Coffee and...Wed. May 3rd

Good Morning, we're coming from here: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/597895/#new

Bah, can't sleep so I'm either the last poster from yesterday or the first this morning. Woke up at 3, thirsty, and havent been able to go back tp sleep. Lack of activity, I suppose and too much time lying around like a slug. Food is unappealing but I might make up a bowl of Jello and see if that appears this side of repulsive.

Meant to say yesterday that the shop looks enticing, Joyous. I love miniatures. I could waste a day just browsing through all your little treasures. Long time ago on HSN, I bought a miniature sewing machine, made in Germany, the treadle turns the wheel and the sewing arm goes up and down....so then I had to get little scissors, a coffee cup, etc. you know, one thing just leads to another....Have it inside a bookcase with glass doors, so I don't have to dust it.

Everyone is so busy getting outdoors and starting plants. We're two weeks away from our last frost date, so the only things going out are either underground or coming up from last year. Elaine's tomatoes look fabulous, she's a good plant mommy.

And the guys came in to visit! Bal, the arbor is going to look great. You have such creative talents! And if Oz is only dropping in for food, he can have my share...for a while anyway.

Darius, that sounds really scary! Is the neighborhood usually like that or are you getting an influx of bad elements from another area?

DH put regular bird seed in the finch feeder so I thought we were out of the niger, so bought some more. Then he asked me why I bought it and denied filling the feeder with regular, and dragged out a big bucket of niger from last season. The finches are delighted and there's been several visiting and happily throwing seed all over the deck to celebrate. Saw our cardinal yesterday but haven't seen the blue bird for a while so I'm hoping they didn't relocate.

Have to get my car into the shop today for major work, head gasket is leaking, and the seal down below needs replacing too. DH said he was going to do it when the weather warmed up but it appears he is "too busy" with higher priorities to take care of it. So, I'm raiding the home equity loan to pay for the repairs, and I'll pay it back after he repays what he's spent building the new garage. Or maybe never. LOL

That rain barrel system looks great for watering. If we had to use city water we wouldn't have the garden beds that we do, it would send us to the poor house. And rain water is so much better!

Babs, that hummer is beautiful, what a nice shot! I'm still waiting.....both feeders are out, cleaned and filled. Did I ever tell you my nephew had my DS convinced that hummers had no legs? Of course, now it's a family joke, can't believe she fell for that, coming from him!

Pooping out again. Sick of this.

This is the bed with the daffies and tulips that I forgot I planted last fall. Ignore those nasty dandelions.

Sheila

Morning!! Major foggy here -over 180 schools closed!! I'm just sitting in my lazy boy looking at it all and thanking my lucky stars that I'm not working anymore!!

M5- man oh man 8 lbs! That's wonderful!! Hope it continues it's downward spiral...but hope the appetite returns. I seldom have long term bouts of food not tasting good! I need to refill my bird feeders too. Poor birds just come buy and sniff - looking for something to munch on.

Darius- drive by shootings!! Yikes - I only see that on TV! Glad no one was seriously hurt, but hope the shooters get their fanny put in jail. Just got a call that my neice's husband beat her up (not the first time apparently either) and she called the police and his sorry butt is in jail. Everyone in the family has always disliked him and couldn't understand how the neice could stay with him. She has three other sisters and they are all worried that when he gets out he will come after her and do real harm. My boys seems like such fine upstanding citizens when I hear about that mess!!

Babs- love the hummingbird shot- I need to get mine washed and filled. They usually don't show up here until May 12 - but I need to get ready! They give us so much pleasure. I would love to find their nests tho!

defoe - hope you slept better last night. I've had two nights of wonderful snoozing. But it will screech to a halt soon I fear.

McC - our rain is heading your way - get out a book and settle in for the day! We;re expecting temps in the70's later on today and some sun. I need to move several plants. Now that they are soaked- it should go smoothly.

