May 2011- Sun and Warmth finally....I hope!!

How about my newest acquisitions for the desert terrarium I am making out of an old 10 gallon aquarium? Thanks you guys, that would be neat if that wagon was all filled in with yellow Marigolds this year. How about those rocks I put in there on top for a different look?! That wagon is all rusted out, it's about to fall apart, it prolly will someday soon, with the mud and weight in it now. But, theres another one here, still in the box and I've been given the go-ahead to fill it full of flowers and stuff. I'm gonna line it with plastic and put Coleus or something in it. I'd be glad to post photos of them as time goes on.

Well, on second thought, I should prolly try a vine that won't need to be planted every year, I think Cukes and Melons will. But, how neat would that be, having Cukes or Melons in the backyard to add to a salad?!

Gooseberry eh? I heard they were good!

In retrospect, I think those blue Hostas are going to get too close, thanks. I think I'll take out the 'Blue Angel' thats on the right in that photo and a 'Halcyon' there, they are already crowding, now that I look at the lot. I think I have a new spot for a 'Blue Angel' and a 'Halcyon', under the back-porch steps.

A ginormous fan huh? Did you know ginormous is a word in the dictionary now? - http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ginormous

Thanks happ, I was wondering about that gap myself, like maybe it's 2 Hostas. Thanks tho, I know where I'll be dividing that one someday! Good to hear they are so resilient.

Actually, it's only $21 left of store credit, I guessed wrong. I will prolly need to get a Butterfly Bush or 2 so we don't have to tell her Sister that her bushes died!

Will

Would anybody like to take a stab at something here? I have a predicament I think. I think I have a weed in this pot, posing as the Echinacea, I'm not sure.
This one in here thats funny has serrated leaves and the Coneflower doesn't, but everything is pretty similar otherwise. Is it safe to assume that I can pull that loathsome oddball outta there? Sorry about part of the photo being blurry, it was the lens, I wiped it off after those photos.

Is the stem kinda thorny for lack of better word? It looks like a weed that I always find with my new potted plants but it does look similar to coneflowers. lol

Don't know about coneflower, but the leaves look kind of like shasta daisy leaves. Yes, if the stem is prickly, I'd say it's a weed.

Thanks, I had a glance at the Coneflowers today, (it was raining), I didn't see any thorns on the stem. I know it's Purple Coneflower because it's a seed packet that I started last year. I'm tempted to leave that weedy looking thing tho. What if it turned out to be Daisy flowers or some nice flower, how cool would that be? It could have thorns yet, I was only able to get a pretty quick look at like a 2 inch section of stem, but it was smooth.

I took a photo of the Pyracantha 'Gnome' here and it has these little off-white flowers. My friend will be thrilled, she has been waiting for them to get berries or something. Does anyone know, might the flowers be the pre-cursor to getting berries? The photo is below, sorry it's kinda cheesy, the color tint is messed up or something.

Will

Thanks Pepper! A big ol' Lipton Tea box came about an hour ago in the mail! I bet thats Canna bulbs! I'm real glad to get them! I'll get the postage to you soon. I'm gonna get those potted up soon too! I think I'll plant them in a big, long planter I made outta scrap wood! At first I thought they were something else that I'm expecting, just a couple books I couldn't resist from a paid programming show. I thought, "wow, they pack books in Lipton Tea boxes, thats odd". Then, I looked closer and then it hit me what it was! The books also came today, I haven't opened them yet. I'll post photos of the Cannas after they take off in the tropical spot I plan! : )
Thanks, Will

LOL. It was the only box I had that would work. I didn't want to drive to the post office, come back home, then go back again. They will take off here pretty soon. They are already trying to shoot out leaves.

Well, I decided to buy the last 2 fruit bushes that we had left at work today. It turns out one is Gooseberry and one is Rasberry. We also had Blackberry at one point but they were thornless and the Rasberry isn't. Plus it has berries on it. Now I just have to find a spot for them. lol. I might give them to a friend or my grandma.

