I heard from Brenda

I was so happy to hear from Brenda today. She said she will be back. :))))

Thats wonderful News Makshi!! I was wondering where in the world she was...and hoping she would come back soon...I can't wait..

you know..lol..it still makes me chuckle when I think back to those bingo games where you each hosted one and wore those Collander Hats..Makes me smile every time!!

I forgot to say that I got a reply to a dmail I sent her today. She will be back but maybe not as often (LOL). Her addiction to DG matches mine when I don't get anything done around the house because I would rather be on dG!

Yes those hats were wonderul. We all need to make one and post a picture in the new Bingo.

Back home after a long day in Boise. So I'm ready to post a picture and say Hi and thanks for the welcome back after my hiatus!

I need to see plants, and talk about plants and share plants!! I'm still under 3 feet of snow here in the mountains of Idaho, and this is after 3 feet of the stuff has melted already! :0)

Here is a picture of Silverglade Oysters from yesterday. Only fitting to start again with this violet as it was the one that brought me to DG in the first place!

~Brenda

Welcome Home Brenda! We sure did miss you ... it's so good to see you back in the Garden! Sounds like Spring is taking it's time getting to Idaho! Still 3' of Snow? Wow! We have been in the mid to upper 80's here the past few weeks .... but Florida is a loooong way from Idaho, in more ways than one. ^_^ Sometimes I wish I lived far away from Florida but I just can't imagine more than a few weeks here and there of winter weather. LOL.

Silverglade Oysters is Gorgeous! Love that curly foliage. I especially like those frilly pale pink blooms edged in green!

Well, I'm going to pick my Bingo Card! I haven't played since October and decided I will join in the fun for this next game! I won't be able to play May and June cause my DH is going to be off and we will be busy around the house and visiting family.

Hi Brenda!
What a great AV to post for your return 'home'- Very beautiful!

Ah Lin, your still the night owl! I missed you guys too!! As I mentioned to some in d-mail today, I would get my DG newsletter each Monday and tell myself I needed to come back and hang out with my friends here no matter what else was happening! It sure seems longer than a three month break and I have lots to catch up on!

Despite all the snow outside my inside plants know that it is really spring :) Here is a shot from yesterday ..... the top of my table full of streps. They make my day!
~Brenda

Brenda, I just really don't have the words to tell you how happy I am to see you! I've missed you so much!

You grow those Streps so beautifully! I sure wish mine looked like that!

Oh my gosh!- That pic is amazing! Looks like spring inside whether it is or not out!

Hi Diane, we cross posted! Yes, I think Silverglade Oysters is still the favorite African Violet that I have. I've grown a few from leaf but I have found them to be sensitive and persnickety and I don't get the results I would wish for. I'll try again now that it is spring, she could use a hair cut anyway :)

Here is the bottom left corner of my strep shelf, they have made such a difference in my long winter this year! Somebody was always blooming! They've kicked it up a notch since they know it's spring even if the weather doesn't!
~Brenda

Thats exactly what I was thinking Diane!! Spectacular Streps Brenda!! Hard to believe with all the springtime blooms inside that you still have all that snow on the ground..all those blooms should make it a little easier for you to bare! Hang in there..Spring is coming for you soon....So happy to have you back here : )

This message was edited Apr 8, 2008 11:47 PM

Rain!! Another night owl!! :) I'm just as happy to see you back!! : )) Now if Snow Rose would join us?? She was wanting a Maassen's White Strep and I have a great one ready for her!

I'm tellin' you the sun bouncing of the snow is amazing for the streps!! Darn good thing too or I would have pulled all my hair out by now it has been one long winter! LOL

And since I woke up to 6 fresh inches of snow yesterday morning it's still hanging on! Seeing that fresh dumping of snow had me grabbing up my camera and snapping pictures of my gessies to reassure myself that I will see bare ground again some day.... like June!!

Here is Tractor Beam, it has been my strongest bloomer, all winter long, and just keeps it up.
~Brenda

Brenda, The top of your table looks like a Florist shop! Absolutely Stunning! Streps are so beautiful, I sure wish I could grow them! But, they don't like me yet ... maybe someday when DH retires and I talk him into moving farther north where it's a bit cooler. LOL. Like that will ever happen! He's been in Florida since before he was a year old ... I want to live in N.C. or Tennessee in the summer and Florida in the winter. Don't know how I could do that with plants! Wonder if he would go for pulling a trailer full of plants back and forth? Sure glad that's a few years away yet to have to worry about it!

I just haven't figured out the "wants" of Streps in my household yet. I had one called Dilbey's Gwen that I got in a trade and it lived for about 4 months ... got a couple from Gail after that and they died within two weeks! They just don't like me or my house. So, I will ooh and aah at y'alls beauties for now!

And, Beauties they are!

Love Tractor Beam! What a name ... I wonder who comes up with these names and how they think them up?

Hey Brenda, tomorrow can you take a picture of the snow for me? I Looove looking at pic's of beautiful snowy scenery! I haven't experienced snow in about 14 years. Some day I hope DH and I can take a winter vacation to somewhere where there's snow on the ground ... for a couple of days (couldn't handle more than a couple of days of in the cold!)