Waving to everyone else!! Check back with ya later.

SArv-wow 180 schools closed, that must be foggy. I can't even imagine, well, maybe thinking back on San Francisco I can. Must be the stuff that highway pileups are made of! Prayers for your niece, what an awful thing to have to go through, and it is worrisome what he will do when released.

m5-Sorry to hear you're still feeling yucky. I really hate having one of those bouts = haven't in a long time. I was very sick when pregnant though, ugh, that was miserable. Still haven't gotten over it and they're teens!! Usually the violent stomach stuff passes pretty quickly. Your tulip bed should cheer you up a bit!

darius-glad the kid wasn't hurt badly, that is horrendous. sometimes I feel like we're headed for Beyond Thunderdome....Good luck working on the bus, you are going to be BUSY again...you usually are though!

I hope there's some good news coming today! Things are fine here, 49 degrees, cloudy, rain off and on, although wasn't Molly saying it was that cold in FL? Which makes me feel pretty lucky it's not 29.

Kids are out the door-always a good thing....The plants are getting watered for free and I am relieved of "shovel duty" for the day. Okay, it's a little boring, but you get my drift!!!

I have been here all the time just can't keep up with all you mad typist. This time of the year it is busy busy for me with 2000 annuals in the gh and my garden and yard along with work and my commute I am just to pooped to pop.

Latest delima is where oh where has my digital camera gone bummer. This is the first camera I have ever lost and don't have a clue but it seems gone. I have another that was a gift from a dear friend so I am not without but it just irks me to think I may have done something really stupid like leave it on the car seat ouch.

Planted nine tomatoes last sat and 18 sweet peppers now I am going nuts trying to keep them from freezing it is 34 right now and they don't like that.

I caught a humming bird in my gh they come and go but this guy was trapped and exhausted from trying to get out the window I carried it to the house and Linda wanted to take a pix but I said no its heart is going a thousand minutes just look and enjoy. It looked so small in my hand. I tried to set it on the feeder but it was frozen in my open hand and only took off for the cherry tree when I reached for it with my other hand. Zoom it fled safe and sound.

Ok off to put the sprinkler on over the plants we will let the latent heat of evapiration and the water temprature of the water help out the tomatoes and peppers. Looks like I will be late to work again today.
Have a good day all. Ernie

Hey everybody, I'm up, read everything, and need to dash out the door to do the grocery/errand thing. Will comment later. Hi Ernie, M5, hope today is better.

Later

Morning, everyone. I'm up but not very functional with such little sleep. Probably won't get much done today.

The cop came back around 1:30 am to finish his report. Keisha's mom called from the hospital around 2:30 am. They removed the pellet from her hand and sent her home with her mother. My sister will pick her up this morning and bring her back here. The kids are all frightened now about being on the streets after dark even though the injuries were not serius. Could just as easily been a stray pellet in an eye.

The cop said there has been a rash of reports recently of drive-by shootings, mostly at windows, in this neighborhood which is very racially integrated although becoming more hispanic. The shooters last night were in what appeared to be a Ford Explorer but the kids were too rattled to get the tag number. This is a huge bedroom community and has grown from 20,000 to 60,000 in just 3-4 years.

My sister put the family photos I just had copied in a safe place until we get the cherry chest and now she can't find them. She wants me to scan all the rest so she can email them to her newly located father and sister.

Right now, she's thinking of driving to Texas with the kid after graduation to see them. The kid was planning to fly out for her boyfriend's graduation May 23 anyway (on his nickel) and his folks are within 1-1/2 hours of my sister's father. Then fly the kid home after the 2 week visit with the boy's family. Even with the price of gas, driving will be cheaper than airline tickets.

The boyfriend's round trip from Dallas for the kid's graduation is $350. Could have gotten a cheaper flight but he couldn't get off from work. He'll fly in on graduation day and out the next morning. I think my sister is maxing out her credit card with all this graduation stuff.