I got those Cannas potted up, they are some nice ones. I might leave them potted for awhile so I can see what color flowers in which ones, so I might stagger them permanently later. The berry plants you got sound nice, Pepper. A Lipton Tea box does indeed work!
Here they are potted up. -
Thanks Pepper, Will

They are all the same color. Dark leaves is what I remember. I thought originally they were Tropicanna but they might be Dark Knight. A friend dug them up for me because I liked them and she had too many. lol. I kept a few and have given the rest away.

The postage is in the mail tonite.
Thanks again, Will

Well, I got the Butterfly Bush replacements! I couldn't find a Butterfly Bush, I got 2 Raspberry plants for $9.98 each instead! I was kinda leaning toward something with fruit. I got a long line in the backyard of Blackberry plants and Blueberry plants, but some of the Blackberry plants died, so I plan on filling in the gaps with Raspberry plants.

Here is a closer shot of that unknown, maybe weedy, plant in my Coneflower pot that I got that day. -

'Dark Knight' or 'Tropicanna' eh? I had a 'Tropicanna' years ago, but I left the pot outside over the Winter and it died.
Will

The serrated leafed plant looks like a weed to me. I've seen that one before. Got your postage too. Yesterday I think it was. lol.

I hope those of you in the path of the storms are taking shelter and staying safe!!

Oh, I bought the last 2 fruit bushes we had at work the other day. One looks like it might be Rasberry and the other one is for sure Gooseberry. The Rasberry has fruit forming already. I need to get them out of the truck and planted somewhere.

Happ, I love how Hostas provide a dividing spot :o)

Crit, that's how our rain chances have been, but a lot spottier. We actually got 4/10'' last night, after DH watered yesterday.

Will, ROTFL!!! I copped ginormous from the Grandkids!!

I looked right past the rocks in the wagon, LOL! I was busy envisioning it all filled in with blooms.

Love the new terrarium plants. I'll be interested in how the living stones do. They're pretty neat!

Ut oh, sister's butterfly bushes. I think I'd replace them! Any money left over, should go for a mini rose :o)

Agreed it's a weed. Not sure what, but I've seen it here too. Snip it off or separate it when you plant the coneflowers.

Pepper, Lipton Tea, I've switched to it to use in the hot tea pot, and now the sun tea jar. It's really got a better brewed taste than Louizianne. I'll reuse any box that's sturdy :o)

Give the bushes to someone you visit so you can graze, LOL!

Dad's here.

Have a great day all!

Tornados in the area, right now Mayview which is east of me. We just had it north of us a bit. I'm keeping eye on weather in case we gotta bolt.

Today pepper? It is clear here! Gonna go turn on the tv.

Yep. Going on now. I'm in the clear til the next storm. It was clear and hot when I was up there earlier today. Almost too hot. lol

Wowzer had no idea all that is going on.
Looks like more are headed your way. It has cooled off here, so you must be where the hot and cool air are crashing together. Take care.

Will do.

Picked my first green onions today (started seed, the things looked so pitifully small until recently), and my first kohlrabi - it didn't even make it into the house LOL it tasted sooooooo yummy sweet. I've got strawberries starting to turn and I haven't got the cage to keep the birdies out of them finished yet. Between the rabbits, squirrels and birds, I've lost my swiss chard, a bunch of beets, lettuce and spinach, and a quarter of my cauliflower and broccoli plants. Still getting enough lettuce and spinach for salads (now with green onion seasoning LOL), Hail beat my cucumber starts and my tomato plants a bit the other day, and still haven't got my peppers in. Beans - sigh - only about a dozen seeds came up from 2 different packets.
On the good side, a friend of mine who bought a "fixer-upper" has a big garden spot he can't get to this year - I've put in sweet corn and melons. That makes 3 gardens for me this year.

It's 93 here today with a heat index of 98*. Umph! Winter into summer..... hate that!

We got into the mid 80s. Humid too.

Oh ya, the humidity is awful!!!!!!!!

