Changes Part II

Donna, Thanks so much for the encouragement. The deer fencing, I saw for the first time in 5/04 up in Tennessee. Saw the deer too, right by the fencing and plants. It did the trick. I could do that until I get the supplies for the main fencing around the property. I could put that around the hostas or anything else they might find delectible. I am very proud of my son too. He has come a very long way in a few short months, and I have become dependant on him too.

MG, your search on the internet for mobile homes was invaluable and you can't know how much I appreciate your help. Although the place we ended up at was way over on the other side of the county. It worked out good because the dealer being in the county I am moving to, they know all the ins and outs of code requirements and the contractors.

Ahhhh, I have thought about the name. I believe I should stick with the name of my store: Molly's Folly, it seems to fit and rolls off the tongue easily. Now I just will need a sign.

Lou-Dispatcher1 made me a garden sign a couple years ago, it says "Molly's Garden" That will stay in my own private garden. The new sign should go out front by the street/gate.

:^)))

"Molly's Folly" is perfect. And I am glad I was able to help. Now what's next?

mg

Molly have enjoyed reading your news, and I love the name Molly's Folly. I am sure that it will all come together real soon. The MH looks great. And double the room, WOW. I don't care how many sq. feet I have I always need more!!. I will keep a "watch" on this thread, to see the progress. Good Luck.

Yay Molly! I told you I felt good vibes about this move some time ago. It all looks great so far.

Please, don't anybody tell my mother that bit about the deer and hostas or she'll be out here in the woods trying to lure them into the yard. She hates hostas and has been trying to kill one for years now --- and every year it just comes back even bigger than it was the year before.

Keep us informed, okay?

McCool, yes you did say you had good vibes about this, and I haven't forgotten that for a minute.

I am now feeling those good vibes and hope things will move along smoother now. I am really looking forward to this.

I am checking into insurance tomorrow for the home, then the financing can move forward and push everything else into place. All this after a day at work.

I will keep things posted here. I really appreciate all the help and encouragement.

Molly
:^)))

molly it looks really nice Im so happy for you-I know you will be happy on YOUR land in YOUR new home!!!

I can see the gardens and feel the warmth already
my thoughts and prayers fly with you on your new journey!

(((((((((((((((((Molly))))))))))))))))))))

alwayz watching
dori

Well, Molly! I have to throw in my own 2 cents. First of all, as giving a person as you are, it's about time something fantastic comes your way, even if you were pushed into it.

Once you're settled in, I can start sending you plants to help fill your yard. I still have alot of bamboo seedlings that you can use for privacy. I bet alot of other DG'ers will be sending you house warming gifts also. Have you though about a pond?

We just put a deposit on a used tractor for clearing the brush. Just think you have the rest of your life to do it and don't knock yourself out- enjoy it. I would rather have your clean 5 acres any day than this 38 acre x-junk yard. But that's our philosophy...day by day.

So how many pups do you want for your property? :-)

Dori, Thank you so much. I am sorry we didn't get to meet when you were down. Work kept me from having fun.

Carol, Funny you should mention the pups. Someone mentioned this weekend, since we were out in the boonies, we should get a guard dog. You know my dogs, Snowy is a poor imitation of a chicken and baby is deaf, so neither of them are guarddog hopefuls. We were talking about either a part pit or rottie puppy. It's still a little early yet for that. Jeremy has to build me a fence first, after we move of course. How's the key lime and guava treelettes doing? I still have what you gave me, and they are growing, but slow since they are still in pots. Bamboo might work as a natural fence, wouldn't it?
I do hopeto see you at the roundup over here in Lauderdale. I may have something you like too.

Molly
:^)))

Molly - you might consider German Shepherd as you're guard dog. I love pits and rotties, but insurance can be a problem. So far the insurance companies don't seem to have a problem with GS. Given time, I'm sure they will have problems with poodles, but for now, think about a GS. They bond quickly and totally, and have less tendency to roam.

just a thought - ginni

Hi Molly, I just found this thread. I agree with tgif, a German Shepherd would be a much better choice than a Rotweiler. They train easily, are highly intelligent and devoted dogs. My Mom has 2 of them and those would rip a person apart if anyone tries to harm her.

Your mobile home looks great. I'm sure that you will make it beautiful with lively colors.
I'm so happy that all is working out for you. I have the feeling that this is going to be a very good move for you.
BTW we missed you today.

Val

Val, I missed yall today too. Get this, I worked all day today with Jeremy, even took him to the paint store and to get lunch. We pull up in the driveway after work and he shouts at me "Mom!!!! howd that tree get on the porch?" Well gee Jerm, I just got here too, remember?

