TEA ROOM #76

Good morning all. Its a strange, blue grey day. The storm bird is trying to call up a storm outside. A cat has been bothering the birds and a young butcher bird had a near miss earlier. I have a zygocactus blooming out of season, is that normal for some zygos? Pretty one though. Not complaining at all.

Colleen, I don't subscribe to DG at this stage, so can only imagine how good the cactii are looking. I know they will do well in your care.

Hope everyone has a great day.

Karen
Out now, forgotten the name, but love the colour of this shrub.

Good morning everyone.
The SUN is shining. supposed to get to about 21 C. A heat wave after what we have been having. Back to rain and storms for the weekend. Who stole Spring ?
Colleen, those little fellas grow a lot better here than their big cousins . I have mine just left neglected around the place and they are looking better after the cold than the brugs.
Loved seeing all Brians cacti on the other forum. Some savage looking spines among them. The flowers should be lovely.
Talking of flowers, I showed hubby a bloom yesterday. I picked an iris stem over a week ago to get a better photo as it was very windy in the open. After taking the pic, I tossed the stem aside as it was no good for bringing inside. I looked yesterday when I saw a splash of color. The totally closed bud on the stem has opened. There it sits among the t wigs, looking like its growing from the ground. Hardy devils , irises.
Teresa, I love my StarGate etc but cannot abide the new one, StarGate Universe. I kept watching it in hopes it would improve, but it never did. I think its a combination of some of the silly reality shows and maybe a bit of Days Of Our Lives thrown in.
Doesn't live up to the quality of all the other Star Treks. I wonder what the writers were thinking ? Even the last series of S G 1 was a bit iffy once they put the awful Ben Bowder in place of Richard Dean Anderson.
I love Atlantis though. Poor Sam was a bit out of her depth there so I'm glad she left .
Hubby laughs at me with my shows but he reads fantasy SciFi which I wouldn't touch ,so we are about even.
The sun is still shining so I had better get out and enjoy it.
Hello to everyone. Its FRIDAY so enjoy your weekend.
Try this Apple Galette.
Jean.

Good morning everyone. Fine and sunny here today. Still lots of work to do with the cactus. Would someone be able to bring the cactus thread over here so everyone can see what I've been doing please? I went out to the SH this morning because I thought that I had a large deep red Epi about to come out. Well I was in for a surprise. Pic to follow. Hope everyone has a great day. Colleen

Lovely epi, Colleen. Would be nice to have our own cactus thread, yes. Not that I have any but would love to see Brian's (and now your) hard work esp. when they flower.

I forgot to put in the pic of my out of season flowering zygo, Bright Spark. Here she is, in all her glory...

Karen

Hello All! I found the door barred when I dropped into the Tea Room for cuppa, so I figured there must be a new one opened up, and sure enough......here you all are! I had a lot to catch up on and all of the flowers are so pretty! I love the aquilegias and have some pretty red, blue and blue and white ones in NH. All of the others were equally lovely!

Jean - we are leaving on Sunday for our trip and won't return until the 17th. I know that Hank will enjoy the folderol and it sounds as if these guys are filled with youthful pranks. Anyone who thinks of Yale University as a stuffy group of people should hear what the plans are for silliness during this celebration. I just plan to sit back and enjoy them enjoying each other. Nothing in the mail yet, Jean???? Hmmmmm....hope you get something soon!

Charlene - what a handsome guy you have there! My sister in the NC mountains just adopted a draft horse. We may get to see him during our short visit.

If I don't stop back in until we return, please stay healthy and safe, everyone!
Louise

Louise, draft horses are usually "gentle Giants" Let me know how you like it and please show us a picture. My Charley just loves to be handled. He is a sweetie, I do believe he is spoilt.

so Jean - did you like Babylon 5?
and the new Battlestar Galactica?
I enjoyed both.
I like my fantasy - Steven Donaldson, Anne McCaffrey etc
but also like the Science fiction, which hubby the engineer loves.
He isn't into the fantasy tho.

Good morning everyone..
Beautiful morning here, Jean you will hopefully have the same.
Kettle is on, waiting for cake.!!!!
Well, my daughter picks up her new car this morning, it's well equipped in the airbag department, let's hope she doesn't need them ever again.
The insurance company paid out in 3 days...Ray and I have been car shopping for her, did it all online except for the test drive...So easy.

Louise, have a wonderful time with Hank, for the next few days he will be 20 again.....
Lovely pics Colleen and Karen.
The Heavy breeds are wonderful, Charleen..we have a Percheron stud nearby and the foals are delighful....lot's on the ground at the moment....Nice to know your boys, longears and longtails are keeping well....Your Brug pics are great.