Joplin got hit hard. 24 people dead. I hope Rusty is ok!!!

Yes, they sure did. One reporter guy said the southern 1/3 of Joplin was demolished. According to somebody, the tornado was 1 mile wide at the base and it was on the ground for 7 or 8 miles, and likely an EF4 or possibly the strongest EF5 rating, it sounds like quite a vicious storm in any case. Yes, I hope she is alright too, maybe she'll come on here and tell us if she can. Thats the first number of fatalities I've heard, they said for sure there was alot. A hospital there had it's top 2 floors removed.

Yes, aren't Living Stones something? The little picture that shows them cut in half is crazy! The funny thing about those little "miniature" cactuses and stuff they sell, is you don't really know how big they get. How would you know if they're really an appropriate mature size for a desert terrarium, they don't say?!
Will

Death count is climbing, sure hope we don't know anyone down there. I travel thru there alot going to Tulsa for work.
After I figured out the storms weren't going by pepper I didn't look at the tv again and was shocked this morning when I heard on the radio about Joplin.....so sad and scary.

Hi, all! Just jumped on quickly to ask if anyone has heard from Rusty. I don't know if she lives in Joplin, but it's bad there. The news this morning was that 75% of the town is destroyed, 86 people are dead and there may be more - they're still searching.

My back flared up a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to sit for very long, so haven't been on the computer much. But I do owe a couple of you a reply.

Billy - Your flower bed with the rocks is really nice. We were supposed to go to Iowa this past weekend and I was going to bring you a couple more cool rocks (if you wanted them), but I was unable to travel. Missed my grandson's 5th birthday. :-(

Crit - Yes, my oakleaf hydrangea is planted outside. Here's a picture of it from last year right before it bloomed.

Hi Ima, good to hear from you. Sorry about your back. I know at one time Rusty was going to move but I think the last time I heard from her she had not. I will try to find her email.

Cybrczch, you really have hungry critters, but congrats for what you did get! I'm still waiting.

Three gardens and the enthusiasm made me laugh, but in reality I'm envious of the corn and melons!

Will, I think the ''stones'' are the right size. The rest too. I've not done much with succulents to know :o)

Happ, I'm sitting here with a heavy heart over the damage and am praying hard that Rusty and her dogs are OK. What devistation!

ImaMes, I love those rocks! Drop off whatever you like. I can use them :o)

I hope your back isn't a long term proble. I do seem to remember you talking about it before tho. I hope it heals itself fast. A person needs their back and their knees most!

Awww 5 years old. I'm sure he missed you much, but I'm sure he had a wonderful birthday!

I can't wait till my little Oakleaf gets taller. I'm almost ready to take the full cage off and set coated chicken wire around it. Today may be a good day. It might shoot up and I won't get it off, eek!

It's such a nice size in your picture.

Happ, I hope someone hears from her.

Well, I am alive and what going on in my town and I was so shock that hospital gone, Wal Mart, Academy, Home Depot, and some others homes, too!

I has no power for 12 hours and final my stepson stop by to check on me and I was so alive and calm... So I was stay home....

Here's what the barn shed blew into my yard & house's garage so no damages just little messy around here and I was just about a mile where the tornado hit...

I'm glad you had someone to check and make sure you were ok. The shed blowing in would have had my heart in my mouth!

Hugs to you and your stepson!

Yes, glad to hear from you, Rusty. They said much of Joplin can't have basements because of the rocky ground or something. I'm sure there is other factors too,
why people would be vulnerable in a situation like that. Yes, even a shed blowing in like that would startle me too and have me looking around!
Yeah, kudos to the stepson, how important that coulda been to have someone check like that. Altho, I bet the people in Joplin knew pretty much where the tornado hit, in what part of town. I know Rusty isn't you're real name. We're glad Rusty the dog and Juju are okay too! You're a nice lady, you traveled a long way to come to our Fall RU in 09'.

Glad to hear from you Ima, hope you're back gets to feeling better.