Val, that is one heck of a tree!!!! I wasn't expecting it today. Great sized pot. I put some soil in it, watered it and put it by the front planter. I think when I take that one north, I will get a gunny sack to tie around the root ball so I can lay it down in the van. It's huge!!! And thank you so much.

Molly
:^))))

Oh let's see a picture of the tree! everything sounds great just trying to catch up on all the threads
Anne

You have to thank my DH for it. He read the conversation we were having yesterday and while I was chatting here, he went outside. Suddenly, I looked out the window and there he was digging this monster. I ran outside to help him, it took us about an hour. It had some huge roots that we had to cut in order to pry it out from under the fence. You and I would have never been able to acomplish this, just too big and hard to get out. It split the pot that I put it in. Art brought 2 pots today and he's the one that took it to your house. You have to thank him, he's just too nice.
I know you will take good care of this baby (well more of a whale LOL). Enjoy it. I'm just happy to give it a good home.
Hugs
Val

Anne,

Here's the tree. Val and her DH pruned it back hard, and yet it is still huge. This will look great at the new place.

Carol, I forgot, I have a pond here now. Since it's not a big one, I think I can put the fish in a 5 gallon bucket, the plants in another 5, drain it and lift it out and carry it away. But now you just gave me a new idea that I want to chew on for a while. I can expand that pond with some kind of connector and dig a bog trench around the preform, put down a liner in that trench and keep my LA Iris and other potted water plants in the bog trench.

Molly
:^)))

Val, thank you so much and thank your DH too. This is a wonderful addition to my collection for my new place.

Molly
:^)))

Molly looks great! what fun you must be having
Anne

OK Molly, Ya better hurry! We have an offer on the Ft Laud house- still being nogociated? but still not steadfast. I have beautiful water type red EE's for ya. I will try to store the rhyzomes. Plus don't forget where I am. There's alot of water plants.

See what I mean? You are such a good hearted person, people will help you create a shangrila of your own. I am so excited for you! I will do everything I can to help. More citrus? Bananas? Hey, loofa on the fence is cool!

I am not familiar with that zone but I bet you can pretty much grow what we do down here, sans the grueling heat.

Pup wise- Pick what ya want from my kids and I will hold it/them for ya. Altho Shepards are wonderful dogs- I saw alot of barbed pines in your picture and from past experience, it's a horrible mess with a dog with fur. In the beginning when they are small- you don't need a fence, you just keep them by your side. pitbulls are extremely loving and intelligent and it's best to raise them like your child. They need family values!

Hey, don't even think about reciprocating at the RU! You helped me and were there for me when I needed it, it's your turn, girlie!!!

Carol,

You are wonderful. And that's great the Ft Laud house is getting ready to sell. Mike will get to come home more often?

I would love some of your pond plants, and ee's. Also citrus is good and nanners? There is a huge clearing right behind those pines. The trailer will be there, but there will be plenty of space for all those sun loving plants. Most of the back of the property is not wooded.

My place is in zone 9 something. It can get quite cold in the winter, but not for terribly long periods of time. The tender tropicals I will have to baby a bit. But that's okay, I will have time since I won't be babying the hostas and zone 9 plants anymore. I'm not sure what loofa is, but I will have plenty of fencing so there will be room.

When will you be back over here in the city? We need to get together and catch up. LMK

Molly
:^)))

Hey Molly, I have been looking at German Shepherds myself! Our lab/cocker is too darned sweet and the other mutt is deaf as you know. With hubby working the hours he does, I want something that is protective, looks ferocious but is good with kids. I found several websites that quite a bit of $$ but some for less locally. If it wasn't for the wandering, we'd get another husky. :)

I have a shepard/akita/husky mix and he looks big and could be scary to an intruder but a sweetheart and very protective of the house and the family.
He does not wander but have heard that of the Husky -check the shelters for mix shepards or larger breed mixes that would be wonderful. That is where we got Opus! Here in his favorite climate THE SNOW!
LOL everything looks and sounds so exciting Molly enjoy!
Anne

Molly, I've been following this thread off and on, I am getting excited for you. I think bamboo is a great one to plant for natural fencing. and as long as you have the room and know that it will take over.......some species grow a foot in a day, well....that's what I've read anyway. but i was thinkng about it too, but I dindt have the room really so I didnt end up planting it. good luck to you in this new adventure.

Ya know there is also tons of adoptive dogs still from the hurricanes if you don't want a pit pup.

