Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Your Neck of the Woods 2015 Part 5

huge congratulations!

Congratulations! I hope they find a good place to live.

Thanks, guys. I will pass on your good wishes. I am emailing with Rosemary in the NE forum. She happens to live in one of his target towns. So I will be passing on info to our son.

We've been working most of the summer getting ready for my brother-in-law's memorial service. It is getting down to the wire - next Saturday is the day. Feels like crunch time. Mike's sister estimates that there will be 175 - 200 people coming. We've had big gatherings at the house before, but they usually have been around 50 people, sometimes topping out at 100 max. The logistics for the number that we are expecting should be interesting. We are renting one of those big 30'x40' tents in addition to the 10'x10' canopies we have, borrowing a big smoker for brisket, renting a port-a-potty, and will be prepping lots of food. People have also offered to bring side dishes and desserts. When my brother-in-law passed away this spring, Bonnie decided that she wanted a celebration of life summer picnic vs a traditional funeral service. Lots of family coming from out of town and lots of local friends. Will be quite an event. Keeping fingers crossed for good weather.

Wow, that sounds like it will be one heck of a shindig!

Your place is so beautiful, I'm sure all will appreciate everything and enjoy all the company and memories

Man that is a big party, sounds like you have it all handled pretty well. I am sure there will be a lot of laughter and tears as people tell stories and share remembrances.

Yes I'm sure it will be both laughter and tears. He wouldn't want the tears, but I'm sure there will be moments during the memorial service part of the day. They belonged to a Harley Davidson motor cycle club, and I think one of the more poignant moments will be when 50+ of these riders come up the road as a group. They will go around the circle driveway then down a path through the woods and line the motorcycles up on the pond dam.

Holly--

Any time I see one of these mega motorcycle events where some 100 riders, all well
behaved, ride on highways as a group. You know it is for a reason---and I just find it
so beautiful. It always brings tears to my eyes....

The most touching Harley Ride I have seen happened on the NJ Turnpike.
I was driving home from my X-mas get-together with my sister's family--just spacing out--
doing 70mph as everyone does--when all of a sudden--in the left lane--there comes
a whole caravan of Harleys--everyone dressed in Christmas attire--red lights a-flashing
on their motorcycles....I was in awe! Tried to get to my camera--but could not.

Later, back home, I was describing this to someone st work, who also rides a Harley,
and he said--"AHHH--that was their "Christmas Ride"....

I guarantee no one complained that this caravan was hogging the fast lane for miles!

Here's a cute little article in NY Times about mimics in the insect world: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/08/20/science/spot-the-mimic-quiz.html?_r=0

neat!

I flunked!

I did too Muddy; got 1/3. Sad!! ;)

A belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you Ric, sorry I'm so late!! How's everything feeling since that last epidural? Those things are great, huh?

Aspen, how did the memorial service go? I bet it was a beautiful event, made even more so by the Harley riders. One of those lovely gentlemen Gentlemen has been our across-the-street neighbor for years, and a kinder, gentler soul you'd have a hard time finding.

The memorial service and celebration of life party picnic went great. The weather was beautiful, perfectly sunny and breezy with extremely low humidity. The service was kicked off with the Harley riders coming in single file with their flags flying. What a roar coming down our gravel lane and what an amazing sight. It was the first of several choked up moments. Another was when my niece did a eulogy for her father. There was also a very large hawk that was gliding on the wind currents high above us all during the service. Some people believe that birds carry the spirit of a deceased loved one during special events. I don't know if I believe that or not, but it certainly gave me goosies. To my extreme relief, the logistics for over 200 hundred people worked out well too. All in all, a spectacular day.

Wonderful to hear, aspen!! I have goosies just reading about it.

Glad to hear Aspen. Sounds like it was indeed a celebration. That certainly is interesting about the hawk.

I'm glad such a special event went off so smoothly. I thought of you when I read the good forecast for Frederick on Saturday! Goosies, indeed. :-)

hooray!!!!

I'm so glad that it all went so beautifully for you and your family Aspen, YAY!!! Yeah, goosies all the way around, gosh! < =')

It sounds like it was a beautiful gathering, Aspen.

Aspen, it sounds like a beautiful celebration of life.

We just came back from a mini vacation in Maine. We had great food in Portland, shopped at the giant LL Bean flagship stores (that never close) in Kittering, took a ferry to one of the islands, and checked out Kennebunkport where the elder Bush couple live. I took just a couple of pictures of the breathtaking ocean views, and a whole bunch of pictures of the lovely gardens! LOL

I learned that one of the islands has a *terrible* problem with deer. How did the deer get to the island that's 15 minutes away by ferry? They SWAM! D: There were 80+ deer, all sick and malnourished, and they were ravaging the islanders' gardens. The parks department ended up culling the herd down to 20, which is a much more reasonable number for the size of the island.

There were lovely tree hydrangeas, much bigger than any than I've seen in this mid Atlantic. Hydrangea paniculata and Black-eyed Susans were probably the common garden plants.

1 a typical garden on the island.

2 this person was so sick of the deer that she decided to just paint pictures of flowers!

3 another typical island garden.

4 a huge clump of joe Pye weed at our bed and breakfast.

