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state of mind. Our new normal is different but if it stays on a decent routine we will be fine. Don is doing real well but has a long way to go. He is so fearful of falling that he tenses up which is not good. Hoping PT at home will help with that. Two of our sons redid the ramp so that it is wheelchair accessible. Much easier to traverse.
The weather is so goofy these days. By now our gardens should be nothing more than mulch with some evergreen plants standing out. Instead it looks like September and all the late blooming varieties are going strong. The pineapple sage looks so pretty and the wild ageratum is full of blue flowers. The mums are very active and growing well though the drought did affect their blossoms. The pink annual vinca is still blooming also.
The angel trumpets decided to have a go at a bloom time as well. The white one is on its third showing and the yellows have just started in the last couple of weeks. It was nice to run home from the hospital and see them blooming.
The pansies and snapdragons did well and were such healthy plants. Sometimes you lose a few but this batch seems to be doing great. Tried to do a 'smiley face' with creamy yellows as the eyes nose and mouth. If it actually works out I will take a picture. Depends on when and how much they bloom.
The pink knockout rose has new blooms and one azalea has a big bright flower. The Iphion bulbs have put up green so I guess they think it is early spring. They the ones that smell like garlic and come up before anything else and have a pretty bluish flower. One of the Lantana on the driveway bank has begun to bloom again and another has lots of buds.
All in all I have enjoyed having color in the gardens this late in the year. Wonder what Thanksgiving will bring. We have had days of cold rain, a bit of snow and heat where you could have gone swimming. The month of November is always full of surprises.
More To Come Later
Just checking to see if my blogs will post. No change on my hubby as yet.
Don is now in a rehab hospital. He is still a bit confused but is better than two days ago. He has occupational and physical threapy. He is walking well with a walker but is still weak. Still not eating enough though. I asked if he could get some Ensure. We wait and wait. He tries and tries. Thanks to all of you for your good words of encouragement.
Linda B
My grandson that lives just up the street had his 12th birthday today. I noticed that he has a bit of dark fuzz on his upper lip. Makes me happy and sad all at the same time. Last friday was my anniversary. Hubby and I have been married 35 years now. This was the second marriage for both of us and it has worked out just fine.
Was at the farmers market this weekend to work at the Master Gardener booth and get my pansies and snapdragons. I will be out planting in the morning and I am ready. Did get the front yard mowed and got the annual fall dust in the face as the lawn is all but gone out there. Cleaned a little here and there and called it quits for the day.
The colors of pansies I choose this year were one flat of a light creamy color and two flats of a pretty blue, creamy yellow and white. Plan to put the creamy ones in the center and surround them with the others. The snaps will be planted behind these plants. The snap dragons come back pretty good here and seem to come back even heartier than when newly planted. I love the cheery faces of both these annuals.
More to Come Later
Today is his birthday and we went out for breakfast - his favorite meal is biscuits and sausage gravy. A couple of his guy buddies met us and we enjoyed their company. He had on his new shirt which he will wear on Sunday with his new shoes and socks. He is all squared away for winter now.
FairyGarden came by to get cuttings from my Thanksgiving cactus to send a GG friend. She looks really good and we enjoyed seeing one another for a little visit.
Ever go to the doctor and expect maybe an hour and a half wait, only to get out three hours later? That happened to us yesterday. What a long day. After the doc we had an errand to run and low and behold I discovered a tire going flat. We hightailed it over to Sears and they found a very long nail in the tire. Only $19 to repair it, thank goodness, I was preparing for the need of a new tire.
We were whipped and it was 4pm before we finally got home. A short breakfast, no lunch and a bottle of water. Not much nourishment for a dieting woman. Happy Fall Everyone
More to Come Later
a bit to let the sun come out and dry things off a little. Pretty heavy dew but no rain.
Need to dig a few daylilies to take to Master Gardener meeting tonight as it is plant swap time.
Will be taking a few photos as well. Found a surprise in one place last week and want to share with all of you.
Have a great day and I will see you in the forums.
more of the the weed jungle this morning. In doing this cleaning out I found a vine that I didn't remember. It had a three leaf pattern but did not look like poison ivy or oak. Finally got a moment when the thought came back to me on the computer to look up weedy vines. Turns out this is Pepper Vine - not the best photo but I think you can see the leaf pattern. Now I am not so hesitant to risk touching this plant.