Later,

Sun is out - fog is gone!! Now I need to get my hinney out in the garden and get something done!! I did walk around in my pj's for a long time

Oh, did have a great thing happen. Before I left for my sisters, I was looking at stuff in the greenhouse and noticed my flat of licorice plant was literally covered with aphids. I was just sick. I took them out of the greenhouse and stuck then in the barn in a window. On the window were a ton of lady bugs. I assumed they were the kind I didn't want (can't remember their name of course...), I grabbed a bunch of them and plopped them on the flat of plants - then left. Lo and behold, this morning when I checked them, the aphids were GONE!! Yahoo - must be they were the eating kind of ladybugs!! They must have been on a food fest all weekend!

Darius - thats a pretty penny to spend to bring a boyfriend in for a day!! I am a cheapo - he could look at pictures LOL Glad the kids weren't seriously hurt by the shootings- but it certainly is scarey enough.

Ended up over 200 schools delayed! That is a big number. A huge portion of the state was under a fog this morning.

Well, off to open up the greenhouse and to get something done other than walking around and gazing!!

its so awful shooting just to be shooting.. Earnie you are so lucky got to hold the hummer.. i have had chane the juice still none here guess to close to highway i cna look in cars before trees grew out what who in.. lol.. unreal.I so miss no hummers.Have great day all.. i know new for me to be here..

Good morning everyone. Welcome back to the guys, isn't it funny that they were all gone for days/weeks and than all reappeared at once? It must be something in the air. Ernie, I hope you find your camera. When will that ferry be ready to sail?

My rhubarb is getting pretty big now, so it must be time to pick some for a cobbler. Ummm, still warm and with ice cream. Maybe today. I have a lot of other outside things to do today, so maybe not today, but soon anyhow.

Yesterday I was gone all day. Hubby took a day off so we could go say goodbye to our friends who are going to Romania for several months. So we left here soon after daylight and drove, and drove and drove. We had lunch, met them at the airport and while they were checking in somebody noticed that the flight time had been moved up. Hurry, hurry, no time to visit, give 'em a hug and a wave and off they went through security. And then we drove home. A full day sitting on my butt watching the scenery go by, reading my gardening encyclopedia, working the wordfinder puzzle, and taking some pictures at 65mph through a buggy windshield. Chances are I got some good ones but I haven't looked yet. If our friends hadn't been coming to the airport early to visit with us they would have arrived there after the flight left, so it was a good thing. No the airline didn't notify anybody, they expect passengers to call in to confirm their flight 24 hours prior to leaving (does anybody actually do that?) With 1001 things to do at the last minute it just hadn't been done, but you can bet that it will be high on their priority list in the future.

Darius, drive by shootings, oh, now that is scarry! It sounds like a good place to move away from! I'm glad that you and your sis were able to locate her father and some other siblings, and I do hope she can afford to go see them soon. And I hope those misplaced pictures turn up soon. "Safe place" yeah, right. Too safe.

