"Where have all the PNWers gone"

Whow pix's did you have on your nigia suit on to get the pics?
And yes he got out Okay, I had to show him how its done, LOL

Susy, nice characterization. It is so over the top, I just love it. Sometimes I get carried away with a particular area and over-accessorize. This is just like that, but on such a large and expensive scale. This is awesome.

Pix - thanks for going the extra mile to get these pictures in.

Pix are you still with us or did they come and take your camera as evidence!?

LOL!! Actually, I completely must meet these guys! They sound like such a hoot. It is completely over the top in a disneyesque sort of way. but imagine having the money to throw around like that just for the fun of it! These guys are in their 80's! Today was the perfect day for photos. Not a landscaper in sight due to the snow. It was eerily quiet on the street. I just had to be sure the guy across the street from them didn't see me. I think he is a bit protective of the clever couple. He likes them a lot. Yes, the styles are completely juxtaposed. Fairytale meets Napolean or something. but their sense of playfulness is catching. I love it that they just like what they like and don't seem to care if others like it or not.

I'm thinking that when the weather warms up I'll walk down there and invite them to stroll in my garden and chat. It would be so interesting!!


susy, I'm not sure if the earring is Roman... or Greek....

No kidding. In their 80's?? Even better. After looking at their enchanted cottage sign at the top of the door, it occurs to me that they have a Swiss Chalet sorta thing going on, as well. How does that fit in?

I think it's be great to meet them. Good idea to go down and chat. If the moment's right, tell them hello from your gardening buddies. I'd love to know what went into such a pair of characters.

suffice it to say that there's A LOT going on there. i really appreciate their attitude & apparent eccentricity.
Swiss - Greek - Roman, it's a multicultural-time-transcending thing!

I'll go with Katye on this one - multicultural time transcending just about sums it up. But, goodness, I want to be in on the meeting and greeting - these guys are going to be fun! Can we invite them on board, I think they have just the right qualities (listen, even if they don't do dirt now, we can convert them to the joys of muddiness! And wait til they meet the faeries and gnomes - they will really embrace their antics!) - they are going to love little and lewis and dragonfly - I vote them in! We also have to help them be firmer with the staff! No more selling off the accessories!

Heidi,

May I have some miscanthus strictus also, I have a corner area for it and it is on my list of wants for 2008.


Thanks,
Carla

Pixy,

I love it, how fun can that be to just love the things you have and want so much you display it for others to see! Not over the top, they just like so many things and places and have probably visited every place represented or if they haven't they are doing it in their minds.
I would love to meet them so whimsical, reminds me of Knott Berry Farm when I was small, all the large life size statues...wonder if they still have them?
Have fun when you meet them and do share the experience, Carla

There is a lot going on there. Nice description, Katye. My thoughts, exactly, I just didn't know how to put them into words. I love that we all love what they're doing. Are we headed toward eccentricity or what? Yes, I think we're well on our way, wearing the purple banner of "I can do what I like". Ha.

Oh how Fantastic ! Thank you Pixy, you really have to see it - I have to say I'm fond of the rooster.

And I agree - by 80 we should just concentrate on pleasing our own eye. I hope you get a chance to meet them soon, they sound fabulous !

Meant to say that I'm happy for you both, also RTP!! I can't imagine how relieved your DH must be.

Pixy ~ LOVE the pix. Thanks for sharing them. Quite eccentric and fun. How nice to be that free with your expression! Reminds me of my uncle and the yards of some of his friends.

Carla...Knott's still has the statues, though it's quite expensive to enter now, almost the same as Disneyland. There's a lot more there than there was when we were kids, but still has some of the old western feeling about it. But like everything else in SoCal...onward and upward!

outta,
I have pictures of me sitting with the saloon girls and standing with the indian...lol I really loved that vacation!

