I think 300 post is enough. Here's where we came from; http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1131193/.
I finally turned off the AC today and hooked the main heat up.
Coming into the heated house this afternoon felt great.
I reckon Fall has arrived.
Hi, all.
Yes, it seems we have a touch of fall in the air. It's 52 degrees here this morning just before sunrise. Yesterday morning, I saw a crossing guard with one of these winter hats with the furry stuff on the inside of the hat with ear flaps pulled down and tied. I told myself she would not make it through the winter. And there I was in sandal, shorts and a T-shirt.
Take care, everyone.
Sylvain.
Good morning everyone
Thank for the new thread
It is cold here this morning.
Sandy
Thanks for the new thread, Sidney! I don't think we have much of a fall season - it is more like a week of somewhat cool weather between summer and winter. I want to try to get some preparations done this year before the inevitable freezes instead of being out at 4 AM like I was last year trying to build pvc/plastic sheet greenhouses as the temperatures plummeted to the low 20s F.
Lots of plants available at the county fair for low, low prices! I'll post some photos of my new beauties that I was willing to pay full price for (with $3 being my maximum limit for any one plant, and most of them I got were $1 each). I will wait until the last night of the fair to scoop up some of the other plants in the final clearance sale.
I can probably bring one or two people in with me on the last two nights of the fair if anyone wants to go for the clearance sale. I have a parking placard to park in the behind the scenes area and they usually don't ask for the admission tickets when parking there. The only trouble is, we would probably end up with so many plants that we would have to rent a U-Haul to carry them away, but you could arrange to have someone else come pick you up in a separate vehicle when you were ready to leave with your purchases. The security police will allow your ride to drive to the plant sale building to load plants, but then when leaving, it is a one-way road exit that requires you head across the Matthew's Bridge to Arlington.
Jeremy
Yikes--freeze warning predicted tonite!!! No way to for me to get plants protected so will have to assess damage in the morning. Hoping for the best **fingers crossed**
me too
Sandy
Hi, everyone.
I finally gave in and bought myself a bay rum plant (pimenta racemosa). I first encountered that plant when I arrived in Florida 5 years ago. I still remember the first time Cassandra and Nancy were visiting a nursery on Orange boulevard in Davie. They told me to crush a leaf between my fingers and smell it. I was hooked. What an absolutely intoxicating scent, I told myself. I also freely admit being severely addicted to the aroma of freshly grated nutmeg: can't get enough of it. But, gardening on borrowed condo property, I never invested in the plant.
So, yesterday, I found a 5-foot tall plant, crushed a leaf between my fingers and I was in heaven again. And the guy was clearing them out. I gave in and gladly paid a very cheap price, considering what the people in Davie were asking 5 years ago for a specimen half that size. Good thing that plant has lots of leaves. I hope it grows well for me.
I also found a recipe for bay rum after shave, which I will mix tomorrow morning: Bay rum and nutmeg... I'm going to have to beat the ladies off with a big stick. LOL. When I told Gail that, she rolled her eyes and said:"Go for it". Good thing she loves me because she thinks I am weird.
Take care, all.
Sylvain.
LOL
Sandy
Sounds like a wonderful plant, Sylvain. Bay rum and nutmeg aftershave ? ? The ladies may think you are a sailor from the Far East, or perhaps the 4th Magi of which little is known because he got lost when following the star. LOL
I'm not buying into the dire predictions for frost or freeze tonight. My orchids are still in the patio and there they will stay until I can make enough room in the workshop for all the stuff I stored in the greenhouse during the warm months, then I will drag all the orchids into the greenhouse and hang them up. I have some Oncidium orchids about to flower. I may make a nod to the weather prognosticators and bring in the orchids in spike so as not to take a chance on losing the flowers. Otherwise, I think if we do get down to a temperature below the dew point, it won't be for long enough to do any damage to plants.
Jeremy
Jeremy I have the seeds for the White Mourning Glory bush!!!!
Sandy
Jeremy, you will never cease to amaze me.
Who else would know of Avaris, the 4th Magi, and almost forgotten Magi? Few people know this, but Avaris was extremely very thrifty and even more frugal. Which meant that he was also very wealthy. While it must be said that Avaris and his 3 drinking buddies (Gaspar, Baltazar and Melchior) packed in a hurry to follow the new star in the sky, Avaris had purposedly "forgotten" to bring a present, thereby saving a few sheckles in the process. This guy made the Grinch look like the Red Cross.
As the 4 cronies rode towards Betlehem, Avaris became uneasy about showing up empty-handed while his buddies brought gold, myrrh and frankincense. He didn't want to appear cheap, even if he was. So, he told his companions to keep following the star while he made a little shopping stop in the small Roman garrison village of Pawnshupum, where he intended to buy a small trinket for the kid. He would catch up with his friends soon enough.