There has always been lots of Virginia Creeper in this yard, guess it is in most yards around here that have any bit of a natural look to the landscape.
Both of these plants are pretty as they grow up trees and over plants, their leaves turn redish in the fall and they have berries that the birds eat. But my natural area is small and it does not take either of these plants very long to cover just about everything. So I spend a good bit of time watching for them in order to pull them before they take over.
I have had a winter Daphne shrub for many years and it has never looked well. It finally bit the dust this year and I will be digging it out. Same with a Blue Plumbago plant that I had moved last year. I don't think they last too many years around here. And we did have that really bad freeze late in the spring.
For my yard trash I have 2 large city cans that they pick up with the truck filled with yard debris. Then I bagged four plastic bags on Saturday and today I may have two more bags full. Must get those cans and bags to the curb this evening so I can start on them again.
Today I worked on another corner of the yard and all that is left is pulling out some Ivy I stupidly left in place 2 or 3 years ago. It was so slow to do anything I rather forgot about it, now it is a 5 foot mass of tangles and going up a tree. Once I get that done it will such a relief. My SNJ and I have decided we will no longer let 'stuff' grow up into the chain link fence. It will be the 'pull what we can and use Round Up when we have to' mindset. I want to be able to see between my shrubs and plants.
More To Come Later
day to be toiling in the gardesn. Love it when you can work hard and not have sweat running down into your socks.
Have been weeding under Great Gramma Dogwood tree this week. It had gotten pretty bad under there. It is 3/4 the way finished and this last part is much easier. After pulling all the weeds I put down some pre emergence, newspaper and mulch. the newspaper only went down in the path way around the tree. It will be so good to see it all cleaned out through the winter months.
There is a pot of Lantana (three plants in one pot I think) that needs to be divided up. Wondering whether to cut it back when I divide and plant them. Can't remember if it is bad to cut back Lantana before it dies down. Any of you know?
Any of you watch Cash Cab? I love that show. Puts my memory to work and gives me some chuckles along the way. http://www.associatedcontent.
com/article/2158011/catching_a
_cab_in_new_york_city_can.html
?cat=39 I wrote this article on it and there is a Youtube video embedded as well.
I've had lunch and after the work in the yard this morning I am getting sleepy headed. Kept going all day yesterday and ended up in bed by 9:30. That is a bit early even for me. This morning the son calls me at 7am to take my grand to school. We usually do this on Friday's but his corporation changed the Friday morning call to Thursday.
More To Come Later
September Morn by Neil Diamond
This was a great day to work in the gardens. Was able to get a portion of a bed weeded last week and this morning I put pre emergence down in the path way then laid newspapers and mulch down. Looks so nice. Hope this week will find me on Saturday with that bed completely cleaned out, some plants dug and placed in other areas.
In talking with my SNJ I realized that my gardens are about where I want them - in the manageable vein. So nice to think that there is not another area that needs re doing or another spot where I want more plants. It feels really good.
Angel Trumpets are not blooming this year. Have one single yellow in my yard and one yellow plant in SNJ yard that has 6 blooms. My white AG's next to the house have lots of buds so they will be pretty. Hoping next year will be a bumper crop again. We got spoiled last year as the bloomtime was so heavy.
This is the Bird of Paradise shared with me by a GG member 2 years ago. It is so pretty. Next year I should have enough to share.
Now back to work - articles await to be written. More To Come Later
Have been in the yard some the last week or two. Boy are my flower beds a mess. The weeds and grass just take over as soon as your back is turned. This morning I cleaned out two small spaces and hope to be able to get another little area this week as well.
I ran over something with my mower and it began to make an awful clanging sound every time I tilted it up a little. The son came on his lunch hour one day and we found that the metal housing had a new scrape place so we figured that was where the blade was hitting. He hit it with a hammer a couple of times and today it made no noise as I finished off the street front of the yard.
Do any on you wonder why we take care of the 5 feet or so at the front of our yards?? Wouldn't it be nice if the city would come every week and clean up their part of the grass?? All that grows at the street at my house is that old Johnson grass or highway grass. It just pops right back up as soon as you go into the house. Sneaky plant.
My attempt at the temporary raised garden grew tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers just fine, but the cardboard box did not keep the wild Bermuda grass down. That was one of the areas I cleaned out today. I do think it would grow through a piece of flat metal.
