Wow, we were having such a fun time here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/801768/
That we got too big for our britches *lol*
Keep the conversations going ladies and of course, those beautiful pictures coming :)
Pictured here is a foxglove from the garden last year. Hurry up spring.
Still haven't had my coffee yet this morning. Up at 3:30 for some reason.....hubby's sleeping like a baby.......did I say baby? I meant BEAR *lol* No wonder I'm up *lol*
((((( Hugz )))))
Love you all and will see you after work today...
thank God to day is last until Tuesday..
Hugs,
Sue
Well, this has been a wonderful day so far and I love the foxglove picture. The only foxglove we can grow in this heat is the 'Foxy' but love it, too!
'Me thinks' we need another picture for the day!
Snapdragons and stock from the garden a year ago!
Thank you for starting a new thread!
I love the foxgloves ladies.I have tryed growing them for 3 years here in AL. and they just die out.I will have to give Foxy a try.
Kim,Heres your little C.Aiko
Gail- Your arrangement takes my breath away! That is just amazing! I know we sell Stock at the nursery I work at but I've never planted any. You've given me a reason to! But I just can't get over how beautiful that is.
I would have posted it here but the last time it was moved to the proper place... would you all please go to the prayer request forum....
Love yas,
Susan
Also off topic in the AV forum my doctors visit today...
Sue
Diane, I am sooo mad that I can't remember which company offered the seed to that tall big stock!! I have been looking through my catalogs for months trying to find it again.......that is one of the reasons I didn't plant a fall garden to bloom in March and April.
If anyone ever sees seed for the tall stock, please tell me.
Susan, I will go to the prayer forum......thanks
Let me find another picture of them in the fields growing
i can't find a pic of the stock which is there to the right side
I want so badly to have raised beds by my house this spring. Going down to the veggie garden was hard work especially when it got cold and I had to build those pvs pipes and use covers for the plants.
******edited to say I found the seeds in one try this time. They are from Park Seed. I should have known as I ordered my snaps from them, too.
This message was edited Jan 10, 2008 10:18 PM
I don't know where everyone is tonight so I am talking to myself.
I have a great grandma story to share. One of my granddaughters was asked by her teacher to make a list of all the fun things she had done in the year 2007. (her mom was telling me the story this morning on the phone) She made her long list and then she was asked to write a 2 page essay on the 'most fun' thing she did in 2007.
Do I need to tell you that tears welled up in my eyes when she said that the best part of 2007 was when she went to Nana's house and got to catch frogs, crickets, grasshoppers and butterflies to put in the 'spa' terrarium for the day. She went on to say what her spa was for them and that she let them go back to their families each night.
This is from a child who just got back from a 2 week trip to the beaches of Mexico and got to swim with the dolphins, para sailing, etc...........makes you realize that 'things' don't matter to a child. Only love from your own family makes life fun.
Thanks for listening to 'Nana' who is full of gratitude tonight.
Oh Gail: That is such a wonderful story. I am smiling from ear to ear! It is so true ... the best, most expensive fun vacations in the world cannot hold a candle to time spent with a grandma and a grandma's love! And, your dear grandchildren will always have the fond memories and love of the times they spend with you! I have heard of some grandma's who have such busy lives they can't be bothered with grandchildren ... that is so sad. Just look at what they are missing!
I know you are beaming from your granddaughter's essay, and rightfully so!
I am not sure I have ever been so touched, Lin. I do forget from time to time how much I loved my grandma and still remember all the good times we had in her garden together. When my daughters tell me stories like this one, it is a good reminder for me!
I just wrote a book about you Gail and a story from my Grandaughers 5 th birtday and it just went out the door as I pushed the wrong button...Mybe later...
Love it Gail... and we gotta love them.
Susan
Good Morning My Dear Friends :)
THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY!!
Susan, I shall pray for your friends son with all my heart. I know this sounds awful but I am so grateful my son has no interest in the military. War is my biggest fear and I live like if I ignore it, it isn't there. But it is. SO many families are affected by it and this is just a reminder to remember to take each day like it's your last and live it to your fullest. I am SO sorry to anyone who may read this who has been afflicted by the horrible acts of war. When this life is over, there will be no more war, this he promises.
