What's happening in your neck of the woods? Spring 2012

Thanks, Ric and Holly.I knwo you guys have dne a lot of long distance caregiving.

Oh, hugs dear. Be safe and know there are many praying for him and you.

Thanks Jan. I 'should' go to bed but waiting up a bit in case my bro in California calls, ; so as not to wake my DH by talking in bed next to him.

Oh Sally, BIG HUGS!!! I am so sorry to hear about your Dad, I will keep your family in my prayers as well.

Gita, no need to be sorry, I actually take it as a compliment, I guess it means I am learning all my gardening lessons well. :)

Hugs from us as well, Sally. I wish you a safe trip. Not having them really close by certainly adds to the challenge of their aging.

Thanks gang, hugs gladly accepted, no news is good news this morning... but taking a breath every time the phone rings. And I should be either working on my next article or my house or getting semi ready for the visit...agh!

Sally, sorry to hear about your father. Hope he gets well soon.

Thanks Sally- I read once that yellow was the color for health. And that primrose is one of the clearest prettiest yellows out there, I think.
Doing OK today, talked to my step sister and she said he was making jokes with staff in hospital. So, with luck and good health care, he can move on to recovery.

Sorry Sally, I did not know the thread was strictly about plants. It will not happen again. Sorry about your father. I will pray for all. JB

Sally, Let me know if you need someone to fill in as plant/garden watcher for you should you need to go AWOL to NC on short or long notice.. Dmail me if you need my # again. We are close enough for me to get there every day to water, etc....maybe not now, but tuck away for future reference...Prayers for you and yours. Keep us posted please.

Robin, I love your checkerboard! How much better than dog trampled bare ground. Will you try some plants back there this year?Hopefully it won't be long now until you have a yard of your own to play in again! Glad your son could help..

JB I loved your "youngins" comments and hope we all will stay forever young with out having to modify our gardening styles too much!

Hey--all---

I am trying to encourage JB to try and make it to Holly's Swap. Would love to meet her!
She D-mailed me and said she had nothing to swap--I said she did not need to have anything...
It is just a nice garden-party. Sitting with DG'ers and eating great foods.
Will see what she replies.....

Does anyone know how far--or close--Wrightstowne is to Dover?????
Maybe" flowAjen" or "Wind" could give her a ride? But--I also do not know how far apart they are either.

Sally--My Mom also had several TIA's (mini strokes). She was a very strong woman and SO resisted sinking into
dementia and the ensuing vegetative mind stage of Alzheimer's.
It was a slow decline over 10 years. She died in 1989 at the age of 83.

I know I will be nervous as I approach 83. Think i am NOT going that route--but one never knows.

Hugs, my friend! Gita

JB, please, dear, I was not trying to make a point. I meant to apologize in advance if I myself was coming out of the blue. The thread police have " left the building." Thanks for your prayers.

coleup- Neck of the woods is fine in my opinion. Thanks for your offer, this will be a short stay, I have to be back here for stuff too.

Thanks Gita! Dad is doing well so far. May go home today. last I heard. I plan to go tomorrow. I know he would like seeing me and I can also help with some cooking, cleaning, errands, or sitting. His wife is 83 and has back problems.

Today I am getting organized which has to start with a general checkin on the computer LOL.

No problem Sally, I really thought I was at the right place for chatter but then stuff happens at my age and I was not sure if I goofed or not.

Gita Honey, I just can not get away for any length of time since I have my new puppy. I will wait here and you can all tell me about the swap meet when you return. Of course, you may all stop by the farm if you are going this direction and see me and the daaaggie.
His name is Charle and he is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. When I had my old Jack Russell put down in Sept. I was really lost without a companion dog. This breed was highly recommended and a friend of mine breeds them, so I got Charle. He is still too young to keep in the crate for more than a few hours at a time. He has his own page on Facebook called Here Comes Charle and can be found by going to my page Jacquie Beyer Berger.
For those who do not do FB, here is the little monster.