I also have other EE's for you and remember my noni? It makes beautiful plants. You might enjoy that.
The loofa is a prolific vine with beautiful yellow flowers and produces a pod that contains the loofa sponge, same as what you buy at the store. You can also eat the young loofa as a cucumber. I put new seeds every 3 months at the base of the older plants to make up for the "bottoming out" of the older vines. I'm not sure if they were planted on the wind screen when you were here but if you have alot of wide open space you might also need a wind screen and this was my solution to dress it up.

We are gonna make ya happy!!!

Molly I'm so happy for you!

I made another trip up on Tuesday to get the permits going. The young lady at the mobile home dealer is taking care of these for me. We staked out where the trailer will be, the septic and well.

Clay finished clearing the driveway for the trailer to be moved in. Here's the new photo of that.

Here's the clearing where the trailer will be placed. My best guesstimate is 1 1/2 acres.

Here's a quick drawing of of the site layout. I was hoping some of yall who are more talented that I would give me some ideas about landscaping this area.

I've already shown where I would like my veggie garden and I was thinking of putting my 60 gallon pond near the SE corner of that front deck, with a wide berm for making a bog around it. (my pond is a plastic preform stillwater in a little kidney shape)

I need to think about where to put a structure for the car, possibly a greenhouse/screen room and maybe later an above the ground pool in the back?

Next post is list of plants.

Plants I have are:

Butterfly attractors: salvia, gaura, cuphea, verbena porterweed (red & blue) butterfly bushes, all color,crossandras, turks caps, large and small.

Trees: All still small: Southern Magnolia, 2 Plumerias, 1 Rainbow Eucalyptus, Banana, Castor Beans, Papaya, Key Lime, Guava, Angel and devils Trumpets.

Bushes: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, 38 tropical Hibiscus, firebush, gardenia, several roses Lantana, Morning Glory Bush.

Vines & Climbers: Cardinal Climbers, Pea Vines, Clematis, Snail Vine, Queens Wreath, Bleeding Hearts, Mandevilla, Passiflora, chinese and Florida wisteria.

Grasses: Mexican Feather, Lemon, Millet, Sea Oats.

Pond Stuff: EE's, Canna Lilies, Papyrus, LA Iris, tropical lilies

52+ Named Daylilys

A few Hostas

Allium bulbs, nake ladies, caladiums

My gardening style has always been chaotic, mostly due to the frenzy to find a spare bit of dirt to plant something. Well I have lots of dirt now, full sun, full shade, parts of both.

Drainage is excellent here since it's sand with a limerock base. Very diggable, I had a shovel with me last trip and did fine even around those pines.

Any ideas?

Molly

P.S. These lists are not all conclusive. Only what I can remember off the top of my head.

This message was edited Oct 20, 2005 12:55 PM

Wow, Molly! You are full speed ahead! I envy you! We have a contract on our Ft Lauderdale home so maybe we will be next for building. From my experience of clearing land here, all of the sudden the ground is beaming with weeds. Can you mulch the trees that you cleared for ground cover? We now know the hard way for when we build a home out on the back "20".

He did I tell you our local police department offered to bring out a swamp buggy to show us the back property? We plan to do it in the winter time when there is more dry land.

I see by the type of pines you are on dry land. That should really help. Is the soil sandy? My neighbor says anyone that will shovel her stalls can have what they shovel. We do! They're in their 70's and it helps them anyway.
It would be a stinky trip back up north tho!

Hey, did I tell ya Mike brought me a company dump truck WITH a company gas card!? There is a sand mine about 15 miles from here that I can get loads of fill as I have the $ to at least get the chicken yard up high.

If ya don't read the pitbull threads, I am packing up ALL the critters and going to Fort Lauderdale. You knew I was going for the weekend but it might be extended with the hurricane stalling a day. Mike is bringing a horse type trailer because I refuse to leave my chickens (I love them) and I have 21. That and I have to pack up the computer stuff and my important stuff. Well, important to me. Roy Rooster is awesome and then there is Latrena and Rhonda the silkies. The rest have no names for obvious reasons.

Hey what about you? Maybe you ought to think about growing your own protein. Fast food doesn't look like it's close to you. If Jeremy stays, he can take care of that department. Watch the farm threads- there is alot of info.

Wait 'til the townhouse neighbors see a trailer parked out front full of chickens! I can't wait! I guess with the chicks and the pups I will be popular with the neighborhood kids this weekend. Altho I have no time to socialize, I need to be packing up the house. But I love it, I miss my little neighbors! They visit and write me and I hope to keep an ongoing relationship as they grow up. I also hope to have them spend educational time out here to learn about nature and protecting the environment. Right now they can't come out because the poisonous snakes are bad.

