Pull Up a Chair XXI

Very pretty, Biv! That lamp is gorgeous.

My hats are off to you ladies and the grains and beans. I have a hard time choking down some of that stuff. I need to change my ways.

I made it to class and boy, am I glad I did. I learned soooo much. I can't wait to start my own. Ceejay, Tom is next week. Tonight was Mark Rainey from Hines Nursery. He showed us how they propagate on a large scale. We're going to tour the nursery soon. He brought lots of plants with him tonight and said that he wasn't loading them back up in his car so we all left with a TON of stuff. I got a juniper, 4 knockout roses, a flat of petunias, some turk's cap, pink jasmine, a hibiscus...it was wonderful! Woo Hoo!

Where's Fly? I miss Fly!

Wow!, Knolan! What a haul!! Woo Hoo is right!!
Biv - I love your transformations. You are a very talented lady!
I'll be away from the computer for the next few days. Off to San Antonio for the International Women of Faith Conference. I attended a couple of years ago and it was awesome. You'll have to pull me down from the ceiling when I return! Max Lucado, Sandi Patty, Lucy Swindoll, Marilyn Meberg, Sheila Walsh, Nicole Johnson, etc, etc....
G'night,
CJ

MsBiv, mui elegante !
A stunning lamp in a beautiful setting - and my eyes went
right to those gorgeous chairs flanking the fireplace. LOVE 'EM !
There's something almost decadent about a chaise lounge, LOL,
and you've got TWO of them, you lucky duck !!! Lovely wedding
tray above the mantle.

I had a beautiful large chaise, very similar to yours in style, covered
in a vanilla fabric. I gave it to my youngest daughter, whose cats
promptly peed on it. Without saying anything to me they just put it
out by the curb, where someone grabbed it right away. Boy, was
I ever PO'd ! I would have stripped it down to the frame and stashed
it until I moved here, then had it reupholstered. Oh, well.

Knolan, what a break that you got to class - good for you. I'm sure
everyone enjoyed what you brought, even without the lasagna.
Hope your crummy weather clears up. The kids aren't having much of
a spring break this week, I guess. Can't even ride their bikes.

Ceejay, we've been calling your lovely fountain a kettle, but MsBiv
has called it a cauldron. Should we read anything into that, you think?
LOL, all I could think of were the witches in Macbeth, stirring the cauldron.

So sorry your fixer-man didn't come today. I'm feeling your pain here.
Half the guys I call to come out and give me an estimate never call,
never show up. The one who came out today wants an arm and a leg,
so I'll have to keep looking.

Greta Louise will have surgery on her other hip in the middle of May,
after my family visits. She is far too rambunctious to control when there
is anyone here as she cannot help but wag her entire body, and we can't
have that. Looks like I'll be out there with her in the moonlight, with a
flashlight in one hand and her leash in the other while she does her duty,
just like last summer. The surgeon says 4 months for healing. Another
summer down the drain, and I ain't gettin' any younger.

Billy, I'm with you. Don't like cilantro one bit, but I love beans - any kind
of beans. Cannot eat jalapeno unless my will is in order and the ambulance
is waiting by the door.

Don't know where everyone else is tonight - safe in bed, I hope.



This message was edited Mar 15, 2007 1:07 AM

Sweet dreams, Ceejay. Have fun and come back and tell us all
about it.

Thanks, all. Glad you like my abode. I'll have to get a full picture of a chaise for you. They each have four pillows: One in the same velvet (which has an antique look) as the chaise, one in a tiger stripe (which cost almost as much as a tiger), one in suede with an inset of African kuba cloth which is made of raffia, and one small one made from a Persian rug. I bought the chaises for a song at a consignment shop. When I got them, they were covered in a really ugly gray and pink paisley (an insult to paisley, which I love). They had evidently been custom made and were very well built, just ugly. I had a lot of fun recreating them.

KN, what a haul! Good for you.

Have a fun trip, Ceejay. And, yes, I guess I do think of your treasure as a cauldron rather than a kettle. Actually, I suppose it's really a large vat. And weren't the witches in the opening scene of Macbeth?

