Oh, actually I was way off, it's up to 13 oz.! - https://www.usps.com/ship/first-class.htm I saw a deal on the news about that a while back, about how much you can actually send with a stamp.
I saw these plastic toys and stuff that came in at like 12.5 ounces with a stamp on them. Thanks for the Ivy cutting, juhur. I hope I'm reading the USPS info. right, I've been wrong before..lol
This message was edited Aug 9, 2012 5:13 PM
August 2012, very hot and very dry.
I went to Lexington, MO. today with my McDonalds sweet tea in tow and I was denied, I could not find these amazonian Elephant Ears! That is a cool town though. The history and the landscaping on most of the historic homes there were just amazing! I saw some EE's at this one house but they were about 2 feet tall and crispy like mine! I was really driving slow rubbernecking and everything, it's really a cool town.
I had to stop by my old lookout at Napoleon, MO. It is just incredible, they had since built a little brick lookout thing for visitors, it's cool. It is so neat to have that stuff in your own backyard. It's not the Grand Canyon or Crater Lake but is it ever nice and it's right here, you have to appreciate natural wonders in your own area! Anyhow, there is some kind of lake above the river, not sure what it is, maybe it was created by flooding but it is pretty big even now. - The second photo that I zoomed in on shows it better. - Oh, about my earlier post, I hear that if the envelope is bigger it requires more postage because of, "special handling".
Will
Not to worry, When the USPS truck arrives with special delivery ,And begins to empty an entire truckload,you can always start an invasive species company? LOL.LOL I should not of but just could not resist!!!Rofl
Haha! Yeah, I hate to have another invasive but it would look good climbing up the chimney and it's evergreen unlike, say, Virginia Creeper which is already in the yard.
I have those also, not to say anything more LOL). I was checking through my seedlings and darned if a grasshopper wasn't finishing off the very last of six pots of tiny little yarrow seedlings.The way this year has been I was half expecting that so two other pots of the same in another local stayed safe( for the moment anyway).
When or if it finishes raining tonight (providing that happens) I will right back with the bug dust so old Mr. grasshopper will get a bad taste in his mouth if he tries that with any more of my seedlings.
Rivers and water features are incredible when land or Gardenscaped, they are awesome!! You must have a nice time getting to see that.We have a few similar here, only as you were saying before,it is not often I get to see them.
It was on either Franklin or South street over by the funeral home. If you were driving west it would have been on the left side of the road. White house I think it was. At least you enjoyed the town!! It is a very neat town. If it didn't take me forever to get there I would try to move down there eventually. But I make a point to just check out the houses at the very least. lol. One house down there also made the This Old House magazine where they feature a house that needs saving. The issue before last it was in.
The rain was great!! Lots of downed limbs and a few big trunk type limbs down but all in all not too bad. I was loving it!! LOL
I shoulda took down your directions, pepper. I went down South St. and in front of that funeral home, there was lots of other cool landscaping and houses there too. There was usually a car right behind me so I didn't get to drive as slow as I wanted, to look. I really enjoyed the rain too, if for nothing else so I wouldn't have to water for a day! But, it was nice to have, now not so much worrying about the foundation, but I'm pretty sure we still need way more water. Wow, I'll hafta mention the This Old House to my Mom, she has a subscription to that I think.
Here is my Chainlink Cholla, (anyway, that's what I think it is..lol), after I cut some and put cuttings of it in holes. - I'd like to see if I can get a fuller, bushier look on it, instead of a couple stems and a big, sparse crown and a sickly looking cactus! That's a potted up SpiderPlant baby that isn't really a baby anymore and I think it now has it's own babies from all indications.
I'm doing that also with my Philodendron 'Micans', I left some long stragglers because I plan to cut them off and try to make 2 or 3 more plants before the warm is over. -
Here is a couple of Oak seedlings, a Swamp White Oak seedling (the acorn is from Powell Gardens Arboretum in 2004 along a walkway, Quercus Bicolor) and a Chinkapin Oak seedling (from an acorn from Lake Jacomo Park in Independence, MO.) that both are back with new leaves after the original ones fell off in the extremely hot weather, to conserve energy. In the next 2 photos they are in order Swamp White Oak and then Chinkapin. - The Chinkapin Oak's (Quercus muehlenbergii) round lobed leaves are pretty easy to distinguish in the White Oak family and the Swamp White Oak too.
This Forsythia you'd think hasn't had any water in months but I water it every day! The poor thing acts like it's neglected, that must be a survival tactic or something by an invasive! A cutting of it got picked up in the mailbox just today, on it's way to juhur's.
I haven't been down there in a week and I forgot to look for that house again. I think it's just across the street or just down a bit from the funeral home. I'll have to go down there next week now and look for it!! lol
The rain was super nice and the coolness!! WOW!!! I'm ready to pop on jeans and a t-shirt instead of a tank and shorts.
