Hackberry Trees, etc, #5

Could be, in turn, it will calm our nerves.
Funny, but Buddy is actually like catnip.
He makes you go wild!

Hi Sharon and Christi,

Hope you had an easy day.

A few from our garden:
Plant planted in 2008: Daring Deception

Prettiest one (for me): Fourty Second Street.

Bought this as root (2007) from reputable company. Was supposed to be Bela Lugosi. Reading from another site on line: "darkest purple-black with lime green throat". The cataloque showed it rather as purple (royal robe kind) and yellow.
Don't think so.

Not exactly Sharon's daylilies, but learning.

My long-time kind of plant: Helenium (Mardi Gras).

Monarda - as in Sharon's collage,
but Garden View Scarlet.

You are doing really well with the daylilies, Charlie...beautiful. Bella Lugosi is very nearly black, with the lime green, so that for sure isn't it. Still it's very pretty.

The Helenium is lovely too.

Oh, pretty Monarda, too.

Some of the monardas are flatter than others. Interesting how hybridizing creates that flattened look. The old wild ones were brilliant red and very spiky..looked like some spiked hair I have seen on kids, standing straight up!

Interested in what you say about Monarda, Sharon.
It really is a very useful sunshine plant.
Appreciate the support for the false-Bela Lugosi. I'll hold it against the company, not the plant itself!

One more picture (perhaps repeated).
It really is very sad, but until last year, if I was working in the middle of one of these plants (deadheading), I'd have been working in the middle of bees, mostly honeybees. This year the most bees I've seen on one plant is three
(all bumblebees). Did see a few small honeybees at the beginning of the season, but seeing none now. Read about their problems.

I don't think I'm a particularly emotional person, but the loss of the honeybees is like the loss of (fellow worker) friends.

I am so upset about the honey bees....I don't think people will even begin to realize the extent of the loss until later. Hang on, I have an article I want you to read.
Be right back.

This is an old article, but I'd like you to read it.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1016/

Bottom line, without bees we have no honey, and without honey, we lose some major medicinal attributes.

Upsets me.

Sharon,
Loved your article. Very interesting. Reading it certainly focuses one on the current problem.
Charlie

I do get a little passionate about some things, most of which I can't do a thing about.

Know what you mean.
For instance, fairness (particularly at a level above the individual) is sometimes a commodity that seems to be in short supply.

Yup.

I have to leave you tonight Charlie, I have an article to write and a story to start.
One of these days I am going to run out of words, and then what will I do??

Have a good evening, and we'll talk tomorrow.....

Here's something for you....

Notice the line at the bottom.....

You'll never run out of words, Sharon, or the ability to do something with them.

Love the morning glories - A good blue blue day.

Nite, Charlie

That's encouraging, Charlie, thank you. Sometimes I wonder.....

Hi Sharon,
No gardening today.
Tim's moving to his first apartment tomorrow, in Toronto, pretty far downtown.
Think he's really excited about having his own place and it's very much closer to his work location.
Rather chaotic here.
Hope you had a great day.
Charlie

Good for Tim, and good for you and Carol.

I am having company from Canada and NY on Monday and Tuesday. Both DG friends. The one from Canada lives in Victoria Harbour, I think. Anyway, so I have been very domestic today as well, and my garden was neglected, but I figure if I weed too soon, they'll just grow right back before Monday and I'll have to do it again. So I did lots of laundry and cooked all day.

Now I am a vegetarian, and it's hard to come up with menus that others will like, so I was hustling around with cookbooks all day long. Finally made spaghetti sauce, chunky with fresh veggies and mushrooms, so that's in the freezer. Then a few other little things, muffins, etc, that will freeze and heat up quickly and well. Still I need to think of one more dinner meal, but might plan to go out to eat one night. We'll see. I do eat cheese and eggs, so I'll come up with some kind of souffle or something maybe grilled portabello mushrooms with a wine sauce. Just not sure yet. Mashed potatoes with the mushrooms......who knows, but it is hard for me to have company who isn't used to my quirky meals.

And still, I have writing to do tonight. I am so far behind, I will never get caught up. I am sure you are tired too, with probably some major moving today. I'll bet he is very excited to be on his own. How does Carol feel about it?

OK, I am going to leave you for this evening, still baking, and have the writing to do. So you have a good evening, and a great day tomorrow. I hope you don't have rainy weather. Will you be going with him to help?

Take care, be well, and I'll talk with you tomorrow maybe.

Sharon,
You sound really busy, as well as going to be really busy.
If I send anything in next few days, don't respond until you are able.
Sounds like you're tied up until at least Wednesday.
Enjoy the company.
Charlie

Thanks Charlie, but I'll check in during the weekend.

Seems everyone is busy, busy, busy. My granddaughter, the ballerina has been at a 4 week juried ballet school at UT@ Austin for 4 weeks. Our son and his wife and two dogs (yellow lab, 120#, yorkie, 2#) came Thursday. She and the dogs stayed here and he went on to Austin for the recitals and to bring her back here and then to Oklahoma to stay a week with them before school starts. She lives with her mother in Decatur, TX and it is a long trip from anywhere to get everyone together. Don't know if they will stay here tonight or pick up the family and go straight to Tulsa.

When I got the iMac laptop they had a premium of the newest touch screen iPod. I had no idea whatever what to do with it and Amie (dil) taught me a lot yesterday. It is like the iphone other than talking and camera. Amazing miniature computer. She showed me the app store and we had a great time. First time I have laughed out loud in months. We bagged seed last evening and during the night a storm blew in. Today's plan is/was to dig and pot some plants to share. Will have to play that by ear as it is still drizzling. No complaints about the rain. We have need it so desperately.