Cocoa ~ I grew up there and remember when Knott's was free to enter. Then they decided to try to discourage the "wrong types" of people so started charging a quarter admission. Once Disneyland really started expanding, they did as well and put in some kinda hokey rides but people still came. Now D'land has recently added the California Adventure Park as well. Admission to D'land or CalAd is $66 for an adult or you can get a "park hopper" pass which I think is either $81 or $91 per day for ages 10+. Knott's is $49.99 for adults unless you are a SoCal resident then can get in for $35.99. Really amazing how much it's changed since I was a kid there. Just not the same ~

Hey Outta I forgot you had asked Where I grew up in Calif. All the places you just mentioned, We went 2 or 3 times a year. We went 3 years ago and man has it changed. I'm the "middle aged" lady from Pasadena 'Don't ya know'

Giggle! Yes, after one gets over the shock of seeing all that 'culture' in one small place, one has to step back and admire the sheer audacity of it all! I am already eccentric, some may say a little 'mad', but these guys are going to have to be my heros. They are on the cutting edge of maddness. They are the kings of eccentricity and letting-it-all-hang-outness. Personally, I want to see INSIDE their house. So when I meet them, I will let you know. This neighborhood generally starts waking up about the end of March. People emerge from their winter dormancy and begin speaking to each other. People walk on the streets in a 'strolling' kind of way rather than a grim power-walking kind of way. That's the time to stop and chat. So many archetypes in one place!! My cup runneth over!
Laurie, it would not surprise me if they know LIttle and Lewis personally already. I don't know if they garden, but did you get a load of the espaliered trees on the front of the fence? High maintenence, those trees. At least they know what espaliered trees ARE so maybe they do garden. They will remain our mystery gentlemen until we meet up. It would be cool to include them on DG.

Yesterday we were snowed in. What a difference a day makes in the NW, eh?

I never posted here until the other day so, hi ya!

Here's a pic of the walk up to the front gate arbor.

Hi Debbie! Welcome to DG and the Northwest Forum. You are from Kingston? You must be close to Heidi (cattledogs) and her Dragonfly Farms nursery. We're a lively bunch here.
Beautiful photo, and lovely gate! Bet that's something to see in the summertime, too.

Oh, DebbieT - that is a stunner of an arbour/gate. I think we are going to like you, alot. Not that we don't like beginners, we do we do we have done that, but we love someone who raises the benchmark too! Look forward to more photos.

Hi Debbie ~ What a great gate! I really, REALLY love it. Gives me ideas. Can't wait to see the gate in spring/summer. You're in Kingston? You are close...I'm in Port Angeles, but you're closer to Tills and Heidi. We had snow here, too, more on Monday. What a treat getting to work in Port Townsend. Today should be a real prize because it should be nice and icy out there!

Tills ~ You're a middle-aged lady from Pasadena and I'm an old hippie-chick from Huntington Beach (I still wear my hair the same way I did when I was 13). DH and I retired from Orange County Fire Dept in 2000 (he's retired and I still work...what's up with that?).

Pixy ~ you know the difference between eccentric and insane? How rich you are! (I am definitely insane ~ not much money rolling around here, that's for sure!)

LOL - great definition of eccentric/insane. I guess I'm definitely insane if it truly is in regards to money, but darn I like the word eccentric better! Think I'll use that one anyway.

Debbie, that gate is calendar material - can't wait to see more photos of your yard.

Carole

Welcome Debbie, Just love the gate, make sure you post in spring when the flowers are in bloom, bet it looks wonderful. I drive thru Kingston every day comute to Lynnwood.

Outta - Thats funny my hippie days where in the foothills of Sierra mad're canyon. Huntington beach, Venice beach and all the rest of them where good places to go, then. Its really funny you sound like my friend who lives in Port Ludlow who is still a little hippie. And I know the feeling of still working and he who is retired.

Pix - enjoying, the epilogue of your neighbors, cant wait till the meeting.

Carol - Glad to hear that Steve is doing better, glad to have you back with us, always in our thoughts.

Welcome Debbie! I too love your gate and arbor!

Ok, well I am insane. LOL!

