Keeping the fire going till springtime, pull up a chair...

Sorry but I had to start a new one. That old one was tedious loading here in the pineywoods. We came from here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/944693/ with hopes of spring being right around the corner.

DdeTex ~ I saw this link in the Neil Sperry Egardens newsletter and thought of your headache on scale. http://www.neilsperry.com/articles/2009/01/28/pest-check.html

Yesterday morning was gorgeous. When they called it a freezing fog, I had never heard of such. Looked like a dusting of snow or ice but I agree with DH. Says it was only pretty when looked at thru the window of a warm truck! LOL

Crowelli ~ thanks much for the peanut butter log info. That is worth a try. Do you keep it out year around or just during winter?

So, Texasgrower ~ bubblewrap? Inside or out on your GH? Do you remove it in summer or do you not use the GH in summer?

Yesterday a.m. was 26° and right now, we have a heat wave at 30°.

Keeping the fire going till springtime. Please pull up a chair and join in!

I only put the peanut butter out in the winter. Amazingly enough, the squirrels leave it alone. In the summer it gets so hot that it's really messy and ants swarm it. I sure don't want to lure ants here because I have enough trouble with them as it is!

I still haven't had many takers on the bought suet cakes. I don't know if it's just a last resort and there's better stuff out there or if they just don't like it. I've tried 3 different kinds now and think I won't be buying more. The ones I make myself always go fast. Picky birds prefer home cooking I suppose.

Another gorgeous day out. I have to find something to do outside, maybe whack on the hibiscus that are taking over their corner of the world.

That's a smart man to stay in the truck. I've acquired a winter habit. I get up in the morning eager to greet the day. Go bounding out he door to see my animals and all the wonderful sites God designs with moisture, ice, fog and wind.

30 minutes later, I come back in defeated, hunched over and cursing my frozen fingers. I'm such a sucker, I'll probably fall for it again tomorrow :0)

That's wonderful, Lynnea. I cheat as we have a sunroom with 13 windows around two sides and I can see a lot from the comfort of my chair with the cup of coffee in hand. Gorgeous today and I will definitely be outside for most of the day.

Christi

LOL!! at Coco!

Pod.. I made one last year from a Tree top, here is a pic. Just smeared it on the trunk near the forks. I tried to make some holes but didn't work in the small round trunk.

Been to Christi's and she has a super view of her yard!

This message was edited Jan 30, 2009 9:35 AM

Sheila, we need an update on DH.

I also did one from a 2x4, or got DH to do it rather!

Update on the DH since surgery last week: He said he was able to sleep during the day yesterday without too much pain. (may have been because I was gone all day! LOL!)
He hasn't gotten up this morning but seems to be sleeping ok. The muscles are really sore, but both incisions are looking good for now. I call the Dr. office yesterday because no one had given instructions for a return check. Found out we missed the appt that morning, so I reschelduled for Tues. They have been very lax in getting things done lately. I plan to complain to the dr. when we go in.
We got to the hosp for pre-op registration and they didn't have him in the system yet because paperwork had just arrived...then we go in on the DAY of surgery and have to wait for them to fax more paperwork before they pulled blood and did the final xray!! FYI....That is where we were at the moment the new Pres. took the oath of office. They finally got the info and were pulling blood. The tech was black and was looking at the tv as he was doing it! LOL!

Looks like it will be very nice here today, I think I will start on a new area by the side if the garage the we want to convert to wildflowers and native plants.
I'm laying down a row of bricks between our yard and the neighbor's grass to keep the grass from invading and to facilitate his mowing, I hope it works.
Josephine.

Thinking of both of you as you go through this one more time. Certainly hope this is the last.

Christi

No kidding, Sheila. My favorite is when they take blood to test for this or that, then never call back with results.


Josephine, It's a great day for garden projects! I have no doubt your new garden bed will look stunning, as usual :0) I've taken break to get a glass of ice water, can you believe it, ice water!!! LOL

Excuse me for plopping in like a giant snowflake onto your fire, but I was just wondering how the tulips and daffodils are coming along in Texas? It's just that I am waiting very patiently on the Bulb Forum for the spring show that always seems to happen first in Texas. Any info on when there might be some spring flowers? Thanks muchly (blowing gently on the embers to get the fire crackling again).