Meezer, I think as long as you had to be sick it's good to see the plus side too, smaller numbers on the scale. I can remember when my MIL had something similiar and my dear Hubby said "well' 5 pounds is 5 pounds", and as sick as she was it did make her laugh. She fought the battle of the bulge all the years I knew her, lost and gained, lost and gained. She had clothes in her closet from size 14 to 20, and they all got worn sooner or later.

~~~ at everybody, have a great day.

Sarv, yes, that's a lot of money for a 2 day visit, but it was a necessary hook to get the kid to catch up schoolwork so she can graduate now instead of failing her senior year!

Ouch, Mary, lots of sitting for a few goodbye hugs.

Mary, Ernie showed the picture of that Ferry leaving for Canada quite a while ago, perhaps he will post it again it is a treat to see it all finished like a bright and brand new penny.

Ernie how nice to read a post from you again, don't stay away, I think all of us would like to see pictures of your hard work growing just about everything.


Sarv, that was a smart thing to do having lady bugs to take care of those nasty aphids.

M5, what a painful way to lose weight, just awful. I had food poisoning one, yours sounded like it, I was sick for days and to this day I cannot eat any rich food, all those goodies like whipped cream and ice cream or too much pork and rich gravies without getting upset to my stomach.

It is a rainy and mist day again, Temp is about 47' , not working in the garden but I did put all the annuals out of doors to catch some of the rain drops.
Planning Dinner for my children , another Wednesday has come around. Just finiished making Creme brulee, going to cook a Yankee pot roast, on the side with Spaetzle, (little dumplings) and a salad

Time for a break. The appliances are due to arrive at any time now, if you can believe it , they said between 9:00 and 12:00 and they just called to say they were on the way and will be here in 30 minutes. I hate it when someone gives a time and doesn't hold to it. Had to disconnect the gas line to the stove and scrub the cruddy floor under it and clean out the garage fridge, the freezer will wait till they get here. THEN the butt-first syndrome hit. Move the fridge and clean walls and floor; move freezer away from wall to clean under it; the cedar cupboard with the Fostoria is in the way and needs to be relocated where the fridge was, but first, unload it so it can be moved but first, have to build a18X35" platform for it to sit on. Well it is all done and I'm all in. Sure will be nice to get everything installed so I can get back in the garden.

Meezer, how was the jello ? I love jello. Hope youi have recovered from whatever. That car repair doesn't sound good.

Ernie, you amaze me. Wish I had a fraction of your energy. Hope you will post lots of pictures of your yard and gh. By the by, how big is your lot ? You always seem to start enough plants to fill a farm.

Darius, that's terrible bout the shootings. Hope all is well with you and the big move is successful.

Sarv, what's wrong with walking around and gazing ?

Mary, we probably have enough rhubarb for a cobbler too. Glad you mentioned it. Rhubarb is one of my favorite springtime treats.

Maria, your dinner sounds wonderful, as usual. Your kids are very fortunate to have such a talented Mom.

Someone asked about the Fostoria collection. There isn't any more room in the kitchen and china closet for all of it so part of it is in the garage cupboard.

12:15 now and everything is installed and working. Stove came, but not the things needed to hook it up ! That's all 'extra' since they aren't able to do the hookup. Then a trip to the appliance store for a 2' pipe ended with a 4' one "cause thats all our distributer gives us". Then their fittings were too small for the existing connections so it was strip everything down and rework the line from the iron pipe supply to the stove. Now it is done and the stove gets hot and I am anxious to do the first stir fry. Not a Wolf or Dacor, but it will do for just the two of us.

This message was edited May 3, 2006 12:23 PM

some one asked me about my other daughter, sorry to e so forgetful, she lives almost next doot where she and her hysband built a house on 5 acres of land we gave her.
The house with the very old weeping cherry tree is in between.. Lende is a very sweet warm and loving woman. She has a masters for teaching handicapped and those with out problems. She is also a very tough Lady to have put up with a husband who can inflict a lot of mental cruelty.
Their girls have come to my house many times crying and asking if they could stay wirh me but I never interfered till I talked with their mother.
He has been cruel to all of us, never lifted a finger to help my husband when he was so very ill and now is not welcome in my house which is too bad for my DD and my GDD but I take them out to dinner or lunch at variois time and bake something for them
My other daughter is just as nice and thoughtful but she is more fotunate to have a great husband who did to anything for us and now for me.

My Sons live too far away to be in constant contact with them., but they are fine with the live they have chosen.

I'm in for an afternoon snack (DH just got home from work) - we're having cheese and crackers- altho an ice cold beer would really hit the spot!!

Maria -just wait- our glorious weather will be at your house tomorrow. I have worked outside all day in a tank top (not a pretty sight, but I was sweating bullets....) It's 76 deg out and sunny. Oh, just love this weather. Rain is supposed to come in tonight, but that will be ok, as I have transplanted and planted a bunch of things, so they will get a nice drink. You are so lucky to have daughters and sons. I bemoan the fact that I only have two boys. One is very attentive, the other isn't at all - still thinking only of himself. I'd love to come to your house for dinner!!

