for the lakes to refill. But I am glad you got to store alot of water, fingers crossed you all get rain periodically this year, I bet the trees were evening tapping their toes in the muddy water...LOL

Glad to hear your getting rain, hope some of it will go to the lake!

How wonderful for you !

And savvy on the mosquito dunks. I agree they are costly - I will have to look at buying them in bulk. We had heavy rain here yesterday. A 55 gallon drum filled quickly - my other was already full, so I also had to watch the thing overflow. O sigh. Have to get another container or ten lined up in the driveway!!!

Ladies - more good news - the Mug Swap is open! Will you join me again this year? :)

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1257388/#top

Happy Mothers day everyone! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Same to you, Linda and to all of you who have influenced a child in your life.

Ray had surgery yesterday to remove more cancer. Dr. said it was the size of a walnut. Hope no cell was dropped this time.
Ray is doing very well from the surgery but his back is so bad with pain he can hardly get up and down. ( surgery not responsible for this pain. Cause unknown)

Hope you all have a good day. Going back outside now to dig Daylilys for RU.
Hugs.

Thanks for the update Faye, sending lots of prayers for a speedy recovery! Hope that pain goes away soon!

Ray must feel like a pin cushion, but so lucky they can get it out! Sorry to hear he is in such pain with his back.....hugs from Missouri.

Haven't gotten to work in the flowers at all, between getting ready for the mg sale, making about 100 tags for plants with growing conditions and all that info and pictures....I will be glad when this is over on Saturday. Hope it turns out good. Someone in the group emailed me their list of plants yesterday! Seems if I don't make the tags the plants just don't sell very well at all. Hard to imagine what the plant will be looking like if it is not in bloom so the picture helps alot. Especially if you are not a die hard gardener like us...rofl.

Then last night DH needed me to hold one pole on the Taj MaCoop he is building for the chickens and ducks. Well 5 poles later and dark, we had one side up...rofl. I still needed to water flower pots, so I am out in the pitch dark trying to water in the shade garden..rofl. Sadly one of the chickens stuck his head out of the pen and Shorty the dog got him. DH yelled at Shortie and sent him out to the barn.....when I got home Shortie was still sitting out there knowing he had done something bad (not tied up just sitting)....I was surprised because Shortie had been around our geese and other ducks and never bothered them....this may prove to be harder than we thought.

Later

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1258780/

New room everyone!

Ta MaCoop...lol Better to keep the fowl enclosed instead of letting them peck and dig in your gardens like the awful experience my gardening friend down the road had. Poor Shortie. How odd for him to do that. Have a stellar sale Saturday! You really ought to after so much hard work.

One of these years all of ya'll who haven't attended a NC or a VA Round-Up just have to come. I'd love it! The countdown for Manda's is on......less than two days away and can hardly wait!

Update on Columbine seeds. I've been collecting them as they ripen. So far I have Yellow ones and some from the Red & Yellow "Winky Series" plants. Also a friend donated a big mixed bag of Pink and Purple ones last week. I'll continue collecting as they ripen and will mail seeds to ya'll when they're finished. Most of the blooms are past their prime setting green pods, but the double Purple one amazingly is still blooming. Saving seeds for:

LK
Tammie
Susie
Joyce

Anybody else interested, just raise your hand.




This message was edited May 17, 2012 8:25 PM

Add my name to that list Fruity! I would love to try and grow them.

Will be glad to, LK.

I have a few yellow columbine seeds... unfortunately as they were ripeing we had our first real rains in 18 months. I was unable to collect seeds while everything was so wet and the plants were pounded almost into the ground by the rain coming off the house. If the rains had waited a week I would have had a LOT more seeds. I am sooo happy we had the rain.

I was just telling those in the mug swap about a snack I heard about last week and tried. Anyone else heard about the 3-2-1 cake? The easiest single serving snack you will EVER make.

You use 1 angel food cake mix because it contains powdered eggs and whatever ingredients that make it 'work' and then whatever other flavored cake mix you want. Mix the powdered cake mixex together into a container (I used a gallon zip lock bag)
3 tablespoons into a microwaveable container (I used an 8 ounce plastic storage container)
2 tablespoons water
1 minute in the microwave
You are done! top with ice cream, cool whip, icing, whatever you want. It is a bit spongy like angel food cake


I did carrot cake for mothers day since that is moms favorite and added a lot of extra cinnamon and finely chopped walnuts... absolutely yummy! Made individual premeasured packages in 3 x 4 inch zip baggies with 2 plastic containers and a container of butter cream icing in a basket to mom for mothers day.... she is enjoying fresh carrot cake every evening while watching TV and LOVING it! I think this makes a little over 20 individual servings! Any nuts added need to be finely chopped so they don't sink to the bottom.

Caution.. this is way too easy to make.

That Cake sounds so good.


Sorry about Ray, Faye, I hope is now able to mend for good. Have fun at your RU. I am leaving tommorrow after work, to go to Arkansas to see my neice graduate.

love to have seeds, but think I have enough already.
Good luck on your sale, Joyce. I sure enjoyed your story about the night time watering and the poor chicken and your baby dog.
Love ya ll.
Debra