Coleus Chatters thru May 25th...

Morning Sunshine!!!!!! We came from here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/846870/#new

How is everyone this beautiful morning? We had the most glorious weather all weekend and accomplished so much, but unfortunately not enough as there's still hours & hours of work ahead.

Brandi, per your request and in honor of Chris Baker....

Your everlasting summer
You can see it fading fast
So you grab a piece of something
That you think is gonna last
You wouldn't know a diamond
If you held it in your hand
The things you think are precious
I can't understand

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

You been tellin' me you're a genius
Since you were seventeen
In all the time I've known you
I still don't know what you mean
The weekend at the college
Didn't turn out like you planned
The things that pass for knowledge
I can't understand

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine


I spend a lot of money
And I spent a lot of time
The trip we made in Hollywood
Is etched upon my mind
After all the things we've done and seen
You find another man
The things you think are useless
I can't understand

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine


Sidney, you're starting work tonight? I'm so happy for you that your call came in and I hope this gets you to where you want to be and can have your retirement so you can play all you want!!!

Can you all even believe that it's almost June? I just can't believe it as I really thought in March that I was so far ahead of the game this year. Not true! LOL One more week of hard work for me at the computer & it's over, I can be found outside the rest of the year.!

Have a beautiful day everyone...

Paisley Shawl an old pic but one of my favorites in the garden!

morning everyone. how goes it.
sidney, good luck with the new job

G'Mornin' Folks! It's a beautiful day here in Southeast Texas. Not much happening. Still can't wear shoes so poor Grace will miss her walk this morning. She looked so expectant as hubby was getting ready to leave. We usually go walking right after he leaves. I hated to disappoint her and I miss the walks myself.

Folks, I have a prayer request this morning. First a bit of a background...

My great Aunt Grace is in a nursing home in Virginia. She's been there for several years. Every single morning, rain, snow or sunshine, my Aunt drives over 10 miles to go take her coffee and visit with her. Aunt Grace is somewhere between 92 and 94. I can never remember exactly how old she is. Aunt Grace has always been one of our favorite "old people".

The ladies of the NH refer to her as their Southern Belle. Aunt Grace has never been married and we've always lovingly referred to her as the Old Maid of the family. She's the last of the Dukes to survive. She had 12 brothers and sisters. She was the youngest.

When we were trying to decide what to call our big lab, I realized that she was born on Aunt Grace's birthday, so we called her Gracie Duke. Grace's first litter of puppies was born on Aunt Grace's birthday also.

Anyhow, Aunt Grace has gotten to the point where she isn't responding to the nurses or to Auntie, though she did eat just a smidgen of food yesterday when Auntie and Mom got to the NH. I'm sure she's ready to "go Home" to be with the Lord. This is going to be the hardest on Auntie and Mom, but especially on Auntie because she's always cared for Aunt Grace. I hope someone loves me as much if I ever end up in a nursing home.

Please keep them all in your prayers at this time. I know God listens.

Thank you so much,
Janet

This photo was taken several years ago when she went into the nursing home.

Janet

Sending prayers and hugs your way . . .

Patty

sending prayers to you and yours

Bless Aunt Grace and your Auntie too. They will both be blessed with the time they had together.
You are all in my prayers along with Ted and hhis DM.
Sidney

Prayers on the way.

Hap

Thank you all so much. I, and my family really appreciate your prayers and warm thoughts.

Janet

praying for your family and Aunt Gracie...

joy

Just got an email from Mom this afternoon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you could have seen how delighted we were when we went in this morning and Aunt Grace was talking and acted like she felt so much better. We certainly would have gone sooner if we had of known she was doing so well. Some one else had fed her breakfast but Carolyn (Auntie) didn't know it and when she ask her if she wanted ice cream she said yes. We still thought she had not had breakfast even though Aunt Grace said she had. Then we found out Aunt Grace was right she really did have eggs and bacon for breakfast, etc. and someone fed her.

On the way out we talked to the Nurse and she said I don't think she is close because she had checked her out and talked to her. Yesterday they were saying it was very close. The Nurse said she had no idea what happened to her over the weekend. Aunt Grace did keep saying I wish I knew what made me so sick a couple days ago. That was Sat. & yesterday. At least she knew she was very sick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you all for being here for me and for your faith. I never doubted that God listens to our prayers!

Just got back from grocery shopping. Had to wear my garden clogs because those are the only shoes that don't bind my toes up and bump against that sore toe. Yeah, I was "stylin'! " HAHAHA After all of that walking around, my foot is hurting now. I think I'll go put my feet up for a while and let them rest.

