Best/Worse/What did I learn today? Chat with friends..newcomers always welcome..

Teacup, I go back and forth on having container plants, mainly because they require more attention, but they do absolutely add beauty to an area. If you know the right plants to use or put together it can be made easier, my biggest problem is just that, I think I could benefit from a class. Do you overwinter your container plants or start fresh each year? My biggest problem with container plants is I don’t want to lose them in the fall, have to overwinter them. I bought some Rex begonias, I hope they overwinter well, I love the colors.

I have some large ceramic containers as well as smaller. The larger ones are split between perennials( small roses and hydrangea) and things I get each year ( tropical hibiscus). The medium sized ones are also a split between annuals like vinca and small native plants or succulents. I am still experimenting with things. We moved up here just before Covid and left a large garden that was getting too much. We were thinking of doing something here but the amount of time trying to keep beds free from Bermuda just wore me out thinking about it. In this heat it is just a matter of watering. I will replant a few for winter color or just leave them to rest.

Hollow, I am a quilter. Since 2014 I've been a member of Quilts Of Valor. We make quilts for veterans. We present them in a small ceremony. One year we were having our first ever family reunion. I made a QOV for every family veteran, 11 in all. In total I have made nearly 100 QOVs. Right now I have injured myself and cannot sew so my quilting days may be over.

I grew angel trumpets for a few years They were in a sheltered area and even in Michigan they came back for many years.

Karen, those QOV quilts, I think I heard something about that on the news once, unless it was on here, yes I said that, I get things so mixed up, now I’m sharing how I really think! But anyway, that is such a beautiful & special thing to do for veterans. I hope your injury heals & your able to do the things you love. Doesn’t Michigan have cold & snowy weather in the winter, it’s hard to believe Angel trumpets would survive the winters there, how did you manage that? Maybe I could try it here in Knoxville. Did you grow those in Maryville too? 100quilts, that’s a lot of sewing!

Teacup, I’d love to see pictures of your container plants, bet they’re pretty, I need to be inspired, do you have to keep your hydrangeas trimmed so they’re not too large for the container, I hadn’t thought about using them in containers, sounds nice. I know what you mean about Bermuda grass, you have to really stay on top of keeping that trimmed back from where you don’t want it or it will make your gardening do much harder. Every year I say I’m going to try growing something new & pretty with container plants but it never happens, & when I do actually try something, it doesn’t meet my expectations.

Hollow, the person who gave me the Angel Trumpets lives in LaFollette, and hers grow just fine there. If you have a sunny protected area, you might try planting some there to see how they do.

Hollow, my containers were nice this spring, but now there is so much damage that I’m happy if they are still alive. This is my first full year with the hydrangea. I have moved it around some to keep it out of the most intense sun, but now a lot of leaves are scorched at the edges,so not sure if this will be a keeper.

Evening, read all your posts and so enjoyed the chatter..

Looks as though we have 2 more gardeners, nice to see. Darlene and John dropped in for a bit this morning and they were so admiring my trumpet blooms..Lindakay, looked at mine, they seem to come off of all single stems, do you mean 1 stem with 3 trumpets on it. I have a few I grew from a friends trumpets, he thought he gave me yellow ones but so far all yellow on outer ridge with inner pinks.i planted 2 think8mg that I be luckier having the others in a pot but that ain’t so.

John checked my growing shelving lights, one didn’t work, guess I didn’t have the bulb in right. I did learn so much as to what i could and what i wouldn’t plant and what time frame from March growing, think i will really enjoy it.
Karen, i knew you worked pretty steady on the quilts but i sure didn’t realize you did over 100..what a wonderful think for you to do..know you enjoyed presenting them and seeing veterans getting them.

Teacup,I don’t do well with planters, not even lush plant hangers I buy, they die so quickly and yet Marie, the lady I let have hanging baskets on my trees are outstanding. Next year will have to tell her, I’ll give you more planting area if you look after my hanging basket. I have over a dozen hydrangeas Teacup in my gardens but they always turn white, must be acidity in the ground. Somebody gave me several rose of Sharon, 2 roots i left in container have grown like crazy, need to plant by fall but where?? My main task when all those phlox need cutting down is the move them, they are too tall for front edge of gardens.

yesterday i was at the ear doctor and had several test, good hearing as did I have 2 years ago so equilibrium isn’t problem ✔️ that one off my slits as well. Picked up a few bags of groceries and don’t know how I got home, was on couch or bed since I got home, couldn’t move for migraine..thank goodness vs needles my migraines which i haven’t had in years work with excedrin migraine..Tom from Shannon’s kitchen next door parked his 2 cars in my drive as they needed parking, said he would be over with a fish and chip / salad and desert meal, told him nope, couldn’t hold my head up to eat it.

