February 2015 Dreaming of Springtime.

Short month, so here's our new thread.

Happy Groundhog Day!

well good, now we can get another month of confusing weather.
back yard right now..what an ugly mess..that black trash can is what Joe keeps over the chiminia.
I have nothing marked so it is a surprise when spring comes and things start waking up.
My bamboo is dried looking too, Will, but it is always that way in winter.Until it gets really big.
Found this black locust pod o a walk with Joe.the fig tree is really going to town since it got frozen and then brought in.

JW, nice greenery there with the potted house plants.

Everything is pretty dead and dreary outdoors right now. I'm glad to be seeing daylight before and after work for a change. More daylight is encouraging. We only about a month away from daylight savings time. I enjoy coming home from work and spending time outdoors before sundown.

My yard really needs cleaning up. Much paper trash has blown up since I last picked up the yard a few weeks ago. I wish some money would blow up into my yard! lol

Of course, we didn't get any snow here. I'm sorry for the folks dealing with the frigid temps, ice, and snow. We did get a lucky break; though Chloe wouldn't agree with me because she wants snow days from school and loves playing in it; like any kid!

Off to Bible study and prayer meeting. My pastor is still doing well sporting his new prosthetic leg. He walks with a walker or a cane, but he's getting better with the physical therapy. : )

I like that "Whispering Groundhog" that was "whispering" in the guy's ear and bit his ear!

Thanks Jw, that is good news about the bamboo.

This was yesterday when I was out and about, it all started with what I thought was a neat photo, (I take my camera with me alot). It then became unbelievable, in about 2 hours or less when I was out yesterday I got stopped by 3 trains! - pics 1, 2 and 3
The 4th photo is just a wider view of what I thought was a neat photo of the first train. -
That looks like alot of snow but it's not much.

I'm no kid but I still love the snow. My favorite cousin just shakes his head and laughs at me. Snowball fights and sledding is super fun. Driving on ice.. not so much. lol

We have a couple more inches coming in tomorrow but I'm not letting it slow me down. Gotta go visit a friend who lives about 30 min from me and I'm going regardless of the snow. A couple inches won't hurt me... I hope I don't jinx myself now. LOL!!

Great pics Will!!

I love trains. Most around here don't cross highways. Over, under or whatever.

Thanks pepper! In that third pic I remember that was the longest and slowest train I believe I've ever waited on. That thing was long and it was going about 5 mph, when it was done there was about 150 automobiles ready to go!

When I was little I used to wave at the conductors when they drove by the laundry mat we used. They loved it. I quit when my mom started picking on me and calling them my boyfriends. LOL. I'll do it occasionally now if I'm in the right spot.

Bernie, most of ours crosses highways and roads and in a lot of places run parallel. In the town directly north of me the train runs between the Missouri River and the backwoods highway there. It's neat if you can get up front and wave then pass otherwise it ruins the view. lol

I ride a commuter train to work & get a thrill every time we cross the Mississippi River. I'd rather ride the train than wait on it. Nice pics Will.

Pepper, I like playing in the snow too. Just avoid the yellow stuff. lol

Those pics are really neat Will. We wait on trains a lot here. Now after all these years, we know when to go earlier to avoid the wait. Joe got to drive a train when he was a youngster, his dad worked for the railroad. That was when there were trains down town a lot.
I used to love to play in the snow when the kids were little. Now, I just like snow for the moisture. we are still n a drought here.
Green, I am so glad you get to spend so much time with your beautiful Chloe,. If I want to see Emma, I have to make a trip into town as they have yet to come down here to Derby to see us.

I don't mind driving in the snow when I am in my Honda, but mostly I just try to avoid it ..

Betty,
Thanks for the new thread!
Even tho they get ratty, I LOVE cornflowers!

When we first moved in here the train went by, across the road. I'd stand my daughter on the couch to watch. It also ran behind DH's house when he was a kid. I was farther ''in'' but could look to the west from my house and see it going south to north. I still have the flattened penny I put on the tracks too :o)

Yesterday, I pulled everything out from under the bed, struggled to pull the bed away from the headboard and vacuumed, dusted, mopped and sprayed all the box tops with Febreeze before pushing the bed back and all the boxes back under. I have a space wide enough on each side of the bed for my butt to not get stuck (much...) and about 4' at the foot to work in, before I pull it out a good foot. Most of the boxes hold, yep Knick-knacks!! Tell me I didn't earn sleeping in this morning, LOL!
It's going to be -11 tomorrow so we got groceries this morning. The weekend will be nice so we'll get all four grandkids overnight. Saturday we are going to build a huge tent!

Have a grand rest of the day!!

