Raise your hand if you love hand watering (in moderation!)

Plum wine is right up there with Penecilin and
puppy's ears on my Top 10 Favorites list.

Who knows why people quibble over seemingly nothing.
I was married for 36 years too before my husband died.
Gladly would I let him win every argument if he were
here today, now that I know what matters.

"More precious than the minting of a new-crowned king
Is the safekept memory of a lovely thing." Anonymous

You're a lovely daughter. I would adopt you in a
New York minute, with or without a buttopiary.

Thats is just too funny, my daughter and grandson could live on Sushi. My self I have not ever tasted Plum Wine and maybe that is a good thing.(:
Murmur do you live close to Whitby Island or maybe have always misspelled it, my brother lives there someplace. He built a giant house there a few years ago but I have not seen him in years only a few pictures of the house and it sure looks like a beautiful place.

Oh Mahnot, you're sweet! I do love my parents so much. They are the reason we even have a house! They took out an equity loan and gave two of us our "inheritance" early so we could squeeze into the Orange County market before it was too late. I would do anything for them. We even go to the same church. My dad loves to garden too, so now we can share that too. We bought a house a mile away from them and my brother bought a house about three miles from them. My brother works for my parents- he'll inherit the company some day if, God willing it thrives, and my husband has worked for my dad. What I love is that we are all very honest with each other and hold nothing back. I'm watching my nephew all summer free of charge, and my brother comes over and changes the oil on our car and we really are a close family. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Oh yes, as far as arguments- I used to be very stubborn and HAD to win an argument. Our marriage was like that for about threee years until I realised it was a major character flaw and told my husband I was going to work on admitting when I was wrong, and saying I was sorry.

He smiled and said, "Keep this in mind. You can win an argument and be wrong or lose an argument and still be right." Boy did I feel stupid!

There's no need to feel stupid, and I'm sure that
your darling husband never had the intention of
making you feel that way. He sounds like a treasure.

I'm no sage, but I have lived long enough to see
that those who always insist they are right, even
when it doesn't matter, have really few people
who love them truly. They may have a lot of
acquaintances, but no real friends to speak of.
From what I have seen, they are lonely people.

One of the wisest people I have ever met was
my mother-in-law. She was very kind, never made
anyone uncomfortable, didn't gossip. After a while,
I noticed that she would never say "Boy, is that dumb"
or "That's the stupidest thing I ever heard anybody
say." She would pause....then say "I suppose."
Well, that headed off many possible spats right
at the pass. I mean, if someone says "I suppose,"
then one assumes that the person is willing to
consider your point of view and they would come
over to your side - right??? LOL We are such
egotists. Your family has a heart for each other.
Fortunate you. That's how it should be.
I gave my kids their inheritance when I sold my
house. Why should they wait for me to die before
their life is less stressful? Now, they know I have
done what I could and the rest is up to them.
No ulterior motives for calls or gifts, etc...not that
I think there were, but we are all made of the
same clay - and everygardener knows that clay
pots crack under pressure.

By the way, I HANDWATER my clay pots when it
is very hot because they absorb a lot of the water
meant for my plants.

Hey, Connie - where 'ya been?? See what you started?

VS, I do indeed live right on Whidbey Island - it's a gorgeous, peaceful place to live. My husband and I have been here almost four years.

Mahnot, thank you for those precious words about your husband and knowing now you would let him win every fight if he were here today. And your mother-in-law's example is one we could all follow. Little reminders like your lovely words are something we can all use on occasion. My husband (second one - first one and I divorced many years ago, but stay in touch and are on good terms) is a big drinker and I know I dwell on it too much - he is, after all, a gentle, sweet man no matter what (and I'm a former drinker so who am I to judge, right???!!!).

Croclover, I also would adopt you in a heartbeat - you already live close to one of your "sisters!" LOL - and my younger daughter is there right now visiting my oldest, so you could be with both of them!!! (BTW, maybe the next time I visit OC, we can meet up somewhere? I don't have any travel plans at this time, but will at some point, I am sure.)

Wish I could have some plum wine - but, like I said, I am a "former" drinker! Sounds nummy.

Carole

Murmur, I would love to meet you next time you're in the area!

Yes, Iam so glad that at age 34 I have learned that I still have so much to learn and that it's OK to admit you're wrong to somebody who loves you- no need for pride!