I'm gonna rip that weed outta there, Coneflowers only!

Glad to hear the postage got there okay, Pepper. I couldn't get that many Cannas for that anywhere I'm sure, glad to have them, of any color.

Will

Oh Rusty, thank you thank you for checking in. I know we aren't your top priority but we were sure concerned about you. I imagine when it was going on it was terrifying, even after and seen what could of happened, your life will be turned upside down for sometime because of living in the area for sure. Oh I am so glad you are ok.......

Thanks Rusty for checking in!! We were extremely worried about you. I had no way to contact you since the info I have is probably out of date. Being a mile from the tornado and you having mimimal damage is a miracle really.

I can rest east now. Whew!!

Hi Ima!! Hope you back gets to feeling better!!

We are a couple of hours (?) from Joplin. Our news continues to carry live coverage from there. Last I heard was 116 dead, 1/3 of the town destroyed. Lots of people from this area and from my home town where my kids/grandkids still live have medical units going there to help out. I was in one tornado about 30 years ago. Didn't affect my house but destroyed my friends house, where we were in the basement. More chances of severe storms here again today, then it should clear out for a few days at least.

Glad you are OK Rusty

It's a beautiful morning here and I am grateful. The boys are making a bit of noise so they will be up soon. I think Grandpa wore them out, while I got to visit with their Mom :o)

Ima, your Iris "So Fine" bloomed and I was so taken with it! It's beautiful!! So far the other two are growing and at least "Total Recall" will bloom, if not Superstition too. I can't wait!

I hope everyone has a great day!

Crit, I can't imagine how long it will take to clean up. It's wonderful that people are going to help. They need it.

You were in the basement? Oh my! I'd be scared to death!

Yes, I was. Never heard the 'roar of a train' like they talk about. As I was driving from picking up my son, the clouds were beginning to swirl overhead. I just floored the gas to get to her house! I had just gotten in the basement when a bunch of dirt came in the basement screen. That was when the tree landed on my pickup. We thought it was over and went up to see it pick up the double wide across the pasture and disintegrate it. Such force! Her house was still 'standing' but totaled. In the bedroom where she had her uniforms hanging on the back of the door, the waistband was in the bedroom and the legs in the living room, where it had raised the roof and sucked them through. Now THAT was weird to see. Pulled the bay window away from t he house, but just a few steps into the kitchen (which was directly above the basement we were in) the newspaper was still on the table and her wedding goblets on the open shelves on each side of the sink. That is the only room that wasn't touched. God watched out for us, but took to heaven a wheelchair bound man that lived in the double wide.

Eeeek Crit, those are indeed some bad memories, poor guy in the wheelchair too.
They played a recording on a cellphone from someone who had gathered with others in the cooler of a convenience store in Joplin as the tornado tore up the store, it sounded terrifying, nobody hurt there. It sounded like it lasted longer than a few seconds like they say, it seemed then like it was closer to a minute of destruction. I think Tulsa is closer than 2 hours from Joplin, I think they said the Tulsa area had the same system but in the sky still, I think they said it landed in Joplin. I go thru there to visit family in Texas.

Heres my Desert Terrarium in it's early stage! I'm not sure if that light is gonna be enuff. It's only a single 20" plantbulb light fixture. I'd like to get that figgered out before the plants die. Keeping cats out of it might also be a problem. I also posted in the "Terrarium Gardening" forum. Anyody have any advice on it?
Thanks, Will

Rusty - So glad to hear you're ok. One mile is too close for comfort - scary!

Crit - Yikes! The closest I've been is about 10 miles away. All we had were strong winds that knocked over lawn ornaments, etc. That was close enough for me.

Billy - I'll bring you the rocks next time we go to IA. Glad you like that iris. It is my favorite!

Happ & Will & Pepper - Thanks for the well wishes. My back is still too bad to sit for long, but getting better slowly day by day. Now if I can just be patient and not do anything foolish and re-injure it... like gardening! haha