Special Date with Jill (since she couldn't come to Swap)

November 2, Friday, will be a special Date with Jill, since she couldn't come to the September swap at my Castle.

The bridge will be down so you can cross the moat anytime after ten AM. This will NOT be a major plant event, just another chance to get together cuz we always have such nice times.
I will make a brunch and refreshments. I will also think about a simple craft, maybe just to buy a couple cans of 'metal' spray paint and you can bring something to be sprayed to try it out.

Please post if interested.

So far Gita is comfirmed.

Coleup- you have dmail.

I'll swing by France and pick up Jill at her chateau, and then we'll horse-pool it over to your castle. Yippee, that Friday falls on my every other Friday off so I'll be able to join in the fun. Princess Terri

Sorry I can't make it. I will be winging my way to strange and mysterious lands far far away. Looking for sea monsters and other legendary creatures. I think Sir Ric maybe at the local HGHA meeting. Will sure miss seeing you all as you frolic thru the castle gardens.

Sounds like a blast ladies. I won't be able to make it either.

I wish I could make it, but I'll probably be in Florida (mix of packing up my father-in-law's house and campaigning). If you end up doing this again, please let me know because I'd love to come!

Terri- chuckle, I'll have the grooms ready with water and oats for the horses.
I know Friday is not the most available day for many people. But this isn't t planned to replace anything else. I'm sure we all expect a February event. Only four ish months till then!
Holly, you have a great excuse, We'll need to see pictures to verify though. tee hee. Paul and Ric, we'll eat your share. Devon good luck on your trip!
Coleup has dmailed that she'll be here. Assumed since we live close...

Paul---

I was hoping you would make it--then i could just bring you the brug cuttings.

Is Sally close enough to you to drop them off there?
Coleup may be closer to you???? She lives around Annapolis. Not sure who all is coming.

Will check with Princess Sally as the time gets closer....

Ruby also asked for some cuttings. Anyone coming that is close to her?
How about happy? She also asked....

Sally--I will wait for you to coordinate all these brug cutting deliveries. Could you?
If not--then i will mail them out....

Thanks, Gita

My trip was canceled, so I might be able to make it after all. I'm not sure, though, so don't count on me -- weekdays are tough and I have a lot of balls in the air which I keep dropping.

I can hold brug cuttings if someone wants. I don't expect a huge turnout though. After all it IS a weekday.

Sorry....I'll be there in spirit if that counts...hugs

Sounds like a lot of fun, but alas...I too send my regrets. I know that it will be a fun time, as always.

Ruby

Sally, are we still on for Friday? Any word from Critter?

I hope all of you are safe and OK
Lavina---from donw the coast in Carolina

We're on for Friday- meaning, I am on, Gita is on, and I was waiting to hear from you, Jill and Terri.
Anyone else decides they're in the area, drop by!
Arrive anytime from ten AM on.
We can try some spray paint crafts- ever spray painted an actual leaf with Hammered Bronze? or sprayed a terra cotta pot? I have a number of small extra pots to play with. Tour the yard.
I'm making a quiche (easy) and open a container of butternut soup (cheating) . Not really asking others to bring anything, its a small group. If an item from the Bakery can be got it will be enjoyed, if not we certainly understand, given the disruption.

I am aiming to get to your house around 11AM, Sally.

I presume Joyanna will be coming along with Jill--as I have a late B-Day gift for her.

I will also bring the brug cuttings for Paul--and maybe Happy. Is Happy still coming ????
If she is--then I will bring hers also. Also--many extras for whomever.....

Today was a cut back, clean up, pull up kind of a day. Spent, again. close to 4 hours outside...
Now inside--to finish up with all the extra Brug cuttings I took.

YUP! They are all scalped now!!! Branches full of blooms buds--flying away in the trash can.
Nothing but bare bones now.....LOOK!

1--The bones of Dr. Seuss....It must be an Orthopedic Dr.....ALL that canopy gone!!!
2--Pink NOID Brug--all cut back.
3--Little (still...) Maya--all cut back. Wasn't much to cut there....
4--Amazingly--the Wandering Jew has survived all the weather and cold.

Will dig these up when I get a chance. easy, peezy now! Need to sharpen my shovel....

Gita,

I pinched off a green wandering jew the other day. Remind me at a future swap for some pieces, it is a great contrast to the purple.

I'm going to run into Happy on Monday to pick up some plants, I can deliver her cuttings if she can't make it tomorrow.

This message was edited Nov 1, 2012 4:54 PM

I probably can't come, but I'm on the fence. Sorry to be wishy-washy. I really do need a good infusion of my DG friends, but I have a lot of work I ought to be doing....

Okey doke!
My basement is jungley. Three potted brugs a plumie snd a strelitzia!