Gail, there is NOTHING like a Grandma's love. I'm close to one of my Gram's but not as close as I could be. But I do so enjoy the time that I take to go visit her :) I hope that when it's my turn for grandchildren to be the BESTEST Gram I can. Still throwing around the name "ya-ya" *lol* I told my kids that I would like to have Sunday dinner every week as a tradition after they move out. They both really liked that idea. I don't think my children will move far from home but if they do, I will still try (like Gail does) to be all that I can be for them. Gail, they love you so much! It shows on their faces when they are with you.
Jannich, my baby looks SO CUTE! You are doing such a WONDERFUL job with her :) I can't wait until spring!
I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Friday!!
Kim
Kids can be the best things in life...I know in my life they have been...One of my GD Naida love to come here and just do the simply things in life.. She is 6 1/2 now and when she had turned 5 Papa and I asked her what she really wanted for her birthday.. Now mind YOU we already had her things we just want to know what she really,really wanted... Well out of the blue she say I want a garden like Nana has... Well blew us away but said we would see what we could do.... We live in the south and they rent so land has never had anything done to it... RED CLAY.... Well we got out the big guns... We brought our BIG rotor tiller to the party and about 200.00 in plants plus all the dirt we could fix it the truck... Well as she partied for a while with he little friends her parent Joe and Mandy came and said it was cake time... well Nadia came and said Mom we can't have cake until my garden is in... We then told her we needed a break so cake it was... She then wanted all her friends to go home so she could now play in the dirt and plant her plants where she wanted them..She is a trip things got put here and there but they grew for the summer with her even drownding them everyday..... It is a birthday we will always remember.... Now she just says this year she want her own flower garden here as my yard does not get that many weed..LOLOL Told her there were not as many weeds casue Nana and Papa stay out for hours to keep them away... She said ok she will kill the beattles on the flowers and we could weed...little imp.... This year we should have two in the garden a almost 7 and a one year old... Now they will have there own gardens and not play much in mine... I have over 100 plumerias that Nandia is gonna get a lei out of them if it kill her or Nana yelles at her for picking my very first bloom on a tree I never seen before... Oh she can have them all as every grows... Gotta love them...
I am so happy for you Gail that she thinks so much of you.. I swear when we are in our garden either with kids or without God is always there saying take care of the earth as one day we will all go the ashes.... Nanda and I talk alot about god and how he makes things grow and how at time things dies also...
Gail I am so happy for you that you have a bond with her... Some GP dont and I feel for them... My sister in law did not want to be called Grandmother as it made her old she wanted to be called Irene..... Shoot we were alll asked what we wanted when the first was born... I wanted Nana as all of my family used it.. Kevin was Papa and Mary MIL is Grandma Mary her parents are Grand Pa and Grandma...it all works... Now one day to be DIL tellse me I will be call mema(?) and Kevin Pepa (?) she says it is a southern thing.... They can call me anything and I will always answer...
Thank Gail you started my morning out nice as my night time was crappy...
Hugs and Love,
Susan
PS this is Nadia's 6th birthday and she wanted flowers.. So she went a picking...LOL
the second picture she wanted taken...LOL
Kim out of 4 sons he came home one day and wanted US to sign him up said no way and when he turned 18 in high school all heck broke loose in this house... but what shall be will be...
Kim all my kids live not 20 mins away ok Matt lives almost 4 but comes home to his wife and son almost every weekend.. they have a house here they are trying to sell but market is not good so here she stay and there he stays... they make it work... There is nothing for me to say Oh I don't want to cook today on a Sat... Next thing you know I get a phone call from Matt saying he is in town and could I pretty please make him fried chicken... I am from the North and don't know how to cook southern fried chicken... we only use deboned breast meat... So I will give in and say only for you baby.... Then I have no idea how they smell it and then we have a house full.. all 4 boys show up and wifes and girlfriends... Then the farmers boy next door calls( who is a man) I helped raise since his mom died when he was 8 calls and say Momma I hear we are have northern fried chicken today I can't make it could you pack me some for later...The little brat... I think the most chicken I have ever cookd at one time is when David was in collage and they told him he was nuts that fried chicken was chicken... well still have young men (boys) who when they use to come home asking for it at Ma's house... I thought that was the time I made the most breast of chicken... but forgot about the time Matt brought home the Marines for dinner ... request this chicken they have heard about... Now I don't want to lie but I believe it was close to 55 breasts I cooked that day and mashed tater and 3 veggies... We had to take a loan out just for the chicken...LOLOLOL.. One of Daves friends Chubs who I call tubby (who is skinny as a rail)still calls him when he is in town asking is Ma cooking chicken this week... He told them her fryer broke and they all offered to buy a new one.....LOL the fryer is just fine in the cloest..LOLOLOL Ok ladies I have talked your ears off this morning... It is going to be a wonderful day in the Francis house so I say :-) My hip feels somewhat better and so does my knee now if the elbow and thumb finger would just kick in I would be fine.....