Here ya go Will!!
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20569039_21121369,00.html
Here's the house that I found in the magazine.
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20602725,00.html
Wow, $32,500. We must be talking needing a roof, whole house wiring and pretty much the works, I don't know, but what a deal! I think I like Lexington even more now! I gotta send that link to my Mom. She's a big bicyclist, she said she has biked to Lexington though. She let her subscription to This Old House lapse, she's not sure if she has that issue.
Thanks pepper, Will
Shortleaf - Good luck with school. I would not worry about things going away. Anyone in technology needs to keep up on learning about whatever the latest technology is because technology always changes. Even the Cloud will change or give way to something else.
There is a book called The Introvert Advantage, How to Thrive in an Extrovert World. JC public library has a copy. Several people have recommended it to me and I found it well worth the time to read.
The garden and yard is struggling this year. I just read an article this morning where there is a prediction for drought to continue for a number of years. It was in a blog so I still have to find something else to substantiate it but Not happy about reading there might be a continuation next year.
Thanks Susan! I'm still on schedule with that course I'm taking. I think I'm becoming the class dufus! Friday, during a lecture with instruction I raised my hand and I said, "I think I need some help back here!".
I sit at the back, the furthest away, I had to repeat it, he goes, "huh". I heard some giggling so I'm thinking, "oh great". Oh well, he should like people asking questions and being confused, that's why he's the instructor and I'm the student, so he can fill folks in! I'm pretty sure he likes knowing everything and the students not knowing nearly as much! The thing is if I get started recertifying, I'll need to keep paying a yearly fee and recertifying. It's kinda like what Netflix did, this certifying co. kinda pulled a Netflix on people that already had the certification. I've heard it said, that some will be surprised if Netflix is still in business in I think it was 2 years. Comptia wants to keep a revenue stream going of sorts and it didn't sit well with people. Alot of people were like, "that certification is only for entry level jobs, I already have a job, why do I need to keep recertifying to keep a good certificate?" Nobody wants to have the certificate go bad tho. My instructor says he's "grandfathered in" and he has no plans to recertify, that he has no need to and it's too much money and trouble. I'm not really in that boat, I don't already have it made in the shade like that..lol! I'm waiting for the right time to let him know that "I already have the certification" so I can ask more questions - http://blog.comptia.org/2010/01/26/you-spoke-we-listened-old-certs-still-good-for-life/ , but like you said you really need to keep as current as possible with technology changing periodically. Yeah, not a fan of The Cloud. Speaking of it, my instructor said it again, "pretty soon there won't be computers". That don't really go over well with students trying to get in the pc repair field! To give you an idea of the costs of these exams, each exam is around $200 (now I think, it was ONLY $100 each in 2000 when I did it) and there is 2 exams to get the certificate and one likely won't pass the first time, 3 times is probably the average. So, your talking about several hundreds of dollars JUST to take the exams, the schooling tuition isn't part of the exams, mine is covered. But if I was struggling financially, it wouldn't be easy to get this certificate, unfortunately, some people are trying to get work this way, it can be costly indeed.
I'll look for that book at the library, thanks. Wow, drought is no good and I didn't want to water this much, it can't be good for the water-bill and it can't be for the chlorine level in the plants.
The certification, books, and tuition costs are a tax deduct. IMO It's best to keep certified because you never know what will happen. I would guess if the instructor is not getting recertified then he must be getting ready to retire or is just blowing off steam. Most people who have the certs of any kind don't let them expire.
As far as questions, keep asking and be specific. Start with what you need help on. The laughter proably was because of how he responded.
That's true, more changes, inside the computer for example, that can't really be seen unless your looking for them. I intend to stay current if I can, who knows, I may not pass the test! Altho, they really want students to take and pass the exams for these certificates, today they upped the motivation even more by saying they'll give everyone, who passes everything, a new Netbook! I'm all about a free computer, so put me down as trying! lol
There is so much constantly changing in Information Technology, better ways to do this, more speed in the new chips, more storage here, less heat buildup this way, it's just endless the good changes.
Even like the way the case is built and the arrangements of the insides of the computer case. Nowadays, you can take a keyboard in the shower with you to wash it, it's water-proof, (not a wireless one, or a laptop), the case should always be closed on a computer because they are designed just so to circulate air to keep everything cool, it just goes on and on the technology changes.
Oh, the teacher guy said his age today he is nearly 50, he isn't about to retire, I think he just thinks he doesn't need the A+ certificate. I would guess he is already well enough established in the IT industry and he already has plenty of work. I forgot exactly why he said he doesn't plan to recertify his certificate, but my guess is he just doesn't need to.