5. The Bush compound in the background. And I think that's native lysimachia on the foreground!

I also noticed a TON of roses with giant rose hips the size of golf balls. These roses had extremely thorny stems. Could they be the invasive multiflora rose?



This message was edited Aug 29, 2015 7:53 AM

that all looks lovely, must have been a nice getaway!

I've never noticed hips on local multiflora rose. It doesn't seem like MF rose (LOL) would do that.

I love Maine!

It is another beautiful Saturday. It seems surreal that there were over 200 people here last weekend. I've had time to unwind and time to think about it. It was a wonderful and touching day and I was glad to be a part of it.

SSG, your photos of Maine are just how I've always pictured it. I've never been there, but it has always been on my bucket list. One of these days I'll get up there and to the Canadian maritime provinces, especially Prince Edward Island. Sound like you had a great vacation!

I'm glad you had a nice vacation, ssg!
Doesn't that house with the painted flowers have Hosta ?

Apparently the deer haven't been as much of an issue since the culling. I saw a lot of really nice looking hosta on the island.

It was interesting to see what kind of plants survived their extremely harsh winter. They had to pay people to shovel their roofs!

Those roses might have been Rosa rugosa; did the hips look like these? http://www.hort.net/profile/ros/rosru/

Yes! That was it!

Hardy to zone 2A and tolerant to salt sprays! No wonder it was so widely planted!

Anyone else watched 'Call the Midwife"?

Aspenhill, Sounds like a lovely send off. I was thinking maybe you should think of a side business renting out your lovely property for Weddings.
Sally I just love "Call the Midwifes"



So I just dropped in to say "HI" from Vancouver. The Alaska part of the trip and the Cruise are done. Now just 4 days in Vancouver and we will be home shortly. Yesterday we toured 2 Gardens and a conservatory, it is all just beautiful. I haven't downloaded any pic yet but I will put together a little show for you all when we get home.

Sounds like a great trip!

Holly, Vancouver's on my list of cities to visit. I hope you're having a great time!

Have been thinking about you, two!! Anxious to hear all about it.

Ric and I just love Vancouver, it is really a gardeners city. Small little court way gardens. Roof top gardens and I mean real gardens with good size ponds and full size trees. Our hotel has one with huge Rhodies on the third floor roof which opens into the convention center rooms. Ric and I were out there last night taking pics. Ric said even the weeds in the rain garden drains look good. LOL

For anybody who was eyeing my pink-handled "soil knife" at the spring swap.. AM Leonard is having free shipping on any order this weekend.

http://www.amleo.com/Search.aspx?ss=soil+knife

I swear, I'd go back in time and buy more tools from Frank's Nursery and Craft store. Those trowels are indestructible.

Holly, I figured you guys took a trip. My brother and SIL just did Alaska cruise too.

Sally--
You are SOOOO right! FN&C had amazing products!

I am still using the hoses I bought from them 18 or more years ago.
MAN!!! Do these hoses get a work-out!!! I use them every day!

Also--a pair of pruning shears...they DO need to be sharpened though.....
Never thought i would miss that place!!! Worked there for 5 years before
I came to the HD. been at HD 17 years now!

Anyone want to research what killed "Franks"?
From what I remember--"AC Moore" and "Michael's" and "Joannes" did the nasty deed!
Franks cut out a lot of their craft products--especially all the yarns.

Franks was just too deep into all the "Crafts" things--and later segued to more
"Lifestyles" type of merchandise. Expensive yard and Garden accessories---Fu-Fu stuff--
Bird baths--(I still use 2 of the ones I got there).
They were the only place you could get replacement parts for concrete B--baths...

Overall--I battled many a manager! To me--there was NO set orders and rules.
ASM's were just associates one day--managers the next. HUH???

One of them, a goofy guy, I know, was on drugs--the other , a slutty looking broad, was...
I don't know what she was--except covered in make up all day, long black hair,
sleuthing around like a hooker. WHERE did these people come from?

The managers were constantly being shifted around. There seemed to be NO policies--
just whatever the current Manager decided went. I waged war on a couple of them...

I was a bit "lost" in this type of "culture"--but I ran the best darn houseplant Dept of them all!

I finally quit, after 5 years, to preserve my sanity with these off-the-street ASM's.
That is when i started my mission to be hired at the HD. In the Green House!
Went looking for this job at the wrong time of the year--October.

After 5 trips over several months--they finally hired me in mid-April. Been there 17 yrs. now,

G.

Franks died due to terrible management/ lack of leadership, it seems. It was the first store I remembered with big crafts and of course I thought the greenhouse was great. Joanne's ate their lunch on crafts, which saved Joannes with sewing declining. Hancock Fabrics uses decor and drapery/upholstery and quilting to support their clothing fabrics. Michaels chewed up some of the JoAnnes around here. Michaels employees at the store near me aren't generally that great. Used to love Hechinger's..
And so it goes, dog eat dog business.

Hey guys we are home. WOW what a great trip. 4 days in Anchorage Alaska, then hop on the Cruise Boat for a 7 day Cruise, stopped at Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. Spend some quality time glazing at amazing Mountains, Glaciers, Gardens and Wildlife. Then the last 4 days in Vancouver. We came home to this. LOL