CDN RU Last Part

OK, 1 Month to go.

I think we all know who is attending, so i won't repost that info here. I'm hoping the last odds and ends will be arranged here.

I know we've talked abouth having a potluck dinner on the Friday, the night most if not everyone is arriving, and I'm wondering if that's feasible. If most folks aren't getting here until between 5-7 pm, then making the dinner, then the wonderful information we're going to get from Jeanne (I'm building the hype for you Jeanne) I think it's going to be a long day for most of you.

What I'm thinking now, and let me know if it is a better option than the potluck, is ordering a few pizzas to have here, people can eat when they get here or are hungry, and it can be reheated if need be.

Anyone else have another idea, cause we (my SO & I) were thinking that a potluck just isn't going to work.

Linda

I think you and Cheryl might be right. Let's keep it simple. Then we don't have to worry about any travel arrangements that might go awry (e.g. late ferries etc.!)
Heather

I think that is a wonderful idea, Linda. Good thinking. We can all chip in for it when we get there. As I am one of probably the last to arrive, it would be less of a hassle having to stop on my way to your place to pick up stuff.

I'm game for whatever is easiest. I could bring some lox down for appys if you like.

This message was edited Mar 1, 2005 4:25 PM

I've also had some requests of what the weather will be like, and what should bring to wear.

Now, please, this is not to brag, but to let you know how far we are into Spring. Blooming now, are: the end of the snowdrops; lots of daffodils; hyacinths; camellia's; a lot of flowring fruit trees are just starting to bloom; magnolia trees, both star and tulip; forscythias and early rhodos. I think that's all I can think of for now. I"ll try to copy & paste the current weather forecast, (showers and rain) to see if I can, and will put up a current one just before the RU so folks will have an idea of what the weather will be like.

Text Forecast from Environment Canada
Victoria (University of): Issued 4.00 PM PST Tuesday 1 March 2005
Tonight Cloudy. A few showers beginning this evening. Windy. Low 4.
Wednesday Cloudy with 60 percent chance of showers. High 12.
Thursday Cloudy with 30 percent chance of showers. Low 2. High 12.
Friday Periods of rain. Low 2. High 11.
Saturday A mix of sun and cloud. Low 1. High 11.


Linda

This message was edited Mar 1, 2005 5:51 PM

I checked out last years April 1 and a few others and it hasn't rained on April 1 for quite a few years. I would think light rain jacket, light sweater and jeans. That's about all anyone ever wears on the coast. No one dresses up here anymore except if you're going to the Empress for tea, then you'd better bring a fancy hat.

Pizza sounds great to me Linda...much easier. Good thinking! I was fretting about what to bring.

Sounds good to me as well.....I'm pretty sure Lynn will be bringing something for one of the days tho!

I agree as well - It's a wonderful and hassel free.
Ingrid

Good plan Linda, with much less drama for you.
Ginny aka Inanda

inanda, just out of curiosity, in the Rose Forum, you mentioned "mozzies" in the thread on Alfalfa? ??????????????? Elaine

mosquitos in Ginny language.

That's so cute!

Really cute!

Thanks Mum.

We have to worry about West Nile up here, so it is VIP not to have anything with water lying around.
G

West Nile isn't too common in these parts yet, but last summer I think they did find a few birds in Gatineau that had it, so only a matter of time until peeps here are more careful with their standing water etc. as well.

I have my eye on a nice rain barrel in our local enviro-store, with a faucet in the bottom, and a fitted 'mozzie' cover on the top - only $65! :-O
There's gotta be a cheaper home-made solution.

Sorry for getting off-track here Linda....! :-)

You can get a spigot from your local wine shop and then look around for a barrel. Just do not use super glue when inserting the spigot. It will leak!!!
Ginny

A-ha. Good tip - thanks, Ginny!

Hi fellow April C.T. Round up participants.
I just found out that the Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society 2005 annual spring show and plant sale will take place at the Cadboro Bay United Church,2625 Arbutus Road, Victoria. April 1st-1.00 to 9.00pm,April 2nd-9.00 to 4.00pm.Spectacular show of rock and alpine garden plants as well commercial and member plant and seed sales, displays, door prizes etc., etc., We may want to add this to our busy agenda?? Any comments? Solomon (aka Lana.)

Is that ever fortuitous timing!!!

Sounds wonderful, Lanna. How does our schedule look for Saturday, April 2, Linda? Do we have a schedule of any sort yet?

We might want to have two groups to attend different greenhouses. The show sounds wonderful but those of us in lower zones wouldn't be able to grow perennial plants that aren't hardy to our region.

[b]tentatively[/b] our sched for Sat COULD be:

morning; Butchart Gardens including lunch or tea, +/- Butteryfly gardens;
afternoon; Brentwood Bay nurseries, Marigold Nurseries, Elk Lake nurseries....
evening; dinner out?

I am unsure how to proceed.

I think Jeanne and Sandy may be leaving later Sat or early Sunday, depending on their sched. I imagine Butcharts is old hand to them, and they may want to do other things instead, which makes me think Sunday would be a better day for Butcharts. There's some folks that expressed an interest in going into to Sidney to go to all the book stores. I've heard from others that they'd rather do garden things. Sunday morning, if church is on the sched, then those folks who attend will have to prioritize what they want to see later. There's that scent-sation nursery that I went to last week that I mentioned about judging a book by it's cover.

