Bonnie's Spring Roundup in Clermont tommorrow, April 13th...

I know I,... and others of us who could not make this RU are wishing you Bonnie,...and all who get over there the best of fun and sharing!

Be sure and have good batteries in those cameras and memory on those chips.... We will be looking forward to many pictures!

Make sure to pull out that antique tractor Bonnie,... It would be fun to see it and folk around it! Looking forward to the new pond pics too... Everyone sees something differently, so I hope you all take pictures of the day!

Travel safely and have fun! {:-)))

David

Thank you David and I didn't get many pics of my first RU so will try to do better this time. Maybe I can recruit Norma as she always gets good pictures.

It's really making wonderful memories when you have pictures to cherish.

Bonnie

I 2nd David's remarks. I'll be out digging in my yard & thinking of all of you over on the other side of the state.

Thank you Bonnie for hosting the RU! I had a good time. Nice to get some adult time. :)

David, Sugarweed sent some aloe with me for you. I can drop it off next time I'm out just need to know where.

Qwilter, I messaged you already. Bonnie didn't know what plants I was talking about. So sorry. I hope you'll still come see me!

Jami, I have some seeds and plants for you too!

Erin

Erin,
Glad you could make it and yes adult time is very much needed once in a while.

I was helping a little girl catch a fish and missed your presentation but did look over th tower later. Very innovative.

I'm sorry I couldn't recall plant for Quilter but more than likely I will be up that way again one day and then I can bring it or if she will contact me I can ship it I'm sure. Maybe Quilter will host a RU when she is thru working her yard.

Thanks again for attending.

Bonnie

I don't think I got a chance to pick my camera up once but Sherii (Sunkised) took some and I'm sure will post them on RU forum. Keep a lookout.

Bonnie

I'm chuckling over "when I'm thru working in my garden"!!!!!! Yesterday I enlarged the front bed to hide a bare spot in the yard. Next I'm putting a garden area around the base of my River Birch in the front to hide that bare spot.
I may reach a stopping place soon but "thru" - never!!!!

You can find photos of the RU here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1307323/

-Sherri

I want to give a huge THANKS to Bonnie for hosting the RU on Saturday! I had a great time and it was really nice to actually meet some of you and put faces to the names.

Bonnie, I got up Sunday morning and the Morning Glory I got from you had bloomed!

Agree with what Quilter said..."I may reach a stopping place soon but "thru" - never!!!!"

We may get to a stopping place on any given day, but we are never "thru" when it comes to gardening!

Yet another great Roundup! You know, I've been to quite a few of these over the past 10+ years and it's amazing that no matter how small or how large the crowd may be, everyone is an instant friend because of our shared love of gardening. It's my opinion that a more generous bunch of people you will never meet.

Erin,
I am thinking our paths have had to cross somewhere here in DeLand. I have said hello in the past to you, and haven't seen much talk until the tread obout the Master Gardeners event too late, and about your Tower Gardens.

Hello again!...and Thank You Sidney for sending me the Aloe.

I live in the first corner block house at the corner of West Howry and Marydell one block in from West New York Ave. We are also only 1 corner block West of Stone St. on W. Howry. I know this will make since to a DeLand gal,...and am looking forward to meeting you. You will easily recognize the place from the photos I have sent. otherwise D-mail me. Hope to here you sharing more here in the future and would love to see your gardens too!
************
Its good hearing from you all sharing, and am looking forward to looking at all the pic's. Thanks for the thread consolidating them Sherri...

David

Glad to hear back from you David. I'm awefully busy. I have four children, whom I homeschool, two of which are twin boys. I do lurk here, but that's how I tend to be and have been even as a child. I've lived in DeLand my whole life. So, it is possible.

My yard is nothing impressive. It is strewn with children's toys and a Power Wheels path around the trees and shrubs. I grow mostly native plants, or weeds, depending on how you look at it. This about all that will withstand my brood. My Tower Gardens are the only type of gardening I've had any luck with. I'm a very erratic gardener, or a fair weather gardener. I do not weed or water like I should, and I know it! In Florida that's a recipe for disaster.

You live right near our business, the Hitch 'n' Post. I'm sure I'll be able to make it by soon. I may not be able to stay because as I said I have four kids. I usually just do drop-offs or drive-bys, even for family.

I'll share the one and only photo I took at the RU, and yes it is of my Tower (and hubby). I was too busy talking to everyone and touring Bonnie's garden the rest of the time to snap any others. I'm also going to include the recipe for the cookie cake I made. The recipe says it makes one 14" cookie, but I did two 8" rounds. You can cut the recipe in half for one cookie also. I do not include the 2 cups chocolate chips, but a cup and a half or just one cup depending on how chocolatey you want it. I also omitted the nuts.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1.In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.
2.Gradually add flour, salt, and baking soda, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
3.Spread in greased 14 inch round pizza pan. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20-25 minutes. Cool cookie in pan on a cooling rack. Decorate as desired.

David - so you are just a couple blocks off 17? Almost walking distance from the quilt shop on Rich ave. I see a road trip in the near future!!!

Rich ave. is the first road parallel to New York on the Northside Q. West Howry is the first parallel on the southside! Very easy to find...

I went outside to find the grass pathways filled with holes and torn up. I think I know where the Opossums live and I have to call animal control soon. Up in The deep eaves on my garage!!!

David, I didn't think animal control would do anything about that. We had peacocks in our neighborhood and they wouldn't do a thing. We were going to have to hire someone like critter control to get them at $100 per bird! It was a nightmare we couldn't afford. It did resolve though because the neighbor who was letting them roost in their tree had to get a new roof. The roofers told them to keep the peacocks away or they'd ruin their roof. Ever since then they hosed them off with water to make them move along. I haven't seen or more importantly heard a peacock in years.

Erin

We used to have 5 peafowl. You should see what they do to the finish on a car.

We ended up eating them.

Bonnie

I wish we could've caught those birds. We'd have eaten them too!

Erin

My kids 4 cars were parked out front at that time and my oldest son about 17 came in and said Mom those birds have got to go so I handed him the 22 and that ended that. They were very pretty and roosted in the oak out front at night and were quiet unless somebody or dogs came around. 1 used to go down the road and visit my neighbor cause she gave them donuts and that one got hit in the road. Now we have so much traffic here they would never survive and they don't like being caged so they are out of the question now.

I'm surprised animal control won't move them to a zoo. They will really tear up a garden also looking for bugs in the ground I guess. Used to have mallard ducks but now I have a lab she would probably chase them so its just cows, cats and a dog for now.

Bonnie

I was pregnant with my daughter when those birds were roosting in the neighbors live oak. I would be exhausted laying there listening to them scream. The county wouldn't do a thing. Everyone just passed the buck and my sleep suffered. I was thrilled when they were gone. Beautiful, but horrible animals.

Erin