Yes , my husband truly is a treasure. He even changes poopie diapers! Gotta love em!

yup i am guilty...i lov lov lov to hand water...we have a sprinkler system....will i let it do its job .........oh no.....do i kill some of my stuff cause i love it too much!!!! yes i do!!!!

Same here mine is just to good to be true, now f he takes care of my plants while I am away this week than I will truly think he is wonderful....
Murmur, I know from the pictures he had sent my mom a few years ago, it does look very beautiful and over looking the ocean what a view, but I thought the house he built looked more like a castle than a house it just did not seem to have many windows but I have not seen any since it was finished. He has lived there I believe going on 10 years or more..
You all have a great week and I hope I don't miss too much of this great conversation while I am away. I just wish my lap top had not have crashed and I am going to have with drawls not being able to log on to DG..

Safe trip to you VS!

I hand watered today and then I Tom Sawyered myself into white washing the pickett fence!

Murmur,
Strong's Concordance #2919: Judge (Greek word used)
"...to call in question; to distinguish...etc...."
We judge every day - It looks like rain: Should I bring my
umbrella or not? A judgement call.
Traffic is heavy on my usual route: Should I go home
another way? A judgement call.
I'm on a diet: Do I really need 3 lumps of sugar in my
coffee....Maybe I should just use one today. Judgement.
My credit bills are sky high: Should I be buying so many
gifts....? Judgement needed.

All involve using good judgement.
What people forget is that judgement is used to
differentiate between good and bad, between
reward and punishment, even between good and better.

If you are going by Matthew Ch 7, you have every right
to "judge" desirable from undesirable behavior.
You HAVE removed the mote ( a mote is not a sliver,
but an entire beam) from your eye and you would love
to have your hubby do the same, no? You're a good
wife - see? I'm judging.

I'm not trying to preach to anybody - I'm just saying that
people misunderstand when something is taken out
of context. Matthew is not talking about heaven or hell
there. He's talking about criticizing and jumping to
conclusions, condemning in public that which we do
in secret. That's all. He calls us hypocrites, which is
a Greek word, meaning "play actor." Shakespeare was
right - all the world IS a stage.

VS - You come back safe, and without incident.
We don't want to read about you in the paper,
unless you win the Lotto and are heard to say in
public "Free daylilies to everyone at Dave's Garden."
That makes it a LEGAL binder LOL

PS - I handwatered all my pots, my bushes, and my new
Hydrangeas. HINT: If you don't like to handwater,
never buy a plant whose name starts with HYDRA !!!
ARRGGHHHHHH

Mahnot, you are a delightful lady - wish we were neighbors. (And I sure never took any of your words as preaching, just felt good about what you said!!!)

I handwatered a bunch of stuff today, too - it's unusually hot for this neck of the woods and my plants do NOT like it. Nor do I, as I am a heat wimp. I will have to do a bit more as it cools off, but the evening should be nice and it will be a pleasure. I do need to re-set up my soaker hoses in a major bed and install some in other places (wrong time of year with all the thick growth, but need to try it anyway, I think).

Tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter so I think I'll get started with the watering in the early, early morning! Walking around with a cup of coffee in one hand and the hose in another will actually be a delight. Just the birds, the plants, my coffee, and me (well, maybe my kitties, too).

Thank you, Murmur. Ditto - wish you were my
neighbor.
I joined Dave's about a month ago, and I'm
gonna have to change my whole life around.
No more late night radio, no more late night
reading or quilting or fussing in general.

It's so hot here, I can't stand it. Not used to this.
There's an old lady - yes, I can say OLD, she's
101 - who lives across the street and she
gardens from 5 AM to about 8 or so. That's the
coolest part of the day. She wears a hat, gloves,
a long dress and galoshes. She's slow, but she's
a great gardener.

So, here's my dilema. If I want to garden, I have to
give up being a Night Owl, which I enjoy being
a great deal. Now what? I must choose between
singing, drinking and carousing ...and gardening.
I'd start a new thread, but I don't know how, or
where it goes, so I apologize for asking here.
Has anybody else had to do this....I'm not asking
if it's worth it. You're all gardeners and you're all
suspect. I'm just wondering here how early I can
get up.

I guess what I'm really asking is Do Night Owls Garden?
What I really mean is How Early is Too Early? What the
heck, I don't know what I mean ---I'm just really nervous LOL.
I already know they do handwatering, but that's an
easy one 'cause you can do it in the evening too.

Mahnot, I've only belonged for about a month now, too. I think there is a night owl forum - I'm an early bird these days (didn't used to be, my system changed in the last six or seven years), but I happened upon it and peeked and read some of their chatting and it looked like fun.

