Hackberry Trees, etc, #3

Love hydrangeas, Sharon,
Must say, I do like buying plants.
And the little business provides a reason.
But, of course, then have to find a place (even in the biggest garden) to plant them!

Yes, there is that problem of space. I have it too.
you all have a good evening, I think I have run out of words.

Saved by a bluejay and a hackberry tree. Unlikely, but true.
We were having a bit of trouble with one particular squirrel, which continued to dig in our garden long after the crocuses were done. I thinned out the neighbors hackberry last fall and, as said, bluejays are nesting in it. The bluejays now chase just about everything out of our garden, including the marauding squirrel. Squirrel problems - get a bluejay. I don't know much about baseball (the Toronto Bluejays), but I'd certainly say "Go Bluejays, Go!"

Well now, another valid good point about the dreaded hackberry. Christi, I hope you read this!!

I have a squirrel who sits on a limb above my blue garden room. He just sits there above my head and watches me. I have detected none of his holes in my flower gardens, or maybe he just hides them well. I think I have a picture or two of him. He rests on that limb just a few feet above my head. He only leaves when others join me there.

Looking for a photo...

Here is Squirrel, on the branch where he sits in the old maple above my blue garden room.
Look at the base of the branch on the left, you can see him stretched out.

And now, just a little closer....

And even closer, maybe too close, because he started to leave till I backed away.
I am not all that fond of squirrels, but after the winter ice storm destroyed their nests when the trees and limbs fell, he was the only one left. I feel a little sorry for him, he is always alone.

My backyard is a bird sanctuary. Bluejays are one of dozens that take turns at the feeders and the fountain. We even have a baby jay that can't get up the nerve to get a drink. He flits from one roosting point to another and flutters his wings waiting for momma to bring him his breakfast. Wish I could say they run off the squirrels here. In my opinion they are bushey tailed RATS. Do just as much damage and sometimes more. Rats don't plant nuts in my flower beds and then dig holes looking for them. I'm a nature lover but not when it comes to mice, rats, squirrels or snakes. eeeeeewwwwww.

Sharon, I don't think your squirrel would bother me either. Don't mind me saying so, but he looks like he has been smoking something.
Christi, you say it the way it is.

Hope I didn't offend.

Certainly not Christi - what's there to offend about - hope we can all speak our minds - keeps us all happy.
Must say, I don't think I might like a few people on one or two threads in Invasive Plants. Well - at least I can avoid them (usually).

Some people forget that others have equal rights to their own opinions.
That creates a lot of discomfort.

And some consider themselves authorities on some or many subjects.
That doesn't always set too well either.

I think it's better to just agree to disagree and accept differences and move on.

Sane and humane!
Think the Roman Terence said "Quot homines, tot sententiae" (as many men, so many opinions).
Would say, however, in science areas at least, all opinions are not equal,
that is they are not equally informed. Always felt this was a lesson for science students. Sounds vaguely messianic?!

Depends on how objective one can be in forming an opinion, I think.

Do you form the opinion based on knowledge
Or based on presented facts
Or based on emotion
Or based on a theory that was taught to you
Or based on all those things or other things?

Totally agree on the objectivity.
In Science, it should be done on the basis of current knowledge and it is done within the context of a current theory and the current paradigm. If Science is self correcting, improving knowledge should lead to improving theory and once in a while, individual insight will result in a new paradigm (the framework within which theories exists).
It's odd that theories of biological science are more likely to bother people, but the real physical damage is done by the misapplication of theories in the physical sciences.

I need to think about your last statement, but I think I know what you are saying.

The thing that bothers me is that there is so much argumentative objection about some findings, some theories, yet those who are objecting are not knowledgeable enough to even have an opinion on the subject.

It is like believing in something just because it is popular opinion, without knowing the history behind it.

Knowing history is the key to a lot of understanding, and once known, opinions can be formed.

I think I am rambling.

