carolyncat353's Blog

We dodged this Hurricane-though I feel for those in its path.  Water, Water & downed trees! We were supposed to get a lot of rain from the outer bands;  I had less than 1/4 inch in my rain gauge-Good watering, though!   And they high today was only 80! Yay!

I believe my squash are getting the virus again.  Looks like no squash in my garden this year :(  I also think I have a fungus or virus attacking my zinnias and whats left of my petunias.  They've turned brown on the stems quickly, and the leaves are almost see through.   Oh, heck-it's too hot to garden, anyway-Might just cut the whole mess down this weekend!

Pretty Boy got neutered yesterday. Twice he disappeared at bedtime not to come in until midnight or so.  Yesterday morning I noticed he wasn't running and jumping like normal in the morning,and when he tried to walk, he'd go just a short way and lay down.  His tail is always,ALWAYS  straight up in the air, and it was hanging low. (his tail is in the air so much, Pete said I should have named him A**hole, cause he's always showing it!)  I thought maybe he hurt himself falling off the fence or something, but I came home at noon and checked on him.  He hadn't moved from that morning.  Off to the vet.  He had gotten in a fight and something had bit him on the tail near the tailbone, and the tooth had gone almost completely through!  Doc said it was a real nasty bite.  He's 5 1/2 moths, so we neutered him a little early.  There was a lot of licking going on when I got home with him.  Motley had to clean him up, and even Peanut licked on him!  He's got to have antibiotics for 10 days!  I hope this teaches him to stay home!

Oh-I picked 2 pink  tomatoes off the Heatwave today.  Medium size tomato-perfectly round.  Should be ready to eat day after tomorrow!   That's good, cause I picked my first cucumber-but I don't think they're going to make it either!  GRR!

Going to check the forums, then doctor Pretty B and head to bed!

Later gators!

For some stupid reason(me) I can't   get my pictures from my photos to here. So, go to my photos to see them.  ANYWAY-yesterday morning as I was doing my morning survey, there they were!  THREE blooms.  My hand is in one of the photos to show the size of the bloom.  Some are supposed to smell, mine never does (I've got lots of smelly 'other' things though! :).  I have another bloom this morning, and 2 small buds.  I'll need to go around the yard and check the others, now. 

My Bird of Paradise is producing a flower stalk even though it looks like I ought to pull  it up.  Still waiting on my first cucumber and my zuchinni ...My tomatoes that I trimmed back are blooming, and I actually have 2 small tomatoes on them.  The HeatWave tomato is doing good, it has 3 tomatoes, also; I think it needs more sun,  I didn't figure on the crepe myrtle getting as full as it did, too late now!!  And Eggplant, eggplant, eggplant!

Lots to do today!  Fertilizer day, watering (even though everything durn near drowned 2 days ago!), and CUT DA GRASS!!  Peanut may get to ride in the gator again, today.  My leg/hip is starting to feel some better with therapy; wish I could move around better, I'd get a WHOLE lot done!

More to come, later---gators!

So far this morning we have had 4 inches of rain, and it is still falling.  My yard is totally, TOTALLY under water.  I am lacking 3 feet from the front door and about 2 feet from the patio!!  NOW  I can tell where I need dirt! (what hasn't floated away!)

Yesterday PM, by brother called and I went to his house for boiled crabs and shrimp.  Along with his field corn and some potatoes! Aw, soooo good!  Real good Louisiana Food, Bill!!  I think he took some pics-he may post them later. 

When I returned home, dog and 1 cat greeted me.  Pretty Boy was lost. Motley was antsy and never left my side (she usually runs away!)   Pretty Boy NEVER leaves home, he's too lazy.  Searched for him until after 10 PM.   Went to bed and cried (Oreo disappeared that way).  I have some problems with my hips and got up around 1:00 to take pain med and me and Peanut went on the patio and softly called him some more.  Walked back in the house and the little devil was Layin on the Floor!!  Right now, him and the dog are curled up asleep at my feet.  It's still raining and it's about 10:30 AM.

I have some more pics under "July Hots" in my album, including pics of the buds of the cereus, passionflower and a few others. 