Thanks on the nice comments on the gate. I am a little proud of it as I designed and built it by myself. Got a miter saw and I went to town. This old photo of the street side of it was taken right after I finished it and the first panel on our fence. It was taken with a cheap digital camera so it isn't real clear. It needs to be cleaned and restained, but the stain held up for seven years so I'm not complaining. It's nice to know other gardeners on the peninsula as well as around the Northwest. Oh and England too! Thanks for the warm welcome.

My darling fellowgardeners (used in a collegial non-gender specific way) - I would like to highlight DebT's comment: "I designed and made it myself" - and she has her own mitre saw! We are definately going to like her. All questions on how to make oblesiks, arbours, wooden seating, and other sawn things now has a voice of experience. Excellent.

I'm in big trouble as I only build things by the seat of my pants. LOL. In other words I am no expert, I get lucky sometimes.

Even better - I definately relate to that type of building. We will just preface all questions with 'If you were going to.......', and then your answers will be in terms and style that we will understand perfectly. I think this will work very well.

oh, the ideas...

OOOOOoooohhhhh ~ My new best friend, Deb, who lives close and has her own mitre saw! Um...best friend...um...what are you doing this weekend? Hmmmmmmm?

Pruning! And I have extra loppers and hand pruners, wanna come over? This best friend thingie has perks! ;-)

I can't even spell mitre saw correctly. You trust me even then? I would love to help brainstorm ideas with others. That can be a lot of fun and creative too.


This place needs some cool smilies.

ditto on the smilies - I've thought that as well, it seems like a fairly simple upgrade.

it can be spelled either way - mitre/miter; theater/theatre; center/centre
so, you're good!

you say tomayto ~ i say tomahto ~

I do love that gate. It is awesome and I am impressed that you built it, mitre saw or no. I have a mitre saw myself. It's an essential tool in our house because I can't cut a straight line without one. My DH bought me a stand for it for Christmas two years ago. Nothing says 'I love you' better than a mitre saw stand with wheels.

Pix, you have been holding out on us! Sadly, sawing is not one of my better skills - banging in nails I am good at, but sawing and screwdrivers - hmmm - profoundly left handed (I love gardening tools, they don't mind which hand you use). DH has pointed out, politely, that all of my structures have a distinctive left handed lean, so do my cuts.

It is Friday, I am just going to get slightly presentable, and then out out out. DH has just gone off to Poland for the day, and I have the house! And it is a gorgeous morning - the days are getting longer, dawn started just before 7a.m. this morning! I'll check dusk this evening - we are on our way! kisshug to the world at large - it is a gardening day!

Laurie, you are contagious with your good greetings for the day ! Alas, it is wet, cold & windy here. But, in the spirit of feeling alive, I will go run on the ding-dang treadmill in the garage and listen to some sweet music.

Then reward myself with the new issue of Fine Gardening & Brent & Beckys Bulbs catalog.

if only I can stay motivated to follow thru......

Laurie ~ Always a breath of fresh air and positivity from you. How wonderful. Thank you. It's less than perfect gardening weather here today and expected to be gloomy/rainy/snowy/whatevery for the next 10 days. That does not preclude, however, making a potting mix mess in the house and getting many, many seeds growing in little tiny pots! Thanks for the motivation! Have a wonderful day gardening!

And what's the deal...DH ran off to Poland for the day? Wow...it's hard to conceive of running off to another country (well, except Victoria for me) for the day ~ hmmmmm. World is shrinking, definitely.

This message was edited Feb 1, 2008 9:27 AM

Laurie enjoy your dirt therapy! It's raining here and I am doing our taxes, borrrring! This afternoon I plan to play in the greenhouse and pretend that the weather is nice! For all of us lefties in the world Lee Valley has the greatest left handed Felco pruners I have ever held (going to buy a 2nd pair at the Garden Show in 19 days!) The #10 are worth thier weight in gold! The bottom handle rotates as you cut so your not stressing your wrist (very good for repetitive cutting!) Love them!

Huzzah for left-handed pruners and scissors! Best thing ever!