Agree with your sentiments, Sharon.
Think people tend to follow. (1) it's easier than learning about it yourself
and (2) sometimes learning requires underlying knowledge that a person does not have. Believe anyone can learn about anything, but it takes effort and time - 'A pearl isn't had for the asking'. Just have to work through it. But is it worth it?
Also: how can one understand what's happening, without knowing how it came to be (the history you're talking about)? Think there's some phrase something like 'those who don't know history, are condemned to repeat the same mistakes'. Well at least you and I wouldn't!
I'd better shut up and let us get some sleep.
Back in touch tomorrow, Charlie

We must both be in one of those profound moods, Charlie.
"Those who don't know history, are condemned to repeat the same mistakes"......words I taught by all those years.

And because of that same lack of knowledge, history repeats itself.
It is a vicious cycle, isnt it?

Sleep well, and have a good tomorrow.

Think that's the tragedy of human beings at the macrolevel. 1960's " --- when will they ever learn? --- " Answer: never! Maybe one of reasons we like gardening so much - so peaceful. But as you know, gardening is a bit like refereeing (actually taking sides) in a war of everybody against everybody in the garden, with weeds and invasives decidely on the 'other' side! Oh well,
we can usually handle the little twerps.
Trying to identify some of what have in our back garden. Am always amazed
at the enormous mortality of plants in a perennial garden. From my records,
complete for customers, I should quantify the loss over a growing season. Guess that if you buy a perennial, the definition of perennial only tells you that it last three years (more than a biennial) or more. And perennials now are so expensive.

Just witnessed my fat cat rubbing himself into the Walkers Low.
Then weaving his fat self into the Phlox David and my Buddleah.
I guess catmint means just that.
He knocked down several stems of both plants.

High on catmint?
The little devil!

Whew!!!! How funny!

Four old irises.

I love the really dark ones, a great color combination, all of them.

Here are a few blooms in one daylily bed. I have 4 more beds. Ugh.

Oops, sorry this photo is so small. I was going to use it for an article, and forgot to resize it. But you can see anyway, I think.

Absolutely lovely Sharon,
Massing plants really suits daylilies.
Sounds like you have many.
Arranging to get below (steps to dock) fixed, been one of big projects today.
Off support on one side. Apparently a 35 foot ramp would be in contravention of building code now. Going to get it corrected to see guy's work and if still have cottage at end of summer, will get it done properly then. Range of quotes, $5,000 to 15,000! Difficult to get trades people up there.

Ouch, but it sure is pretty there!

Not bad Sharon.
Carol has been a master diplomat in handling the various ownership personalities involved and actually got concensus on the steps and other issues. She also did it, in part, by offering to pay for it herself. Not required.
We've heard about Jerry. Buddy has managed to keep the crunchies down, after gobbling them up at break-neck speed (latter, as usual). We weren't so fortunate yesterday.
How's Jazz and Daisy?

Jazz, as usual during a storm, is nowhere to be seen. Daisy is enjoying being an only cat for awhile. Jazz was a stray, and hitched a ride in the undercarriage of an SUV, hanging on for dear life for over 10 miles on a busy interstate. He weighed 14 ounces when he got to me. (He had been under the vehicle of my neighbors and they brought him to me.) He was terrified of loud noises. Still is. So today was double jeopardy for him, since I used the vacuum AND we had a horrific thunderstorm. During both, he goes to my bedroom and hides in the back of the walk in closet. He will come out only when I go in there and talk to him. Since it's still storming, I don't have the heart to tell him to come out.

Daisy just thinks it's funny, and she prances around like she is Queen for a Day.

At first, Daisy would sit at the closet door and meow, but then she decided she'd take advantage of his fear and absence, and now prances around like the star she is.

Oh dear - I feel so bad, laughing like that at poor young Jazz.
I certainly don't blame him for mistaking the thunderstorm and the vacuum for SUVs.
Got to show this to Carol tomorrow
And the girl is made of stronger stuff.
Our girl, Pebbles, was a queen, too - no, actually a princess,
but she was as tough as old boots when she wanted to be.

Jazz is a huge cat, Daisy is small and dainty.
I have the piano sitting diagonally in a corner, and one day when Jazz was little he got behind it by walking through the small opening between the piano back and the wall. Well, he came back out by himself, but after he grew large so quickly, one day he evidently had climbed atop the piano, and had jumped behind it. Couldn't get out again.