I preferred the original StarGate too....at the moment I am watching the original Star Trek, The backdrop looks very artificial now, especially when they are on planets, but I love the characters, so I watch every week.
There is so much happening in the garden at the moment.......I hope that the sun doesn't get too fierce and burn the Rhodos..They look lovely at the moment.
Have to put my Tomatoes on here......Little Robin, they are called...the cold doesn't worry them.
Have a lovely day everyone...
Dianne

Just finished my post and an email came thru.....Just listen to this.

"Please contact my attorney, I am about to go in for cancer surgery and have left you $1.5 million to continue the work of the lord"

that's what it said......there was an address to contact as well as a name.
It is so obviously a scam, why do people fall for these things?

It will go like this, "In order to claim the money please send your bank details and we will put the money into your account if so and so kicks the bucket"..oh yeah......

A pox on all these crooks.

Yes, I have received those emails from time to time. Like you, I wonder how some people fall for it. Another one is the heart wrenching story one that should be forwarded so money is raised for e.g. a sick child. Apparently these too are scams designed to get people's email addresses. A good idea to delete all old email addresses in an email before forwarding it to anyone at all, and forward it as a BCC so no one can see who you sent it to.

I have a lovely tomato bush full of baby tomatoes, but it went yellow after I fertilized it. I hope the fruit will plough on and ripen OK. The bush is really getting knocked around by the sun and isn't getting time to toughen up before it gets cloudy again. I've never had problems with tomatoes before but this is one from Bunnings, a new breed, and I won't be trying it again.

I love the draft horses too. We don't see many around here. Donkeys are becoming more popular as pets, I think.

I hope the sun stays out today. Have a bit to do outdoors. Have a good day everyone.

Karen

Donkeys are very sweet animals. We are braceing freezing weather tonight. I am going to miss the warm weather, so glad yo all are getting it tho. Can you hang a cloth around your tomatoe til it toughens Up???We use cloths pins to snap on the tomatoe cage when a cloth is needed.

Good morning everyone. The sun is shining but rain and storms were forecast for the weekend. Yesterday turned out fine but cool until it warmed a bit late in the afternoon. The wind is cold this morning so I must a place in the sun to get a few things done outside.
Hello Teresa, no I didn't like Battlestar Galactica at all. Babylon 5 was a bit to far out for me.
Dianne, I watch all the Star Treks that come on and always enjoy the movies too. I am not keen on Beau Bridges in the later StarGates. He doesn't have much going in the personality department.
Hubby has just come in to say its going to be 23C today. Seems the weather bureau can never make up their minds as to what the weather will do.
I have just been reading an article form an old newspaper . It was found by one of my relatives also doing our genealogy. This was about a very distant cousin. She was a young woman of only 23 when she apparently took her own life . She taught school at a very small country school of 12 children back in 1924.She had applied for a transfer nearer the city but was refused. She also had a relationship with a man who rejected her via telegram. She was found by her sister and pronounced dead by her own hand with strychnine poison. The deputy coroner noted that her state of mind was not good with the isolation of her job, the small wage of 3 pounds 7 shillings and the rejection by the man she apparently loved.
Such a sad story of a young woman.
Anyway back to the garden. I am going to move a few bulbs around today as there are some clumps getting to big and pushing each other up out of the ground.
Hello to everyone popping in.
Louise, glad you found us again. Give the darling girls a pat.
Dianne , I am still waiting for my epis to open. I need some warm weather to make them open.
We get those weird emails too. Never , ever, open anything on them , just delete quickly. If I had all the money they promised, I would be the richest person on Earth. Hello Charleen. Keep warm over there.
Karen such a pretty zygo. It certainly is late. My hatiora are full of buds now. I like the way they continue on after the zygos are done.
Colleen, I bet you are having a rest day after all your hard work getting Brians cacti home.
Better move and get out in the sun before it decides to leave.
Have a great weekend and keep safe and warm.
Heres an old favorite.. Carrot cake.
Jean.
Teresa , I hope you don't get too many more aftershocks. I had to laugh picturing Copper shaking his wet paws like a cat.
Chrissy, hope all is going well with your brother and that he is settling in.