Pulled out the Cherokee Purple tomato plants. They never did make good tomatoes. What I did get tasted fine but don't think I will try those again. Next year I only want cherry and Roma tomatoes. One pepper plant, one cucumber and two squash plants. I will try purchasing plants and sowing some seed on the squash as that is one thing I really do like.
One area on the front bank is just invaded with wild Bermuda. I know that those roots go deep into the soil so I may never be rid of it. Just makes for a real dilemma in knowing what to do to make that left side of the bank look decent. Will be asking my SNJ (sweet neighbor J) what she used under her pinestraw in her front yard. Don't remember if it was black plastic or something else. May have to resort to the black plastic.
This is an interesting picture for me as those first two annual sweet potato plants came back up this year. The other I had dug and gotten all the root. At the end of this bank is where the wild bermuda grows and grows.
Annual plants are dying back now and need to be pulled out. Usually when I do pull them I throw them in a area I think the seeds might germinate next spring. Have already gotten some Cosmos and Zebrina Malva seeds. The Malva did not look good, as if there had been a mold or fungus problem so those seeds might not be viable.
Gardening is one of those hobbies that gets a'hold'a ya and won't let go. Only problem is the heat, humidity and rain for days on end, and the mosquitoes. Other than that it is a fine way to live.
More To Come Later
are beginning to bloom. The end of the summer season gives us this wonderful plant. I like to go outside and just breathe in that heavenly scent. Only one is blooming right now, the others are reaching for the sky, most are about 5 to 6 feet tall.
Then I found this strange looking spider and web in the garden. Anyone know what this might be called? He is a mighty strange looking critter.
More To Come Later
couple of humid sweaty hours cleaning out and dead heading the plants this morning. You really feel as if you are melting into your socks. The blackeyed susans that I trimed will come back as will the cone flowers.
The squash plants were kaput so I pulled them up. Sure hope next year to grow them more successfully on a fence of some kind. Will be doing away with the make shift raised garden and going to growing plants in a vining fashion. PIcked four more tomatoes and pulled a few onions.
Found lots of Virginia Creeper vining through everything in the big bed. It is a mess in there. This fall must be the time to really clean out that area. Want to take down a small dogwood tree in order to get more sun to the back side of this bed. Some plants just lean so far out to the sunshine they begin to lay on their plant companions.
My Rose of Sharon shrub is blooming nicely. A neighbor around the corner has three nice ones I want cuttings from. One is a double very light pink, a single white and the bluish color with the red eye. This couple have not lived in this house long and they have done a remodel of the inside as well as the landscape. It looks so much nicer than when it was a rental property. One day I will knock on the door and talk garden shop with them.
The Red Rocket Crepe Myrtle is beginning to bloom and is it every pretty. I am so pleased and my DH is so glad it did not die. He worried so over it last year. But now the worries are over, it survived the extra freezes and is doing great. Will post a photo when it is further out in bloom.
This is not my favorite time of year for the gardens. So many things have quit blooming and others are just getting ready to do their thing. The Angel Trumpets at the side of the house are full of buds so in another few weeks the yard will take on a different look. The Mexican Petunias and Mexican Sage are ready to bloom now and the Cuphea plants are dancing away in the gardens. Seems like this time of year is the purple stage with some yellow.
My Zinnias are blooming really well but I am not happy with the pinks. There are a couple of large Zinnias in red and orange and a yellow that are nice and I will save some seed from them. Looking forward to planting some large snapdragons and lots of pansies in this area by October. Color is wanted for this little spot where we get in and out of the car.
Speaking of the car ;-( the air conditioner went out in it this past week. I had to drive it one day to a doc appointment and thought I would die even with the hot air blowing from the open windows. A big thank you to the little truck as the sale of it paid for the AC in the car. The cool air is blowing and is much appreciated though it cost a bundle. The Compressor now has a lifetime guarantee, just wish it had had one when I bought it.
Some of you remember RKayne - well they are absolutely miserable in the Washington and Oregon region right now. She says she is truly melting. They don't ever get heat like this in the part of the country very often and certainly not for the long a period. So for those of you that live in that area I will think cool cool thoughts for you.
