carolyncat353's Blog
carolyncat353's Blog
Last Post 23 hours Ago
May 11, 2008 | 6:16 AM PST
I have 2 more pics in my blog-but they're not the ones I wanted! Still navigating! I took pictures of the garden from different angles and the tomatoes up close-and my Red Parasol mandevilla that is FINALLY starting to vine good. I'm impatient and it takes time and reading and trying to get these pictures on-AND I have dial up, so I don't know if that's why it takes so loooonnnnnnnggggggg!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY ALL!! And also to you guys who raise/raised your kids alone-
May 10, 2008 | 2:29 PM PST
i HAVE PICTURES! Not quite sure how I did that-but I did get some posted! One I doubled (???) Going in the yard with the camera-Will have more -and better ones tomorrow! Yippee!!
May 10, 2008 | 7:21 AM PST
I actually have a sign that says that in my flower bed. Haven't been paying much attention to my flowers-time to pull out the rest of the pansies and dianthus (do dianthus over summer? Here? In Hell hot muggy Louisiana?) Anyway-I've been pulling weeds, well, pulling GRASS from my flower beds, and trimmed the angel trumpet up from the bottom-afraid the kittens will chew on them. Pulled grass from the %#@!! cactus that my son brought home from West Texas about 19 years ago. I hate it, but it's his, brought it home when he was 5, and HE dug it up and moved it when we moved here 11 years ago, and it is pretty when it blooms, which it is doing now.
Put up 5 FULL qts of beans this morning. Makes a total of 13 qts in the freezer-My neighbor may get the next picking-Whew!
Got grass to cut today- and it looks like rain (YaY?!) My yard become swampy fast. Off to the lawnmower!
Later Gators!
May 9, 2008 | 7:39 AM PST
I think my tomatoes survived after all the wind yesterday. I staked and propped and tied and inspected. Boy-do I have tomatoes (yeah, I'm bragging). I talked with my brother and he said his green thumb is lost this year. He keeps having to replant, and I'm harvesting! I'm gonna have to make the drive(he lives about 20 miles from me) to see his garden-he's planted a LOT! With the price of groceries-I told my boss I was thinking of plowing up my whole back yard and planting a BIG garden. He said we'd have another hurricane. Scratch that.
Dog and cats are doing fine. They get along so good now. The kittens try to steal Peanut's dog toys, and he gets this frustated, "What?!?" look on his face, but he doesn't hurt them. And those cats are EVERYWHERE! I turned on the sprinkler in the beans and cats ran out . I have a bird feeder tray on the ground, and they sit in it waiting-Like the birds are really gonna come while they're there. They're climbing trees (somethimes too high), and still climb the umbrella, and they hide in the flowers. My only fear, is now they've learned the "pet door", so they can go in and out when they want-and they usually won't go outside unless I'm out there-BUT- at night-when the moths and other flying bugs come out, they want outside and run from me when I want to bring them in. Last week I had a very large owl sitiing in a pine tree-and I've lost kittens to owls before. I don't like that. But the little devils hide from me in the dark!
Re-potting house plants this weekend- Later Gators!
May 8, 2008 | 6:42 AM PST
Yesterday I found a good "stuffing" pepper at Lowe's, to plant along with my skinny ones, and I bought a "Heatwave" tomato to plant to take up where the others will leave off in July. Our summers are just too hot for reg. tomatoes. I picked 4 more bell peppers yesteday, and stuffed em with the rice dressing I had left from Sunday-sOOOO good!
The wind is so bad here! We had 26 mile an hour winds yesterday, and expect it again! This morning as I was leaving for work, I saw one of my big tomato plants had blown over/down! Yikes!! I got 2 stakes and hammered em in the ground and tied em to the cages around my tomatoes (plants are about 4 ft. high now and loaded with fruit!) Wind is blowing-OK that will have to do until I get home this pm-WRONG!! Backing out the drive I look and it had blown over AGAIN!! Ok-4 stakes this time (will have to make a bigger cage out of wire) Hope it holds...that plant must have 40 tomatoes on it!
I'm at work writing this and I need to get busy! -
Later Gators!!
May 7, 2008 | 6:38 AM PST
Tag: veggies
Yesterday I had a large picking of beans. Put up 4 quarts again. Of course, kittens and Peanut helped-several beans had teeth marks on them. I have 3 bird feeders near my garden and the kittens are venturing out now, so they hide in the beans to watch the birds (the birds are still bigger than the kittens!) and I think they bite the beans because they're in the way! Anyway, its no big deal-wash em, and cook 'em!