Mahnot, I'm sorry you're going to have a repeat of last summer. I recall we had several late night chats here because of your nursing duties.

Has Fly flown?

Bama, if you're lurking, I trust you'll be back with us soon. Take care.

I took a Benadryl and hope I'll get sleepy soon. I have lots to do tomorrow.

Yes, Macbeth, and it was bugging me and I had just changed it
from Hamlet, although I do believe there is mention of witches in
Hamlet too. It's been too long. I'll have to read them again.

Hope you have a really good night's rest, MsBiv. Benadryl is truly
a wonder drug - I can only take one half of one, or I wouldn't wake up
until next month.

You do such lovely work - lucky clients !

Don't know where everyone is, but I'm off to bed too. Lots of missing here
lately. Wonder if April has moved yet and if Rena has found her new love,
complete with big ears and wagging tail. Bama's posted in the Pets forum
the pictures of her new puppy, a little cutie pie.

Well, goodnight all. Sweet dreams. Ciao for now.

((((((Bama))))))

I sure hope that Ms. Fly hasn't flown. I'm really a little worried about her. She and I chat daily on dmail and I haven't heard from her for a few days. I'm missing her but, more importantly, I'm a little worried. Try to get that mother hen thing in check.

Good luck with the Benadryl, Ms. Biv. If I were to take it, you wouldn't hear from me until 5:00 pm tomorrow. It really does a number on me. I want to see those chaise lounges.

Poor Greta Louise, another hip surgery? Poor Mahnot, too. If I weere a dog, I'd beg for you to be my mommy.

We just finished a game of dominoes.....chicken foot, to be exact. I haven't played that in so long. Every animal in the house has been sitting with us. No one wants to go outside.

I'm just praying that my seedlings that I've planted haven't drowned. More importantly, my brand new almond verbena and abutilon's. I worked so hard to get them planted in the perfect spot last Sunday. Those and the brugs I had in my bubbler. Wouldn't it be horrible if they don't survive? 6 months of nursing them only to have them drown as soon as they are planted?

Mahnot, I was reminded today of the package I need to send you. I've been going a little crazy and haven't been near a post office but, it's coming. I promise. Sometimes it just takes me a little time to get there. Biv...you too. I owe you a jar of vanilla bean/lemon marmalade. Better late than never. Could you please dmail me your address again? When I go to the p.o. I'll get both boxes out. I try hard to remember the things that I have to do but there's always 5 more added by the end of the day. I promise to fulfill my promises! Just takes me a little longer some times.

It's going to be hard getting to bed. I've found that on class night my brain is always worked up and doesn't want to shut down. It's hard for me to be quiet for 4 hours and getting out at 10:00 pm is a complete disservice to my brain and mouth. I've been good so far...no one has had to put duct tape on my mouth during class. Fortunately, everything has been so interesting it hasn't been quite the challenge it would be in a boring class. And, my partner in crime (the cook) is a hoot! She makes it a lot of fun. She is crazy! Not only her, EVERYONE is fun. I'm really enjoying the different personalities we have. Working the sale last week was even more fun because we got to know each other a little bit outside of the 'class atmosphere'. There's good people everywhere, and people that garden are great.

I've already completed 1/3 of my required volunteer hours and when it's done, I'm having so much fun I think I'll just continue. Just in the areas that hold my interest.

Just got my latest 'Design Toscano' email and here we have....this.....

http://www.designtoscano.com/jump.jsp?itemID=6048&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C58%2C63

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine gave me a planter with two of these "Suma" gentlemen in the same position. I kept it around for as long as I had to for politeness and then got rid of it. At the time, my SD was living with us and was there when I received the gift and also, when I put it in the garage sale. She asked me why I lied to the person that gave me the planter when I told her that it was a 'unique pot' and thanked her for the kindness. I tried to explain common courtesy to her and being appreciative of the thought. It wasn't a lie at all...I did appreciate the thought immensely. But I couldn't figure out what to do with it. To me, it looked like two men doing #2 on the counter with a plant growing between them. I tried very hard, with no positive result, to explain that when someone gives you a gift, even if you don't like it, you say, 'Thank you. Well, it being a step mom situation, she's always going to see things in the worst of light. I can do nothing right. That's okay....I understand.