Once in Pawnshupum, he haggled and haggled with a crusty old merchant over a palm frond rattle only to find out that his camel had been stolen while he drank mint tea, negociated, kvetched and kitbitzed. He never made it to the manger and you never see his likeness in any Nativity scene. His name has been all but forgotten in the story of the first Christmas, except by excentric storytellers who still recall the oral traditions.
We were poor when I was a kid, but we had a vivid imagination and storytelling was free. Oh, if I could only spin a yarn like my uncles did. Given a glass of wine and an audience, they could carry on and on about nothing, to everyone's greatest delight.
Take care, all.
Sylvain.
Sylvian I had a couple of cousins like that, loved their stories.
sandy
Here are some pictures of the fair plant sale after we got it all set up this year.
Lots of plants for sale. Come on out
Last one. I brought home an Agave Americana variegated for $5. I have wanted one for awhile. They get big....
It is a wonderful plant sale (as usual)! Well worth the $8 price of admission to the fair to find some great plants at low prices. I found some nice Princess Flower (Tibouchina) plants for only $1 each as well as some other beauties. I will be at the fair again on the last two nights, 11/13 - 11/14, staffing Linda Cunninghams's herb booth from about 4 PM to closing at 10 PM (and sneaking off to the plant sale for some last minute bargains at every opportunity!), so drop by and say hello.
Jeremy
Finally got confirmation!!! I will have surgery on my knee tomorrow (Tues) at 4 pm. I am anxious to get this done and start physical therapy as soon as I get the go-ahead, I am so ready to be back on top of my game again and getting out in the gardens, enjoying nature at it's best and being active like I have been all my life.... I know that I can get thru the PT quickly by being adamant on doing exercising at home and being the stubborn person that I am and not giving up!!! This too will be in the past soon. I am so very thankful for all the help and prayers from friends the last week--it sure gives me the will to fight!!! Had some freeze burn from temps going below 32 this am but I can't stress about it when I cannot do a darn thing for my plants now. They are on their own and will have to figure out who is tough now!
Jeremy I grew those Tower trees you saw at the fair. Its an uncommon tree around here and at its top end of its hardiness zone. I put a couple in the ground to see how they do this winter.... I labeled all the plants I brought to the fair but most do not unfortunately. The ladies nextdoor in the Horticulture exhibit snapped up most of the plants I brought before the fair even opened. They like getting first dibs!
Good morning everyone!!! Survived another trip to the dentist.
Waving at everyone
Brandy here is another pale red flower for you.
Sandy
Hi, Grub! I'm glad to know the good pedigree of my new Brazilian Flame Tree and also glad that you took the time to label your plants. It is a bit disconcerting that the very nice folks selling the plants only want to use common names, and then often have common names that are different from the norm. It was thrilling to find your plants with an accurate botanical name!
So, the way to get first dibs is to volunteer to help set up the plants submitted for judging??! I provided my name and contact info to Annette who volunteers in that area because she urged me to submit a plant next year and wanted to be able to contact me. So, I should be able to inject myself into the select few that are there before the fair actually opens and snap up some of the treasures! LOL
Sylvan, thanks for providing the additional information about Avaris, the lost Magi. After hearing your amusing and convincing story, we should all start adding a blank cardboard cutout of the 4th Magi to our creche scenes. LOL
Sandy --- very exciting about the seeds for the white-flowering Bush Morning Glory! We must get together soon to exchange plants and divvy up bulbs, etc. My life is a constant whirlwind of activity, but just let me know what date/time will work best for you and I will come by. I am enjoying riding the city bus now that, at 60, I can ride for free. Very nice not to have to deal with being behind the wheel in traffic, but I can keep the car some day and come visit. You are, of course, always welcome to come by here. I haven't yet started cuttings of the dwarf nodding Hibiscus (Malvaviscus drummondii http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/56887/ ), that you and others wanted, but I will do so soon. They should root fairly easily. One of them made a couple of plump red-orange seed pods. I will try to find out how to get the seeds to germinate. The white and red flowering are so close together in my garden that they might have been able to interbreed. It would be very exciting to come up with a pink flower or variegated white/red flower. No one has added the white flowering form of the Dwarf Nodding Hibiscus to Plant Files. I may get a few photos of my plant and input the basic info so it can have a Plant Files page of its own (if I can find a few spare moments!!)
My orchids, including the flower buds, have survived the past few nights outdoors, unprotected, so it must have stayed above frost/freezing temperatures in my back patio. The concrete of the patio probably helps to hold heat that is then released at night to warm the air slightly.
Linda- Glad that you have the surgery scheduled and that you are remaining determined to GET WELL SOON!
Jeremy
good evning everyone... kinda... my laptop is not in service ... it has dies on me.
update on Linda... keep her in ur prayers. knee surgery was a success ... but complications ... she has pnuemonia and had a cat scan & suspect other issues .. she will be under going an mri & an array of testing. the predict @ this time she may in the hospital for a week or more. she says she's not up for visitors yet.. but will keep everyone informed as i find out things as long as my phone's internet continues to work.
Brandy thanks. Tell her we are thinking of her.
Looks like I will have to go back to the dental collage if they can work me in. The old tooth is dieing.
