|
RKayne's Blog
i dig my own holes
Last Post 166 days, 1 hour Ago
Jan 18, 2009 | 11:28 PM PST
He wants to BE a dog, so I have been teaching him tricks. Here is his favorite (that he performs on command, every time, anywhere and in front of anybody, lol).
Jan 17, 2009 | 8:51 PM PST
Ah, friends, I have missed you all so much. Long story short (like I can do that). Here I sit, on My wife's little Dell (I like it, it's LIGHT) nad have been using the monster Dell that is worth half of me. So I am going to trade it for a Macbook Pro, a neat little bugger. Yep. I think I am going Mac! I got a new job *another long story short, they closed my office, good move for them since it pulls together a system, two places far apart should not be doing the same thing? Does that make sense? Say you are a baker, do you let the yeast rise 7 blocks away (or 2 states as this was!) or do you bring the yeast to you?)* Either way, we have wanted to do so much and this gave me the op to do so. Today I got to be a consultant for purchasing the basic computer system for a start-up biz. Those who know puters will understand THIS. We got Two 2.8 GHz 24" iMacs, iWork, MYOB Firstedge, an Airport Hub..and one more piece of software that I don't remember! Something that would give us some beautiful sequential numbering for every entry. I like that. My suggestions actually mean something! 5 Grand later, (the new biz guy won poker the night before so popped 300 on an iPod touch so he could show off pics of his grandkids) a new biz will be born. I am so stoked, this gives me a serious spot, I get to develop and maintain this system and other things I know will get implemented. I spotted and priced the lease for a place (that left the stoves AND HOODS!!!) that would be a great spot for our restaurant...and NOW WE get BACK on GARDENING topic!
This place WILL have a lot of planting going on. Both in and out of aquariums. It will be FULL of all kinds of life ;)
I need to locate a good list of plants that stand inside and shade and are not your typical crap like Shefflera, that corn plant thing and whatnot.
Water people! Aquariums, we will have good bulbs for them.
Message me, gimme some suggestions. This may happen soon (but if not, in the meantime I get to be the IT ho).
Now that all is pretty much settled, I have some BACK blogging to do, so please, forgive me for being amiss and posting some old crap as it will be good, even so ;)
Dec 18, 2008 | 1:13 PM PST
Tag: Snow
I don't have time to re-post.
We are taking the cats out to play in it :D I will be posting that later!
Nov 28, 2008 | 3:23 PM PST
Tags: Garlic , white , snapdragon , coffee , lavender , Japanese Elm , japanese maple , purple
There will be rather a few posts, but this is a great teaser, lol. So, since we got the camera it has been hectic here (we hosted Thanksgiving). But, I did manage to get a few pics of some things around here. That is the view out to our balcony. The must have, hunted for one because I can't give up my bonsai!
This is a Southern Magnolia. Seems pretty happy here in Seattle! This was sent to me by YardGranny in SC. I potted it up a while back and it has loved the weather here, frankly it surprises me as it has gotten rather cold here.
Here is the White Snapdragon. I don't grow flowers normally but this one has it's place here. Shannon fell in love with it so I will do all I can to keep it alive. It has grown on me since it flowers when it gets cold. How random is that! I guess I will have to do some research on this bugger so I know it's habits and whatnot :D
YardGranny also sent me two Mimosa's, they were happy but just to make sure, since they are babies, I have done what I normally do for my coffee tree at work (the one I am bonsai'ing) and placed their very own mini greenhouses over them. These will stay on until the last possible frost. There are a lot of mimosa here, not this color...but they seem happy to live here. I figure once they get older, perhaps next winter, they will not require this (and I will get a Bay tree to do this for instead, hehe).
I had these at the house and took them with me (note...MINE!). There is a Purple Sage, a standard Silver Sage, some Garlic Chives (thanks again Poe!) grew from seed from Ohio and a Mother of Thyme. It is so nice having fresh Thyme at any time. Yes...I had to do that ;)
And one last shot for now, the Japanese Elm with a few leaves left, my favorite Japanese Maple (about 7 years old) and some Provencal Lavendar. Shannon is a freak for Lavendar so I think this will get a bigger pot come spring so it can go wild!