Is there anything I can bring you from out here if we get to meet in Ft Lauderdale?

OK! Get ready for the bamboo right off the bat!

Molly I was going to bring you some plants to the KY roundup and then we both had to cancel. The Ga Roundup is next weekend. Here is a list of the things I am taking there if you want any of these let me know. I also have you some things put back just for you. The ee that I was going to bring to KY. and a few more goodies. Anything you see me post about it is your's if I have two of them. Good luck and let me know where and when to send the plants to you. Looks as if fate gave you a lemon and you made some lemonade. I can feel your excitement in your writings Hey the Red Porter Weed would fit in your zone.

5- Bulls Eye Hibiscus-finally found out how to root
2- Red Porter Weed- Would have to overwinter inside if not zone hardy
5- Red Caladium
5- Pink Caladium
1- Japaneese Kerria
3 Chicago Harlequin Elephant Ears
4 Strawberry Daylily
6 Illistris Elephant Ears
Yellow Flag- pond plant
2 Red Zabrina Banana
Old fashion Lantana
6 cuttings of white Morning Glory Tree-unrooted
Cuttings of pink Confederate Rose
Cuttings of white Confederate Rose.

Oh the ee's were African Mask and Nancy's Revenge.

Molly, I just read this whole thread and I am so happy for you. Wow, you managed to accomlish alot in such a short amount of time. I love the property.
You sure had me laughing at the comments of the wild life. I am a little worried of what may wonder up on mine when we get there. I know skunk is a real possiblity. Saw plenty on the roads while I was there during the spring.

KUDO's to all the DGer's who have rallied to assist Molly in her move. You bunch are some grand people.



I will be waiting to see the photo's of the MH set up and the plants going in.

This message was edited Apr 20, 2007 5:51 PM

Jim, Thanks so much. The porterweed sounds lovely along with those ears. It will be a month maybe before I can receive them, maybe a little longer.

Casey, thanks for looking in here and for the words of encouragement. It is always needed and appreciated.

I had a dream/nightmare last night. Seems the power company wanted too much money to string the lines from the street to the clearing, so I bought a generator instead. Then I couldn't get anyone to tell me how to hook it up and use it.

Funny, I have lived in the city for so many years, I've become complacent about what electricty does for you. Down here, it's city water so no electric required to draw it and it's so hot most of the year, the water in the water heater can stay hot for days.

Well, off to work to earn some money so I can hook up that electric.
Molly
:^)))

Hi Molly! I am here to check up on you. LOL

Everything looks so nice! If I can lodge one complaint about my new property...it's in the wrong state! Wanna sell me the other five acres??? Imagine the trail of tropicals connecting us!!

Seriously, you are really busting your buns to get in down there and I want you to know how seriously proud I am, that you are doing it! You are going to be so happy living on the land you own. It is thrilling for me to hear the excitement you have. I will of course drag all my tropicals into the garage and will probably put up a major light to keep things going and to also get them started early. You will have to let me know when you are ready for more plants. I told my plants they didn't get to vacation at Club Molly this winter and they were so sad! :P

Do they do mound septics down there? There was a huge house here I sort of liked and the price was not too bad. A guy had started building then lost his financing. One of the big things that had to be done was septic and they told me because of the way they do them now, they are like $20k. Ouch. At the house I just bought, the septic is the typical under ground one. The only way to figure out where it is, is to find the green stripes of lush grass. LOL Septic tanks give me nightmares!

There is one nice thing I have just learned from experience. It is really cool to start with plants and no beds! It is sort of a pain to have to make all the beds but it is also awesome to NOT see other plants there and plan your plantings around what exists. Have you taken the time to observe which way the sun will hit, what will be most sunny and most shady around your house? That was one of the first things I did. Sketch pictures or look at mags or on the net of gardens and garden styles you like then figure out what plants will work and what you will need. You would not believe how many sketches I have sitting around here with the perennials and annuals scribbled in with colored pencil. LOL I was showing Mystic before the sale had gone through, and she laughed and pointed out some caladiums and other plants in my shade bed. :) Take a picture of your new house (if you have not already), print it out and draw right on it. It's loads of fun! And we already know you are artistic and talented.

One more thing. Ferns!!! You have to find a place to put in some ferns!

If her area is like Homosassa when I lived there....ferns grow naturally...even under mobile homes with no sunlight!! There were wild ferns everywhere!! Jo

Molly, I didn't know you had a separate thread. You've been through a lot. I am glad your mobile home worked out, and it looks comfortable. The plants I got from you are doing well. I appreciate your going out of your way to deliver them to me. It's Friday, so I'll be offline again this weekend, but I'll tune in again.
Nancy

Jo, surprisingly, there were no ferns growing on my property. But there will be soon. I want to bring some of my fishtail fern up. It has an interesting frond.