Monster! HA! how cute.

Question----------I am full of them!!! teee...heee....How else would I learn anything?

Could I just go and check out someone's Face Book page without joining? Like JB's?

I DO NOT want to join--did it once on a whim--and was bombarded by all kinds of
people that "wanted to be my friend".....One of them was long dead--I knew that for a fact......
That is when I realized that these people did not really "want to be my friend"--many of them I never knew!

All this e-mailing/inviting was automated--and no actual person was involved. Kind of a downer....
Dealt with this annoyance for close to a year--than had my daughter find her way to
where she could delete my membership. It is NOT easy!!!

To be honest---I am so hooked on DG that i really do not want to start getting involved
in another addictive Web Site. Much of my time is spent right here!
Besides--I have nothing interesting to post anyway. My life is pretty hum-drum.......
Just me and the people I work with--that is, pretty much, my "social" circle...
Can't call work environment "social" anyway. But--I DO like 90% of all the people i work with.
The rest are too "invisible' to be 'friends" with an old lady like me.....

I don't text. I don't twitter (whatever that is?), I don't even use my Cell phone!
I have NO I-phone or no downloaded music to listen to. The best i have done is copy a CD..

BUT---I do not act, or think, or talk like an old lady. I am pretty "with it"----and get along great with
most people no matter their ages. There have been a few that, no matter what, we just clash.
We are all different----with different personalities and interests and values about life.

Even our 3 Asst. managers--and our new Store Mgr. are really young.
They are ALL younger than my two daughters! (47 and 44).
Young is "IT" when it comes to HD. I don't think we have ever had an "old" manager in the 14 years I have worked there.
Rightly so--"Young" has energy and goals and commitment--and the drive to get things accomplished.
All those traits got them where they are now.

How many people, at age 28, could be a Store Manager of a huge store like HD?
Out new Mgr. is one of them. Cool and calm and very dedicated. BUT--he gives me hugs almost every time i see him.

Much more "human" than Donn. I do not even miss him--what a revelation....Thought he was the cat's meow....
Then all that, slowly, faded as frustrations and even anger too it's place.
Never thought I would feel this way! He was, truly, lacking genuineness and the ability to connect with anyone.
He went through the motions--but none of it was "real"....
It is almost painful to now listen to all the negative comments most people have about him in our store.
But--I have chosen not to live in denial about all that--for it is all true.

AAAHHHH! I feel a lot better to be able to chat about all this with you all--my friends.
I have NO clue how some of these writings evolve---one though just leads to another.....and..........

Remember this picture?????? I will cherish it--no matter what.

While wa all await for the spring flowers to bloom--please enjoy this You Tube film--

"The Life of Flowers"

http://player.vimeo.com/video/27920977?title=0&%3bbyline=0&%3bportrait=0href=

WOW what a fantastic video, thank you Gita! And my GOODNESS, what a LOVELY picture of you!!!!!

JB, what an adorable little monster you have!! =)

Sally, I am so glad to hear that your Dad is doing better and may be coming home today, YIPPEEEE!!!!!! Prayers still continuing!

What a cutie, JB.

Glad to hear your dad may be coming home, Sally. Safe travels.

Charle is very cute!!!, JB.

We are heading home today from our visit in Houston area visiting a grandybaby and her parents. Very nice visit, but too short of course.

Gita, it's blooming, it's blooming! My too-watered clivia decided to bloom after all this spring, but in a small way... its "bloom stalk" is about an inch long, with small orange blooms right down in the "vee" at the base of the leaves. LOL I appreciate the reassurance... it looked healthy all winter, so I wasn't too concerned, just figured I wouldn't get blooms this year since I didn't give it a rest period. I up-potted my yellow one (hasn't bloomed ever, either, but it's not that big yet) last fall, but it's still a little wobbly in its pot, so I may need to down-pot it again. Root bound, have to keep reminding myself they like that!

