A RED LETTER DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS

I am the absolute worst photographer there is. I get too caught up in what is going on to even remember to take a picture. They are very vivid in my mind. Will give you just a smidge.

This was our opportunity to meet IslandShari and her DH, JB. We spent the biggest part of our time together at Rjuddharrisons beautiful home and garden. Texasgal77 came by later in the afternoon. It was like Christmas with exchanges of gifts and, of course, plants.

This is Shari straight off the escalator and hugging my DH, Mike. Can you tell she is excited? And am I? with the camera moving.

Just looook at those dimples..

JB, Shari's DH, looks a little dazed. After all his wife and I were embarrassing him by jumping all around and acting like little girls...now that is one thing we will both always be...happy little girls that get to come out and play every now and then.

Randy's home already digging out the loot...

His home is very inviting and he is the consumate host.

Smiles all around all day long. Randy served coffee and tea.

Even Shari's eyes smile...

Lots of laughing and all around good time.

And here is my sweetheart of almost 48 years...spoils me rotten.

Told you I am a bad photographer. We had brunch at Java-Java. Would highly recommend it. Had new house specialty called Waffalupa. Delicious.

Randy, the gentleman, holding the door for Shari.

Jeanne, Texasgal77 was waiting for us at Randy's when we returned from brunch. Caught JB as well. (Next time Mike will be in charge of the camera)

And she laughed at my hand talking....


Forgot to mention, if you look in left hand side you can see Janet's (UniqueDesigns) gecko she made for Randy. It is just at the edge of the pond. As a group we are beginning to leave our clues everywhere.
Ain't it great!

This message was edited Nov 15, 2007 5:32 PM

No possible way to capture with a camera the glories of Randy's garden. Everything is over the top. He hedged a lot on the question of what he feeds everything. Has to be more than the Houston zone 9. His neighbors plants were very ordinary size. Not Randy's. Kind of like "Jack and the Beanstalk".
I have major envy. What I grow in a small pot and pet to keep alive grows above his roof. Have you ever, ever seen a 6-7 inch trunk on a castor bean? Some 15' or better tall? In the past would have called it the magic touch. Know better now that it represents a lot of elbow grease to produce a green thumb.

Here is the crew. L-R

Jeanne, Randy, Shari, Mike, Christi, JB

We could have stayed on if there were not flights to catch and others to meet.

At the airport...so long for now. I'm standing on the curb to I look as tall as Shari...don't you think we could be sisters? Both have deep dimples.

Better than that, in the last few months we have discovered we have a soulmate somewhere on this planet that appreciates every day and every blessing. While it may have seemed a long distance to Houston...consider Shari and JB were just in from Brownsville, Texas, from Kwajlein, Marshall Islands. Jetlag big time.
They were off to Colorado to visit daughter and more friends. I feel so fortunate that we were able to share a few hours in their short time in the states. Now, when I go to Kwaj guess that will have to be it for the entire visit. atoll 1/2 mile wide, 3 1/2 miles long. They are special people.

So are Randy and Jeanne. Randy has lived on other continents and Jeanne was raised by her Marine family in Hawai`i. All so interesting for once it was easy to listen and learn.

Almost forgot. Will have to unplug the camera and take pictures of the hand made beauties that Shari brought to us.

Even brought a large, fantastic book called "IZ, voice of the people". I about died.

Will be ready for the islands in February. Oh My Gosh! I am sooo blessed.


be right back..got to take the pictures.

Camera cannot capture the intricate weaving on these pieces. Quite sure that the artisans do not get enough for their wares. Perfection.

Forgot to photograph the basket. Oh well, next time.

This message was edited Nov 15, 2007 2:14 PM

This message was edited Nov 15, 2007 5:35 PM

nuff said...

Our friends of many years as always recognized the latent islanders within..

"Welcome to Paradise"

bobble head and all

LouC has her grass skirt and is already practicing for the trip to Hawai`i.

Mike is always ready to go anywhere she wants....even to the ends of the earth.

As you can see, LouC has her handbag and has already been filling the shopping bags in anticipation of being fashionable at all times. Mike is keeping the home fires going and getting the meals ready.

Already time for Santa to get the list ready..

When the whole gang is together they set up quite a chatter. No naps when they are together.

....' That's all Folks'...

Christi, how fortunate that you got to meet Shari and her husband, I wish I could have been there, it looks like you guys had a wonderful time.
Josephine.

LouC ..Loved your pics and you "talk good story" as they say in the islands! Got to say I'm jealous ya'll got to go to Randy's. That's an amazing guy with a drop dead gorgeous garden. I'm not sure, but I believe I heard he concocts his 'special' soil mixture with leftover wine under a full moon.........

hahahaha...from the looks of the plants that sounds perfectly reasonable.
The only thing I have ever seen that compares is the atrium at OpryLand Hotel in Nashville, TN.