More To Come Later
Harley our GG friend sent me some AV leaf cuttings which I rooted in water. The old standby method of putting tinfoil over a small jar, making a small hole for the leaf stem and letting them sit in the water until they have a good root system going. I have never tried starting them in soil. And the water works for me.
I have never had a variegated leaf before so I will be watching that one closely. I have set them on stones and will water them that way. When I first placed them in the container I let them sit on the bottom and soak up some water. Then I moved them up onto the stones so they will not stay too wet. Wish me luck.
I have been getting some maters, way too many cukes and a few squash. Here is the last picking and there are more maters ripening on the vine. Squash not doing well and the Cherokee Purple tomato wants to spit and rot before I can get them off the vine, then they don't last long in the house. Mighty tasty though.
It was fun to be outside under my little shed lean-to potting up my AV's. The morning was nice and a breeze was blowing. I could hear the bees humming and birds a chirping - all was right with the world.
More To Come Later
kept me out of the gardens for the most part. I go out as early as I can to do a few maintenance things. Cut back some unruly plants and did some deadheading one morning. Have been getting cucumbers and tomatoes the last couple of weeks and even a few peppers. At lunch today we had those three plus some cornbread. Yummy.
I have switched this evening to Firefox as Internet Explorer seems to be experiencing some problems staying awake. Drives me crazy. This Firefox has been speeding right along. So I am glad I downloaded it just for this reason.
Had a visit with some gardening friends and came home with a large bag of freshly picked Blueberries. They are so good. My few small bush type BB's were eaten by all the critters that think they own my gardens. Really since they spend more time there than I do, this might be true.
The hummers have been buzzing about from one flower and feeder to the other. Once in a while I will spook up the bunny but this year they are not out and about as much. I miss being able to just sit and watch them scurry about.
I did something this afternoon I have not done in ages, went for a Manicure. It was wonderful. My nails have actually had time to grow over the last few weeks. I figured since I had them and had managed not to break any of them off I would just reward myself. You all should try it, yes you guys also. The hand and arm massage alone is worth it.
There was a bad wreck yesterday just at noon at one of the close by intersections. A large red pick up truck had gone head on into a utility pole and cracked it in half. Someone said the person had experienced a medical problem but that he was OK. The traffic was backed up and the side of the intersection that we use was blocked off. We had an appointment and when our power suddenly went out we decided to just go ahead early. The accident was what knocked it out. You never know when you start out in your car what you will see or how safe you will actually be. The person did not hit another car which is a miracle as this is a fairly busy road especially during the noon hour. So be careful and aware when you are driving.
We had a pretty big thunder and lightening storm pass through early this evening. We needed the rain. I wonder if Witt managed to get any rain today? Will check the rain gauge in the morning before I take my walk. Decided it was time to get back to some kind of exercise and walking is easy to do and costs nothing. My hubby even took his wheeled walker out and walked during that same time. I was proud of him. Makes his legs sore but I think he just needs to do it more often.More To Come Later
MItzilou and Fairygarden, That is an Orange Cosmos and the seed came from KeyWee. So thanks to all three of you. It is so pretty and bright, I really like it. Hopefully it will reseed but I will be saving some seed from it just in case.
It was house cleaning day today, finished up by cleaning up dirty dishes and running the dishwasher, I think that is my favorite appliance.
Will be posting my first article on the Examiner.com site tomorrow, if I can figure it all out that is. My page is here .
Going to vist a couple of gardening friends tomorrow. Need to take my Silver Leopard succulent plant back. I just do not do well with them. Either keep them too wet or too dry. Plus they have a greenhouse which it loves during the winter. Will be taking them one of the 'new' Cuphea seedling. Hope to get pix of the three different plants that have come from the one that reseeded. Then I will let everyone see them. I received an Orchid cactus from this couple and will be taking them cuttings from this plant. It has just grown such long branches. It has not bloomed as yet.
Will be delivering one of the Cereus cactus plants to another friend. I have two she can choose from depending on whether she wants to watch a young plant grow or just wait for the larger one to bloom.
It was so nice to see it rain and my carport not get dirty water running down the middle. This is actually our driveway/carport but we sit out there more than the car does. So the work with the pressure washer did the trick. We have had more rain today and I am going to guess more than an inch has fallen since I last took the measurement of 2.2 inches. This has been a good year in as we have not had to use city water.
Going to chill out for a bit and get a fresh start in the morning.
More To Come Later
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