WOW!! I am happy for you, Jill!

Mine bloom on stems at least 14"-16" long. Maybe you get better light--or maybe it is because you kept
it going all winter. You know that mine sit in my cool, semi-dark shop and then, when i see the blooms
coming out--I bring them up to my LR.
By mow--all but one has bloomed. Two are in the buds-emerging state right now. Two are totally done,
and the bloom stem has been removed (to not sap the plants energy). It is so recommended.....

I find it amazing how the clusters of pearl-white buds can even emerge from that tight base. I could not
stick a toothpick in it--if I tried!

Here are some pictures of how they blooms start out.....
And--my bigger plant (at least 4 stems) blooming royally by now.

Aaahhhh......talk of Clivia. I have had one that Darius gave me about three or four years ago as a hostess gift for her staying here quite often during her visits to The University of Virginia Medical Center which is about a twenty minute drive from our home. I had to dmail her and ask the name because just like me, I hadn't labeled it and when mine began blooming for the first time a few weeks ago I wanted to know the name.

It is still putting out new blooms and has taken over the place of honor in my living room where I can see it from all areas of the house. Next year I want to find a new place for a Hawaiin Spider that Buttoneer gave me on a visit to our home last spring too. That very small plant when she gifted me with it is now sprouting its heart out and seems to have hundreds of babies. It will definetly need another place of honor and a big one at that. I must spread almost three feet wide.

Such are the benefits of being a Dave's member. As for Facebook, yes it is very addictive and was the reason that I went missing from Dave's for a few years. I neither have time for both and two years ago when a swap was being planned here and I was involved with all the chatter about that, I have rarely made it to my Facebook since.

I do miss keeping up with my family members which I did on Facebook, but for now anyway.....Dave's is my choice of using my computer time. I consider many of you as good as family. Sad to say, but in my Dave's travels beyond MAGardening, I have had the great misfortune to have encountered some less than friendly people. I suppose the rose colored glasses I wore for some years had me believing that the folks beyond Mid Atlantic Gardening were as nice and friendly, caring and kind as those I had personally met at the swaps. Boy was I surprised by the attacks I have encountered over the years. My glasses were crushed to pieces for sure.

Enough of that....just wanted to comment on how I appreciate the folks I have had the pleasure of meeting in person and hope to add to the list at the swap that is coming.

Sally, be safe in your travels. Will be thinking of you this weekend. All others reading, have a great weekend.

Ruby

Sally, I've been having great fun reading your articles. I hope you have a good trip and that all goes well with your father.

Thanks for the well wishes.
With that being a seven+ hour drive, and with things being uncertain, I have not left yet but my sister and I felt it best to wait a bit, let Dad recover, and see about going later. I talked to Dad yesterday. He's been in the hospital since Monday but no new brain events and seemed much stronger yesterday. He slurred and was on the quiet side but talked a lot and was mentally sharp. His wife was born in and has family in the area and he is getting lots of visits and his wife says she has plenty of help. He may be at the rehab center by now. He sounded pretty positive yesterday. I know he will not like some aspects of rehab but he needs to be 'forced' to move his body and get his swallowing stronger. the therapy at rehab looks like boot camp, when you see all these weak people being told (nicely) what to do. But its needed.
Enough of that

Ruby me too on facebook. I can't add another site. and since i 'work for' DG i happily feel I must stay here.

ssgardener- thank you kindly! I have various levels of fun writing them LOL Some feel like birthing after an extended labor...!

Keep watering! Still no sign of rain here.

Before spring i totally sprung I just wanted to say that this year I have enjoyed four pots of highly fragrant pansys and violas. Such a sweet scent. Carolina allspice seems stronger this year, too.

Pansy variety is called Dynomite Wine Splash. Just a reminder that pansy blooms are edible!

WOW what a beautiful pansy.