I'll be picking Jill up around 10:00, and then we'll be on our way. Fun and to quote Happy "a good infusion of DG friends" is on the agenda for today. See you soon! Terri

Encountered a vehicle glitch this am...Still hope to be there "later" (fashionably!!!)

Sally do you need a banana or a couple of taros to add to your jungle?

Yay Terri!
Oh NO Judy!( on the car) Good luck with that.

And just a no thanks very kindly on taro and Banana- I got one of the Bananas from Ruby and its doing nicely.

I'm not going to be able to make it -- I wish I could -- but my "to do" list is too daunting!

Thank you Sally--and Jill and Teri and Coleup--and Joyanna, who was most entertaining.

We had a very lovely, relaxed, talk plants and gardening day. Wonderful!!!
Gita

The Castle Arundel Chronicles Vol I

A good time was had by all at Castle Arundel this midday. In attendance were Lady Gita, Lady Jill, Lady Terri, Lady Judy and Maiden Joyanna, resplendant in royal purple with twinkling shoes. The board was laid with fine fare from all corners of the kingdom. And a small but wide diversity of plant material was exchanged as is the custom at such gatherings. Pacquets of cuttings were set aside awaiting currior Paul to transport them through out the land to Happy and beyond.

Lady Happy was missed as was Lady Ruby who was much talked about when Queen Sally enlisted the aide of Lady Gita and Lady Judy to capture and dispose of one stink bug on the castle door! (Yep, took three of us!)

The menu consisted of sweet autumn squash soup, freshly baked quiche, crab puffs, a mixed fruit salad, and cinnamon swirl bread.

Hugs and infusions of DG friends made for a very lovely day.

Thank you all!

Scribed by Lady Judy

Yes, it was a great day. I'll be potting up the brug cuttings, sun patients (Judy is that right?) cuttings, and tete a tete daffodil bulbs first thing this morning. Even simple things make me smile - like getting in Jill's CRV, setting my soda can in the cup holder, and realizing that the cup already occupying the space was a makeshift container holding seeds - apparantly snap dragon seeds that Jill happened to spot out and about somewhere. A true gardener never misses an opportunity to snag seeds or cuttings LOL. Spending time with you guys sure makes me feel really happy in a way that I never do around others. Thanks for the day!

Right back at cha Terri!

Great report on Jill and seeds! Bet all our vehicles are ready to scoop up whatever shareable plant material we come across. I once strapped a 10 x 10 old fashioned lilac bush on the top of my little car and then went back to rescue three more that were being bulldozed. They were totally dripping in blooms and fragrance.. How I managed that by myself I can't imagine now, but then I was filled with gardeners strength.

I see there was more plant tradin after I had to leave to deliver my paper route. Yes, 'sun patiens" agood alternative to our wonderful impatiens being dessimated by disease. Hope Paul will take some. too. Gosh, when a plant starts to put out rootlets from its stems it wants to continue on!

Did you end up with the clematis? How is that sedge I gave you doing?

Good morning all. Lets do it again!

Judy

Coleup. your scribings doth do us honour!

Thanks for coming over! Its friends like these that help us all satisfy the plant passion, and other hen cackles as well .. tee hee... I got my kitchen counters 'somewhat' cleared off and that's always a good thing LOL

I think it was Gita who said Isn't it great to talk about plants almost ad neauseum and nobody says HUH? WHats that? ad neaseum back! I didn't need more plants, but then I saw them... Second plant shelf probably getting powered up this weekend LOL.

Re the snapdragon seeds. When I first met speediebean, at the nursery, one of the first things she showed me was a Chaste tree , and gone to seed. Before you know it she stripped off a handfull of seeds and offered them for my pocket. Then I think we both blinked and said. Well...of course you steal seeds and fill your pockets any chance right?!? Absolutely! Totally agreed!!

THanks Judy and Great Harvest for that fabulous cinnamon bread, Terri for the fruit salad Gita for the crab puffs and Jill for our special Maiden who charmed the socks off us as usual!

Planning a lot of leaf raking and plant potting today, better get some breakfast in and get to it!

Just a small clarification to those that may not be clear on this....

The "sun patiens" everyone referred to are called "New Gunea Impatiens".
A different plant--but sure is one of my favorites...Yes--it is in the "Specialty Annual"
category and will set you back $3+. It is never sold in market packs.

Also--IF you want something that really resembles the regular Impatiens but lasts through
every weather condition you can imagine--and blooms its head off all summer,
consider planting the Vinca Flowers. Every color--upright--hardy as all get-out--
and blooms into near frost. And, yes, it can be bought in market packs.
The Vinca can be seen around roads and Apartment complexes and Shopping centers,
which attests to its durability.