Called my mom and she invited herself for dinner on Fri - I laughed to myself. She said she had some glasses she wanted me to have. (and I want them!!) Growing up, we bought peanut buttter/jelly in them. Now they are antiques. I love them. They are on a pedestal and look rather ornate. They used to meet with a couple every Fri, but they are dealing with alzheimers and a stroke...so my folks want to come to our house. That' fine- I need to whip her in scrabble again anyhow!

OH BAL - be still my heart!!! All that Americana..I'd sell my first born to have all that!! You lucky man. Do you have children that will love it as much as you? And in your garage....just wait until I tell my mom!! Do you ever use it? I serve things on mine, but don't use the glasses - they are just for me to gaze at!!

The problem with walking around in my gardens gazing is that I get nothing done!!! I get great enjoyment out of watching the sprinkler go back and forth too! Simple pleasures...

Mary that was a long way to drive for such a short visit!! But I am sure your friends were pleased to see you.

Well, off to get some more planting done (DH is snoozing...)

Hello again, the jello is going down just fine, cool and delicious and just the thing. Bal, your Fostoria is beautiful. Another major renovation! You've been an industrious lad! The Toyota is a '97 Camry, has over 115 thousand miles on it, and hasn't really cost me much except for routine maintenance. Oh, a last year the trunk release failed, but that was under a $100 to fix. Not bad. DH could do the job himself, but he has all his other unfinished car projects that come before mine, plus of course, he has to help his buddy with HIS unfinished cars....something like the shoemaker's children. He's gonna be eating a lot of meatloaf.

Did a walk around the yard, lambs ears, lilies, and miscellaneous unidentified greenery coming up in the far corner. Not too many dandelions. Lawn service came and sprayed, and we hadn't renewed them for this year. DH went out to find out why, they said we had a credit of $79, so why didn't they just refund it? Arggghhh We didn't think they did all that well last year.

Our not to bright neighbors had their lawn serviced, and within an hour had their new labrador out there running around on it. Their last dog died of some unknown toxin....gee, I wonder what it could have been. Some people are truly slow learners.

Sarv, good job with the lady bugs! And standing and gazing is one of my favorite passtimes when it's too early to do much with the mud. I made a run to the optical center for their special on two pairs of reading glasses for $49, as I seem to have lost my purse pair, and now I need to take a rest again. DIL is going to meet me at the dealership and give me a lift home. DH is golfing after work. Rain predictedby 4 p.m. . hahahahaha

Later
Sheila

M5- what a deal on the glasses- just ordered one pair for over 600 bucks...I strap them to my face so I don't lose them. Hey, I love meat loaf....that would be a treat for me!! LOL shame on you for laughing about the rain coming...LOL

Just saw some hungry looking bird at the feeder (empty) gotta go do something about it.

Edited the last post but couldn't add the picture . We use the Fostoria in the house , plates,glasses, nappys and such for company.

Here's the inside Fostoria that is used more.

Wonderful stove, Robert!

I had a lot of fostoria too, Robert, the one I enjoyed mostly at Holidays was when I used the punch bowl with its cups about 24 of them but at the Christmas open house, we aleays had, they were never enough, had to add other that did not match. One of my daughters has it now.
The reflection of the candles in the glass was just beautiful to look at.
Oh where have those days gone?

Sarv, you can come any time to have dinner with us, just hop a plane or a train or a bus or your car and come or any one else who wants to visit is very welcome.
Sheila, I asked my young man who takes care of my lawn when he eis going to service it, he said you can't you have dog now, sheesh , never gave that a thought, of course it would be toxic, now my DH would have known, no wonder he never put anything on the lawn at the farm house and we had tons of weeds in it, now I will have them here too but I really don't care.

Darius - Sounds like life has been just a little tooooo exciting for you lately. That's so great that your sister found her dad. Hope they can get together.

M5 - Glad you are feeling better. Like the tulips. Some of mine are done, but others are just opening.

Sarv - I hate fog. I would rather drive in snow. That was a great solution to the aphids.

Ernie - 2000 annuals! are they all for you, or do you sell some? Very pretty picture.

Mary - At least your friends had someone there to see them off. Long drives like that wear me out though. Make me more tired than working outside all day.

Maria - If I leave now, I might make it there for desert! I love creme brulee.

Bal - Nice glassware. I have some simlar looking pieces but the are pink.

Work is finally slowing down a little. I'm actually leaving early today to go play in the dirt. My back has been bothering me a little, so don't know how much I will get done. If the back gets sore, I'll quit and make a trip to the book store. I am almost finished with Nora Roberts, Blue Dahlia. Great book. It is a series of 3 books. I have the last one, but they were out of the 2nd book when I went before.

Went out for lunch today with co-worker who's DH has been battling cancer. He is now home from the hospital and doing very well. The surgury he had lasted 12 hours! they removed part of this stomach and most of his esophagus. So happy that things are finally turning around for them. Very sweet couple.

It's in the 70's here today and supposed to be over 80 tomorrow. Ground is getting dry again, so we could use a little rain.