Love to you all
Susan
PS
Matt is coming home this weekend and NO CHICKEN... Joe wants chicken cor don blue(sp) NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO My hand and body hurt...LOLOLO wonder who will win...LOL
Good morning! Gail, that's a fabulous story!
Susan, I'm sorry you had a rough night. I'm glad Gail put you in the mood for some chatty memories... I loved the stories about your DGD's garden! I can't imagine cooking that much chicken on so many weekends... *whew!* You've just got a heart of gold, lady. "Meemaw" is a southernism but DIL could just use it for her mother... but you're right, you'll answer to whatever they want to call you!
Good Morning Ladies!
Susan: What a Beautiful little granddaughter! Do I see modeling in her future? That second picture is adorable!
Now, I was born, raised and have lived in the South my entire life and I've never heard of Northern Fried Chicken! Grew up on all the southern, greasy, fried food! Even green string beans cooked with ham hocks or bacon for flavoring! Ahem ... I still cook my green beans with bacon! My husband was born in upstate N.Y. but has lived in Florida since before he was a year old. His mom was a wonderful cook but everything was so bland to my taste. She did not use spices at all. I guess it's all what you are used to. Hubby though had never had home made spaghetti or lasagna until he married me. His mom did not cook Italian food at all. Now, she was a baker and her cinnamon bread was to die for! I only tried making yeast bread once and it was a huge blob ... so funny! It never made it to the oven ... went straight to the garbage. An elderly friend later told me I probably had the water too hot for the yeast. I haven't tried bread again. Now they have those new fangled bread machines on the market where you just dump the flour, yeast and water into the machine and turn it on and it mixes, kneads and bakes the bread all by itself! I keep saying I need one of those machines! A guy I used to work with would bring in all kinds of breads and rolls and things that he and his wife made in their bread machine ... delicious!
Well, I have to get busy around here ... now that you got me thinking of fried chicken I might just have to make that real soon! I haven't fried chicken or anything else for that matter in years! Ya know ... eating healthier and all that. I remember years ago making home made French Fries for my Brother In Law ... had to be 38 years ago - he still asks for them. It's kinda a joke now ... every time we go visit he acts sad and says gosh, he hasn't had home made FF in years. My sister doesn't cook so they like it when I come down. My BIL and my nephew cook on the grill year round. Over the holidays they cooked swordfish and mahi that was outstanding! He is good with cooking steaks and chicken on the grill too!
Hope everyone has a Beautiful day of Gratitude & Love!
edited to say: I grew up in the south, Virginia - and we always called our grandmother "Nanny". My mother ended up being "Nannie" to her grandchildren. My dad ended up being "Paw Paw". I have heard "Meemaw" a lot too!
This message was edited Jan 11, 2008 9:24 AM
Whew! I stayed up too late and am just now moving.
Thanks for these little stories i am reading and, by the way, you get called whatever the first one starts to call you (lol). I always thought I would be Grandma Gail and the first grandchild started the Nana name. Whatever they can say is what we get called.
Gail & Susan- Loved the stories about the G-kids! Gail, my eyes would havewelled up too! I am SO glad I made the decision to work less now that baby James was born. I don't want to be a built-in babysitter but do want to spend lots of time with him. I sure miss the little toot after them staying with us the first couple weeks of his life. I am Meme. I had wanted to be Nana but my step-daughter had a Nana and I thought she would get that name my step-g-kids but she didn't! She is Nanny! But I found out too late! And didn't want to make a difference between my blood g-kids and steps. I did raise my step-kids for about 7 years when they're mother wasn't in their life, but she's back now. Anyway, I hope for the same experiences you two have had with my g-kids!