So, I would say that "yes" night owls do garden!!! Anyone with the kind of passion that most gardeners have will find a time that works for them. And not give up their other passions!

Too early in FL is when the mosquitoes are still out. I need to try to start getting up earlier to get weeding done, but don't know if I can manage it or not.

>>I guess what I'm really asking is Do Night Owls Garden?

Oh my yes. I'm much likely to be awake at four in the morning than eight and yes, I actually do gardening at night... of course, the area I'm working on right now has good lighting... other areas of the yard will be tougher. ;)

(as I said in another thread, my neighbors already think I'm crazy)

Some stuff I do during the day, but RARELY do I do anything outside before 4:00 p.m.

Hey all....

Just got caught up with the latest postings....I was gone to my 37th high school reunion for a few days!

Well...it did get a bit off track here.... but who cares....with a topic like hand watering, it could have gone in many different (some worse, I'm sure!) directions. Fun is what life is all about, to me! :)

Speaking of topiaries...here are my neighbors' (Judy and John...they live 3 doors from me) topiaries. John trims them...you can make of them what you will. I think they look like two hills. Judy and John always handwater as they don't have sprinklers. It makes for good neighbors (just as in Robert Frost's "Mending Wall" the two property owners having to repair the stone wall each year brings them together!) because when John is out trimming or Judy watering, I walk by and stop to chat. BTW...I had their permission to take a pic of John's "hill" topiaries.

Hi, Connie. Yep, we got off topic, and I almost forgot to answer: At our house if it doesn't come from the sky, it comes from a hose. We only hand water. I have a friend who hates to water her small yard, but I actually enjoy it. I used to water some things every morning last summer. As hot as it gets here, there was no chance of overwatering. With our drought, we're having to be conservative now, though. My husband waters now in the late afternoon...but not daily. Just 2 or 3 times a week. Today we had a good soaking rain, and I think the squirrels were actually startled. The birds looked a bit surprised at first, but then they came to dine even though it was still raining. :)

Hi, Connie - Welcome back ! I missed you.

OK - Not casting any aspersions on John and Judy,
but those "hills" look mighty suspiciously like a part
of Judy's anatomy, or is she flat-chested :o )

Just asking.

Thanks, Murmur - and all - I will look for the
Night Owl forum.

This message was edited Jun 25, 2006 11:07 PM

Oh, I did forget to answer.

Yes, I love to hand water... and given we have no working sprinkler system (there's an ANCIENT one here, but the only thing it does is leak -- so the outdoor water is turned off), it's a good thing. :-)

I love it more since finding a good (well-balanced) two-gallon watering "can" -- much better than the 1-gallon milk jug. ;)

Mahnot, the "night owl" forum is under "parking lot" - and then "does anyone else like to stay up late?" or something like that . . . .

Hope that helps!

Thank you, Murmur. I found it, but it seems they
mostly want to phone each other, unless I misread it.
I'm a Greta Garbo Loner - I vahnt to be ahlone -
it's when I listen to the radio and do other stuff.

The phone is done ringing, nobody calls unless
there is a medical or a law enforcement person
involved, and I like it like that. I'm done talking
on the phone by 10 PM - I've had it for the day.
So, maybe that forum is not for me, but I'll keep
an eye on it and see for sure. Thanks again.

Oh, my, I'm with you, Mahnot! I'm not a phone talker at all - both of my daughters call me and I certainly do want to talk to them as I get lonely for them. I call my mother once or twice a week and know it's going to be at least half an hour - and wouldn't trade my talks with her (she's 86). Other than that, I try very hard not to be on the phone. One of the reasons I love e-mail is that we can do it on our own time.

I do remember now reading that some of the folks in the "parking lot/does anyone stay up late" forum phone each other, but I don't think they all do. Good luck and somehow I suspect you'll find like-minded people - if not there, then somewhere else!

LOL Connie!
Your neighbor's bushes look like the Grand Tetons! My dad had a bush that he kept shaping and trimming and it was silly because the rest of the yard was cottage style. My parent's neighbor, who is an avid gardener of veggies and fruit trees, always said the the bush looked like an unmentionable male part. I agreed with him, and we both started teasing my father until we embarrassed him into removing the bush.

Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

So Connie, did you see alot of high school friends? I was so anti-social in High School- purple hair, big combat boots, scary attitude towards cheerleaders- I didn't go to my 5,10 or 15 year reunion. What's so funny is that my very best friend- who went to a different high school, was just as scary and wild as I was and now we're both stay at home mommies who love to garden and we talk on the phone about what we're making for dinner and what we're volunteering for at church, and all that stuff we swore we'd never do!

croclover--I have skimmed through the last part of this thread, so may have missed something important.

Re: your pesty Enigmas. I lived next door to a rental that had a band practicing day and night and I had small children, as did many other neighbors. We pleaded with them to no avail, so wrote a letter to the owner of the home and told him that if he did not put a stop to it, we would be contacting the proper authorities on his behalf. The day he got the letter was the last day the band practiced. What about contacting the homeowners' association you pay dues to and tell them the situation and that you are getting no help from their "Car 54, Where Are You?"

Back to the original reason for this thread: My father used to handwater after dinner in the evenings and he took his time and enjoyed every minute of it. I never understood it. Seemed so unbelievably boring to me as a kid out riding my bike after dinner. Now it is some of my most precious time. It's like talking to my flowers.

I don't have a sprinkler system and may never have one. I have to pull hoses and sprinklers around and I do that for the big areas of grass out front. It's no fun handwatering grass!!

This thread brought back some good memories.

Croclo - loved hearing about your purple hair, etc. - not at all what I would have guessed from getting to know you here in dg! I was just the opposite (from a different era, too, of course) . . . quietly did what I was told, terrified of 'getting in trouble.' I was a stay-at-home mom for 13 years (kids were 13 and 10 when I joined the workforce).

My closest friends are still my high school friends. No matter what, those friendships seem to last the longest and mean the most. I am very, very fortunate to have them! One lives six miles from me on the island, another lives on the mainland, but not far. The third one lives about 80 miles away, but we e-mail every single day . . . she is as nutty a gardener as I am (as is the friend who lives the closest).

Yup. I'm just plain lucky!

Connie, forgot to mention the "hill" topiaries . . . lol . . . no comment needed.

Gardengram-
I have spoken to the HOA- in fact I am a Tract Representative. They like to shrug and say "It's not something that we can get involved in." So I decided to keep the pressure on them and instead started complaining about how people were letting weeds get out of control, and how people left trash and debris on their lawns, even car bumpers, etc. One of the HOA managers said, "Well having to be a CC&R inspector is such a negative job sometimes..." I said, "Well if it's a depressing job and the inspector can't handle it, maybe he should consider a new line of work." She didn't like my reply, so a few days later I got a citation in the mail for "Painting accent colors on the exterior of my home without submitting it for approval to the Master Architectural Committee."

When hubby and I got that in the mail, we laughed so hard we almost cried! We had some termite damage on the decorative corbels and they had to be repaired and the termite company told us to let the material they used to seal the wood cure for a few weeks before we painted.

If they think they can intimidate me by firing off a citation, they can kiss my buttopiary!

And my neighbor and I are in the process of trying to get the Enigmas out. My neighbor is still friends with the old renters of that house who were very nice and kept the place as if they owned it. They want to move back, so they are going to call the landlord and offer more $. I hope it works!

And yes Murmur, I was total PUNK ROCK! I still am at heart- can't you tell? I mean, watering somebody's car and getting sloppy with the grass mowing, edging and sweeping is pretty punk.

And anyone who is willing to put a Buttopiary on their lawn, or even fantasize about it has a little bit of punk in them too!

Okay. Okay. I guess I'm a punker who was just dormant for all these years.

And how good that you guys could laugh about your citation - politics exist everywhere, don't they? And if we can't laugh, we'll probably be in mass production of buttopiaries!

Oh...don't you worry, we can still go into the Buttopiary business. We'll just laugh while we're doing it! Mwahahahahaaaa....

Croclover - Grand Teton means "large breasts"
in French, and the mountains were named by a
French trapper who saw them from the Idaho
side of the range.

Which reminds me, my husband worked his way
through college as a fire lookout for the Forest
Service. He got the biggest charge out of the
sign when you entered Oregon, which said:
"Welcome to Oregon - Home of the Idaho Potato."

At that time, Oregon grew most of the potatos
known as Idaho potatos. That was back in the late 40's.
I do not believe they were able to handwater
all of them :o ) See? I'm still on subject.

Yes Mahnot, Grand Tetons certainly does, as my husband likes to remind anyone who mentions them!