Well, I have had Paper whites, but no Daffodils yet, and please plop in any time.
Josephine.

Thanks for the update frostweed ^_^ I thought it might be a bit early yet

I was having a medical test when the Pres was sworn in. The appointment was made far enough ahead of time that I didn't realize what that date was and later I hated to have it changed...afraid a big delay would be necessary to change it. The two technicians and I were unhappy that there was no TV in the room. Oh, if the doctor's office doesn't call with results of labs, you can call yourself and ask for them. I do. I was out planting little Baby Blue-Eyes plants that someone shared with me today. Can't wait until they bloom...often they start blooming away in February. My Arizona Ash is going to bloom....I don't like the tree, but it's an early sign that spring is coming soon!

Thanks guys. The day of the swearing in was his surgery date and you don't mess with that, especially when he had two doctors working on him.

Dahlianut ~ Hi drop in anytime if you promise to leave the snowflakes up north. I am a winter coward! Today it tried to get warm, we saw 60°. And I was stuck inside working.

Thanks for the ideas on feeding the peanut butter. I will definitely make one or two of those. Do you worry about the salmonella poisoning when it comes to feeding the birds? Do you buy just a cheaper PB?

Anyway, yes the Daffodils have been blooming here for a week. Yesterdays hoarfrost and the frost this am made them nod their heads. I took these photos on Jan 25 in the pet cemetery. They are always the first to bloom. It is how I mark the graves.


This message was edited Jan 30, 2009 8:01 PM

Thanks everso Podster. It's nice to know I can pop in to visit and no problemo my friend, I can brush off the snow before I drop in. Sure hoping you all might think about posting some pics on the Bulbs Forum as your spring bulbs show up. (OMG I'm not a very subtle hinter am I LOL)

I have Erlicheer blooming (started about a week ago). That's the only thing the deer haven't eaten at my house. At our business I planted quite a few daylilies in spite of everybody telling me not to because the deer would eat them. Guess what, no deer. Anyway one of my daylilies had a bloom scape on it but it froze the first time it went in the 20's. I just planted it last fall. I hope it has the energy to make another scape for spring.:(

Very good thread Pod. I'm too lazy to start my own fire, so I'll just sneak in a enjoy yours.:)

Please, pull up a chair. Somedays it might get too warm so we'll turn on the a/c but lately here the fire hits the spot. Got the coffee pot on this a.m. as I am off to work shortly.

Dahlianut ~ I really hate to post photos of gimme bulbs... I don't know names. This area has many passalong plants and bulbs that people are willing to share. I have no idea beyond "daffodil" as to what they are. I have tried to search for cultivar names but it's like the Hoyas I love. One can only guess so I will just love them for themselves and go on. Now, I know blooms are blooms at this time of year but am afraid I would be scorned off the bulb forum. Sorry. I noticed the Leucojum or snowdrop bulbs are popping thru too. They should bloom shortly.

I noticed foliage on all the daylilies here but no scapes yet. I do hope yours will deliver Silverfluter! Daylilies are another one I have no clue of names. All shared by others because the blooms are pretty and gardeners are sweet.

My Snowdrops and daffs are putting up foliage and just a hint of a bulb formation now.

Thanks for the Sperry link Pod. I was out of town for a few days and no time to spray anything. Hate to spray anyway. I cut off all of the heavy infested leaves on the hollyhock just to see what would happen. Seems like I got most but sure a few remain. We'll see what goes. Most of my plants are the "Make it on their own".
Seeing a few daffs and paper whites. Most of my bulbs are pass alongs too.
Looking for some time out side since it is warming up. This weeks cold did give many natural beauties of the frozen fog. Mine looked like giant snowflakes hanging on the trees and shrubs.
D

What a beautiful day this one promises to be! I am going to plant the last of my strawberries today. I have to make a bed for them. I keep forgetting to order some mushroom compost, I have to see if they are open today.

My bulbs are either trades or lost tags as I moved them twice and no way did the tags make both moves with the right plants. I haven't a clue as to the names, but I have some paperwhites blooming and some daffs wanting to bloom. I have hyacinths blooming also, but they look a bit ragged.

DH is going to the auction today and he eats there, so I get out of cooking. I can get more done when he is gone. That is, except when I need him to do some of the heavy stuff with the tractor for me.