I heard Daisy meowing, and she has a mournful wail when she is upset. She was sitting at the entrance door in the living room, just yowling. Jazz was nowhere to be seen. So I talked to Daisy and calmed her down, checked her out, and then said: 'Jazz?'

No answer.

"Jazz??"

Again no answer. Finally Daisy ran to the piano and jumped up on top of it, looked down the back side, and I heard Jazz with the tiniest little 'meow'. He was stuck behind the piano. I tried coaxing him out, because I could not move that heavy piano. He wouldn't budge. i offered treats..nothing doing. So I climbed up on the piano, and took a small 3 step ladder with me, put it down on the back side, because I knew I'd never get out otherwise, the piano was too tall.

I set the ladder down, and then climbed down behind the piano myself. Just as I reached to pick Jazz up and put him up on the top of the ladder, Daisy jumped down with us. So now I have me, the ladder, Jazz and Daisy all in the small corner behind the piano. Sheesh.

Suddenly Jazz leaped straight up and jumped right on top of the piano. Daisy wouldn't budge, so I lifted her up and put her on the piano with Jazz. Then I climbed the ladder, sat up on top of the piano, swung my legs over, and Jazz jumped down behind the piano again.

I gave up. Let 'em live there awhile.

They played there, both of them, until they got tired, and at dinner time, they both came in to eat. Silliest cats. They never get behind the piano any more. I hope they have forgotten.

What a story!
You're the one I feel sorry for, Sharon.
With my arthritis, I don't believe the ladder and behind the piano would have been possible for me, but then with Buddy's figure, it's quite impossible for him to jump up on anything, let alone a piano. He would, of course, do anything within his power, to reach treats.
Had better get to bed. Going to check the irises at the biggest garden tomorrow. Nite Sharon.
Back tomorrow.
Charlie.

Nite Charlie. I hope you take pictures.

I would like to have been a fly on the wall. hahahaha Pets can really be aggravating.

Chester is most neurotic dog we have ever had. Actually sounds like he is screaming sometimes. Night before last when the storms moved in he was on the south side of the house when a big clap of thunder hit really loud. I could see him from my chair and he was screaming and running so fast I don't think his feet hardly touched the ground. We have pet door and he hit it hard. Came straight to me and jumped in my lamp.

What a pretty puppy! Sure is handsome. He probably had your lap spotted from a mile away!

They are companion dogs and if I would let him he would sit in my lap all of the time.
Caught Mike off-guard but this is Chester's favorite place in the world. Sometimes he is draped around like an old fox collar from the 40's.

How perfectly comfy he looks. And tell Mike I love his shirt! It looks good with a furry hood.

Great pictures Christi,
Chester is a real fluffy guy and he certainly sleeps on the job.
Picture with Mike (husband?) is a classic. There's contented trust and there's tolerant amiability.
Heard about flooding (east of?) Dallas. Sounds like Sharon has had some bad weather too.
Too bright this morning here, will look for some pictures this afternoon.

The news right now is really bad. My granddaughter is in a ballet performance tonight and a tornado is directly for her town. We are usually through with them by this time of year but it has been one major storm after another. Over 200,000 still without power in the DFW metroplex. That covers some 5 counties and around 5 million people. We have lived in this youse over 42 years and have been hit 3 times already. Not ready for another. It is too still and super humid right now. The other times it hit here, the hair on my arms stood straight up. Something about the electricity in the air. The community closest to us was wiped off the map in 1994. All of the storms floods and wild fires we watch on tv are sooooo much worse up close and personal. It is TOO STILL right now.
Nothing is moving. While my granddaughter is some 90 miles from here that is nothing when it comes to tornadoes. Our son and his wife are already there and we are supposed to be tomorrow. Please, God, keep them safe and all the others of your children.

Christi

Christi - sounds aweful.
Certainly thinking of you, and your family, and all the other good people around you.
Charlie

Not sure if I should send this now - but it looks peaceful.