Hello all,

Dianne, thank you for the invite to the Tea Shop for a chat some days ago; I would have 'cept my dearest husband developed pnemonia, (had been off-colour for some weeks, still working long hours), and so when he was sooooo sick during the night dialled triple o and he was whished away to nearest acute hospital. A very sick boy. However, he is now home, (Saturday 5th Nov), and must be feeling much better as I have made numerous cuppas, sangers,scones with everything on them; attended to various needs, seemingly endlessly, and finally had a spare mo to drop in to say 'Hello" to everyone. Not had time to read your updates. On the Central Coast of NSW we have had rain every day for a week or more. During last week had only a few minutes to water pots on balcony before travelling to & from the hospital. Must give them a big drink of tonic..I use Seasol and have found it to be excellent, but, am open to ideas. I was listening to radio 2GB this am, (Graham Ross- garden clinic), which I have been doing now for some 5 years and find him interesting & knowledgeable, have a note pad & pen at hand to take notes...bit of laugh really considering I don't have a garden! Do any of you seasoned 'gardeners' listen to him?
To all of you who lost plants, seeds and etc thru' weather conditions and to ? re the Turkey rampage I send my sympathy....wot a bugger. I expect that wee thing will not be on your Xmas Dinner list this year.........
I will have to write down everyones' name etc. so that I can work out who is who, and, from where, (if you understand), and will endeavour to learn my Zone- how does one do that pls?
The 6 Sweet William that I planted last year have bloomed! excitement here....due to lack of sunshine from end March to beginning Sept. I obviously do not have the knowledge that you share as I thought that SW's were 'good' for only 1 summer.
Have been wondering if I should plant some seedlings, (flowers), for some colour etc. in the corner of the balcony that receives the 1st bit of sunshine daily and make a sort of mini summer shade house ? Any advice duly appreciated.
Oh, my, off he goes yet again....would I mind if he has another cup of whatever whilst I am in the upright position? Maybe, I should have left him in hospital for a cuppla days longer???? lol..just kidding.
One more thing before I sign off; does anyone know of a really 'pleasant' B&B around Berrima, Bowral, that would not cost a week's pay? We have been travelling to the Southern Highlands for years but our favourite place has closed.
Cheers to all
Anna

Hello again Anna,
Good to see that your husband is on the improve, you will be able to pop in regularly now.
As far as the zone is concerned, you can only use the American zone which is the closest to yours.
I wrote the names down until I remembered them too.
Yes, I listen to Graham from 6, then I turn onto my locals at 8 till 10...Jane Edmondson and Darren.........I have listened to gardening programs for 20 yrs or so.....love them....we have another good one on Community radio at 7.30- 9.15 on Sundays as well....That quite often features Stephen Ryan, the host of Channel 2's garden show....then there is Don Burke's program too....so we are well catered for in the radio field.
Jean, do you get much Rust on your Iris?.....It's always been a pest here.
Those seeds should be ready to harvest soon, so in the next couple of weeks you and Colleen will have them.
I will have to cover my cream Rhodo, because they are sticky when they are young, they burn so easily....oh well when it gets older it will be ok.
Anthony, I hope you are not over doing it with your Liliums.....mine are all growing well, thank you.
It's still a beautiful day, so those who have it enjoy....
Dianne

no!,just about to head off to the market.lovely morning here,.ive just been reading 'grapus's' email,-you think im crazy about lilies?he's worse,.,.ive been constructing a 2metre tin petalled lily for the highway advertising and my hands are''knackered'',..,have a great day-anthony

Good morning everyone. I'm in a rush this morning as its going to rain again any minute and I need to get a few things done outside. Anthony, my hands sympathise with yours as I used to make birds etc from tin and it can make fingers very sore. Show us your finished lily.
Hello Dianne. I never listen to any radio , mainly because I don't have one . Well. I'm forgetting the one out in hubbys shed. I'm not going to stand around out there and try to listen while hes working. He always has it on his classic station anyway.
I read a lot of gardening books so still get lots of info.
I watch all the garden shows that come on TV though. There was a great series a while back called Around the World in 80 Gardens.
Fantastic to see the gardens, big and small, around the world. Not just the usual type of domestic garden, but some unusual and very beautiful and historic ones.
Great to see how the plants we like to grow appear in other countries. Better get a move on or I will get wet when I venture out.
Anna , welcome back. We wish your hubby the best and would love to see what you grow, even if its only in pots.
Hello to everyone else out there. Louise, you will be on the road now. Have a great time and we'll see you with all the news when you get back.
Happy gardening all.
Have some Lemon Cake with your cuppa.
Jean.