Nov 25, 2008 | 11:47 AM PST
WOO HOO! And is it ever nice. Sent it off with Shan today so she could play with it (this is the one day a week that she and a single co-worker, one she should probably be separated from, are alone for the day so I knew they would have fun as they do get a lot done but play all day!). There will be many pics on the way. Lot of updating to do. Dang, but I got my work cut out for me as this is not the only place that gets pics, haha. Look towards a lot of new posts, in a rather steady way :D
Nov 24, 2008 | 11:10 AM PST
Tags: cornish , cornish hens , hen , jalapeno , mozzarella , poppers , thanksgiving , turkey
I have a lot to be thankful for yet have never truly gotten into the Turkey thing. We are going to have a few friends over and instead of the 'traditional' turkey day thing, I am going to do my Cornish Hens. This way we each get our own bird and yet it is a gathering of happy, thankful people. I am most thankful for Shannon, having her in my life completes it. Having known each other for so long and now being here for each other is what makes my day, each and every day. I might also make my Mozzarella Sticks and Jalapeno Poppers. On another note, hopefully our new camera shows up today (it is scheduled for delivery!). Soon, we will get back into writing (all over!) since we will be able to simply take great pictures again! Looks like I get out of being the bartender as I normally am, that is being taken care of. We got some nice wine and one of the couples coming is bringing *danger!!* Jello Shots! That makes me thankful for something else...I have Friday off, lol.
Nov 17, 2008 | 1:23 PM PST
Tags: Herb , container garden , kitchen herbs , Ground Cover , Crown Vetch
It never ceases to amaze me the simple things (the ones you think are simple) are not necessarily so. What I mean is, things I know how to do, or about, that are not so 'simple'. Take ground covers, I think it makes sense to plant something like Crown Vetch on a sunny hill that won't get a lot of water. It flowers, it takes care of itself. I say something like that and I get that look from people, that look that makes me want to run to a mirror and see if a second head popped out of my shoulder.
So I wrote it up as well :D Ground Cover Guide
Yes, those things we think are so obvious are things other people seem to be oblivious to, haha.
Kitchen Herb Garden, anyone?
That was hard, only because I tried to 'simplify' it. You, all you smart people out there, don't even think about it. Share that knowledge, spread it far and wide. You might be surprised what you know about that other people do not. One of the things I have written that gets major views?
Take that and run with it! Yes, boiling an egg. So, yes, if that does not prove a point, I don't know what does!
Share what you know, while you still have it in your head is my theory.
Nov 17, 2008 | 1:10 PM PST
Tags: Tomato , green tomato , fried green tomatoes , Jalapeno , zucchini , okra
Yes, it is that time again. How I love those first few and last few tomatoes. Fried.
That is MY way of fixin them :D
Either way, that has been something I have NOT had in some time as I no longer have space for tomato plants. I gave that space up to a smoker grill, lol. That is headed to storage here in about a week when our firepit gets here! FIREPIT! WOO!
I thought about asking around the farmers market, then got distracted, then I thought, hey...I COULD make room. And got distracted. Maybe I really did not want any? haha. Not so much. I did zucchini instead. I make them the same way as I do in that recipe and they were SO yummy. Guess maybe I should write that out. And Okra. I do my Jalapenos different, though. I can get okra, no problem, from the store around the corner (Heck, I can get White Truffel there!). Maybe what it is...is I just love FRIED stuff :D
Oct 31, 2008 | 3:18 PM PST
So, he acts like a dog. As I understand, typical of the Maine Coon breed. So I decided to treat him like one. At this point, he will sit on command. Next month (I am going to take it slow, just like the puppy he wants to be) will be 'Shake'. lol. Max, the weird cat...
Oct 29, 2008 | 7:49 PM PST
Tags: Aquarium Garden , coffee , Dragon Fruit Trees , Amazon Sword , peruvian sword , water onion , lava rock
And STILL no camera. It is frustrating but the flu has been outrageous. My seller was in the hospital, they are in CT. Here we are in Seattle and as I watch the flu ravage the city...I have to admit, it has to be bad there too. I am just now getting over it and Shannon is too, my poor honey. Even Max had a cold or flu or something. He has fought it off, the tough fuzzy *bleep*. Tippy? Oh, you have not met her yet, she is a rescue dumpster kitty from downtown Houston, Bayou Kitty. She is tough, not a problem.
I promised myself I would get in here and post more often, camera or no. So...here I am!
OK, so the terrarium needs a new light, I know I put pics up once but don't want to drag them out as there are different things in it now. I will get a light and when I have the camera SHOW you :D The peppers are doing great and my little coffee (Nigerian) is very deep glossy green, I think it is enjoying the fact the light is out (well, it is working but Shannon was right, the plants are scared when it is on...it's like a haunted house...all the ghosts of plants gone by..running around...it's all spooky and flickery). The Dragon Fruit trees are happy as can be too. I know rather a few of you out there got some of this particular seed, did you plant them? How are they? What kind of light/soil/pot are you using? We should share our knowledge because I for one, have complete confidence no idea what I am doing with them! They live, they grow, that is good, eh?
