December 2012- Where's the snow???

It's almost 70 degrees as I type this and coats are still hanging up. I'm supposed to be shivering, not walking around in shirt sleeves!! lol

Here is my non-spider picture. lol. Oak leaves changing colors this fall.

Not here!!!! 75 and sunny!!!

Thanks pepper for the new thread and thanks for not using a spider pic! Yes, it is unbelievably nice out.

Oh, nice there eh Kay?! As I recall, your from this area! Nice to see you again. We aren't forgetting our roots, that's good!

Here's what happens when a cat gets too friendly with a SpiderPlant..lol It was losing a few too many babies!

Here is my Swamp White Oak (Q. bicolor) leaves. - But, I don't expect the mature tree to look like that, seedlings I hear can look different and better.

Where'd that happgarden go?!

Nice pics and some fun with a few threads there!! lol Weather keeps on like this and MO will be live oak country!!?lol
The only thing is them there long hot summers that come with with that !!!
60'S HERE !!!! MILD

I can usually handle the cold better than the heat. And I would love an excuse to drag my nephew over to go sledding. Doesn't look like it's gonna happen!!

I have extended an open invitation to my KC Friends to come and see for themselves - yep, it's nice here, and memories of 'where I came from' keep me living here! LOL

oooooooooohhhhhh!!!! there Kay ,, noooo fair!!

Well, one good thing about LiveOaks here, they wouldn't be blown down by hurricanes or have their roots submerged in saltwater from flooding! My guess is they'd be okay with the heat!

I remember going sledding as a kid. We went to this really hilly area where the streets were like 45° and we'd get going about 60mph on our sled! It's by the Lake City shooting range (in Blue Springs, MO.) if you wanna try it.

Wow, thanks for the Florida offer. I'll visit Florida someday, it'll be on my list of things to do, it's a beautiful state I hear! Are you offering to put all these Kansas Citians up in your house?! I've seen a few Kansas Citians before, if you take them in, they might relieve you of your stuff, like your computer, your tv and your couch! lol Just remember not to let them stay past 29 days or they have squatter's rights!
Yes, no fair though, that's like shorts weather everyday!
Will

Will, they can stay on the beach - lots of people do! We have people camped out in the wooded areas - hotels abound - ya, we can accommodate lots of folks - we're a big state!

I'd stay on the beach or camp in the woods, I read the Wikipedia article on Panama City Beach, it must be a beautiful place. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_City_Beach,_Florida
The Emerald Coast! Boy, it must be nice there! - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Coast Hey, instead of the white snow you have white sand!
I was just joking about Kansas City people stealing stuff, Kansas City folks is fine people, I know I am one of them!

I was out today tooling around. I went to that sledding spot that I went to as a kid and it's still there. Ok, it isn't quite as steep as I said but it's still steep!
It's not that much traveled by cars, I think one car went by when I was stopped on the side of the road. When it's snow covered, I'd think it would be impassable by most cars.
Anyway, here's photos from both ends of a hill. There is about 3 of those hills one right after the other, if one wanted to go one right after the other one on their sled.
It is Argo Rd. in Blue Springs, Mo., Lake City shooting range is on the same road, William Landahl park is all around the area.
In the first photo you can see where I was parked in the second photo, (on the hill, with the bicyclist, before the very top). That "blind drive" can be seen in the first photo, on the left.

Weeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!! A hill!!! I don't really know where the snow is ,but it can stay wherever it is ,..LOL A few more decades and I will begin to miss it though? Hmmm
It was in the 60's here today rain drizzle ,but I "snuck" (is that a word?) away and played! OH well....

Yes! Weeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! Okay, where'd people go?! I thought snuck was a word, heck, I think prolly is a word and thot and ain't!!
I don't really like snow when I am shoveling it or trying to get my car out of the driveway or a ditch!! But, it can be fun to drive in if you have 4wd!
Boy, some of my plants out there are hanging on for the season! Like my Butterfly Bush and my Hall's Honeysuckle climber. - They are just as green as ever!
Here's a couple of Dwarf Alberta Spruces that didn't make it thru the Summer this year. -
I'll be hoping like crazy that this nice Dissected Weeping Japanese Maple comes back next Spring. - I have only myself to blame if it and they don't as I just wrongly assumed at the time that they didn't need supplemental water!
Will

This message was edited Dec 5, 2012 3:01 AM

Will, your Japanese Maple sure looks better than my two - the leaf tips on mine are scorched because I planted them in all-morning sun, not remembering that our sun is much more intense here than in Missouri. The ones I had in Missouri were gorgeous!