Forgot to say....we didn't make it to the bowling alley today. We'll go tomorrow for sure.

We had to go to the mall to get R an outfit for a play she is in for her drama class (she is a DRAMA QUEEN!). On the way there, we stopped and had lunch at a sushi bar and I was certain she wouldn't like it. She eats sushi like a pro! That child put down more rolls than anyone I've ever seen. We ordered tuna, shrimp and sashimi (sp?). There wasn't a grain of rice left on our plates.

Wow, no wonder I love the mantle! There is such a thing as happy accidents. I would rather have a piece lifted from an old house than a new one. It's nostalgic for me to ''preserve'' the past.

Knolan, free plants! I'm jumping up and down for you!!

Bye CJ! I'll miss you!

Oh Mahnot, I'd have cried! Cauldron, me too! I love that word!

Biv, my eyes are glazing over the description of your chairs. I think you could fix anything!!

I've wondered about Renate's pup too and I'll have to check Bama's puppy out.

Knolan, I'll see that suma planter for the rest of my life. If you had kept it, I would have planted ornamental grasses around the men so only their heads would show. Oh my, maybe that is a worse image. Yep, they had to go.

This message was edited Mar 15, 2007 1:56 PM

BP, you're a lady after my own heart. If that piece of wood were newly carved and all shiny shellac...well, I doubt it would be part of my mantle. I love things that have the patina of age, and this one certainly does. Its texture is rough and even has bug holes in places. You can tell it's spent many, many years outside; Javanese houses often have lovely exterior trim like this. From the extreme weathering, I'd say it could easily be 100 years old, if not more.

By the way, did I tell you that the raised design of the fireplace surround is made of styrofoam coated in textured paint? It looks just like stucco, but I didn't have to hire a plasterer to do it. I also used foam to make door facings (we removed the wood) and borders around the guest bath windows.

Thanks, KN! I'll Dmail you now.

Glad I checked this out today....what treasures!! My DD just picked up a sweet little loveseat that her niece was throwing out because it didn't sell at her rummage sale!! It's pale gray and mauve paisley, so cute. I would have taken it too even though I don't have a square inch of space left to put anything. I gave her my chair and a half after I bought the new Phaque leather furniture for the living room, and regretted it immediately. It's the best chair for curling up and reading. But....she's giving it back to me because her DH is complaining about it taking up space in the garage and she's not ready to reupholster it. I might throw out the single bed in the guest room and put it in there. The only overnighter we get is DH's icky brother and he can sleep on the floor for all I care. Or maybe not come at all, which would suit me even better.

Oh free plants!! Be still my heart. Hope my knock outs survived our crappy winter. I see green coming up around the mums and some snaps already, in spite of the cold, but we've got massive cleanup to do. I don't mind working in the cold but the wind does me in.

Dang, I was plannning to steal that cauldron for my Spring coven meeting.....
I swear, half the people you call for estimates on work don't call back, half of the half that call never show up, half the half that show up never provide an estimate, and half of the half that do are too dang expensive. I lucked out with my painter guy. Still hunting for someone to replace the slider to the deck with a real door, that doesn't leak air .

Yup, Bama got herself a cute little puppy. I hope she comes back here to tell you about it. Maybe she's just busy housebreaking the little guy.

Here's my DD's new little girl. She tried to breed her Frankie, but it didn't take as she is getting older so DD got a new female for breeding. Isn't she cute? I almost got licked to death yesterday. She is such a little smartie too. Being crate trained is working well, she hasn't messed once inside the house. Allthough she did have a great time rolling in the mud, she's just done with her bath in this shot. That's why she's so fluffy. (I'm fluffy because I love food.)
I adore visiting puppies, I just don't want to have one of my own..

Cauldron for your coven meeting. hehehehehehehe. I wanna come.

What a cute puppy. Hope Bama will post some pics. of her new baby soon.

BP - that DH of yours been hogging the computer again? Shame on him!

Biv - got the dmail. Thanks! Pkgs. will go out next week (I gotta get over this spring break thing).