I was up at 5 this morning finishing Graysons sketch and framing it, no sooner did Ido so Sharon picked me up and we headed to Kyle’s for Grayson’s 2nd birthday. Nobody but nobody should have a party like that, 1st thing Sharon said was ‘that was disgusting’. No word of a lie, he got just from one aunt and uncle a bag with 15 brand name outfits, big Tonya equipment etc. bag after bag after bag of clothing and toys. His great grandmother bought him a lan rover drivable truck with radio/ cb in it, that is ok but he already has 2 of them. Shaking my head..Christmas is right around the corner, no kid should be that spoilt rotten, his cake was a big 2, hard to tell by photo but there was 5-6 constriction vehicles on it, for construction earth it was grated chocolate, the boulders were some type of fabricated chocolate, looked amazing but didn’t taste great. Don’t i sound like I’m awful, some toys, some clothes and money in bank would have been as generous! Poor little one was so tired opening gifts that by the time it was cake time he just cried..

Was tired when i got in, no sooner did i climb into bed Suzanne called, she, Linda and I will go out for breakfast in the morning, right now we are waiting for a leader to so where we are going and what time..i am usually the leader but not tonight.

I did major garden clean up Tuesday, Thursday and yesterday. Easy for me to say because all I had to do was cut it and put it in piles or rake it into piles. By late yesterday when the gardener helpers showed up, my tail was dragging. So I didn't do much today. I have no appointments next week except a zoom call on Monday at 2pm. Therefore, I will get the front done.

Betty, I felt the same way at my daughter's home on Christmas morning.. Two grand babies, 3 and 1 and way to many presents. I also could tell that their daddy was not too happy about it but he is a fine SIL and said nothing. Their 3rd baby is due first week of December, so they will not be in Vegas for Christmas. I used to be as bad as my daughter. Then one Christmas I saw here children open presents, look at it, toss it behind them and looking for the next one. That is when I started putting money in their college fund. But one thing good is these children are not allowed to watch TV or get on an i phone or i pad. They are read books and do arts and things like that.

My son is in Pebble Beach playing golf with three of his high school buddies. They all turn 60 this year. Have been buddies since the 3rd grade. His buddy just retired from the DA's office, another friend is an attorney, and the 4th guy in their group is a professional manager to some major players. My son's wife's birthday is today. She is 49. Curtis, the birthday boy of this trip, wanted to play Pebble Beach with all of his inner circle. So his wife arranged it. Only thing she didn't arrange was paying for it. Going to cost each guy about $5,000. But this will be their last big hurrah party.

Teacup, the majority of my plants in the back landscape are in containers. I cannot compete with the tree roots. Even planting them in pots, the roots invade the pots. But I have learned to spot that problem. The majority of my pots are on an irrigation system.

Forrest, your plants are really tall. Do you have tall trees around, so they are reaching for sunlight. I have one castor bean plant that is probably 12' high and about 8' wide. I will take photos of them tomorrow and send them to Betty and she can post them. DG does not like my photos.

Betty, if I got a migraine, I would probably to to the ER. I cannot remember the last time I had a headache. Thank you Heavenly Father. The secret to hanging baskets is to plunge them into a large bucket of water until the total basket is soaked. Then fertilize with a water fertilizer. The majority f hanging basket dry out and you pour some water on them and the water just goes around the root ball and the root ball stays dry and the basket dies. I actually dunk mine in my KOI pond.

Hugs to all.

Betty, what a birthday party for a 2 year old, wow, I would of bought the kid a pony too! I don’t mean to be rude & it’s not my business, so sorry for that comment. What thought, time, & dedication you put into that sketch, I hope they now how special you are.