We got a new aquarium, the old acrylic one was on it's last legs, well...at least as a filled to the brim with 60 gallons fish tank. It has gone to new pastures with a new lease on life and has already become a turtle tank. The woman who came by (it was cute, she had this HUGE truck she borrowed and normally drives a PT Cruiser) was so excited, she had contacted me (I used Craiglist, for inner city dwellers, Craigslist is THE thing, got my place there, my job *all of them both in the last 6 years or so*) second and the first guy flaked so I called her. She lives south of here like a half hour or so and immediately said "I can be there in about an hour and have GPS". Cool. They went to the pet store first it seems because when I was helping her with the tank and light she mentioned they went and adopted turtles already, lol. It will be perfect for that, I am so happy it gets to be used again.
So, anyways, back to the tank. I have a thing for LIVE plants in my tanks, water or no, haha. The big tank, the 60 gallon is great. It had this hodge podge disco dayglo ick for gravel. We ditched it. 120 pounds of that crap...dumpster bound right away. I got river rock and DAMN it looks good. I was hesitant and it seems Shannon was too but she was NOT going to say anything. Then it got wet and wow...I have to get pics, all I can say. I had her arrange the 'furniture' in it (we have this great castle that is going to go in it, just have to afford it) and that worked great. Don't you love convincing someone to do something they think they don't want to do and then finding out they really liked to do it? Yep :D That reminds me...must blog about the pumpkins but NEED PICS! (they came out really cool, traditional cool, yo).
So, got all the fish moved, everybody is happy. Then I got to the plants. I had a couple plants I refused to move, all they did was constantly SHED crud in the water, leaves all over the place *note, water onion cool looking, puts out neat flowers like lilies...going all the way to the top...do NOT want* and they did NOT move with everything. But..I have what appears to be an Amazon Sword but I have more correctly ID'd it as a Peruvian. The leaves are slimmer and not so big. So I will get an Amazon, lol. There is another neat looking bugger that I don't know the name. It builds it's offspring on the tips of it's deep green leaves..little leaves with roots and all cute...I can tug them off and plant them all over. So I have.
So, I finally get to the point of this story. I have some lava rock, red lava rock, in there for...um...ambiance! Yeah...that's the ticket. So I guess that is what the brick is, eh? Ambiance? Well, you do find them on the bottoms of river beds! And Sea Monster and Count Francis love the brick!!!
Oh..yes...
no ADD here..no way. The story! That is what I was getting to!
The lava rock and the neato babies on the ends of it's leaves plant. So it has been multiplying. To the point I am thinking I could hedge it together, maybe it could act as well as Sedge (grassy bottom level water plant) and protect the babies that I know are getting laid in there and just being Caviar!) or sell them. So I put them all over. The fish do like to tell me where to put them since they will leave them some places and constantly uproot them in certain spots. Fine, I listen. I looked at that lava rock tonight and a couple plants rolling through the bubbles (we have about a foot and a half air stone that I hooked a two hosed air pump to one hose with canula tubing) that flood the back, it was neat but I had to replant them. No, not there, the fish don't want it there. No, not there. Already plants there!. The rock! yes! They will root in it if they stay on more than a couple days. I found some good spots that had cracks or a depression and weighted them with a piece or that river rock.
Just. Need. Pictures.
Oct 22, 2008 | 10:53 AM PST
Tags: Fern , sage , purple sage , Thyme , Chive , Garlic Chive , bonsai
Lordy I hate waiting. No camera yet, lol.
I want to get a pic of my Herb Pot. I have two sages, one silver, one purple. A Mother of Thyme and some Garlic Chives (Thanks, Poe!) that were all potted separately. So I tossed them in a big pot and wow, the space. Amazing how much space a couple pots take up! I have two Purple Thai Peppers (thanks to the seed exchange!) I had started in that pot and I repotted them to take inside as it is starting to chill a bit around here. Here is my method of herb pots. It will be great because this means we will have something green out there all winter. I am going to put a firepit out there, yes, it's a balcony. In an apartment building. My building manager was going through an abandoned storage unit and found a small smoker grill and gave it to me. With the lighter fluid. WITH the charcoal. So...we can have FIRE! Been using the heck out of the smoker, first time in years I had my OWN Carolina BBQ. The real stuff. Alder plank smoked fish...oh yum.