Welcome back, Brenda! Love your Streps. Keep the pictures coming. Lou

Oh Wow, I just found this thread!!
BRENDA.........WELCOME HOME!! We have missed you SO VERY VERY MUCH! I am SO happy to see you back!
(((( HUGE HUG )))))
Wowzers lady, you sure do make those streps happy! Look at the size of those leaves and WOW to all the flowers you have.......What a BEAUTIFUL start to yet another sunny day here in Maine.
We still have about a foot of snow too Bren so don't feel so bad *lol* but the days are warming and it's melting.
Went to the mailbox this morning and see my daffodils breaking the ground......SO encouraging!
I'm tickled pink to see you my friend and am smiling ear to ear.
I remember the good 'ol "colinder days" and all the fun we had........still chuckle and shake my head when I think of it. Was SUCH a great time!

We are family.........I got all my sista's & me :)

XO
Kim

glad your back.
mrsbonnie

Brenda, I am so excited you are back. I have 3 big Oysterglade plants but they haven't bloomed yet and are being slow to do so! You sent the leaves. I can hardly wait as she is my favorite plant. (from your blooms)

HELLO Brenda so glad to see you back where you belong. The AV if a real beauty and all those streps are so pretty. Do you remember the ones you sent me? I haven't got any of them to grow or bloom but at least they are alive.

Hi too Nancy, Lou, KIM!! mrsbonnie, Gail and Diane!!

Gail your Silverglade babies look a lot better than my puny ones, you've got what it takes! Green thumbs, awesome weather (in comparison) and a fabulous set up!

Makshi/Diane I was wondering how those baby streps were doing. Mine took forever to get any bigger but I found when I potted them up individually that it was what they wanted. They finally put on a growth spurt. No blooms yet for mine either but some are getting close!

I'm back for a quick peek tonight and to post some pictures of my snow for Lin. She can have all of it!!!! I took these pictures first thing this morning. My garage out front to start with....and yes those are icicles ling my roofs on the 9th of April!
~Brenda

This message was edited Apr 9, 2008 11:21 PM

And my picnic table on the back deck from this morning.....

~Brenda

Ok, now something much better. I planted my mixed gessie seeds from the Gessie Society last October or November. I got a whole bunch of sinningias and a few streps and then these three which I could not figure out?? Until I came back here to Dave's yesterday and looked at the April blooms and saw Rain's Chirita Taminias! Finally a name for my babies! They sure bloomed fast! Love them.....
~Brenda

And to say goodnight with a hoya bloom that started opening up yesterday and then opened some more today. A basic Motoskei but a first for me with this plant, so pretty!

~Brenda

PS....Kim I'm almost afraid to tell you ....but one of the hoyas you gave to me last fall bloomed!! It was about a month ago and I don't think I took pictures :( I was so surprised by the three little umbels of flowers. I didn't see them coming and then one morning I walked into my office here and the smell was so sweet and overpowering! I couldn't figure out what it was at first and then I started searching the hoya and found two or three blooms on three different umbel's! You could have knocked me over with a feather! I can't remember it's name right now, the one with the bigger and longer green leaves. I owe you big time! :))

That must have been Sheperdii :)
OOOOH I'm SO happy to hear that Brenda!!
Did you like the smell of it?
I always enjoyed the smell, unless there were TOO many open at once *lol*
That one bloomed a few times, the Kentianna never bloomed so I sure hope that one blooms for you too :)
That is WONDERFUL news!
You must be making them happy and that is awesome! You are such a good plant mommy :)

SO happy to see you again friend :)

We don't quite have THAT much snow left (thank goodness)......wow, I bet you can't wait for it all to melt!

Kim

SNOW! Wow! SNOW! My goodness Brenda, that looks like a lot of the white stuff too! Amazing, isn't it that the weather is so different this time of year in different areas of the country! Here we are in the mid to upper 80's during the day and mid 60's at night and you are still having snow! That is really hard for me to imagine since I've lived in the South my entire 60 years. I am only used to mild winters that last off and on for a few weeks. I really do understand how people in some areas have that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) during their long winter months!
I love looking at photo's of the beautiful snowy, wintry scenery but I doubt I could take cold weather for very long.

Your Chirita tamiana babies look really great, Brenda! Don't you just love those perky blooms? That has to be one of my favorite plants .... and so easy to grow!

Wow, your Hoya motoskei is lovely - I am a hoya lover too. I have ds-70 and krinkle 8 blooming right now. Lacunosa just finished a bloom cycle - that one is a favorite because of that sweet fragrance!

Kim: I have peduncles on Multiflora (the Shooting Star Hoya) that you gave me! One has buds and I am so hoping to see those pretty flowers this time! It's blasted buds twice since I've had it. Someone said this is the one that likes lots of water so I sat it down into one of the ceramic self watering AV pots and it LOVES it ... seems so much happpier now!

Here's the only Gessie I have blooming right now. I know I have posted this one's picture numerous times but I am so excited ... finally got more than one measly bloom on Episcia Pink Panther! Now if I could just get my other Episcia's to bloom for me!

Well ... Chirita 'Aiko' still has one bloom and a couple of buds not opened yet, on the same bloomstalk.

OOOOOH Lin, That Aiko just takes my breath away each and every time you post it!
What a BEAUTIFUL plant!
Congratulations on your Episcia blooms (multiple blooms too!), they are VERY pretty! You must have the PERFECT humidity for them and they look so dainty in your little bowl :)
Brenda, I meant to say......CUTE Tamianas :) Look how happy they are! What an achievement to grow them from seed :)

Be sure to get your Bingo picks in to me everyone :) This is going to be SO much fun, I get to play all kinds of cards this month *lol*

XO
Kim

Welcome back, Brenda!! All your plants look gorgeous, but I sure don't envy you the snow.