Kids should spoiled like that, not that young.
A few years ago, I got a wish list for the grandkids, my granddaughter wanted a stuffed Pokémon. When she opened it, she looked at her Dad and said, I didn't order this, and threw it across the room. My husband picked it up, along with all her other toys and told her that ungrateful kids don't deserve anything. The look on her face knew she was in trouble. It took her all of about a minute to realize she better apologize. I told her that not all kids get what's on a wish list. They get what Santa brings, and they better be happy with it.
She was a perfect angel after that.

Sharon, my lilies are planted in the remains of a maple tree rotted root base, must of made some rich soil. I have some yucca plants there too, has anyone ever eaten yucca root, if so is it tasty? Those castor bean plants sound impressive, my dad always called them tic plant because of the seed.

It's easy to give children too much & then they don't appreciate or take care of their stuff.

I don't do many containers, I don't have the consistency that they require. I do not have in ground sprinklers and even my yard I have to drag around a sprinkler. I am hoping this fall I can repair all the damage from the dogs in the back yard. .

My friend Debbie's grandson Liam has been with her this summer. He worked for Partners & Pals. That is a summer day camp kind of thing for DDA children. He is only 14 and put in long hours and only paid $100 per week. He loved it and had a real gift for working with the disabled kids. His sister is special needs and non-verbal, she is being raised by their grandma Debbie. She was a participant in the program (but not his assigned child).

The night before Liam was to fly back to Seattle, he told his grandma he would like some pajama pants. I brought Debbie my patterns, she measured him & cut out the first pair. I made them, delivered and he tried them on. I went home & made 2 more pair & delivered them. He wrote me the nicest thank you. Debbie does the most awesome machine embroidery but has NO interest in sewing clothes anymore. I have not sewn any people clothes in over a year, and it was years prior to that for latest. Doll clothes & quilts have been my sewing for the last several years.

I have not worked on sewing a quilt top since April when I went with my oldest son Dana & wife Carrie. I made the 2 black & white quilt tops while vacationing with them at a resort. The farm quilt is the one I entered in the local scrap challenge quilt competition last year. Marie and I have not used the longarm since Phil was hospitalized in March.

Pat, those quilts are gorgeous. My mom sewed when we were young, but I never had the patience for it.

Good morning. Another Fall day here. It was perfect for walking. The TH were having a blast chasing the frogs. We seem o have an abundance of them this year. Lots of toads too much to Zeek's displeasure.

Oh my I was absolutely appalled by all of the birthday gifts. Remember when we were kids we were lucky to even get a cake. Christmas in our house growing up was nothing like some of you described. To get 1 of those huge navel oranges in our stocking was a delight.

Betty I don't have my winter wood yet but it is supposed to be here in the next couple of weeks. I'll be happy to have it stacked in the carport. I'll work on f=draining Zeke to bring a block at a time.

LK I love your puppy. She's gonna be a big one. I prefer large dogs although over the years I have had smaller one. How is your sister ? That long session with morphine has its positive effects but also some not so good ones. One night I woke up and Warren wasn't
'
t in the bed. I was in a panic thinking maybe he fell in the bathroom. I rushed out and there he was in living room all dressed with his winter coat on. I asked him where he was going and he said he didn't know. It broke my heart so see such a strong take charge man in such a state. When I asked the doctors about how he was losing weight they told me they didn't know why cancer caused that.

Betty is there a wake or a service for Jamie?

Susan were you camping this weekend?

Time to get the kitchen tidied up.

Be good to yourself everyone.

Every Mother's Day my son gets me two beautiful Fuschia plants. They are pretty for a few weeks, then all down hill. The nursery pots never seem to hold water long enough for the plants to benefit. Now the first thing I do is lift the plant out of the pot, and put in one of those plastic grocery bags. They usually have a small hole in the bottom or I make one.Set the plant back in. Now my plants stay beautiful and healthy all summer.

My husband's cancer doctor told me, he lost so much weight, because of the cancer. Csncer had consumed most of his body, and he couldn't put enough nutrients in fast enough. Same with his iron and blood infusions. His body was using it faster than they could pump it in.
Sister is hanging in there. More and more bad days than good. I will be flying back to Michigan probably Wed. Just to spend time with her.