All I can say for sure, there is too much to do for the short time we have together. I think Friday night, inaddition to Jeanne's brug lecture and slide show, the alpine and rock garden show, dinner, and lots of you arriving around the dinner hour, we will have to have some discussion about what everyone has as priorities. I know we talked about that here on the forum, but when we all get together, it might be easier to plan. If you'd rather work on the agenda now, that's great too. Lets hear from everyone.

I'm just thinking out loud here, that there is validity to having 2 groups going separate ways if everyone wants to see thier top choices of what to see. And then again, maybe we'll be one big happy family and do everything together.

As I've mentioned before, I think decisions should be group decisions, with the majority ruling. I won't be doing the "if it's Tuesday, we must be in Paris" kind of thing, but I am a capricorn, linear thinker, and perfectionist, so I may tap my watch sometimes if we are to keep to a sched.

I know I am just a member of the group, but IMHO I perceive that because I'm in the host city, there's some pressure to organise where we'll be and what time etc.

I'll stop rambling on now. Enough serious thinking for one day. My palm is itchy, so I'll be buying a lotto tix today.

Linda

You go girl! Buy that ticket...win big...Then to heck with any schedule, we'll just spend the whole time playing tennis and swimming in your pool at that "Dream House overlooking the ocean" of yours. :D

IMO, I think Friday night, Jeanne's brug lecture and slide show, trading ? and Pizza is enough for the first night. You are probably right that there are too many things to do for the time we have. When do you think we should make up our minds about groups and where and when to go? Friday evening when we get to your place, Linda?

This message was edited Mar 7, 2005 6:50 AM

That is what Linda said above Donna

S'cuse me

Hello Folks: Sorry to be so long in contributing. Probably your idea for dins Fri is a good one, Linda. I was trying to determine how , with Lana, Elaine, and me in E's station wagon we were going to fit: food, our bags, all E's plants and ourselves as well. Also, due to my growing conditions, I'm never sure what will survive the winter so I will not commit to any specific plants for trade. There is nothing I hate more than having to reneg on my promises! That does not mean I hold others to this expectation. Now, apparently, I will be driving the 3 of us in the Toyota which is smaller. So, eliminating the 3 dinner dishes will help. You are doing a marvellous job, Linda, and we truly appreciate all your effort!
See you soon.
Dawn

Checking in here, looking at 2+ feet ft snow,all white and FRESH and clean. 2 weeks and a bit. Think - no I can tell you right now that lilies will be mainly sent later..... I'll only be bringing indoor plants with a few lilies in my fridge and these have all started sprouting. Highways closed again.

Noticed that as soon as Jetsgo went under, Westjet moved their fares upwards very fast. EG. Edmonton/Ft/ McMurray -+200, Winnipeg/Victoria $200, Winnipeg/New York, $100.

Feel really badly for passenger travelling South with kids for spring break. Guess there will be a couple of hundred pilots heading overseas for jobs.

On the flowering side, Green Goddess (calla) has two bloom stalks.

Yesterday went to a nursery bursting with potted crocus (croci) tulips - divine spring scents. Yum Yum
inanda

Hello, fellow Canadians...as of last week, I won't be coming to the RU in April. My husband is going in for his checkup on the 31st and the 1st of April.....Like I mentioned to Dawn and Lana, these appointments are around every three mos. After a trip to Mexico, 2 yrs ago, with his compromised immune system, he picked up a bacteria, called Listeria, compiled with Meningecoccal Pneumonia.. Very close call! Now, we've been to Mexico about 7 or 8 times, different parts of the country,never got ill........so these checkups are mandatory, and they do so many blood tests on him, and guess who must drive him home........me! So I must bow out for now, but I can still communicate with you here! E

So sad to hear this news, Elaine. I was so looking forward to meeting you and tapping more of your Rose knowledge. Completely understandable though. Family and spouses must come first. I wish you both good luck at his check-up.

Two weeks to Go!

I'am getting excited in meeting everyone!! Count down........
Ingrid

Hello fellow RU participants. Do we have a latest count of exactly who is going and where they are from?
I have lost track. Sadly, Rosebloom won't be able to attend nor will Yumiko.
Looking forward to meeting all of you!
Solomon.

Lana, here is what I believe is the updated list. Our numbers dwindled a littel bit :(

Thanks Donna, I missed that question.

I think that's the whole list.

Thanks for the speedy reply.
Sol.

I think that I will be having a small flush of flowers on my Charles Grimaldi brug during the RU. I have one open now, and a few that will be open in a few days, and more to follow after that.


Pam: you said something about being allergic to eggs; they have a great spinach pizza here but it has eggs on it as well, can you eat them cooked, or give it a miss.

I tried to scan the pizza menu, so you all can see whats there, and give me an idea of what to order.

The spinach it good, the mediterrainean is really good, if I can pick of those nasty sundried tomatoes. The Chicken BBQ one is good, the rest, I'm not sure of.

The Spinach or BBQ chicken looks great to me.

Yum!!!! They all look good. (not that I'm voting.....sigh......)

all of the above suggestions are ok by me