~~~~~~to everyone I have missed. Hope to be back soon.

Suzy, you don't live that far away from New England so hop in the car and come but just imagine the difference in Temperatures, here is right now only 49'

You must be getting cold air from the ocean Maria, even we have 58! It doesn't feel like it, raw and drizzly, but it'll be good for the plants.

I never use toxins on my lawn. In a pinch I'll spot spray a tough weed with Roundup, but that's rare. Scary about the dog that died, of course, they would lick their paws....ugh, who needs all those poisons?

Hi Folks,

Stayed in this morning and got caught up on a few things. Then to the Food Cupboard to volunteer.

Home via a garden centre where I bought two large bags of dirt to fill my planters, some begonia tubers and a pot of those mini roses. Looks like there are 6-8 plants in the pot. I'll separate them and plant them in the garden. The ones I bought last year all survived the winter.

M5 - glad you're feeling better. That's a rather drastic way to lose weight.

Darius, I'm also horrified by the drive-by shooting. Lucky that there weren't more serious injuries.
As to the economies of travelling by car as opposed to flying, it all depends on how many people are going and how long it will take you. I once calculated that just driving a car across Canada from Ontario to BC would cost close to $2000. Remember that you have to factor in depreciation and all other costs - not just fuel. Add the cost of meals and overnight accommodations plus the time it would take - maybe 5-6 days if you drive straight through and an airline ticket starts to look pretty good, especially if you get a seat sale.

Looks like a great stove Robert.

Gonna go now and work outside for awhile before dinner.

Ann

PS D#@N squirrels. They nipped off a few of my tulips just below the flower and left it lying there. Wouldn't be so cross if they'd eat what they nip off.

And it looks like Robert bought the same set of Le Creuset that I bought in the 60s, the flame. I burnt a hole in the dutch oven enamel though, but I still use it because it's cast iron underneath. I have the long wooden handled frying pan, the small 7" fry pan, etc. Best cookware ever.

Dropped the car off, DIL came and admired all the tulips. They are starting over with their gardens, roofers had waste and supplies laying all over the lawn so it's a disaster. I'll be sharing plants once they get started again. My bleeding hearts are going gangbusters!

Maria, sounds like your lawn will be a candidate for the non toxic corn gluten...maybe contact an organic lawn service that uses non toxic controls. Keep Samson safe!

DH emailed and asked if I was back to normal yet....I think he's set his expectations way too high!