This message was edited Nov 7, 2010 7:03 AM

Fine here at the moment but there may be storms later. We listen to Colin Campbell on 4BC on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I have been out in the garden since about 5am..wonderful to have it all to myself, except I shared with our two cats, our chooks and the odd turkey :(. I potted up the pecked remains of the heliconias and gingers..no id left on any of them so I put them all in a very big pot and will see what comes up! I think there is a small rooster on the back of this chair..just sitting there and chortling. He's quite small and very feathery with very feathery feet. If he didn't move, you'd think he was a stuffed toy.
Well, must get on with things..they year is going very fast and I have lots to do for school as well as general stuff. Happy gardening all. Cheers from Paradise! :)
(btw..neighbour used his garden toys for over two hours yesterday..and we had another blast from 9 this morning..must have been some leaves shot up overnight or maybe he was drying the lawn again? If I was a vengeful soul, I'd borrow a leaf blower to use just as he has guests in his gazebo! Lol! Trouble is, there are leaves everywhere here and I wouldn't want to lose any of them and the noise he makes is enough to send the chooks into a panic! They all rush up the back steps and hide outside the door, rushing inside whenever there is an opportunity.)


This message was edited Nov 7, 2010 12:33 AM

I loved the series Around the World in 80 Gardens!
even had NZ featured ^_^
Kat - hope the bits you saved after the evil turkey incident come up for you.
Anna - not good hubby having pneumonia, hope he is all better & back to normal soon.
Don't get too worn out looking after him.
Anthony - my asiatic lilies seem to be doing well in the rose garden, I just gave the roses a feed, that won't upset the lilies will it?

we had an after shock of 4.6 in the wee hours this morning...
didn't wake me this time.
Woke to a stunning morning, sun singing, birds shining.
Nice thing about walking the dog at around 7am on a Sunday, nobody else is about.
Copper is a tired & happy dog, walkies followed by dog club & a couple of rounds of rally-o, a nice nap in his crate while I taught my new class, then once everyone left he got to run like a loon - naked...
no leash, no muzzle, makes one happy dog!
I gain a son tomorrow, hubby's little boy is coming to stay so we spent all afternoon clearing out the 'study' & making it a bedroom again.
threw out heaps of stuff, got quite ruthless but we really needed the space - the little boy is a 19 year old - it will be nice to have him here for longer than a weekend or weeks holiday.
one good thing about the rain, makes for nice photos of raindrops on roses ^_^

im going to check out the'rose food packet b4 i answer that one,.,.i dont think you can do much harm,but i know there is a bit of difference-asiatics are very forgiving,especially when they are treated badly for a long time,then looked after,they bounce back.,,.

the site 'lost me',but luckily my post went through,.,.,.not a bad day afterall,.,.jean,no 'sneek peeks ' at the BIG tin lily yet,,.,.i finished construction today and added a couple of strengthening ribs,[just in case the winds get strong],.,.,.applied a coat of primer,and primered myself with a couple of 4xxxx's,,.my neighbor came out and said,''that looks pretty good'',.,.on that,i might say,it must look o/k,.,.white and red 'top coat' to go on yet -im excited for its outcome,it looks better[from a distance] than i thought,.,.,.-sometimes you get it right!-anthony

Anthony, we want to see a picture of your creation.

Good morning everyone. The sun is shining here after yesterday turned cloudy. I thought we may have the predicted rain but it went elsewhere. Dianne , in answer to your comment in the other thread, no, cars don't stop even though the irises are visible from the road. We are on the top of a rise and it would be dangerous for any car to stop there. Also the iris bed id back fro the road so if they want to see them they have to come in. I love walking around out there seeing what new one has opened. Even when they have bloomed in previous years , there is always something a little different in size and color tone.
Hello Kat, are you going to be selling turkeys for Christmas ? ha ha. Still waiting on my epis to open. Very slow this year. I am getting impatient as there are so many buds , I want to see flowers.
Anthony, we await your creation. My asiatics get whatever feed I have and as they are among the hellebores , they get a regular feed. Usually some Dynamic Lifter or all purpose fertiliser with lots of Osmocote thrown around at various times.
Hello Teresa, I wish they would replay that garden series. I remember the NZ gardens. Did you see the unusual Indian one with all the marvellous sculptured creations ? I loved the one that had been done in a rainforest with giant sculptures.
Hello to everyone else .
I had better think about moving us to closer to the road again. can't have you all getting aching legs from the long walk. Bring your chair and follow over to the new site.
Happy Monday. Enjoy some lovely Apple Popover.
Jean.

Forgot again , we have moved to here..
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1139559/