It is now 12'30 and the rain has stopped.  I ventured outside with the rake and hoe, and cleared some little "drain paths".  Actually, I need BIG drain paths.  The dog's swimming pool is full to the top-He jumped in and the water is under his neck!  I saw 2 floating Fire Ant beds I need to treat.  The rain wasn't too damaging.  Everything is still upright, and Well-Watered!

 Going out to check water damage-Have a "dry" day!

Caro

Hey, guys & girls-I have been a dirt moving fool these past two weeks.  Borrowed Pete's "gator", and I fill it up, throw Peanut (the daschund) in the back and we move dirt around!  Peanut thinks he's a big dog,now.  He can see over the back of the gator without standing on his hind legs!  Before I bought my house 11 1/2 years ago, the previous owner cut 11 pine trees down the year before. All those places are starting to sink into the ground, and you can be walking in my yard, and suddenly step into a hole and fall down.  Yep, I've done that.  Hope nobody saw me! 

My cukes & squash I had to replant are barely growing.  I guess it's the heat.  I did pick and ATE one zuchinni.  No more on the bush, yet.  I did see 2 very small cukes.  I have never had this bad luck with my garden before!  My okra is growing slow, too.  About 2 feet high, and no sign of a bloom-HOWEVER, I cut back my tomatoes (that I made loads of), and I HAVE NEW BLOOMS!!  Bell pepper still making , and my hot pepper seemed to have stopped, turned yellow, and now the new growth is deep green.  I guess the heat screwed it up, too!   And the eggplant never quits!

My night blooming cereus has THREE buds on it, and I should have a flower before the end of the week.  I will FORCE myself to put the pics on the computer, and show you!  Things are kind of slow and hot and sultry here.  96 yesterday with an index of 101.  H O T!   Zinnia's are still going, Morning Glory tree is blooming, I have another red gladiola, passionflower is doing terrific, and my moonflower is blooming, but sure looks poor in the middle of the day!  I had my first bloom on the white ginger this weekend, and the cats want to lay in that flower bed.  Devils!

I will also take some pics of my Cockscomb, it is heading up good, now, IF I can keep the cats out of that!  Is bee balm good for cats?  My first time planting it, it was about 5 inches high, and Pretty Boy ate it to the ground!  They leave the cat nip alone, but eat my other flowers-go figure!

Lots to do at work today-will check in during the week with pictures!

Later Gators! 

Whew-I've been busy these last few days!  We have had rain off and on, so every thing seems to be holding it's own!  I started clearing a little bit of brush where the majority of my daylilies are and it turned major.  Vines (including the dreaded HYSTERIA (wisteria) had taken over a small crepe myrtle, so I chopped on that , and with the animals help, we managed to mash most of the daylilies.  They'll come back, I have no fear.   I cut some branches off my biggest crepe myrtle, and she looks much better.  I hauled a couple of loads of dirt, and started cleaning the front flower bed.  BIG mess! I took out all of those wandering elephant ears(they'll come back, too, *sigh*, and some of that cast iron plant.  Got most of it cleared out and ready to put my vining sweet potato plants in, and maybe a few flowers.  Have started painting part of the fence that I never finished from the spring, and cleared vines off the fence where the Pitt Bull used to live.  I put my moonflower in the ground, and it's not happy, yet.  It needs babying, IF I CAN KEEP THE CATS OFF THE ARBOR!! aka "The Bird Blind".  I have a bird feeder hanging close to it, and they hide in the vines to catch the birds...Kind of like a "DEER BLIND". 

I will venture out to cut a few eggplant, and peppers, and finish the front flower bed.  I took several pictures and I DONT KNOW WHERE THE COMPUTER HID THEM!!  So, when  I find them, I'll have a few pics to share.

HAVE A WONDERFUL SUNDAY!! REMEMBER OUR TROOPS!

Later!  :)

You can tell it's almost mid summer here.  My garden is still producing, although slow, which is ok! It's hot!  I have some very small canteloupe, that I hope make it.  It's not in a garden area-seeds I planted where I used to have a tree.  I have been slowly filling in low spots in my yard with my truck load of dirt.  The kittens are getting more adventurous now.  Motley has learned to climb the tree closest  to my backyard neighbors fence and jump the fence-ONLY he has a vinyl fence and no tree next to it so she can't get back over!  There are dogs all around me and I'm afraid she's going to get lost.  She's an independent little thing always pushing the limit. Late yesterday evening she climbed to the top THE TOP of my oak tree (that's about 18 ft. high!)   I'm so afraid something will happen to her.  Pretty Boy mostly just watches.  He's fat and lazy, and so squishy soft!  After losing Oreo, I don't know if I can handle losing another pet!!  I wish I could get them together for a picture-but they seem to know what the camera is and go in different directions when I have it!