At first I thought about asking if it was you on the bicycle , and if you liked that climb , If that bicycle climbed that hill ,wow that person can ride.!!
Spruces aren't looking to good there , your right. they might return though, it takes a long time when that happens to evergreens though.
I would think your about at zone limits for the spruce only that Japanese maple should of taken the weather with no problem.
My variegated butterfly bush ,that almost died this spring is still green and growing go,figure huh? Planted a few flowers and dug a few holes for post and trellis next spring during these 70 temps the past few days.There must be 1,000's of Cutleaf Coneflowers sprouting everywhere.about an inch tall, gonna have to weed out most of them babies.I must have a hundred plants besides all the roots and babies.
When I get the camera back in use I will try a few pics of the spider plant ,the seedlings , and things lol.

My roses are still green. I'm suprised they aren't still blooming.

Thanks Kay, but up close the Japanese Maple doesn't look so good! I'll post a few photos that I took of it yesterday. - Oh, I know, those trees are just really pretty especially that bright red in the Fall. It's one money tree that I would recommend, though I didn't buy this one, it's still a beautiful grafted tree. If mine looks better than your two, Kay, yours aren't doing too good! If this one doesn't get buds or anything this Spring, I may be sleeping in the woods! I'm just attempting humor again! My friend is upset over it, especially if it's really dead but she wouldn't evict me or anything, that tree cost $150 in 2007 even! Those leaves in the photo should be long gone now but about August they died and dried up and are stuck to it now.
Here's a photo of better times. -
Will

This message was edited Dec 5, 2012 2:11 AM

Hehe.. me on the bicycle?! Then who'd take the other photo?! That must be why you didn't ask! : ) Dear, the tool tools alone!! I don't think that bicyclist actually climbed that hill, I think he/she was up there just looking down, I believe he/she came from the other way, I'd be intimidated by that hill too! But, the other way has hills too, just not as steep. No, the Spruces aren't doing too good, I believe those Spruces are dead, I'll be surprised if they get any green in the Spring. I've seen a few dead Spruces before, when they lose ALL the foliage I believe that's it, we'll see, I'm not removing them yet just in case of something miraculous.

Yeah, the upper zone doesn't go too high on Spruces maybe zone 6 or 7, even at my 6a, they likely weren't made for the extraordinarily dry, hot Summer we had here this year, where I think we went without significant rain for 70 something days. Here's what Ehow says about them and their hardiness. It's funny, the one Dwarf Alberta Spruce that's left was a Living Christmas Tree but I also watered the snot out of it as well. - http://www.ehow.com/how_8748374_plant-dwarf-alberta-spruce.html
This Colorado Blue Spruce 'Globosa' lost some foliage as well, luckily, not a whole lot, I watered the snot out of it this Summer! -

I hope my hundreds of what looks like little Purple Coneflower seedlings are really Purple Coneflower seedlings. I just stuck the dried seedheads (dried flowers) in pots of soil and little seedlings popped up all around them, so I'm hoping they're Purple Coneflowers.

My Rose Tree is still in leaf too, it was just blooming up until about a week ago! My Rose bush from happ is still leafy too.
Will


This message was edited Dec 5, 2012 2:25 AM

Will,
I've tried photographing lights and they don't turn out too good. I haven;'t tried with the Canon yet tho. Just the Kodack point and shoot.

Pepper,
Laughing! I was waiting to see what picture you would use. Very pretty! Thanks for the new thread. Maybe I'll be able to find time to use this one, LOL!

Kay,
Beautiful, perfect weather, altho I'm with Pepper. I am ready for snow!

Will,
We see a spider anyway, LOL! Yep, too tempting for the cat. (Poor cat, wonders what happened :o)
LOVE the oak!!

Ju,
You said it. It has been tooo warm here too, for it's own good.

Pepper,
I'll bet your energetic nephew would jump at the chance to come over and play!