Gorgeous.
Today I discoverd that voles had made a buffet of the roots on one of my ($1 clearance) knockout rose bushes. Bush wilted suddenly, came up with no roots, entirely gnawed, and four tunnels leading away from the hole.

Pretty pansy!

GRRRR..., Sally. So sorry

Ouch Sally! Do you think they came with the plant? Guess I have one more reason to keep feeding and sheltering the ferral cats that claimed my backyard...less voles. Man, can you even take cuttings? My knockouts have begun to bloom this week. Wow, four tunnels! It's like a rest stop on the NJ turnpike. So far no sign of resident Mr. Groundhog. Guess he is off completing another segment of the Golden Mother Burrow.

Here is a pic of my other viola favorites...Sorbet series

Speaking softly of invasives have any of you all checked out the Invasive Species Photo Contest here on Daves?

And, for any of you who do not get the reference above to the Great Golden Mother Burrow here's a little blast from the past

Sally, I'm currently working on an article on groundhogs entitled
"What's A Well Known Weather Prognosticator Like You Doing With My Prize Poppy In Your Mouth?"

OMG< shortly after posting I went off line. Immediately, my phone rang and a voice identified as "Rambi" began to speak, saying he had been following the gh discussions on DG and felt it was time to speak personally to someone and he chose me because my title came closest to the truth!

Rambi (not Rambo he emphasized) was the very same gh that Ric had posted a picture of earlier in the thread.My mind is still reeling; let me try to remember what he said...
Oh, yes, He went on and on about the predicting the weather thing calling it the world's biggest PR coop, a stroke of genius that gave great cover to the groundhogs real work .In fact he said he was a direct descendant of Rasmus the groundhog who convinced the producer to make the film "Groundhog Day" Upon this pronouncement he whistled three low short notes and paused.

He began again in a serious tone. "The real work of Groundhogs is to unite all of the tunnels on earth and at the meeting place of all tunnels to gather stones from far and near (which curiously resemble ripe cantelopes??) and with them to build the great golden mother burrow wherein all may rest and be at peace." Wow, I whispered.

"But what about the red poppies?" I asked."Exactly", he continued. He explained that over the centuries of digging below ground that their ability to see was greatly diminished.and that "sight of the unseen" was necessary to envision where each new tunnel was to be dug and connection made.to the tunnels of the ancient ones. To see again each Master Tunneler must locate a perfect red poppy and ingest it just before it blooms. Many are tasted but few are chosen.
"Oh, that explains it then", I said. " Explains what ?"he said, and the line went dead.
I hope he calls back.

Judy

A few days later, I had a chance to review my conversation with Rambi.

Evidently this loss of sight thing is quite serious. He said that most are able to recognize objects the size of or larger than cantalopesHe muttered something about "darned soccer balls" and when pressed admitted that many cantalopes had been collected by "pseudo" or was it "neophyte" tunnelers instead of the stones they resemble for lining the golden burrow. He said that early on decisions were made not to return false stones after the mistake was discovered, but to eat them as a means of disposal and to decrease the odds of other false stones being gathered. Thus they discovered that eating the false stones enabled tunnelers to come to the surface less frequently and the eating of same has never fully died out.

Rambi said they can see the color red but must go by feel for much else which is why they prefer vines and long stemmed food sources or rows of plants. I think he put it, "It may take all day to find one, but once you do you are on to something."

Oh, and one more thing, Ric, he may try to contact you about that pastoral setting. Evidentally there is some sort of gathering of the MAAGHA planned for later this year and the setting sounded ideal.

He did say something more about tunnels but I don't have my notes handy.

Judy

Below is a pic of Rambi courtesy of Ric the relocator par excellance. If you see Rambi tell him I say Hi!

LOL, but less funny that it would have been last week... groundhog is trying to take up residence under my deck landing; I am trying to discourage him.