I also have more bell peppers to pick. I think I'm going to try the garden center and see if they have any Ca. Wonder anywhere. Big Bertha is ok-but I still want my FAT peppers. Jalepenoes are making, tomatoes are loaded, but my cukes - they're slow, slow this year. Lots and lots of blooms, but very few cukes! We had 2 or 3 little cold spells after I had put them in the ground, do you think they're just having a hard time coming back? They're vining good--don't know! I always have lots of cucumbers off of just 2 or 3 plants-I may have to replant!!
I've got a spot where I lost a tree due to Hurricane Rita 2 1/2 years ago that still hasn't grassed over, and I believe I'm gonna put cantelope(? spelling?)there. They were $3.00 for one at the grocery store! Unbelievable!
May 6, 2008 | 10:27 AM PST
Tag: tomatoes
I posted this under vegetables, but maybe I'll get some play here. I read an online article about removing almost all of the leaves from a tomato plant to get bigger yield of the tomato. Supposedly the plant will put more energy into producing tomatoes rather than supporting the leaves. (note-it did not say to remove ALL leaves). Heck, tomato worms will remove lots of leaves! Anyway, my tomatoes are heavily leafed this year and I have lots of tomatoes; I don't know about this! Anyway, could have bought the book for 39.95 and learned more. Anyone hear of this or done this?
May 4, 2008 | 6:58 PM PST
Today was kind of lazy-I'm so tired all the time-Need to go the doc-maybe my meds are off (if I'd remember to take them, it might help!) Anyway! I had 4 large bell peppers "Big Bertha", and I stuffed em today! Never planted Big Bertha before, only California Wonder. They were good, but I have made a note-Thin long fruit-does not take very long to cook, like CA. Wonder (still prefer that one) Also, this year when I planted my snap beans, there were no Kentucky Wonder on the rack, so I planted Contender. Now, I have planted Contender before, don't know why I haven't in the last few years, because as far as I'm concerned the Contender are better!
Put my 2 blueberry bushes in larger pots-too late here to put them in the ground; will wait until November. I cleared a little bit of clutter from the garage and off the patio. Was walking in my front yard with my son's daschund that now lives with me, and my neighbor (GRR) and her PITT BULL came out of their garage and that Freaken dog ran after Peanut. I'm screaming and she's saying my dog's not vicious- Well, we got them separated before anything bad happened. Yeah, right-sorry Pitt Bull lovers-but I hate the breed!! And I hate living next door to one!! Don't know for sure, but I think that's where my Oreo (cat) went. I sure miss that cat!
Back to gardening - I have a multitude of buds on my Angel Trumpet-My Morning Glory tree has some flower buds on it -My hoya is starting to bloom, daylillies blooming, zinnia seeds coming up-My asparagus fern is blooming(!) petunias in, pansies out, grass is growing, Love Bugs are coming out (I HATE those little suckers!) No skeeters yet, but rain has been rare. RARE for here!! It always rains here!
Oh, and I got to eat some crawfish today-Just luv em!
Want to get to bed before 10 tonite!-Later Gator! Le Bon Ton Roulet!
May 3, 2008 | 7:34 PM PST
I feel so AHEAD of everyonE! Picked my second bunch of beans-good sized bowl this time-put 4 quarts in the freezer, cooked one pot full (no new potatoes, but good anyway!). Of course, cats and dog helped. Had to put the bowl on a pedestal so the dog and cats wouldn't run off with beans as i picked them. What's Up with that!! Littlle devils. Like kids-try and feed them a green bean when they need one! GRrr
Didn't go to the crawfish boil today as planned. My long time honey (don't even know if he is that anymore!) was too tired! WHAT!! Who's too tired for crawfish? Especially since we paid $100.00 fof the tickets to this thing!! I drank my $7.00 bottle of wine and watched the cats try to figure out how to catch birds. (And they weigh 3 lbs and 3 lbs, 2.oz now! Big Cats!)
And ate my new green beans and chicken with cream of mushroom soup. Will have a total of 5 bell peppers tomorrow. Making stuffed bell peppers after church tomorrow!! And then will call my Air Force son and rub it in!
Good nite all-and Later you gators!