Here is a pic of my Angel Trumpet taken last week.  I'm getting a few blooms, but it will really bloom closer to September!            LATER GATORS!

Hi Gang!  Not much has changed garden wise here.  Flowers are still growing, although s l o w l y, and still making peppers & eggplants and the new cukes are finally starting to vine, and the squash are starting to bloom.  We'll see!  My mountain of dirt is getting smaller bit by bit.  I do a few wheelbarrow loads a day.  I have lots of holes. My animals love to play in the dirt with MOM!

Anyway-I was going through last year's garden magazines looking for some info on my bird of paradise when i stumbled on the article titles FOLKLORE CURES!!  Just some tidbits I thought some of you may be interested in. If you want to know more-pm me!  Oh, and all of these had been "tested".

Baking soda does a good job of controlling black spot and other foliar diseases, HOWEVER, sustained use will send the soil PH through the roof!

Grits will not control fire ants.  Grits (or something similiar) is impregnated into grits and used as poison (think Amdro).  Lime will not keep snakes out of your yard, neither will moth balls or a rope!

To keep deer out of your garden!  ATTENTION EVERYONE!! Garlic sticks. Purchased from Gardens Alive (?)  He put the sticks about 4-6 inches apart all around his garden, and said no deer crossed them and he even saw deer tracks outside the garden!!   (Works at keeping vampires away, too!)

Ordinary dish soap-1 TBSP to a gallon of water works on soft bodied insects.  Must reapply often.  Mineral oil applied to the tops of ears of corn as they are beginning to silk will control silk worms!   There is a few others, but this is the most of it!  Interesting stuff, I thought!

I finally remembered to go the the Farmer's Market in Lake Charles before noon on Saturday.  Wow-lots of veggies and jams & jellies & cakes (taste tested zucchini-chocolate chip cake) & plants & pickled anything & aprons & throws...Whew!  And Ruston, La. peaches!  Sooo good!  I found the price for the vegetables a little high, so I refrained. But they had gorgeous looking produce!   The local grocery store also buys from locals sometimes, and their squash was cheaper than the Farmer's Market.  And the Blueberries!  $5.00 for a pint.  I thought that a little high, also.  Found some at the grocery for 2.99 a pint.  Bought those.  But... I found a Mardi Gras Hibiscus (Bayou, are you reading this?) $4.00-approx 2 1/2 ft. tall, and blueberry plants-same approximate size for $5.00  Bought some of both.  There were lots of bromeliads, and one vendor had the white datura.  I refrained again, I'd have to make a place for that.

Then!  I went to Wal-Mart (I don't shop there a lot-too much "Made in China") to get a small pool for the dog (yeah, they're spoiled!) AND!!!  They were getting rid of the garden stuff.   Plants weren't worth a hoot-but Mulch!  Cypress Mulch-$1.00 per 2 cu. ft. bag!! And Cow Manure and Humus - 75 Cents per 40 lb. bag!!  Yep-went to Pete's to get his truck and he came back with me.  He has 2 long rows of daylilies that need attention-We loaded the back of his pickup!!             I'll be busy for a while!  Hope you all had a safe and happy weekend!

Later Gators

Coral Berry -

I am raising this one in a pot, but I have a volunteer in the ground near my house that survived the winter.  The plant makes the small whitish/yellow flowers that eventually become the berries.  The berries last about a year, before falling off.  Small birds like the berries.  Easy to grow-though I have killed a stem by root rot (just one stem, though!?!

SHRIMP PLANT -

This is the 'brown' shrimp plant.  There is also a yellow one.  Grows to about 3 feet, gets quite leggy, must be trimmed back hard in early spring.  Blooms all summer.  Sun to part shade.  Mine is on the North side of my very tall Angel Trumpet, planted in the ground.  I also have some planted in a pot.  Water often.  I mulch mine in winter, they come back in spring!