I went to bed last night, having set my alarm for 4:30AM to go in for the Store Meeting at HD.
I was almost drifting off, when it hit me---tomorrow is Saturday!!!! Yippie!!!
Store meeting is on Sunday!!!!!

Set your clocks back tonight! Get an extra hour's sleep tomorrow AM.





This message was edited Nov 3, 2012 8:05 AM

Dear Lady Judy---

I stand corrected----I fell for something I already knew better....I have been buying Sun Patiens for years.

I based my "explanation" on the fact that there was talk of taking more cuttings of the "Sun patiens" at Sally's.
The "sun patiens" the cuttings were taken from was the big N.G. Impatiens.
Then I thought....Hmmmm.......maybe that IS the "Sun Patiens" everyone is referring to??????
So--I jumped in and spewed forth my erroneous explanation. Thought that maybe I was wrong all these years....

I think aspenhill referred to it as "Sunpatiens"....So--I thought I would correct that.

I stand corrected--thank you Judy--you keep everything and everyone straight around here.
We all, me included, are very grateful for that....

Gita--hiding my face in shame for the ignorance......:o[

It sounds as though the day was fun for all. I was there in spirit and showed up in the form of a stink bug.....I knew that I would forever be associated with stink bugs. Oh well.....I actually found one on my kitchen sink last night and wonder where in the world he came from. He has gone bye bye now though and his body is resting in the compost bucket awaiting disposal.

I have to join those whose membership and participation in Dave's activities as being a very special blessing in my life. Terri, whenever you describe how great it feels for you to be around plant nuts such as ourselves, it blesses my soul. I feel very much like you do as I came to Dave's at a time when there was certainly something lacking in my life and without knowing exactly what it was, I now realize it was the like-mindedness of the masses found here. What a major difference my participation here has made in my life. You folks know more about me than my family most likely. I tell things to you folks that I don't tell others. The friendships I have found here have kept me going through some tough times over the years.

Coleup, you are too much girl!!! Our group would be lost without you. You can take things and turn them around to where they always end up being lots of fun. Thanks to Sally for hosting the get together event and let's do hope there will be more in the future.

Ruby

Ruby, you are a real gem befitting this wonderous kingdom! You told me long ago that I would like it here and "Here be good people" and you are soooooo right. Just thought you would get a chuckle out of it taking three of us...to secure one bug as in "How many MAFs does it take to catch a stink bug?"

As it turns out being "associated" with stink bugs (like most everything!) may have deeper meanings.omeone once told me that in some religions being stung by a wasp was a reminder to say our prayers so I took a minute to google "spiritual meaning of stink bugs" (lol. I Am toooo much) Here is one tidbit I found

Oh, I am sorry I missed this fine event in the kingdom. I am thankful for being in this fun group, cuz others outside the realm would roll their eyes and wonder at our amusements.

Really cool article Cole. Loved reading about the different critters and their meanings. I love learning about things such as this. Thanks for sharing.

Ruby

Gita,
I just made a half batch of your crab puff recipe and Mike and I ate them during the NY Giants / Pittsburgh Steelers game - delicious!

Gita: Crab cake puffs? Do share the recipe!

Hey Guys!
I have added a bit more explanations here--and some other ideas.
Those that I gave the recipe to at Sally's--see if you may want to print this one out.
*********************************************************************************

Happy--
They are not "puffs". They are called "Crab Meltaways", but are a delicious finger food appetizer.

I got this recipe sometime in the early 80's from am Estonian woman who served them at a party.
She was known as quite the cook.

CRAB MELTAWAYS—BROILED
(Mari Vlachos—an Estonian-known for her culinary skills)

1 pkg. Of 6 English muffins
8oz cont. of good crab meat (or use fresh-picked crab meat) NOT canned!
1 stick butter
6oz-Old English sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbs mayonnaise
½ tsp seasoned salt
½ tsp garlic salt--(I see no need for both--I would just go with the garlic salt)

**Note from me---
IF you pick the meat yourself from steamed crabs—the meat will be salty enough.
I would not add any extra. I would just use Garlic Powder and a tiny bit of the
Seasoned Salt. I do not really know WHAT is in seasoned with? Do your own thing!
Also--I think thin, toasted, Baguette slices would taste awesome, instead of the Muffins.
This would also make slightly bigger pieces to eat. Two bites instead of one.

Directions:
Slice each muffin open in half—then each half in quarters, and arrange on a cookie sheet.
Mix all other ingredients in a bowl and spread on muffins. (Can FREEZE at this point)
Broil for about 5 min on low, or until tops turn nicely brown. A toaster oven works good here….
Serve immediately while hot!
If using previously frozen—thaw first.

Sounds fabulous! Thanks.