Sarv, I like meat loaf too, but best is sliced cold on a nice crusty chunk of home made bread! Gee, I'm talking about food and not feeling icky. Progress!!

Thinking of some plain rice or potato for sustenance ....any ideas?

Sheila

Jeremy is cooking his very first ever roast. Sure smells good and I am starving.

He asked me to get him some onions from the garden for the pork roast, so I found 4 nice ones. He did a marinade overnight with a chipotle mix. Sure smells good, I wish it was ready.

So, the onions came from our garden. While I was out there I pulled something out of the ground. Darius????? Are you out there? Did you do this? I know I planted radishes but I don't think I did them by the strawberries and that's where I found these. All the other radish seeds I put down are totally insignificant.

Anyway, these 2 are huge. So big, one is popping out of its skin! Okay, what do I do with them. If I don't care for radishes do you think I might like them cause they came out of my garden?

Hi again, tea and ice cream break time. I've been hauling compost to the garden in the wheelbarrow, very carefully, so far ok, I haven't strained anything and nothing has gone crunch in my back. I'm making more trips so the wheelbarrow isn't as heavy as usual, and also shoveling it in and out using alternate sides with the shovel. We all tend to do things one sided, for instance I am right handed so the shovel always goes to the left when I am using it, now I'm trying to do half the work with the shovel going the other way. It's akward and slow. The sun is shining, wind about 10mph, temperature is 60, a pretty nice day up here in the hills. A while ago I was looking down into the valley where they have irrigation water going already. I can see lines of sprinklers with the sun reflecting off the water, making bright streaks from about 5 miles away, pretty against the green fields. Our irrigation water usually starts coming about now but I haven't heard anything about it yet, and the farmers around us are still trying to get seed into the ground, not ready to water anything yet. I'm not sure the meltdown has started up high in the mountains where our water comes from.

Molly, those are nice looking radishes. Dogs "wiping their feet" might have scattered seeds, or maybe a mouse or squirrel dug them up and hid them away. Good for Jeremy for getting into the kitchen to cook a roast, it sounds good and it gives you a break.

Yes, Meezer, thinking about food without feeling icky sure is progress. I'd go for the rice, it may digest easier than potatoes. Remember, rice cereal is the first kind babies get. Is Sammi still taking care of you?

I keep forgetting to tell you that we have a family of 6 red fox kitts living in the neighbor's field within sight of our house. They play like puppies. Anybody know why they are called kitts instead of pups? One of those mystery things. Anyhow, they are cute. They stay pretty close to their tunnels but sometimes forget and chase each other around, then when something startles one of them they all disappear down the nearest hole.

Robert, the Fostoria is very pretty. My aunt had some of it, and also some dishes she called Spode. Those items were used on holidays and kept safely somewhere the rest of the time, so we didn't see them often. I was admiring the random shingle job on the posts, that looks like more fun than having to keep everything in straight lines. I also like the circular opening in the arbor.

Our new windows are ordered and should arrive at the lumber yard in about 2 weeks. We have talked about replacing all the old windows, but decided for now to just do about half of them, one in the kitchen , two large ones in the living room, and one in the bedroom. Another project maybe next year is to add on to the west side of the house, so one bedroom window opening will become a doorway, etc, and we will finish updating all the remaining windows when we do that project. I'm gonna have to relocate a lot of plants before we do all of that. When we bought this place we added a dining room where there had been a porch, and so that end of the house got double pane gas filled windows about 13 years ago, but nothing on the house has been updated since. All our energy and money has gone to enlarge the shop and pour a cement floor, build a hay barn, greenhouse, work on the driveway to make snow removal easier, drill a well, and those sorts of projects. I would like to relocate the wood stove and build a rock wall/chimney and hearth on the east side of the living room, however, I haven't mentioned it yet. We do have plenty of rocks for a project like that........... and hubby wants to add a propane furnace in the basement for a back up to our wood heat.