What a wonderful show and tell, thanks for sharing your afternoon! I am envying Randy's garden too!
Cathy

WOW - I wish I could have made it there...

I so wish...

What a great time you must have had.

We did have a great time!!!!!!!!! The time just flew by! It was so wonderful to get to see everyone!!!!!

Jeanne

Ahhh. Thanks Chrisi,
I got to re-live a bit of yesterday with the pictures..
One of my favorite moments was the talking with hands..and you BUSTED her sooooo good..and got it on film! Way to go! I'm still having a good laugh over that.

You know..the only thing I do with the plants..is not pick up leaves until spring, in fact for the front garden since there are no trees..Is pick up the nicely bagged leaves that lovely neighbors seem to leave in front of their house for me! (okay...they leave it for the trash pick up) - but I'll throw those leaves on the front garden. I started with the Alocasia section this week, so you really couldn't see them from the front. I will be finishing this month. It does save on the mulching bill too..
I do fertilize most of my tropicals with Hibiscus fertilzer / analysis 18-8-28 soluable fertilzer that I get at Houston Fertilizer www.yardgeek.com
(only available at Houston Fertizler as it is their own product)

LOL, I have no secrets and in fact have all of my conjecture, theories and experiments are chronicled in my blogs. http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/m/rjuddharrison/
Probably the two that would be interesting to you is
Fertilzers, Soils, Plant Nutrients and..
http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/rjuddharrison/1624/
OFF THE SHELF GARDEN TIPS H202/ASPIRIN AND..
http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/rjuddharrison/1923/


I forgot, but this might be something that the plants really love.. I put out alfalfa pellets 3 times a year, they are infused with cotton seed, Sea Weed, Mollases and fish emulsion. I also get that at yardgeek, or Houston Fertilzer.

I haven't started the "elbow grease" section yet...:)

It was great meeting you. You always have a sparkle in your eye, and a mischievious fun about you!

Rj


This message was edited Nov 15, 2007 5:33 PM

Obviously, there are a lot lurkers by the count. Come on, make your precense known.

Just got here. So great to see you all at last and having so much fun.

Kathleen

Youall look like you had the time of your life!!!!
Dimples and a red head,oh my I think I'm blushing!!!LOL
Thanks LouC,for taking time to bring some people to life,I feel like I know all of you now,after getting to see what words just don't seem to bring to life sometimes!!!

Thanks for posting the photos, Christi, lovely to see everyone! In my heart and mind I was with you all at that RU!

Oh LouC ! I think you may possibly have made a very bad error in judgement posting those magnificent pink sculptures here in the tropic forum since they are obviously fine art at it's very best and would be better displayed in the Artists forums or displayed in a fine art museum! LOL Who knew flamingos could be so fun!

Now I need to peruse Randy's Blogs and see what not so secret tricks he has hidden in there.

Looks like everyone had a wonderful time. So glad you all could get together. It's so nice to put faces with the "voices" I hear in these threads. Thanks for sharing the photos.

Janet

My friend of over 40 years brings the flamingos. Said they just remind her soooo much of Mike and I. She has been my Ethel side kick all these years. It is wild that the four of us in this couple group actually are so much like Ricky, Lucy, Fred and Ethel. We always have a great time.

Gosh, be sure you check out the thread on Dave's about the possibility of a convention. Your enthusiasum and yearning to meet each other inspired me and last night I started a new threhttp://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/790716/ad. Need your feelings about it.

This message was edited Nov 16, 2007 7:39 AM

Janet, did you see your gecko? somewhere above I gave you credit. Such a cute little guy.

I just went back and looked. He looks cute there. But I'm going to tell you, just like I told Randy. As much as I'd love to take credit for that cute little rascal, I didn't make the lizard. The credit goes to Connie. I had no part in creating him. She's the topiary queen of Southeast Texas. :-)


edited to add: He DID ride in my truck to Randy's house. 8^}

This message was edited Nov 16, 2007 7:53 AM

sorry, Randy had it mixed up. The two of you are so clever and talented I have a hard time remembering who did what or if you did it together. fits the whole atmosphere just right, don't you think?

HAHAHAHA Don't feel bad. We get confusion from many folks here in town. All of the ladies at the thrift store think we're twins. :-)

I'd love to have been there for this awesome get-together. I can only imagine the non stop laughing and smiling.

This was not a true RU and don't want anyone to think they were left out. Months ago IslandShari and I connected. Discussed how we could get together while they were in the states. Houston was the only choice. With the shared interest with Randy it just sort of happened that we included him, actually expecting to meet at a restaurant someplace. Only in the last few days did the visit become his home and Jeanne came as she had been to his place just a couple of weeks ago. It was actually kind of spontaneous. Because of the warm feelings I always have with DGer's the idea of a convention was born. Now don't you know a large group would really make the place rock...laughing all the time. Seems that after being in the garden we are all so mellow and don't tend to stress as much. Mike is already saying he wished we had had more time to really visit.