Evening all,
Love those quilts Pat, the farm one looks like so much fun to do.. it would be a shame if the longarm did not get used. Would be nice to have a soaker hose here but with just under a 1/2 acres of garden it’s impossible

Karen, next year i will take plant out of baskets and drill some holes in it..hard to know if I drown them or fry them..i will have to look into seeing if they have little meters for hanging baskets..Marie who uses my trees and corner of my lot as her garden as stunning flowers so it’s definitely something I’m doing wrong..

My Angel trumpets are all in bloom on one plant, about 10-12 flowers, they don’t live long do they..

Listening to you Re loss of your loved ones to cancer, brings back 32 year old memories. Went for breakfast at Shannon’s this morning, got treated like royalty, anyway came back and Suzanne talked a lot Re Lenny’s recent passing, I joined in, it was as though Roger died a few weeks ago.. big sigh, wouldn’t it be nice if they found a cure during our lifetime.

Dianne, lovely day here although none of mine was spent outside, at one point Linda went and got my blood pressure monitor and Suzanne a wet cloth, had a few episodes today, think my blood pressure rises then falls quickly so took it easy.

I am chuckling Dianne at seeing you out there with the TH teaching them to fetch.. are there local community groups that could come out and help, know in some towns it’s not free but what funds are collected they are given to groups who help the needy.

Lindakay, sorry your sister is failing, am sure she appreciate you visiting her in the last of her days.

Karen, are you feeling a tad stronger?

Teacup, once you feel for it it’s certainly becomes an addiction. Yesterday Melanie’s mom was telling me she bought a Gracie frame and was having mega trouble with it, not sure I’d have the patience to learn it.

Dianne, I have not heard of one, maybe under the circumstances it will be a quiet one. Few of the kids and Jammie’s wife have had Bubba’s pizza open so lots to contend with. For the first time since he was shot I heard kids out playing out front..Jammie was the kind of guy if anyone had something to give away it went to the backyard so very little space back there, some of you remember me putting up the highest fence township would allow, 7’ so i couldn’t see it, the one back deck if you are sitting on it when leaves have fallen gives you a view of the yard so all i can say is thank goodness his kids weren’t playing outside like they always were.

There is more drama going on my end of the street, mind boggling, mega mind boggling, all because a beautiful restaurant set up business and guy across the road doesn’t like it! Not a wonder my blood pressure is so high..this street is such a beautiful quiet street, most older homes being renovated, catholic and public school within a mile, Georgian Bay just down the road, only a post office, Foodland, 3 restaurants and a little one room pharmacy, few hairdressers do hair in their homes and that is it..hope this drama ends.

I have a quieter week ahead with the little ones I teach, doctor calls me tomorrow night so that is good..

Be well my friends…

Those quilts are beautiful, I love the black and white color contrast. My sister spends a lot of her time sewing, she told me a while back she had bought an embroidery machine, said it cost several thousand dollars, $22,000 I believe she said, do they even make them that expensive, my sister is such a bragger, keeps up with the Jones kind of person, she’s always talking about material things, you wouldn’t believe some of the things she had told of me, but I’ll always love her, that’s what family does.

I love those fuchsia plants too, I think there is one type that’s hardy and can tolerate colder weather but I’ve never grown it.

My vision is not that good & I wear contacts all the time, I actually take them out every 3 months for a few days to give my eyes a break, I’m really only supposed to wear them for up to a month & then give my eyes a break, but they are so comfortable I can’t even tell I have anything in my eyes. On the very few days I don’t wear my contacts I use my eye glasses, they have been used very little & look new, I went to put them on the other day & one of the nose pieces broke. I hate the thought of spending around $800 for something I rarely use. I’m trying to find another frame that’s similar in size. Just cannot believe how much the price of eye glasses has gone up. Because of my bad vision & in order to not have coke bottle lenses, I would have to get the high index lenses, of course that’s more expensive, just burns me!

Boo to more drama, Betty!
Linda Kay - I know your sister will appreciate you being with her near her end. So sad. I pray for you both.
Yes Dianne, I was camping this weekend. Last one of the season. Tents sure allow a lot of noise in. I'll have to figure out something to bring that will give me "white noise" in the future. Camping IN a town allows a lot of traffic noise and people staying up until after midnight talking & laughing in the next campsite (not our group).
Next year I hope to have some Angel Trumpets in my new space (formerly my veggie garden, soon to be a green space). I've done a lot of clearing of it already. Need to figure out a way to get rid of the over-grown raspberry patch, and figure out how to transplant my asparagus.