Gail- is that pic of flower bed at your house?! Lucky you if it is!
And Susan - I'm with Lin, I think Nadia has a future as a top model! What a cute picture!
Those flowers were planted down at the veggie garden when I first moved in last year. My brother gave me part of the garden to grow flowers.
I think Nadia has a big future, too!
So you live on a farm I'm taking it? How exciting- I've always been a city girl. But did grow up in a very small town. I had an aunt who had a farm. I remember going there one time and being scared to death of these HUGE bulls! Don't know why we weren't a closer family now that I think about it. My aunt lived just outside of town and only remember going there once.
I had better pics but the kids were in them when the bulls were standing up. They are at my back door and this little fence is what separates us! (LOL)
Oh my goodness! What a great photo, Gail! I don't see any horns but I'd still be afraid of something that large right outside my door, so to speak! I would love having them close but only if there were a more sturdy looking fence! I guess the barbed wire keeps them in? Don't I remember you talking on another thread awhile back about the cows getting out and trampling your plants??? And, it seems to me you were out in the dark trying to chase them down?!
Guess I'm a city gal, like Diane! LOL ... I've always wanted to live in the country but don't want to have to drive more than a mile or two to go shopping!
:)
You are right, Lin. One night about 80 cows got out. Fortunately they separate the bulls from the cows so I was just chasing cows back into the pasture with the help of my brother and a farm hand.
AND, YES, they did trample the garden of veggies at the time (and ate some, too)
Wonderful stories ladies:) Someday I will be a Nanna!
good afternoon , miss jannich!!
Good to see you posting. We miss you when you are hanging wallpaper *lol*
Gail- are those cows as gentle as they look? I hope so since you say they're just right there!
No, they are not gentle but any kind of fence makes them think they cannot cross??????? I don't understand but it is true.......
I live next to a beef farm that rasies the cows ... When they cross over to our land I call and tell them dinner just arrived at our back door....LOL Next thing you know you hear the dogs come a running and the men yelling get them girls..... then they are gone... We have a part in the end of our land that meets theres and it has a fenced gate that our boys use to use when they were younger to cross back and forth on 4 wheelers or bikes what ever.... but once in awhile they still come over... the farmers go did they do anything to your yard??? I said yes they gave it some fert...LOL... They did take down my invisible fence once but since we knew where they came in the break was easy to find... No biggie.... I could never ever live in a city again after living where I live now.... Last night when Kim(dimmer) picked me up at the airport wow... This is a busy place... No thank you..She lives in a beautiful home and she is going to show me around but I will take the sticks anyday...LOL
Hugs,
Susan
I was confused for a minute there Susan ... I saw Dimmer's username and thought that she was posting! I didn't know you were visiting her. Yeah, I understand ... it must be hard for someone who's lived in the city most or all of their life to get used to country, just as it is very hard for someone living in the country to get used to city life. Country is quiet ... City is noisy (especially the big cities!). I would love it somewhere in-between! I would love to live in a country like setting with a lot of acreage but still not have to drive a long distance to get to stores etc.
Have a great visit ... hope you can take some pic's while there. What airport did you fly in to? I'm not sure where Waukegan is located in the state but if you flew into Chicago ... now that is a busy place!
I was confused for a minute too! I would like to live in the country too. My husband and I have discussed it. I'm like you Lin and don't want to be too far away. But I also have a fear of snakes that make me think twice! But out in the country I would have all kinds of room for greenhouses!!!
I guess I must be a noisy gardener, as I almost never see a snake... occasionally, they'll be sunning and too sluggish or too content to move, but for the most part they would rather not see you about as much as you would rather not see them, if you see what I mean. :-)
Actually, I'd welcome more snakes, as I'd have fewer voles (what awful pests!), but then I'm not phobic about them... I rather like snakes, actually. (Yes, I know I've just made a bunch of you shudder... sorry... check the username, LOL!)
Susan, I'm glad you & Kim are having a great visit together!
Gail, didn't you have a bunch of cows break through a fence (or was that before the fence?) and trample your garden, or am I confusing those cows with another herd?
The first time our family traveled out west, we were fascinated by cattle grates in the road, and by the fact that cattle also wouldn't cross places that were simply painted with lines so it "looked like" a cattle grate. (They used the painted lines across highways where actual grates would've been impractical.) Are cows (or maybe "steers" is the appropriate term for most of those herds?) just not very bright?