Coffee is finished DH is headed out and I guess it is time to go soak up some sunshine on this beautiful day.

Everyone have a good day.

Charlene

Believe it or not, my Brug is loaded with buds. It didn't get damaged in our light freeze and it looks as though in a few more days I'll have a ton of blooms. I can't believe it's doing this in January. I guess those few days we hit 79 was enough for it to start a bloom cycle.

I am a fool for daylilies. I have planted a lot of new ones this past fall, so hope I have a decent show of them this year. I've used them for a front border edging to the front yard flower beds. I've had something on the salvias in that bed. It's strange and looks like powdery mildew, but it's surely too cool for that, isn't it? I cut the infected ones back a couple of weeks ago, but the new growth is still infected with whatever it is. I had mealy bugs in the same area last year. I couldn't decide for sure what this was, so made a two pronged attack and mixed alcohol, milk and a squirt of dish soap and sprayed them down. I figure if it's bugs, the alcohol will do the trick and if it's fungal, the milk will, so I'm going to watch them for a while and see what happens.

It's another beautiful day out, so I'm off to fill the bird feeders and do some weeding while it's so nice out. Hope y'all all have a great day.

Crow

We are shredding all the accumulated plants we cut down last fall, my goodness!!! what mountain of stuff.
After shredding I am going to spread them on the new area by the garage that i am converting to native plants, it was grass before, so no more mowing there.
I am very excited about the new project, the day is gorgeous, and all is good thank God.
Josephine.

Amen and amen.

lunch break... I'm already hurting, so much to do and such a beautiful day!

Don't mean to rub it Dahlianut, hope you are staying warm! I put in 700 bulbs last fall and I'm getting nervous, because I don't see 700 sprouts.lol It's hard for me to be patient, my blooms are usually a few weeks later then most other Texans.

WOW 700. That will be beautiful cocoa_lulu. We're having a Chinook so it's above freezing today.

I lost phone service yesterday and just got it back. I have had a lot to catch up on. You all have been chatty. ^_^.

Podster, the bubble wrap is inside the GH. I will take it down in the spring. I won't use the Gh at all through late spring and summer and early fall. It's just too hot. I'll just leave it open so moisture doesn't accumulate. Thanks for the Sperry link. I just heard his show for the first time on the local am station. He was very knowledgeable. I was going to try and find his web site when I got home but you already had it there. I think God is good. He always knows what it is I need.

I make peanutbutter suet and the birds eat it only. They don't like the store bought either. I just put mine into suet cages.

Sheila, it is good to hear you hubby is improving. I know he must be uncomfortable.

700 bulbs oooh that's alot of planting. I have found that some of my bulbs don't grow out and bloom the first year after planting or transplanting. They always have the second year. Good luck with them.

I put in 500 lily bulbs 2 years ago only to see it come a huge flood the following week and wash them away. I stood at the front window and watched the waves lap over the bed and see the little bulbs floating down the storm sewer drains. I had less than 50 that stayed put, but they're multiplying and I'm an optimist! I plan on buying more on this bulb co op that's coming up.

Well, I hate to say this, but if planting 500 bulbs would bring us a lot of rain, I'd do it. Tired of clear skies and no rain at all...and soil dry as dust if I don't water often enough.

All right! I'm envious. Y'all had a lovely day and I worked. Am told to expect rain for my weekend... grrrr! But LindaTX ~ I am sending prayers and sincere wishes for you to receive some much needed moisture. After living in AZ for a few years, I understand how depressing clear skys can be. Water is life sustaining and it is scarey when there is none anticipated.

Texasgrower, I receive a regular Neil Sperry email newsletter. It is free for the subscribing and it has some good info. I am not in an area that receives his radio program. Do you have a recipe for your PB suet? BTW, do we feed crunchy or smooth?

Oddest thing this morning, I freshened the bird bath and filled the bird feeders with black oil seeds. In the feeder that hangs about 10' above ground, there was a dead finch. I know the cats didn't get it... I wondered if it had hit a window and stagger over to the feeder before it succumbed. Never had seen that before.