Oh we are getting more and more snow!!!!! Ugh. My poor hubby has been oit there evryday when I come home from work. Shoveling and blowing the driveway out. The little sno blower we got works really pretty good. It is old but lomg as it works. I really never ha e been a person to play in the snow to much. My one brother would be out there all day. My mom would almost have to drag him in the house. I envied that. I would just stand there and shiver. Lol. Now I just dig down deep and take the xog for a walk and really almost enjoy it. Love the fresh air in my lungs after being in the stuffy hospital all day.

okay well, u guys have made my feeling of being cold to a feeling of being really cold, LOL love ya anyways/always.

Thanks Debra!
Awww.. you love us, and we love you too, (even though you drive a Honda, just kidding I drive a Toyota!)!

It's not real cold right now, it is 22°, tomorrow it looks like around zero according to the forecast from channel 41. - http://www.kshb.com/weather Eeekk -11, that will shiver the timbers!

I remember, my litttle brother and me used to hold flashlites under our faces for the conductors of the trains that went just beyond our back yard at nite. I'm sure that scared them bad, 2 little kids with flashlites..lol

I've rode the Amtrak one time and we hit a car that was on the tracks that trip. Actually, Amtrak might be leaving Kansas City because they can't afford the newly required collision avoidance system here, I don't know about Stl. I've lived here all of my life and I don't remember waiting on trains so much as that day. I usually can avoid them if I don't have a minute to spare.

Eeekk Ronna, I'd be scared I'd get sick if I worked in a hospital.

BP, that was the last flower left blooming after the frost hit. I guess they're hardy too.

Will, this area has a lot of industry (always has) and you can't go anywhere without crossing some train tracks. Look at this area on a map, and you'll see what I'm talking about. I once considered how much of my life has been spent waiting on trains. We do have more overpasses now, so it's getting better. The MCT bike trail system is paved former train tracks that probably led to the old stockyards along the riverfront. This business is located in Madison, IL and customizes luxury passenger train cars.

http://www.gatewayrailservices.com/interiors.html

Debra, I agree that it's better to have your grandkids close by. I would be driving up to KC every chance I had to see your little Emma. : )

I grew up by the Chain of Rocks Canal where my dad often took me and my 4 sisters fishing; until the barge workers started wolf whistling as they passed by. Boy did my dad's face turn red! lol

Hi Betty. I wish passenger trains would come more often, maybe I just don't see them. They're short and are always traveling fast, they might hold you up at a crossing for 30 seconds.
I went to that link you did, very interesting how they restore too.

Not to make this area sound pitiful but Kansas City is like Stl's little brother. Stl is the biggest city in the state, I never denied it..lol They have bigger and mostly better everything. Stl is a little too close to Chicago though for me. Stl should be called "The Gateway to the South" not the west. I wish KC was closer to Memphis and straight down I-55 to the Gulf states region like Stl is though.

Will, I don't know about the traveling thru to from those cities, but I have driven to all of them at one time, wish there was a train to take me to san antonio. ( from Wichita).
Hay posted on another thread, am offering to you all as well.
Someone had posted that Oleander is hard to grow from seed, and my replay was: "Well, I like a challenge then! I can do the cuttings of the Oleander, but have never tried a seed."

I have a little game for people that love to start from seeds, or DG'rs who would like to try.
. If anyone can name the the seeds on this plate, or get within 75% of naming them, I will send the plate of seeds for a prize to grow, trade or give away.
What would make me the happiest, is that someone would plant and grow at least 2 of each seed, and show us the results. Any takers? First look at different sides in the plastic container, then the plate of those seeds at the end. For Pics, go here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1383592/#ixzz3QqocXFJ5

What does KC and STL have that Chicago doesn't? A better growing season. Memphis? Even better. Now we're talking zone envy. LOL I have been to KC and Memphis a few times, but never Chicago. I've only went past it on the way to Milwaukee around 1975. My family's roots are southern, so I've mostly traveled in that direction where peanuts, tobacco, are cotton grown.

It's 10 F here this morning and feels like -2 F with about an inch or 2 of frozen stuff on the ground. I'd better get going.

Happy Thursday, February 5th everyone! We're going up the river road eagle watching Saturday and the weather is suppose to be nice and warm. Something to look forward to. : )

Ronna,
Your avatar is adorable! How old is she already?
We already cleaned up a foot of snow and got maybe half an inch yesterday. I hear you on the old snow blower. We were gifted Dad's years ago. And I mean one he used for years and years before that. Last year we finally got a new one!
Oh my, we would come in and change into dry thermals, pants and gloves and go back out to play in the snow!
Some days the air is almost like an apple, crisp and refreshing!