I've been out planting to my hearts content. It's a lovely day for it but I had to take a break. It's hot! I got one bed cleaned out and all four knockout roses are going in the back of it. Then I'm digging up all seven of my nearly wild roses up and planting them in front of the knockouts. I haven't decided what to plant in front of those yet. And at the very edge of the bed, it's at the corner of the house, I'm going to plant a 'Big Yella' brug.

Biv, you are talented!! And lucky to find these things.

Meezers, she is darling!!
Boy I hear you on working in the cold wind. I can't even get myself out to walk when it's like that.

I didn't find Bama's puppy. I went to pets. I even went to her threads. What am I missing?

OH, okay, it's in Pets, in the Huck and Souky Get a Visit from the Postal Fish, down near the end, posted yesterday or the day before....This is our nonsense thread with our critters writing letters to each other............

I got my new puppy... it is soooo cute... I just love her...

http://davesgarden.com/place/t/702073/

Thanks Meezers, I didn't look far enough down!

Renatelynn, she's adorable!!! I'm so glad you found one!

WOW, we're loaded with CUTE today ! They are both so adorable.
Congratulations to both on finding a loving home.

MsBiv, except for the bug holes, I would qualify to fit right into your
decor. Heck, I'm even rough around the edges.

Knolan, you'd better sit in the shade a while. It's hot today here too.
Just ran some errands and now I'm having a nice cold glass of
cranberry juice. The air is so dry today that it just seems to suck
all the moisture right out of your skin.

Well, I'm off to unload the car and pet my doggies for behaving
while I was gone. Think I'll give them a dehydrated chicken strip -
that will keep them from racing around my legs while I go back and
forth to the house from the car. I hate being tripped. Ciao for now.

Oooooh, Nata got her puppy! My DH always says that baby "anythings" are always cute...even baby rhinos. But puppies and kittens are the cutest. And pandas. And I love baby pigs. And elephants. And chimpanzees. And porcupines. And ...and...on and on....:))))

Colts are cute too. DD's new Egyptian baby, and hopefully the start of a business when he's old enough to breed

Baarabas.

oh wow... nice looking

Thanks! He'll be shown in Kentucky this year at the big Arabian show. Hopefully they'll get some big breeders interested in him.

Beautiful!!! I think horses are nature's most magnificent sculptures. Their beauty can bring tears to your eyes. And I certainly cried about Barbaro. After so many months, I thought he'd make it.

I felt bad for all the suffering he went thru just to die in the end.

Renatelynne, I can't wait to see what name your puppy chooses. They do have to name themselves don't they!

yes they do. It took me 3 months to name my bird.

We can wait. She looks like she's full of personality. Is she quiet or frisky so far?

DH just got home. Tomorrow ladies!

Nite Bama. Big hug for all your tears. (((((((((((Bama))))))))))))

BP - what a beautiful colt!!!!! Absolutely stunning.

I'm with ya, Biv. I cried for Barbaro too.

I don't know what I'd do without my visiting horses. I like to have my coffee with them every mornin. If I'm here, in the office, they come up to my fence window and hollar at me to get out there with some carrots. They're my buddies.

Congratulations Nada! I'm so glad you finally have a new baby. And what a cutie he is.

I gotta take a shower. I'm filthy.

Fly's back! Fly's back! Her DSL was down. Whew! I thought I was gonna have to send the troops to check on her.

Cleopatra's left-facing chaise.

Eeeew! That KNolan person is "fithy." Peeee...ew

Another view. The flash makes the velvet look shiny. Trust me. There's no shiny velvet in this house! LOL

Right-hand chaise. I was lucky to find mirror images which perfectly suited my purposes.