May 1, 2008 | 6:12 PM PST
Took off early this pm to bring kittens to the vet, but he wasn't in today-SOOOO I went to Lowes and got muclh and compost to finish the flower bed on the West side of my house. Checked on my beans and decided I couldn't wait until Saturday and I picked a good sized bowl full, plus 2 bell peppers that are crying to be stuffed. Pulled up the radish going to seed (they make pretty flowers! Almost as pretty as broccoli flowers!)
Then I had to throw "little ugly" a zillion times for my son's daschund (Little ugly is his favorite squeak toy that is just plain UGLY)-Got the kittens out of the tree they climbed, then out of the umbrella (I closed it cause it's so windy-they climbed the outside of it to the top) Then they were in the bird bath...Now, we're in the computer room, which is also where Clint's (my son) stuff is stored until Uncle Sam gives him a more permanent home, so it is full of STUFF! After they knocked over the Mardi Gras decorations, and climbed on top of the dresser looking at the ceiling fan (oh boy!) , the dog chased them under the computer, and I lost everything I had already written!!
The garden is looking real good-forgot the camera--again! It is and has been so windy here, it's not fun to work outside. At least it's not cold. You guys that are North of the Mason Dixon line have some tuff skin to take your winters. I HATE WINTERS!
Daylilies here are starting their bloom, My irises are through. The Canna's are full of worms (can't spray with the wind so strong-and nosey kittens), roses are blooming, my Plumbago is Gorgeous! (sticky flowers on the kitten's feet) They walk around shaking their feet! My shrimp plants are blooming-the native hummers like them, and my Angel Trumpet is about 5 foot tall, putting on buds. Did you know that Angel trumpets are pollinated by bats? That's why they smell at night! Ok-that's why they smell BETTER at night.
I need to eat-and clean up. I will have to make a story about why I have my son's dog and how I came about with 2 new kittens (rescued from the animal shelter, thank you!) They're my family-although I do have 3 brothers and some neices and nephews. Well, 2 brothers I talk with, anyway.
Later gators!
Apr 30, 2008 | 6:35 PM PST
Very tired today-Kittens and dog make me tired-all demanding attention. Peanut has only been here a week and 1/2 but has gotten used to the kittens-somewhat. Still have some tense moments. The kittens will be 10 weeks old Friday-time for 2nd shots. Wasn't planning on cats and dogs-but- Clint wants one of the dogs, and he can't care for it right now. He'll be going to California for at least 7-8 months, and then who knows where. I'll probably have the dog for quite a while-or always! These cats are little devils!! I have to fish them out of the cactus. Thinking of a way to screen it in or something so they will stay out of it when they're lizard chasing.
Planted a few zinnia seeds, and have some more petunia plants to put out. I have 2 blueberry bushes I need to get in the ground, or at least in much larger pots before the devil cats kill them trying to climb them!
Forgot the digital camera at work-will take pictures while everything is in perfect condition. Wish I had taken some of the bottlebrush when it was in full bloom-maybe it will bloom again-I hear some do. Hopefully I'll be able to get some pics on the blog.
Too tired for much chatter this pm. Even though I sleep, I'm still dog tired. My blood sugar has been ok - so it must just be tension from "animal adjustment"
Later!
Apr 29, 2008 | 7:18 PM PST
To all interested: Gardening in Southwest La. where it is mostly hot, humid and rainy. This pm I checked the garden and will have snap beans, bell pepper and eggplant ready to pick by this weekend. Too many tomatoes to count, jalapenos making, cukes really tiny and squash blooming.
The weather is great-kind of cool for this time of year (upper 40's at nite). Flowers blooming, house plants looking good and yard really green. Herding 2 kittens and 1 spoiled rotten daschund (the granddog). They get along good-but like to run through the flower beds! And chase my birds!! Have had as many as 15 white wing doves at the feeder, along with cardinals, one jailbird woodpecker, thrush and lots of little tweety birds.
My long time hibiscus is taking a long time recovering from the past winter. It had a lot of spindly, weak limbs and kind of just fell apart in the fall. I blamed it on my cat at first, but Oreo disappeard in October, and the mess kept happening. I've fertilized and mulched and am keeping it well watered but it sure is slow!! Suggestions?
Apr 29, 2008 | 10:39 AM PST
Hello, ya'll! Looking forward to sharing my garden with you. Kind of busy at this moment, but will definitely be on-line and searching tonite! My brother put me onto this site-and I like it!