Debra and present company,
I love ya anyways/always too :o)

Will,
ROTFL!!! And I'm sure the train men were too! I'm going to laugh about that for a LONG time!
We still have trains run thru a couple of towns, but they aren't that long. In Muscatine there is a road called Boxcar Road.
We still need to ride Amtrak somewhere.

Betty,
I should have volunteer cornflowers this year. Some years the bed is almost choked and others I have one or two to reseed. Funny how that goes. I guess that's why cottage gardens can be so ''changing'' on their own.
We have a coal train in Muscatine that never stops. Muscatine is also polluted by their Water and Power plant....
Laughing, but I'll bet your Dad was red!

Debra,
I am drawing a blank on the seeds. I can guess clematis, liatris and butterfly weed. Maybe a zinnia. I should know the ''beans'' ah, sweet pea!

Betty,
Happy 5th to you too! We seem to have eagles all over the place and not just along the river. I've spotted two nests.

We get all four grand kids Friday and Saturday we're going to build a huge tent!
I also bought a second can of blue and green Pla-Doh and added black and white. It should be a busy weekend :o)

Have a good day!

Has anyone ever grown leeks from seed? Bernie? I'm thinking that it'd be best to start indoors in flats? I bought a pack of American Flag.

I agree with BP. Ronna your avatar is the sweet and so is Debra's. Wish the babies could make it to the RU. Wouldn't that fun!

I have to go because it Thursday which is Rehab Addict night on DIY. Take care all and stay warm.

I don't grow leeks at all.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1386060/

Debsroots has a seed starting question for you seed people. :~)

GB I have Leeks , have grown them for decades , Spring is good , fall is okay also , easy grow onion ,, like that sort of plant ,

We have the Highest accident percentage of people , train , vehicle train accidents in the nation,, Town started as a transport rail stop ,, well started as a river raft transport stop actually . How far back you want to go thing ,
Slowed some since factories left ..

Aww love you guys too! lol

JW...I have no clue lol

Betty, when I lived in England my neighbor grew them at the alotment. She'd start indoors and when she went to plant outside she'd take a pencil and poke a hole in the ground and pop them in

Betty,
I did many many many years ago. They were as big as baseball bats, but I really didn't know what to do with them. My old cookbooks didn't cover them and I didn't have internet then. Now I see they make a wonder full soup. I'd make a potato soup with them.
Yes, start them indoors just like onion seed. They are easy to grow.

Wow Ju,
Accidents waiting to happen. That's not very encouraging!

Busy day and weekend coming up for me.

Have a good one!

Thanks all for answering my question about the leeks. I could always bring my extras to the RU?

Chloe is spending the night since Carla works an early shift tomorrow. We're going up the river road with friends to eagle watch. Yep, we'll be passing thru Alton.

I hope everyone has great weekend weather.

I guess I am dumb here, I don't grow leeks, or onions, or even garlic.. Maybe I should since Joe buys those things all the time.
Are you all ready for spring yet?

There is a challenge going on in Beginner's Veggie Gardening. Badcat is already in it and so am I. We need more of you guys. lol

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1385922/

LOL! I meant to come post this but I got lost in a seed catalog! Ty Pepper!!

You're welcome! LOL. I'm looking in Baker Creek's catalog now. lol

I'll visit for a bit. I've been there before and met some nice folks.

Saw a robin in the neighbor's backyard yesterday evening when the temps are so pleasant. We're freezing here now. Poor thing! Anyone else see robins yet?

I almost forgot to mention that I did start my tomato, pepper, and eggplant seeds.

Haven't seen robins yet. Just cardinals and other usual winter birds.

No Robins here that I've seen either, I think I saw them before now last year though.

And this is why you put plastic bags and sacks over stuff that cat's have taken a shine to laying on. That's fresh kitty puke adorning the top of a tv, (BUT, on top of plastic that I put down first..lol). Even the cat knows it's gross and won't lay in it, I wish it would lay in it!

Well, I got all renewed up for another year. Sorry but you guys have to put up with me some more. I'll try not to be so cantankerous this year.
Will

Oh yes, we have had Robins since mid january here.
Glad you got some seeds started. Mine are popping up everywhere.
I am leaving Friday am for an out of town trip, hoping they stay moist while I'm gone 7 days.

I have felt that way before ,, Ewwwwwww ..

How are all doing ? no Robins , few Birds , Did hear some wild geese flying over last week ..

I have some more Bamboo sprouts , soon as they are large enough ,, pic them I will , If these Sprouts grow I will be having 4 kinds of Bamboo ,,
3 Fargesia and a river cane ..

One day I will learn to grow these suckers !!! The one that came up last night is a little sooner than two weeks ,, That is fast ,, Hoping it is really that ,,

Hibiscus and an albo -carea Fargesia At least it is a bamboo

looking real good!