Do all of you plant your angel trumpets in the ground? Even in Canada? I didn’t think they would survive the winter weather. I’ve been so tired of having to overwinter my trumpets, reading everyone’s comments about them, I think maybe I should just plant them in the ground, Karen had already encouraged me. If I do, they will die down to the ground in winter, right, and do they just start growing stems again in late spring. Would you plant them in the ground now or wait til next spring?

Betty backwards on the hanging plants. You don't want more holes, they already drain out too fast. I lift the plant out of the pot, put in a plastic grocery bag and put plant back. The idea is to slow down the drainage.
I have my doubts about a cancer cure. There are too many different cancers for there to be a one size fits all cure. Besides the skeptic in me thinks there is too much money being made in fighting cancer. That would all go away if there was a cure.

Gathered all I need to have another jam session tomorrow. Used the last of open one, sent Walt for another, He brought it and said this is the last one. WHAT! Just made two batches. Guess we gave too much away. DIL and grands are coming over tomorrow. and we will make a bunch more.

Morning, yet another fall day here, ground is covered with dew so nights are getting colder..

Forest I do plant my angels in the ground and they are about 5’ tall, last year they were planted in a sunnier location and much taller. The ones that i planting in pots fif not do as well so won’t do that again. I will cut the stems down and take cuttings I’m a few weeks a baby them til spring.

Karen, someone also told me to purchase a package if cheap baby diapers and set them in containers as liner, the water beads absorb water and keep your plants damp.. I am with you, think cancer $$$$ put forward for finding a cure is such big business nobody is in a rush to find a cure.
what kind of jam are you making today? I keep looking at the crab apple tree whose branches are laden with apples and tempted to make another batch, it’s trying to f8nd jars, most stores are out of them, either they don’t order enough or a lot more people are inputting down.maybe this evening lol, how much energy can one have, as I sit hit here I’m jotting down today’s to do and list keep getting longer. I made use of the storage area under back deck last year when I wasn’t up to taking seasonal totes to back shed, not sure what season they were so just might organize them to back shed because I am starting to look for fall decor this weekend. Love having the “in” decor set up when children come for their workshops, 1st one is September 17th. They’ve come to the point of knowing me and asking if they can take a tour upstairs.😜

Deb, not sure if I mentioned it but those babies of yours are absolutely gorgeous. How far do you have to drive for the 1/2 way mark! Bet you process the individuals like Sharon does, I used to say at my age I could adopt a baby easier than someone could adopt her dog. She has in her clauses that should something happen it not work out dog must be returned to her for rehoming etc.

We have had no rain for a bit so finishing my coffee then out to water my gardens and this of Shannon’s Restaurant, some of their planters are dying, i mentioned they should put a container of mums to get them through fall.

Time to get ambitious, have to check just how ambitious I was later tonight.

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This message was edited Aug 28, 2023 12:43 PM

Forest, yes you can spend $22,000 for an embroidery machine.

The Trumpet vines are beautiful.

Susan, I hope you find a white noise solution. CD player will batteries would work IF you can get rechargeable batteries, otherwise too expensive I think. I am happy you are enjoying & participating with your camping adventures.

Linda, I am sure your sister appreciates the time you spend with her.

I have tried to convince my sister Marie to spend this Christmas with her daughter in MA. Paula will be here with me, it's the perfect time for her to be with Erin & family. I know part of it is she doesn't want me to "be alone" at Christmas and we have other family members that come to her house Christmas. Guess we will see.

Karen, enjoy your jam making and KEEP ENOUGH FOR YOURSELF LOL

stuff to do.. sorry I did not address everything this post

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We made strawberry freezer jam. It's a case of the more the merrier. Today we were 8 counting Walt. We have in the past as many as 30. For that many of us we'd get the berries from fruit co-op. As much as 40 lbs at a time.Every one could take home enough Jam to last till the next summer. They cost more but they were all cleaned and ready to make jam.. Big time saver. We prefer freezer jam as it's not cooked so it tastes like fresh berries. Also it can go into plastic lidded comtainers, no glass or paraffin to mess with. If you use the liquid Certo, it's just stirring. If you use Sure Gel, The Sure Gel has to be cooked then added to the berries. As long as the kids are willing, and so far three generations of them have been, we will have our jam sessions.

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