We have a nuclear power plant about 25 miles from here that everyone has nicknamed Dolly Parton...

http://mud.mm-a1.yimg.com/image/186131017

LOL - my daughter showed the power plant to me one time when I was visiting her - had to laugh for sure!

At night Dolly's ummm, pointy thingees at the top flash red.

http://www.paglen.com/Images/Gallery/Cali/sanonofre.jpg

ROTFLMAO - I didn't get to see that happen!!!!

I'm wasting my day at the computer, but my excuse is that it's getting too hot for me outside.

Yeah, Murmur, get off your Buttopiary and go take care of that White Garden!

I've been "picking" at DG all morning. I clean a bathroom, stop and sip my water and read/post, make a PB&J for DS, read/post.

Well, now I'm going to go hang out with my friend who lives in Trabuco Canyon but who's MOVING out of state, just like everyone I get close to. Am I really that annoying that friends have to move to the other side of the country to get away from me? Sheesh! High property taxes and mello-roos are just a lame excuse!

Oh, dear me. How very intimidating.
I could never live anywhere near there.
For sure, I would get very depressed and
intimidated every time I went out to do my
handwatering.
Oh, well.

My daughter would be moving out of state if she could, too, Croclover - back to her home state of WA!!!!! Back close to her mama. Sigh. I miss our trips to local nurseries (among other things, but that's a close connection for us).

I hope everyone had a great week..I am glad to be back home, it was a great conference but I am glad it's over..
We stayed at the Opryland hotel which I was just in awe of the beauty they have displayed in and around there resort. Every plant you can imagine was planted though out there inside courtyard and the river boats circling the areas with lush tropicals, it does look like a rain forest..It takes quite awhile to walk the garden paths just to see all the unusual plants they have placed everywhere so if anyone ever gets a chance to visit Nashville, the opryland hotel is a place to visit and there is plenty of entertainment that we never had to leave the hotel and they even have several water light shows that is just spectacular. It just can not be described into words how beautiful it was..I just wish I had been able to take come cutting but that is a no no...
Also I really thought I would come home to dead plants since It did not rain the whole week but my plants looked better than they had before I left, my hubby got out everyday watering all of them and even took pictures of my glads just in case I would miss them blooming...I say he is a keeper....

He is indeed a keeper!!!!!!!

One time when we were having quite a hot spell and I was in CA visiting my daughter for a few days, my hubby set up a couple sawhorses with a piece of plywood on them, put an oscillating sprinkler on it and beat the daylights out of everything! LOL - I couldn't say anything, though, as he sure did try.

LOL Murmur! What a silly man!

My hubby just pulled a "Smooth Manouever Hoover" with the manual sprinkler this evening! On Fridays, I have this habit of turning the sprinkler on full blast and all catywompus rigt by the curb so that none of the Enigmas or their guests will decide to park in front of my house all weekend (because they usually end up blocking part of my driveway). My hubby will park in THE spot and then shut off the sprinkler. For some bizarre reason which is still entirely baffling to me, he approached the sprinkler in his shirt and tie, clean drycleaning in hand and dragged the sprinkler up to the main lawn. And left it running. Two hors lter, I went outsde and saw my new Polka Climber drowning, my Clarkias drooping, my Cosmos with their heads between their legs, my Yarrow yelling for help, AAArrrgh! I wanted to kill my hubby or maybe just choke him a little, but then I remembered how hard he works to pay the mortgage and I instead just matter-of-factly informed him of his mistake. I was so mad! I mean, WHAT WAS HE THINKING!??!!! He wasn't thinking! That was the problem! Who in their right mind would just leave a sprinkler running full blast on top of a flower bed for hours?

OK, now I feel better. I vented, and now I feel better. But I'm sure my plants don't!

And OK VS, my hubby just stayed at Opryland last month for a conference and he was raving about the gardens. In fact he brought a little sign for me to hang in my garden from the book of Job (my fav book in the Good Book) "Speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee.."

/Volumes/FireWireDisk/Users/Shared/iphoto_library/2006/05/30/100_2999.JPG

OK now I'm mad again! If he had taken a minute to speak to the Earth, he would have found out that the flowers had already had plenty to drink, thankyou!

ROTFL!!!!! Ah, yes, you and I are kindrid spirits, as are our dh's. And "d" doesn't always stand for "dear," now does it???!!!

LOL - yes, we must keep laughing. And we must keep speaking to the earth!! LOL (sorry, you've really got me going here!)

And I must say, I love the way you are handling the Enigmas. (Makes me laugh every time I think of it!)