This morning I posted some more pics in my photo album for June Blooms.  I will add a litle day by day.  The morning glory tree is just beautiful in the morning.  The cannas are non stop-worms and all!  My Alamanda is just starting to bloom-it froze to the ground, but came back-now I'm battling white flies in it.  The plumbago never stops-I think it is just gorgeous., and my glads-blooming one at a time and they seem to be suffering, although I think they are watered enough-don't know, only my second year with gladiolas.  And all the little regulars are just blooming on! Begonias, zinnias, vincas, petunias (they need help too, time for a serious trim!), and of course the Marigolds.  The swamp lilies are blooming, but they won't last long.  I still have straggling daylilies, and my MoonVINE is beautiful in late evening.  I'll have to try to get a good pic of that.

Have a great day, all!

Later gators!

Father's Day BBQ & ride down the river was pretty much uneventful.  I tried for some pics of the turtles and the water birds (just one Long Neck White Bird), and the hyacinths are starting to bloom, but the grandsons were driving and we were moving along too fast to get a decent picture.

We got some rain, finally!! I can almost see the grass growing.  I knew it would happen as soon as I ordered dirt!  And we have a 50% chance tomorrow!  That's good! Yay? Cools us down some.

I do have these pictures of blooms in my yard...

Yesterday I got a truckload of topsoil to fill in holes and low places in my yard, and extra for the flower bed and veg. garden when necessary. I'M SO EXCITED!!   The cats and dog were having a ball.  I wish I had a video---ah, you had to have been there!   Anyway!! I've started spreading it out, a little at a time, and thinking about what I am going to ENLARGE!

Tomatoes are about done for.  Eggplant still producing as are my bell peppers.  The new squash and cucumbers look good , and the cukes are starting to vine.  Yesterday I had a squash bloom!!  Hope the fungus doesn't get them again!  I have 2 red glads fixing to bloom. I planted my glads randomly, so I don't know what color is blooming next! AN TI Ci Pa Tion!!

Going to the River for Father's Day BBQ, and a boat ride. Sun & Fun Day. Hope I can get some pics of "fascinating' items for ya'll !!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY ALL- 

Later Gators!!

I guess a lot of us can relate to that!  My garden is starting to struggle, even though it is watered every other day, and those in containers every day-sometimes twice a day!  89-93 degrees every day with heat indexes close to 100.  NO rain-sprinkles every now and then. One tomato plant is about done for.  The other won't be far behind it.  I will cut them back some, and in late summer they may produce again. I have planted a tomato called "heat wave" that should survive and produce during the hot summer.  It is blooming right now, so we shall see!  The grass is growing vigorously, and now I have gotten like my son-I HATE TO WEEDEAT!!  Peanut hates the weedeater, too. He barks continuously while I'm weedeating and wants to attack it.  I'm afraid I'm gonna whack his little nose off!

Kittens had a check up yesterday and Motley has gained 2 lbs. and little fat Pretty Boy now weighs 6 lbs.!! He's only 4 months old-with the biggest feet.  He has to grow to be able to pick up his big feet!  They are in perfect health, and keep me busy sweeping feathers and  lizards out the door, and an occasional bug or two. 

Things are just growing, sort of in  a steady pace.  This morning I had a new sunflower in full bloom.  They are so majestic when they are brand new!  Believe I will plant some more with my okra!

Later! 

I have been playing with posting pics in my blog, with Bill's help, but I'm still missing something. I'll keep working on it periodically-but for now, instead-the pics of this river trip are in my photo section under Misc. & the River.  It looks very refreshing! (I will try again this evening, Bill, it was late when I finished my yard work yesterday!)

We start out leaving Pete's house (my honey, not my brother), get into the boat, with my nieces Halee and Eden (yeah, just like the garden) back out and head south on the Calcasieu River (pronounced Kal-Ka-Shew, which is Indian for Crying Eagle).  Just a few houses down from Pete's there is a long row of elephant ears growing in the river.  They grow along the river everywhere!  We round one of the bends where there is little boat traffic and I took photos of the cypress trees heavy with moss.  That, also, is common on the river.  That particular day was windy and the water birds were not flying, and the gators were not out. That will be another time, and another story.  Hope you enjoy!