LOL Diane ... regarding SNAKES! Yikes, I am so afraid of them. I don't live in the country, but we even have snakes around our neighborhood ... there are still a few wooded areas! Last summer we found two deadly coral snakes in the yard! I almost had a heart attack ... I was out weeding in a flower bed and saw this thing ... at first wasn't sure if it was the king snake (non-poisonous) or the deadly coral snake. Then I saw it's head and saw it was the coral snake! They look almost identical except the coral has black as the first color on the head whereas the king snake has red/orange color. I got a shovel but never did get that thing ... it buried itself in the mulch. Later last summer hubby found another one in the drive way and took the shovel to it! My neighbor killed a 7' Eastern Diamondback rattle snake in his backyard a few years ago and my next door neighbors - after the hurricanes of 2004 they were taking the boards off their windows and found 2 pygmy rattler's behind the boards ... killed one but the other got away. I know snakes have their place in the eco system and I won't kill a non-poisonous snake but I sure don't want the deadly ones getting into my screened patio where the cats go. We have found black snakes out there before.
I had a huge greenhouse years ago and used to get those king snakes and the black racer snakes and green snakes in the greenhouse at times .... I am petrified of any kind of snake but it really scares me when I come across a poisonous one. After hearing about the man who was bitten by a pygmy rattler in a Wal-Mart here in Central Florida not long ago ... I am so wary of digging through plants in the garden centers too!!
I like Critters too, Critter ... but I'm afraid of a lot of them! I've always said I wouldn't kill a snake on purpose (unless it's a poisonous one) - last year I ran over a harmless garden snake with my riding mower before I realized it and felt so sad ... snake parts started flying out from under the mower and the clunking noise was awful. I never saw it in the grass. This year I have been able to miss mowing over a couple, spotted them and was able to drive the other way.
Lin- How scary! I live in I guess you could say the central part of town. 200,000 plus people but scattered out over a large area. Probably some of the outer skirts would see a snake or two. My husband wanted a corn snake as a pet. I work with a girl who has a degree in zoology and had some babies she was giving away. I was thankful when my husband changed his mind about getting one! I do have a little lizard that came in at work with a plant shipment from FLorida. He was so tiny when I found him. Almost invisible. But i brought him home and he is growing. We named him Ernie from the Everglades. My mother says she won't stay here if I have a lizard. He's so tiny I don't think she'll ever know he's here even if she looks in his terrarium.
LOL Diane. My husband of 38 years likes snakes ... used to have one as a boy. He would love to have one as a pet but I told him many years ago, the day a snake moves in is the day I move out!
I love the little lizards: http://www.hilozoo.com/animals/AR_anole.htm - we have hundreds around our yard and in the screened pool enclosure. I am always rescuing the little critters from one of the cats! I love them because they eat bugs! Years ago I moved a potted plant on the deck and thousands of ants came out from under that pot ... no sooner did I move it and the little lizards came running and slurping up those ants so fast! It was fun to watch! We also have those huge palmetto bugs (giant cock roach type things - YUCK!) and those little lizards will eat a bug that's almost as big as them! I love having them around ... will take the lizards any day over bugs! I just don't want those huge carnivarous monitor lizards (there have been 5 & 6 foot long ones loose as far north as Orlando area!): http://www.local6.com/news/13398420/detail.html and folks in some neighborhoods have had cats come up missing!
I can remember when my children were small, my son would even gather up the ants on the sidewalk and put them on the grass as he thought it was too hot for them. I am almost as bad. Being in the country I have bugs, salamanders and all kinds of things in my house. I just can't kill them still. I pick them up with a kleenex gently and take them outside! It sounds stupid but I can't even kill a roach.
The only thing I kill are rattlesnakes, water moccasins and (can't think of the red and black but we have them )............I never kill a harmless snake. OH.........I do swat flies.
Our weather has been so warm this week the plants on the front porch are waking up too early. I even spotted an anthurium blooming while I was watering.
I miss flowers so much I am posting the only colors on the porch! The yellow crown of thorns wants to bloom so badly
Didn't even know this hoya is covered with blooms and they are fragrant.....but not as strong as some
blooms everywhere on this one
anthurium starting to smile at us