Nancy, Yep, I been over here posting updates on the move. I was up on Tuesday and thought about you as I passed Hwy50. Glad your plants are doing well. Hey, if you are without anything to do in December, I could use a coupld extra hands. heeehee :^))))

Chele, I had to finish my dinner first to talk about this. Actually, I think I'm about to spoil the tale about the grass being greener over the septic tank. At "that other house" we had to have that thing pumped out 6 times in 3 years waiting on city sewer to be installed. It was a 1000 gallon cement vat with a concrete lid on it. The green grass was actually over the drain field further out from the house. The tank was about 6 feet away from my bathroom.

I am having the same system put in at the property. All underground. It will be behind the house, and will extend with the drain field out toward the veggie garden. The well will be on the south side of the house, a long way from the septic.

The 2 major costs here are $1500 for the septic (a long way from 20K) and $2600 for the well. I haven't got a cost on the electric hook up yet. If I believe my nightmare from last night, I may resort to a generator (kidding). Now those are costs of putting them in the ground. Running pipes in a dug out trench to the trailer, hasn't been discussed much yet. I thought about asking my banker for an additional 5K on the loan, but I think I shall tough it out. It will inspire me to get to work making a living sooner, and work is a good thing.

It is overwhelming to look at the expanse of ground I have when I am accustomed to planting in just a few feet of soil. It will make those little dozen hostas look dwarfed when I plant them under those pines looking out from the front deck on the house. I am getting a foggy view of daylilies, rounding out the ground that joins up to the wild foliage in the back. I shall have canna lilies surrounding my pond this time with big EE's and Louisiana Iris in the bogs.

I'd like to have some grass, but a lot of pathways between "theme" beds. I shall have some out door living areas down those pathways, maybe one with a chiminea for roasting marshmallows on those cool winter nights (maybe too cool), another with my trellis bench with vines growing over it with bird feeders nearby.

I am getting excited and very happy my friends are sharing this experience with me and encouraging me in my efforts.

I really, really do want to be there when they put in the utilities. Chele! Can you imagine the equipment they will bring when they dig that hole for the drain field? I would surely like to have a whole big truck come in and dump a bunch of manure on my property. The sand is good for drainage, but MANURE!!!! that's better. I would also like to have them bring in a couple pallets of sod. But, gotta watch my priorities and watch the dollars. So I can spread some grass seed instead.

Carol, I'm sure you are here in the city now. I will wait until the roundup to ask for special stuff. I know you are growing a lot of great things out in the everglades. Bamboo, would make good fencing now wouldn't it? Jeremy has a lot of work cut out for him. He has volunteered to dig fence post holes (make a fence) and build a deck. Last night he was surfing the internet looking for deck plans. I need to ask him what he came up with. See, that deck in the sketch is simply a figment of my imagination so far.

Well, working through the weekend again, I need to rest up a bit now.

Molly
:^)))

Wow Molly when we were pricing land and building or starting with something and adding we checked into septic tanks. We would be able to use the tank type but it also would require to be buried 10 feet deep, and the first 4 feet covering it would need to be in sand, then I could add topsoil or the original dirt back on top. It was going to cost us between 4000.00-5,000.00. Now that may be because of the thick hard clay they have to dig up. Digging the well was going to be determined by the depth of the water table, something about charging for every addition 50ft of depth after 250 ft. A friend had said he heard of one at 800ft deep. Scared the begebees out of me.
A generator may be a good idea for an extra down the road. We already have one so it wont be an addition cost for us, but with the whole house electric its going to be a plus in the winter or the heat of the summer.
I was looking at your drawings and they made me smile. I have at least a dozen of those sitting here. I have started a notebook, so when I get a tidbit of info from someone or a thought I have somewhere to keep it all together.
Your land looks so much bigger now that the undergrowth is gone.

Any thoughts of a wild flower garden??? Something like the picture?

Molly, I CANNOT believe you have gotten away that cheaply for septic AND well. Way to go, girl!

Our mound system cost about $15,000. We just had a major repair because the pump they put in was a sealed unit, and could not be repaired. Mound systems here have to be pumped every two years, whether they need it or not. Evidently ours failed some time ago because both tanks were full. The alarm system went off, so we had warning but the guy said that if it backed up it would have been a real mess.

You've made such wonderful progress, we are all so excited for you!