Oh well, but guess what?! A new dufus has emerged in class today, I don't feel so bad now! This one poor guy was having some seemingly serious trouble. We were installing different operating systems on partitions of the computer and this guy just couldn't get his to work. The instructor goes over there and opens his cd drive and he holds up a cd and says, "Windows 7 does not boot from a music cd" like Mr. Hand on Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Man, it was hard to hold it in! I didn't laugh but others were, it was right by my station and I could only smile really big! I hope we don't sound all callous but the student guy has been late every single day, he has never got there on time, today he was over an hour late, which is normal for him. I'm sure the teacher is frustrated with having to always stop and try to catch the guy up, when he isn't really trying to learn.
My friend says she should be able to get that book at the library tomorrow, thanks Susan, I'll check it out.
A friend gave me some of her Moss Rose (Portulaca). I've always wanted some, it is an interesting plant too. I want to try it maybe in a planter with other Succulents maybe, so it can grow over the sides, or maybe I'll make a planter by the ground out of my rocks, maybe I'll put some sand on them too. I say maybe alot but I'm just thinking out loud sometimes, I am subject to change my mind at the last minute! I'm all into sand on my Cacti and Succulents! I was told by her that it's not a hardy plant but the seeds reliably fall off and abundantly make new plants. That sounds cool, I'd like to have a big old bed of them somewhere! Here it is in the middle, between my 2 cactuses. -
I'm gonna try starting these English Ivy cuttings from juhur. - I plan to have something growing up the chimney yet!
Will
This message was edited Aug 13, 2012 11:25 PM
Reminds me of when I was kid and Santa coming down,LOL! I am working on a web cam so I can post a few pics of some seedlings .
shortleaf;How's the rock n roll electronic school of computer technology.
I seem to be hearing about that the drought your way is worse than ever.Walking across the Mississippi,!! that could certainly make a mess of relaxing to natural water features .couldn't it?
I still wonder how those giant barges get through nine feet of water,incredible!
Well, I am beginning to believe we will all miss the old gal ,she's flowed for century after century.
It's worse than ever but at the same time we have had relief in some areas. My grass is growing in some areas again but there is still alot of dormant grass out there. We've been getting rain here and there but not enough to be much help. But I'll take what I can get!!
All the rivers around here are low except the Missouri and that's because we have water stored in the Dakotas and they release so much at a time to keep it stable.
Haha! Well, they said it was average 7 feet something deep in the Missouri River, I doubt that the Mississippi is that shallow, it's a bigger river. I think they dredged or something, I think there is some sort of "trench" for barge traffic. The River isn't going anywhere, I saw a barge going right down the middle of it 2 days ago! : ) The walking across it part is just something people say when we haven't had rain..lol! I kinda doubt you could walk across much more than a few feet of it, after that I think one would be swimming with the fishes! If I were to drive off a bridge accidently, I think I'd want the River to be higher tho, I don't want to get stuck in the mud! I see it quite a bit, I don't think I'd want to try walking across it! lol
The schooling is going, I get more confused every day!
You like that Christmas can with my Cholla cactus in it eh juhur? Yesterday, I did that Prickly-Pear the same way, I cut off some pads and stuck them around it in the dirt, I'm trying to avoid the "1 or 2 stem, leggy look" on it too. I took a photo, just for you juhur, the side with the snowy Christmas scene!! : ) Here is the Prickly Pear yesterday after I cut on it. - Here is your Christmas Cactus! - That's one of my SpiderPlants behind it.
Boy, this Blackberry "root cutting" is still green 51 days after I dug it up! -
This message was edited Aug 15, 2012 8:08 PM
JUST FOR ME!!! AWW HOW SWEET!!! Or should I say cool,, lol
Yes, there will be snow again and it will be very cool! We will wish it was 100° then!
Bring on the snow!! LOL!! I have four wheel drive so no problem here!! LOL
Oh, I love to drive my friend's Dodge Durango in the snow, (preferably unplowed)! My little car does good enuff in the snow IF it stays under about 6 inches! Over that, and the whole car goes off the ground and I don't go anywhere! I've been confined to my driveway before because my car wouldn't clear the pile of snow made by snowplows. I'd hafta shovel that away and try it again. With the exception of only one or two days a year though I'll take the small car! Altho, on those days I think I'm a danger to myself and to others on the road because I go out anyway! Nothing stops me! Well, almost nothing! Ditches have a way of putting the brakes on folks..lol
Brings to mind the old VW Beetles ,and the reverse hill climbs in four or five feet of snow.That was cool with them going past ya at thirty miles an hour in reverse.Makes you wonder about where front wheel drive came from?lol
Drove an Escort front wheel drive for a while not bad until until it was all ice ,then it would slide around the same.Give me a "high ballin"" hard shiftin" big wheel pickup or flat short bed any day for that."ye hah,!!" "mud slingin"
shortleaf; I am rooting you a cutting of that ivy along with the forsythia "just in case'
Some rain and thunder thunder here ,suppose to be like that all day."yeah man!!!"