Dde ~ on the scale. If you are able, remove the rest by scraping them loose with your fingernail. Just scan them on a regular basis and scrape off what you find. It should take care of it. I too believe in them making it on their own. When there is a malady, there will usually be a natural remedy.

Cocoa ~ what kind of "700 bulbs" did you plant?

I use crunchy p-nut butter mixed with cornmeal. Sometimes I will add raisins. The birds love it and eat at it constantly. You could add seeds ,but the wrens, king fly catcher won't eat them. The warblers love the stuff too. As for the dead finch. I notice every winter that I have a few birds that fluff up and don't fly well. Sit pretty much right on top of the food and wait for the other birds to thin out before eating. Then they die. I think they are just old and worn out. Every now and then I will find one that just can't fly anymore. I can't bear the thought of the cat getting it or it freezing out in the open, so I put it in a cage and bring it into the sunroom with seed and water. They usually die during the night. But at least it didn't freeze or become cat food.

I'll have to subscribe to Sperry's newsletter. He seems like a fount of info for Texas gardening.

I get the Neil Sperry mag. each month, a Christmas gift. He also has a Garden Conference each year in Feb.-March in Arlington. I went every year in the past and really enjoyed it. He is really big into chemicals but also has good reading on gardening. I did not enjoy the last conference as much as past years. Seems like not as many of the good venders or I am looking for more unique plants now. DG gives me better sources for trades or buying. The trip to Arlington does not seem worth it now or maybe I'm getting old. Naw !
Pod, I am keeping a better eye on the scale and hope most of them are gone. I wish you would surprise us and come to the RU here. Last year some from your area or passer throughs came. Bet you could hitch a ride.
I noticed that my rain water drums have a leak in the connections. I have 3 55 gal drums for the runoff of the GH connected to each other in a series. Either an amimal or the grands playing hid and go seek have disturbed them and caused them to leak. I want to get them fixed this morning as we are predicted to get rain this afternoon. I also have 2 more in another area. Hope so as the water is low and it is dry here. I find rain water so much better for cuttings and seedlings.
Hold off on the fire logs today as it will be warmer.

Dde ~ the gettin' there isn't the problem, the leavin' here is... These days with age and health, we don't plan too far ahead. Never know what tomorrow will bring! And the RUs sound fun but I'll make no promises. No promises on the fire either. When DH sits still, he will be chilled. I know when I'm outside working and come in, the house feels like an oven to me.

All the birder talk, made me go read up on peanut butter recipes and I found this link. Now, if y'all have been here, ignore me but this link tells what seeds the various birds prefer... http://www.southernstates.com/articles/lg/wildbirdsrateseeds.jsp

Texasgrower ~ thanks for the info on the finch. I was worried about West Nile Virus or some such. I took it and buried it in a flower bed and if these guys will allow it to rest in peace, it should add beauty this coming spring as fertilizer.

Grrrrr!!!

Big watch dogs you have there!

On the dead bird story....
They had a report of a 10 block area in downtown Austin where there were pidgeons, sparrows, and grackles killed. Story here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/08/national/main2337222.shtml
Anyone know if they ever found out what caused it yet??

Hah! Those were donor dogs. Podster is my 'lap' dog! LOL

Loading that story, comments later. Thanks ~ pod

Blood donor dogs I guess? We had one in the clinic all the time at the vet I worked for. They saved many a life and we cared for them well.

No, I'm sorry. More like someone donated them to me "donor dogs". I hope to place them both in good homes. Donor dogs are admirable tho. These two are sweet, but pills.

Cat chasers extraodinare!
Diggers? We do!
Charming? We are...
Stay home? Not really ~ we like to follow our noses but always come back.
Alarmists? You bet! The boogers in these woods won't sneak up on us!

A friend said to put an ad in the local Peddler. Mention that they keep pestering the squirrels that I feed and hunters will beat down my door for them. Probably even pay money for them. LOL I just can't do that to them as they are both gunshy although they do like to hunt. Right now, they are hunting their food bowls.

I hadn't heard about the dead birds episode and suspect they will find it to be a poison. Hope they can solve it.

Podster, I never thought about burying them for fertilizer. I always throw the poor things in the trash.

We had a blood donor dog at our animal hosp too. They are life savers for sure.

I remember something about that bird story. They said the birds had a whole lot of parasites, which weakened them too much.