Ok, back to the compost pile, there is time to finish what I was doing before I have to think about cooking dinner.

This message was edited May 3, 2006 4:16 PM

Quick peek, didn't take these little fellas long to find the thistle seed!

Mary, you are correct about price comparisons for the Texas trip. My calculations come to around $650 gas only, plus a motel one night each way. Since the kid's boyfriend is paying for the kid to fly out and back anyway, driving doesn't seem like a good deal for essentially one person.

Molly, I never planted any radishes in the garden. Either it's hitchhikers or a fluke. I don't usually like radish but enjoy them sliced thin in a salad.

M5, if you are imagining any food, you must be feeling better. (and, I'd do the rice, not potato)

Sheesh, it's 91º here. I think we need to turn on the AC!

We could use an extra 20 degrees, I'll send postage!

91 degrees Darius, why is the A/C not on already????????????

Okay, must have been some of the radish seeds I planted. I was just astounded with these.

Molly

Molly, trying to conserve energy/money!

Gosh, I have bee MIA all day. Had good intentions of getting back from the grocery, reading and catching up, but life happened. Had 2 people drop in this afternoon, one after the other, enjoyed it, but it was counterproductive to my plans!! Then son and GF called and said they were grilling tonight, so come to eat. We did, and had to dash off to church for Bible study. Had a good chat with GG tonight after I got home. So it has been one busy day here.

Please know that I have read all, and cannot possibly comment to all of those posts.

I am horrified about the drive by shooting. What is the world coming to.

M5, glad to hear that you are thinking about food again. So hang in there, things are looking up.

DH informed me last night that he has someone coming Thursday afternoon, to give an estimate on an above ground POOL!!!!!! Has only taken him about a year, to decide that this was his idea, and a good one! Shees, wish I could go inside a man's mind just for a bit, to see how twisted and convoluted they are. Oh well, what is the proverb something about good things come for those that wait.

Well, I will check back later, but have to accomplish a couple of things before darkness completely falls.

Mary Maria was right the ferry sailed.

Robert my Yard is two acres some days thats about 1.9 yoo much.

Suzi yes they are mostly for us but we give some away but I never sell my hobbies.

That was for Robert

This is for Suzi

Home home on the range where the deer and the graze. Mary cant find the sailing pix it is lost this will have to do these are at the farm store

Last reading for the day for me. I'm ready to hit the wall. Made rice with chicken broth instead of water. Ate some, handed the pan to DH when he got home and said, want some dinner? He ate it. LOL I didn't eat much, but had a little jello later. Ernie, I cannot imagine starting that many plants from seed. DH was out killing dandilions after he got home, happy with his 48 on the golf course, (9 holes) .

98* already? Whew, I've got the air on at low 80s. But we aren't there yet.

Say goodnight Gracie....

Sheila

Heading for bed now. We'll see ya tomorrow over here:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/598509/

G' nite

:^)))

Hi Everyone,

I picked up two big bags of dirt on my way home from the Food cupboard and have already used them up. Will need one more to finish off my planters. I filled up the window boxes I have by the porch - put diapers in the bottom and some of those crystals that hold water. when I watered it, for the first time ever, it didn't drip right through. I did the same with the other window box and several hanging planters. No plants yet - not for a couple of weeks.

I also opened up all the Cannas and callas that were in storage in the basement. Those that were just packed in dry peat moss were in wonderful shape. Somewhere, I read a suggestion that they should be in plastic bags; but those that were - not many - are not in as good condition. Next year, they will all go in old nylon stockings straight into peat moss and then into the cold storage.I've planted a few in pots. May just keep the others and put them straight into the garden in a week or so. The earth ought to provide SOME protection if we get a slight frost as long as they aren't too far advanced.

When it got too dark to work outside, I moved in and spent an hour practicing. Now, should probably get to bed. Hope you all have a good night.

Ann