Thanks juhur. It is raining a little bit here, I got my rainhat on as I type, I was outside a minute ago. I saw a hummingbird at my fake flower feeder! I once did that in my 77' Lincoln Continental, years ago, spun it around to go up a hill that I couldn't get up before! Nice flower there, juhur.
Here is that Hummingbird, you can barely see it in the photo, to the right and above the flower. This was the best photo out of about ten that I took, some were really blurry. The bird will be back, it now knows there's something in that flower. The Hummingbirds usually hang around the Mimosa trees, but there are no flowers because of the recent heat and current drought, in fact about 2/3's of the Mimosa's leaves are dead and on the ground, it is pitiful! There is no grass on the ground only dead Mimosa leaves!
This message was edited Aug 16, 2012 3:50 PM
Okay ,you can see the hummer near top center! get those hear too ! What is the varigated plant in the background? I should be out side planting my alaska daisy plants for next spring but that rain coming down is really cold there man!!
Was just talking with someone in the chat room until I lost them.lol
That is a Hosta of some kind, I don't know for sure, it was planted by a landscaping co. about 5 years ago, (nobody saves labels here but me) it's pretty crispy around the edges. The plant next to it is gone, Hope's Slipper, from the heat, maybe it'll be back next year. Yes, it has turned a little cool, well compared to 90's and 100's, it is now only 74°. It rained here very briefly today, we got maybe 1/100 of an inch, not much, the sun is out now. I think they said the drought is now 78 days here, give or take a day.
I think he drought is over here ,it has rained four times in a week now, and has rained a steady downpour all day today ,showing no sign at all of letting up .go go go!!!
I just got sprinkles over here. I even texted a friend and told him to quit hogging the rain. LOL
The drought is still on here I'm pretty sure. I was over at my grandparent's again today playing a little Chess with my Grandpa. I am always amazed at the trees that I planted over there several years ago. Here is a couple "before" photos and a photo of them all in one photo today, they have all grown quite a lot lo these many years. Up close is a Black Hills Spruce that I planted in 2007 and those 2 trees way back there are 2 Shumard Oaks that I planted in July 2004. In the second photo you can barely see where the ground is disturbed where I had just planted the 2 Oaks. In the third photo they are much bigger, on the way to being quite stately.
In the fourth one, I zoomed in on them some to show more detail of them. I wish now I hadn't planted them so close to each other. They will be a bit crowded I think but the Fall colors someday should be real nice there.
While I was over at my grandparents', I did a little weeding in their front yard, they have a nice little display. I'm not for sure what all their plants are, I know the tree is a Japanese Maple, I think there are 2 boxwoods of some kind maybe and that grass is totally a mystery to me. If anybody knows that grass or any of them, feel free to tell! I'll post a couple photos in the next post so I can do 2. That's just my camera case, (a Maxwell House can) and a school book, I wanted to show them how thick my text book is..lol
Will
Here are those 2 photos of my grandparents' front yard little mulch thing I was telling about me doing. Anybody know the grass? -
Lirope I bet.
Thanks pepper, Liriope is a nice grass. I have a single variegated one. that's it on the left, this was back when there was flowers..lol
Maybe those are unvariegated ones?!
Yep, it's the unvarigated one. It looks good where they are at.
Hey we have a birthday on here today!!! Happy Birthday Will!!!
Hey thanks, Pepper! And on a Friday, how about that?! Altho, it's just another day, I just woke up from a nap! lol
I had too Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday dear Wiiillll , Happy Birthday to you....
And many more......
Awww.. just like the birthday song, I can hear it now! It's usually hotter than this on my birthday! But, I'm not complaining, I'm sure the July people know about an especially hot birthday this year!
My birthday always kinda meant school was starting and it was becoming Fall soon. Haha, at 45 I don't have to worry about school, and no kids, but it's still time to rake pretty soon!
Thanks juhur! To all my fellow Leos, let out a big ROAR, or is it RAWR!! lol RAWR meaning - In dinosaur, the way of saying, "Hey. You there. Yes, you good sir. I wanted to afford you the courtesy of letting you know that I'm about to eat you. Quite right, eh?".
Human: Ahhhhhh! That T- Rex is going to eat us!
Will
The day after the birthday, I am old! Oh well, I did some painting today! I painted on the deck, actually the homeowner here had it painted, but he didn't paint between the boards for some reason, so I did today, it took like 6 hours. - When you are a roomate in somebody else's house you get handy with paint and stuff real fast! Just kidding we've been good friends for years.
I potted up what used to be a baby from my SpiderPlant, I gave it to somebody that came over to visit today, a co-worker of my friend's. -