Kay,
On the really cold days,
I really miss the warmth, but that's our reward for suffering thru winter.

Oh Will,
Sledding memories!! Totally understnd about the steepness :o)
AWESOME picture!!! That is some hill!!

Ju,
Snuck, sneaked, never sure which is right and don't care, LOL!

Will,
Watering was key here this summer and I think also next year if we dopn't get any rain or snow.
Around here, the Colorado Blue Spruce is having die back from the lower branches up. I guess there is no cure. One neighbor has been cutting her's back and another is going to take one full grown ttree out althogether. I hope my sport, Fat Albert is spared. We are going to trim the branches laying on the ground next year just in case it's a problem. It will also give the tree a better shape.

Well, our warm days are turning colder and I'm back to thinking Christmas and cookies. We did the last of the shopping yesterday in Cedar Rapids and drove the scenic route home. We went thru the Amanas, where Dger Larry Rettig lives, and past Homestead, Ashton Kutcher's town. Charlie worked with his Mom at Proctor and Gamble till he made it big on the 70's show :o)

Today, I think I better wrap, and we need to put up the command hooks for the stockings. I'm still going thru boxes and decorating :o)

Have a wonderful day!!

Me and a timber tree two miles east of town. Just a little farther up, is where my Grandparents lived, and altho this isn't her timber, it runs behind her old house. They used to run the cows up in the summer. Now there is just deer in there. And poison ivy and oak :o(

Ohhhhhhh, I grew up in Illinois - I know about those COLD and wet winters - I'll keep my WARM weather! It's going to be 75 today - LOVE IT!

Yes, those leaves up there kinda DO resemble spiders now that I look at them! Oh dear! Now I'll never rake again!

Nice photo of you standing by that tree, Sally, that is a pretty big tree, I'd say it's been there for awhile.

It got near 75° yesterday, they said on the news our high was 74°, but that was probably for only 20 minutes and it only got to 63° today, but tolerable and unusual for December!
But, the weather all the time in Florida can't really be beat.

Oh, I learned my lesson about watering this Summer, water everything! lol

I just love the commercial for Command Hooks by 3M! They show them expressly supporting Christmas stockings! They ARE a good idea! You know, they stole that idea from me!
Just kidding there! lol

So "Charlie" must be Kutcher's real name. I think Charlie has done pretty well for himself!

Will

That old tree a Hickory maybe ,Hi ya billy!!! I will to see about the tv show , although I remember the name and the company well. Evergreens around here are suffering from die back also. (boo) We do not have many trees around here that size!! That is a big old tree for sure! wish I had one....cute little girl in the picture too !!(giggle , chuckle)

Sunny,; pretty fall going on all together ,things are kind off interesting lately.

I was born in Illinois, sometime since I was there.(the fighting Illini(GRRRRR).Odd how that came to mind?

The only kind of hooks I know about are crochet and hangers in the garage (nifty hooks) Oh yeah, fishing hooks .LOL

My guess would be White Mulberry (Morus alba), there was a Mulberry at my Grandparents' that looked kinda like billyp's tree, yes she IS cute isn't she?! I went to Illinois once, to visit my friend Guy and his wife. It was a nice trip but my freaking starter went out in Illinois, I couldn't turn my car off the whole time or it wouldn't start back up! That tree is shaggy like a Shagbark Hickory or a Shellbark Hickory but I never knew a Hickory to get that thick in the trunk.

I dug up this old photo of a White Mulberry. -

We have white mulberry trees ,"lots of em round these parts"



Cat saying okay it's Christmas time and your out of your tree

More plants and presents!!lol I am testing a vivitar! uh'oh!

Not any better am I ?

Oh, lots of em eh?! The ones with mulberries on them are nice. I think most people think of them as a weed though, they'll grow anywhere. They aren't native, they came from China. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morus_alba

Christmas time for the kitty eh?! My friend gives her cats tuna on holidays and special occasions.
Hey look, I fancied up my copper firebowl ($100 mind you) today!! -

Cool juhur, what's in the bag?! I'm calling the cops! Just kidding, is that the SpiderPlant in the second photo?!
Will

This message was edited Dec 6, 2012 5:28 PM

All right !! marshmallows and hot dogs after dinner??? That's the way everything except the house plants is looking around here, coppery through rust brown , Something you will have to keep that from turning green, that's different??lol

My photo op skills are horrible , I bet I was better in kindergarten with a brownie box cam!! It is good for a laugh though, all in good fun! At least the plants are green !!!!