Sally, do try sticking cuttings from that gnawed rose... I stuck some prunings from a KO rose a month or so back, and it looks like some may "take." I think knockouts are "own-root" roses anyway.

LOL!

THe voles are my usual population , They quite like that back area, near where I tend to pile brush trimmings and tossed weeds at times, and near a twenty foot border of mature pines between me and the new houses. Probably have made a perfect place for them. They did not come with the rose, it has been in that spot for a year and another spot two years prior. I saw voles do this same thing to a young oak I was letting grow, in a totally different corner of the yard. I have to get out and water the OTHER KO rose I just moved to that area (LOL) and water that, and will try cuttings I guess.

Jill- GIta says ammonia soaked rags. DO it now before he's cozy!

I haven't picked up ammonia yet to try that, but I did remember that method! I ran the hose into his hole for a while the other day, and now the clay under the landing is all soft and soggy... I haven't seen him duck under there lately, so that may have done the trick.

Could be- With your clay you might be able to make it too much a mess for him. With my sandy loam I don't think I can ever drown a tunnel. But last years with torrential rains I do suspect it reduced the voles.

All of the above quite hilarious minus plant damage. We had a couple after the veggie garden a couple of years ago. First time I have heard John say he is tempted to take up hunting again.

Ruby

Wasn't it Doc who suggested human urine as a deterent? Lots of ammonia in our liquid gold.

Also, I've heard of a product called Repells which is a systemic hot pepper taste taken up by all parts of a plant whose planting hole is laced with it. Supposed to be effective for deer and bunnies, too...and it doesn't have to be reapplied after a rain...Maybe it will help us win one for the gipper with our too good to lose plants and trees.

Will try to find link later... it is not the bonide spray, but something you plant the plant in...

Gosh- I have tons of red edible leaf mustard which is getting darn 'hot' now. It wouldn't hurt to chop it , soak it, and make a drench. Just another oddball (what the heck is she doing now) task.

Geez!!! Sorry for all your vole and Ground Hog problems.

I "think" I may have some voles--as i do see a few little holes here and there.
So far--I have not seen any plants die off suddenly.

OK! I need to go to another, whole topic. More questions....I wanted to post to David or pat--
but I do not remember which Thread all the discussion was on about the problems with my Monkshoods.

I an ready to dig up the remaining bunch I have and put it in a pot--in a soil mix heavy with Contractor's sand.
Mamma Mia! That bag weighs 60lbs!!! I had help putting it IN the car--but I had to take it OUT of the car....

I remember--wayyyy back in my early gardening days---dusting bulbs with a Fungicide powder, either before
planting them--or after digging them up. Back then--there was some kind of "Bulb Dust" I used for this....

Today--being as beautiful as it is--I want to get some of this stuff done. I want to dig up that clump of
Monkshoods that I have in a separate bed from where I got all the starts I am sharing.
However--this area did the same thing....I posted pictures and all... WHERE was this?

David suggested I dig it up and plant it in a pot and then bury the pot in the bed. I can do that!
Do it with my Brugs every year. BUT---I thought I should soak the root-bulbs in a Fungicide solution
to, maybe, get rid of whatever is causing all this black decay, die off of the stems of my Monkshood.

I have Neem. I have garden Insect and Fungicide powder from Bonide---I have a bottle of Daconil ( a bit old...)
and I thought I could soak the dug up roots in that.....Then plant them.

I am desperate!!!! PLEASE chime in and suggest something I could do.
Of course--there may be NOTHING wrong with the roots---but i do not believe that.....

Will check back a couple of times before i go to bed.....If no input--I will just dig it up and pot it up and plant it.
Then it is up to the garden gods!

BTW--I have SOOOOO many divisions of the Monkshood--growing gangbusters. More than a full tray of 4" pots.
Only TWO people have asked me for them. David and sallyg.

Thank you for any suggestions. Gita.
Just to refresh your minds...this picture shows both. Good growth, bloom and a dying off stem

Thanks---Gita