Sandy
hi y'all battling a tooth ach, talk to everyone in a few day.s
Sandy
Ouch!
Hi everyone ... Just got off the phone with Linda. She has had more tests done & of course is still in a lot of pain. She will be in the hospital over the weekend. They have her as comfortable as they can make her. She told me to tell everyone "Hi" & she wishes that she had her latop so she could be on here to talk to everyone.
I'll tell her ... I didn't talk to her long. She was very tired from all the testing they did on her today.
Brandy tell her that we are thinking of her.
I have to wait until Wed for my dental appointment.
Sandy
will be able to pop in from time-to-time and this laptop does not waer me out. I stay so tired in here!!! Time for a nap
Linda HI!!! hope you are out of there soon
sandy
Hope I will be able to go home without all the apparatus attached to me -- IV's-- Oxygen--BP monitors, etc.
This is going to be a long 3 months I am sure and that is if no other problems!! Just the leg. I am fairly certain I am now realizing one of my biggest fears
Wishing you speedy recovery, with bucketfuls of patience and maybe, just maybe, a little painkiller once in a while.
Take care.
Sylvain.
Waving, Have bad tooth.
Sandy
Linda, don't worry! It's not fun, but you'll go home without all the paraphernalia. Thus spake the voice of experience! :) No broken bones here...but pneumonia, heart failure, successful open-heart surgery, fluid in lung post surgery (in that order). I'm well and kickin'! And you will be, too! Just look at all this as a strange interlude from your usual life. Kind of a weird adventure...but one that will have a good ending, and you'll be stronger after it and proud that you overcame such adversity.
Great advice!
Well, the county fair ended yesterday. I was there for a few more hours and picked up a few more plants, of course. The most exciting find was a Cockspur (Erythrina crista-galli) about 6 ft tall and well established for $2. I had looked at the plant several times but couldn't figure out what it was unless it was a dreaded invasive Popcorn Tree (Triadica sebifera). Last night, I happened to notice it had small, very sharp thorns on the trunk and branches. I consulted with my Master Gardener friend, India, who was there last night to help close out the horticulture display for judged plants. She recognized it but couldn't remember the name, but after consulting some reference books, we both finally came up with the I.D. I've been wanting a E. crista-galli ever since I saw the one that was growing at the Jax zoo when I worked there. The plant has since died, possibly due to some new pest that is killing off Erythrina species. It is a relative of our native Coral Bean plant, but is native to central South America. The other best new plant last night was that I cajoled a cutting of bromeliad Neoreglia 'Fireball' from a clump of it on display in the judged area. I've also been trying to get my hands on one of these for several years. Another great find for $1 was a Jerusalem Thorn Tree (Parkinsonia aculeata) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53709/ . At the Jax zoo, there are several of them growing high above the snake house in the Range of the Jaguar. Most people probably don't look up that high unless the plants are in flower, but I had to help weed the boxes the Jerusalem Thorn are planted in when I worked at the zoo (and have the scars from the thorns to prove it! LOL) I will check with my friends at the zoo to see if the Jerusalem Thorn survived last winter's severe freezes. I bought a bluish-pink flowering China Rose that had a tag on it as "Cracker Rose," but I'm finding out in researching today that common name correctly only belongs to Rosa 'Louis Philippe' with red flowers, no thorns or very small thorns, and not much more than an occasional tiny splotch of white near the center of the flower. Scroll down to the bottom of this link to find some of the other rose colors that are sometimes called "Cracker Rose" http://sigma.lunariffic.com/~kingf0/flowering.htm The rose I got last night is probably 'Pink Pet' or some other China rose, but " a rose by any other name....."
I hope some of you also made it down to the fair. I probably won't be volunteering at all next year, but will probably go early if I can to check out the plants for sale.
Jeremy
This message was edited Nov 16, 2010 10:09 AM
Good morning
Jeremy I will get with you next week.
Sandy
((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGE Gentle HUGS LINDA)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Senate Bill S 510 Food Safety Modernization Act Vote Imminent: Would Outlaw Gardening and Saving Seeds
I'm normally not over political ... but this is the last straw when it comes to my garden! I will grow my own veggies & eat them whether the gov't likes it or not!
http://visiontoamerica.org/story/senate-bill-s-510-food-safety-modernization-act-vote-imminent-would-outlaw-gardening-and-saving-seeds.html
Go to Snopes and check out what is true and what is just more scare tactics.
Since DG is a No Politics zone, I stated my views here,
http://cubits.org/users/mail/read/60408/
Sidney
Go to Snopes and check out what is true and what is just more scare tactics about that bill.
Since DG is a No Politics zone, I stated my views here,http://cubits.org/notfortheserious/thread/view/42586/
Mamajack has a thread about that bill.
Sidney
I like USDA beef, but it aint cheap.
I distribute home-grown surplus citrus fruit to my coworkers and they love it.
No thanks, nobody thinks I need a federal inspection or license to share the natural bounty.