I have two new plants out on the balcony, two 'liberated' plants. My excuse? They SAID they wanted to come home with me and we were wandering by...and had been 'out'...and well, they came home with me. A Hardy Fern, I don't do ferns. What is wrong with me? I kidnapped adopted a fern?!? I put it in the hanging basket, and as Shannon said the fern is all 'I'm a FERN! I'm up HIGH! It's COLD and WET and I LOVE IT! WOO! I'M A FERN!' So...guess it has grown on me, it is a family member now. I am sure TIppy would love to meet it but I think the fern is safer outside (she is good about *most* plants, it is the ferny types she just can't help herself about, lol). There is another plant and Shannon has fallen in love with it. It has no use that I know of, it is just pretty. It seems to be getting happier the more it cools down (as if it ever really warmed UP this year, lol). I will take a pic of it...when I get the camera...and it is flowering (several blooms are begining to open) as I am not really a flower growing type either (too selfish with the space) so I know it is simple, but I don't know what it is!
Oh, and as a side note, I have had a few messages and comments about bonsai. If you really REALLY want to get into it, read here: BONSAI! I give a few great tips about them :D
Oct 20, 2008 | 11:16 AM PST
Tags: bonsai , tree , bonsai maintenance
Yeah, no camera yet. Stupid mail, lol.
This is the best time of year to devote some time to your bonsai. Thye do need to be repotted now and them, depending on the tree either one or two years. The pots are small so they tend to get rootbound a bit faster and use most of the nutrients faster. Some people insist on keeping them just as they are but I do NOT recommend that at all! Make the tree's happy. I am never the same about it, I tend to repot half in Fall and the other half in Spring. Whatever strikes me at the time.
I have pictures here that include basic maintenance as well, right here --> BONSAI
Always keep in mind, you feel better with a great haircut. So do they, but that should include the roots as well, consider it giving your tree a great haircut and pedicure. That would make YOU feel great, wouldn't it :D
Oct 16, 2008 | 3:51 PM PST
Tag: pumpkin
Never have understood why I go to this much trouble. I LOVE to make pumpkin Pie from scratch. I have to make them, it is a mission every year. Then I eat one piece. And Shannon does not 'do' pumpkin (she is a Key Lime Gal) so I have to figure out...what to do with pies. Ah! That's right! Coworkers! I do one thing that is ofter different, I will make a couple regular....and then I make my personal favorite. A savory one. Simple, leave out the evaporated milk!
This is my recipe (easier than reposting!) RKayne's Pumpkin Pie
I have to admit I am rather proud of it.
My other thing is I love to CARVE pumpkins. Every year, no matter where I am, must carve pumpkins. The ones in the pics I took in the recipe are from last year. This weekend I will be hitting the Farmers Market and getting a couple to carve. I can't wait! I am going for a big, heavy one...I want seeds.
And there is the OTHER thing I must have. Fresh Pumpkin Seeds. (My Recipe Here)
They are so wonderful...crispy fresh hot and tossed with any dang flavor you can think of. Something so yummy, and good for you too!
Oct 15, 2008 | 7:04 PM PST
That long. Since I have had a camera. It's in the mail (I had a minor setback that took a month, a month mind you to get my money back on an 80$...paperweight. It would not power on and brand new. Process takes FOREVER to get done, and now it is.). We have a Sony Cybershot on it's way so I will actually WRITE again. How I have missed writing, so much. Not just here, man I got some stuff going on. BIG time. OK, so soon you will see what has become of the Bonsai, and meet some new plants :D Wait till you see this balcony, I got SO lucky. Nice space for an avid gardener in an apartment, haha.
Mar 19, 2008 | 11:57 AM PST
But guess ya'll will see me hitting the container gardening a lot more soon. *sigh* I gave away the baby self supporting, stringless sugar snap peas I had sown in a winter box a few weeks back this morning...to someone who will be in one location and able to harvest them.
I am going to miss having fresh peas and lettuces and spinach (don't know who will get to enjoy them). Nothing like putting a lot of work into something and finding out it is for naught. That being on MORE than one level. I will be the balcony gardener for awhile, but maybe get at least two tomatoes going as it will still be early enough in the season for me to get some going?
I do have to have a balcony, my bonsai must stay outside so that is a given...wish me luck on the hunt, morn the lost garden for me. A bit o good will never hurt anyone...