Sharon, didn't know you were a vegan. Not for any reason but I prefer vegetables over meat. Meat on my plate is always the side dish and I could go weeks without missing anything but bacon. Cheese and crackers make a meal as well. Our costco carries a lot of East Indian dishes, tabouli and hummus are always in our refrigerator. Since you eat cheese, Mexican dishes can be made without meat and no one will know the difference. I order cheese enchiladas with tomatilla sauce, bean and rice for the protein. I could very easily convert.

Enjoy your company.

Charlie, I am way past your age and have had children yo-yo back and forth from the front bedroom as well as grown grandchildren. I always keep the door open and the sheets clean. Never know who needs a safe haven. This is will be a new experience for all three of you. Hard to tell who gets the most "homesick" after a week or two. And a really good one at that.

Christi

Almost forgot, great granddaughter, Erin has been here since noon yesterday (2 1/2). Ran out of beds so she slept with us in the kingsize. She and DIL are still asleep as we stayed up late last night to make the most of the visit. I love having our home "The Hub". Mike can always make a meal to feed an army out of nothing,

So good to hear from you Christi, and glad you are enjoying your company as well as learning about your computer. Fun. Also glad about the rain.

I am in a frenzy of cleaning, still...though I got a lot of cooking done yesterday.

I could not do without my veggies and a bean or two here and there.

Be safe, be well, and enjoy your weekend...all of you.

Busy is fun, if not too busy!

Christi, like the sound of a family that enjoys each other's company
and particularly the laughing out loud.

Tim's like Amie, good company and a needed 'technical consultant'. As your house, he always has a bed here and am sure we will see lots of him. Carol's brother from B.C. (sounds ancient, but it's British Columbia) is visiting in August, so expecting lots of action then.

As you, I'm sizeably on board with Sharon on diet. My problem is still having a 'sweet tooth'. Know Sharon, in a previous article, was talking about liking 'a light fluffy biscuit spread with honey'. On the other hand, I need will power to avoid cookies and donuts, but am much better than I used to be.

Sharon, boy does it sound like Carol with visitors coming. Remember, they're coming to see you, not check up on house work. Anything out of place, I'd blame Jazz and Daisy. Of course, Carol wouldn't!

Yeah, but Charlie, remember how often I have been away from my house in the past couple of months...it did not clean itself of dust while I was gone. The cat fur and dust bunnies are everywhere, everywhere.

I do have a sweet tooth.....I can go without sugar for days, then suddenly it hits me and I have to have a sugar fix. I have been known to back sweet crackers in the middle of the night just because I was craving SWEET!! I keep a box of Swans Down cake flour just for that midnight purpose. And for biscuits to go with the honey that is also kept nearby. But usually in summer I can satisfy the craving with fruit. Lots of grapes and peaches here, cherries and strawberries, too when in season. Always have to satisfy that sweet tooth!!

OK, back to the dusty fur.

Or furry dust??

Spent a hard day cleaning on Wednesday, 95% of the floor is ceramic tile and the dust bunnies must have a sex life they multiply so fast. Cleaned with all the Dyson attachments and then mopped every inch. With my two dogs and their two dogs, I totally wasted that day. The lab has been sleeping in my guest bed and it is covered in mud and dog hair. Al the bed covers are dry clean only (what was I thinking?) so that will be a $50. bill. Always heard that it was best to just straighten before a party/guest and clean after they leave. Good advice.

Hearing about all this cleaning, I feel tired!
But the clean after advice does make sense.

Why do we say "sweet tooth"? Why don't we say "I have sweet teeth". I can see "such and such a person has a vicious tongue" (none of us, of course), but nobody ever had more than one tongue. Then, I guess, since sweet receptors are located on the tongue, we should talk about having "a sweet tongue", but that might have metaphorical applications like having "a silver tongue" or "a smooth tongue" or "a forked tongue". Ah well, think Sharon and I should stick with saying "we have a sweet tooth". What only one between the two of us!

Below, our garden, picture of Phlox Peppermint Twist, supposedly the first striped Phlox (patented in 2007). Was complaining about this cultivar reverting back to it's darkish pink parent cultivar, but this particular plant is OK.

You sure do get all tangled up in words, Charlie....your mind does have a way of rambling around those untrodden pathways. Untreaded? How 'bout the path not taken?

Actually did hear something that seemed sensible yesterday.
Was talking to a good retired friend of East Indian origin who was describing some Yoga to me, I think, Yoga of the Mind. Not the kind of thing I'd have read myself (definitely a path not taken).

This starts by defining 'the Mind' as 'Consciousness trapped in a belief system'. I also like the word 'consciousness' because it seems to cover more than 'knowledge'.

Hope preparations are not too hectic.
Off to bed.
More moving tomorrow.
Charlie.

I like that too, Charlie, yoga of the mind.

Here are some photos from today...nothing new, I'm afraid....

and another...just lonely scattered blooms, I'm afraid our bloom season is pretty well over...

BESusans

And a DL again

And Cupcake...who continues to live in my garage...

You all have a good day tomorrow.

We had an additional 2 1/2 inches of rain last evening. Makes a total of over 6 inches since Wednesday. Unfortunately, it is still unbearably hot. Nothing blooming yet.

Hibiscus days...you should love this Texas Star, Christi...taller than I am. Well, yeah, I know, most things are taller than I am, but still...

I love Hibiscus days!!!

I have two Texas Star and sent a good sized start (3 feet already) back to Oklahoma with my DIL. Becky has a couple I shared with her years back and they are all blooming like crazy today. Guess they needed the rain and today is all sunshine, AND HOT!