Least I forget flowers ,daylily seed sprouts and a few in the bags,no weed or reefer here ,sorry!heh heh....

"Grandma doesn't allow no weed smokin round here!!!" next verse ,same as the first..

The spider plant saying hi papa ,hi mama, I remember you ,,, tee hee

Only pic that was any good of seed sprout of daylily. grandma's opinion of the pics

Glad to see the SpiderPlant is still green! Who is the person with the trash cans?
Ack!! Weeds like Crabgrass and Dandelions, I wouldn't smoke them either!! lol
Sure hotdogs and marshmallows (s'mores) in my firebowl, thanks, good idea! How do you clean copper anyway? I need to clean that thing bad, I want to make it shine like a new dime!
Did I say it cost a hundred dollars?!
You made a brownie box camera? I don't think I could make that! I'd try it though, just to eat the brownies!

That's Grandma!!!! Nora Mae

I forgot,,, a wire wheel and a drill, a soft wire not steel. A steel wire will tear your copper most probably, you need a soft wire like the copper wire brushes I use to clean things with, I also sometimes use a Moto tool size copper wheel on the drill to clean things with(soft metals) .
If you use a polish ,and it is really best not to because of toxins and if you do not get the polish all back off or just right it re-rusts the metal and is harder to clean the first time.(messy too ).

Thanks, that's alot of work! On second thot, maybe I shouldn't shine it all up or copper thieves might steal it! Sweetie, copper don't rust, I wouldn't have asked a sister and BIL to get it for me for Christmas years ago if it was just old metal! : ) We got some Brasso maybe I'll shine it up some with that when I'm done with the manual labor part. I got a drill though, I got some wire wheels that might work. I'd like to make it shine but I don't want it to get stolen either!

I know how you feel about that pit Will. I have a birdhouse that has a copper roof on it. Still in the house due to the fact we don't trust anyone to not come into the yard and steal it. I got it cheap and it's a gorgeous and well made house but can't display it due to copper. Kind of a shame but I still look at it when I can. lol

I realize copper doesn't rust but it does tarnish and it will pit was my meaning, I use Brasso on my tank fittings and if you don't get it the way it is suppose to be done rust grows on the polish when the mineral content changes and that can "pit" the metal.
I had a copper bird house years ago ,it disappeared during a move hmmm.

Basic metal restore kit ,might be worth looking into . You know the can that turns rust or tarnish back into metal or maybe TARN-X.

Hehe.. I was just hassling you, ju! : ) Your a good sport!
It's just a shame, I agree, pepper, you can't put a birdhouse out for fear somebody will steal it buy a fingernail full of crack or something!
Your copper birdhouse mighta been involved in some funny business, ju!

You too !!! SLF !! I really think that copper pit is a neat ,nifty ,item!!! My reference to old metal wasn't meant to imply anything about the copper pit,
We use to have a iron cauldron that disappeared about the same time as that birdhouse , You see those around from time to time at auctions (the iron pots) .
I have a leaded pressure cooker made fro early pot type metal hardened to take cooking, about the 40's to 50's when those were made. You could use it still to can but not cook because of the lead , (looks like thick heavy aluminium) you have seen them i'm sure. Antique item auctions or fairs are a real GAS!!!! LOTS OF FUN!!!!

Hehe! I know, juhur, it's all good, your my best friend, all you guys are my best friends! There is people that recycle much metal too. There is a guy down the street who recycles metal for a living he says. I see him all the time going down the street with washers and stuff in his truck. I've given him a lot of metal. The last thing I gave him the other day was part of an old Kirby vacuum cleaner that had a bunch of metal on it. My friend said she's got about $30 to $50 per filling in her mouth, I tease her that I'm going to pull her teeth out with pliers in her sleep when her mouth is open! Remember my old Little Red Radio Flyer Wagon that I had full of flowers? It was shot so I put it out for the trash, the metal man down the street picked it up and threw it in the back of his truck!
I have wanted to share this really colorful photo for a while!
Will

It did it again, I've been duped but here it is. -