This is why I can use my living room as my walking track. This picture was taken from the alcove (where we watch tv..remember the bead-trimmed burlap draperies?) It's 42 ft. from the alcove corner (where I'm sitting to take the photo) to the opposite corner you see. Out of sight to my right is the dining area. When we were house hunting, I kept asking if walls could be knocked down so I could have a large multi-use living area. Then we walked into this house...and I knew this was the one...even though the floor was covered in bilious green dog-urine-stained commercial carpet..glued down, of course. Every window in the house (and the French doors) was covered with the original Venetian blinds with bedraggled tapes. The walls were all dirty white..the original paint had never been refreshed...and forget color! And don't forget that original lilac tile fireplace! And the kitchen! Fohgeddaboudid! The world's most inconvenient kitchen...not to mention UGLY! But it had the good bones I was seeking and loads of potential. It's been great fun and a labor of love to reinvent this house and make it a home, a comfy nest that we both love. I'm braver than most of my clients.

Biv, how absolutely lovely!!! You are one talented lady, to say the least!

Renatalynne, your baby is so precious he almost made me cry - can't wait for more pics and more info!!

Bama, you too - and what a perfect addition to your home . . . Bo will bring you nothing but joy and serenity. I'm so pleased for you and proud of you for how you are handling things. I can't imagine anything more difficult than what you are going through, and I'm glad you are taking the time to grieve, too.

Yesterday I took my mom to my favorite nursery in Seattle (she has always enjoyed it as well, of course, or I wouldn't take her there!). Think I have to go back this weekend to make some purchases!! It's too hard to shop and take care of my mom, but I sure socked away some great ideas in my p-brain! They have a nice cafe in a huge solarium where we had mac & cheese and coffee (mochas).

Took me a long time to catch up on all my threads (I watch waaaaaaay too many), but I finally have. Now I'm ready to do nothing for the rest of the night.

Biv - absolutely beautiful!!!!!! Your home reminds me of my mom's decor. That is just so pretty. You have outdone yourself!

Did I mention Fly's back? Woo hoo!

Murmur's back too! Did I mention that! We missed you.

Wish I could go to your nursery in Seattle. Heehee. I have total spring fever right now. I'm frisky like the cats. Instead of them charging at my legs when we're outside, I'm charging at theirs. I'm practically hopping with the crickets I want to play so badly.

Kristi, I wish you could go with me, too!!! For more reasons than one!!! It truly is an exceptional place and although they are a bit pricey, they carry only the best. And their cafe, gift shop, etc., are top of the line as well. It's about the only thing I miss in the "big city!" And, obviously, I can get their with relative ease.

It has been too cold again to do much - I'm sooooooooooooooooooooo ready for gardening!!! But it's been dropping into the mid-30's at night and only into the 40's during the day. Supposed to be in the 50's tomorrow and I don't have to work, so I just might get out for at least awhile. Then back into town on Saturday, probably staying at my bro's again. THEN I can sneak back to the nursery Sunday morning (instead of church - I'm sure I'll be forgiven) and bring home a carload. Supposed to be a decent day Sunday so maybe maybe maybe???!!! I've got to get my dozen rose bushes into the ground before I lose them!! (Of course, they're still bare root at the nurseries like that as well so I guess I'm okay, but it's making me nervous . . . and I still have digging to do in the Elm St. Garden!)

I'm still doing nothing, but think I'll now do even MORE nothing - like go fall asleep on the couch!

I'll be there in spirit! And I'm sure you'll be forgiven this Sunday. Sometimes, those pricier nurseries are just worth it for the experience and the quality.

I sure hope it warms up enough for you to get those roses in. I'm in a 'rose funk' right now. I have my name on the waiting list for three of these babies (read the story...it's so heart warming....they won't be available until Sept.):

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/southerngarden/PeggyMartinrose.html

Beautiful! Fly has her name on one and I'm giving one to my mom. If anybody else wants one, I'll call and add my name to more. Or, I can give you the number to get your name on the list!

That's one plant....can you believe?

Thanks, friends. If y'all ever want to come and visit, you can lounge on Cleo's "barges," and I'll be happy to peel you a grape.

I've just got to find the photo I made of my 87-year-old former neighbor when she was visiting from NH a few years ago. She doesn't drink, so naturally I took a picture of her on a chaise with a wine glass in her hand...raised in sort of a salute toward the camera (she's still feisty and fun). I wrote a funny caption about Cleopatra's eunuchs being "flat on their asps" from imbibing too much...and sent the picture to my friend's children. They loved it!

Thanks for that link, Kristi. That is achingly beautiful!