Janet

Prayers can do wonders. I know what you have been going through.

I hope she keeps doing well, Janet. I wonder if someone gave her a wrong medication or a new one. I remember when my Mom was in the hospital, a nurse started giving her a mood elavator that had been actually discontinued a long time before. After 2 days of her being almost comatose, I finally got out of the nurse a list of all the meds she had been given and I discovered the mistake.

This is what Mom wrote on Saturday morning.
Things are not good with Aunt Grace and we had two nurses to talk to us for about an hour or more about her condition. It is only a matter of time and we have OKed that they not do anything extra for her. They will continue to give her the medicine they are giving her now and pain medicine, etc. Her veins have gone bad. As Carolyn said it will be the waiting that will be hard to take. We know it will happen and one of the nurses said it could be a month but it could happen any time. When they give her fluid in the vein it just revives her for a very short while. Even giving her the fluid is hard on the heart. The one nurse explained it carefully and had tears in her eyes because she calls Aunt Grace a Southern Belle. They both seemed to like her a lot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't know Kell. Mom said she's been a bit disoriented lately. Not knowing where she was, not remembering things, or just not making any sense at all. Aunt Grace has always had an excellent memory.

Thank you for the well wishes. We can only hope that when she does pass on, she makes her journey in her sleep, painlessly.

Janet, sending well wishes for your Aunt Grace, as well as your mom, TAR. Hap, add my thoughts for Armando also. I believe T&P's can do wonders too!

Brinda, I'm sorry to hear about you poor little plantlets going for a swim, how sad. I'm so glad you & your family are safe though, yikes!

My coleus are hanging on for dear life here and got a very welcome dash of rain yesterday morning, maybe an 1/8 of an inch, but at least it was something. So many plants have been dropping leaves from the heat and dry winds, it's been a really tough spring. My rain dances haven't done a lot of good, but I'll keep trying!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Cathy

They work better at micnight

Hello my coleus friends!

8 days to go . . . .we have bus evacuation training this morning so I have my first period for an indefinate amount of time. Waiting for them to call my group to go out and load up.

How is everyone today? We are starting to feel that good ole South Texas heat. It's been in the 90's the past few days. I get up and go out on the patio in the morning before school and it feels so pleasant and I long to be out playing in the garden. By the time I get home, it's in the 90's, I'm tired from being stuck in a classroom all day, and I don't feel like sweating that late in the day. Oh to be free . . . .

If anybody has a picture of Icky Fingers handy, would you post it please. I think I bought one this weekend. I'm not at home so I can't post my picture to check.

Have a great Tuesday!!!

Patty

Thanks again for y'all's thoughts and prayers.

In another thread Sidney said,

Here's the word from Mom's email this morning:

This morning we have been talking about how good AG was yesterday and how much she laughed and joked about different things. She kept saying what in the world was wrong with me the last two days and where did they take me. We told her no place but she said I know I went some place different. Honestly, from the way she was acting yesterday she may snap out of this problem and still live a long time. Carolyn and I are afraid she heard those two nurses talking about how bad she was on Saturday. She was even worse on Sunday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I cannot help but be convinced that everyone's prayers have been answered, for a time, anyway.

I can just about hear (in my mind) Aunt Grace saying to Mom and Auntie, "Deed Honest, Colleen, this biiidy (body) was some place else." Growing up, I remember Aunt Grace's every sentence began with "Deed Honest!" ^_^

Aunt Grace and Aunt Eltie (God rest her sweet soul) were both the Old Maids of the family. They lived in the old family homestead after everyone else was gone (whether dead or married and moved on). The house was dilapidated so badly. Had no indoor plumbing, and nothing but an old wood stove (I think it was wood) in the living room, for heat.

After Aunt Eltie died in 1982, Aunt Grace just couldn't live in that house by herself. So there was an auction. My Mom and Dad bought the house and the 8 acres it was sitting on. They spent the first summer there working on the house. Putting Vinyl Siding on the house and adding indoor plumbing. Tearing down and burning all of the old buildings that were rat and snake infested and barely standing. As the corn crib was about to be set on fire, one of the neighbors came over and complained to my Dad. Didn't he know that was a landmark? My great grandfather Duke had a still in that corn crib and supplied everyone around with whiskey. My Dad looked at him and told him that it was an eyesore and a safety hazard and that it was coming down.

As you can see from this collage of photos, the old house has gone from a "Pasture in Disaster" to something from Better Homes and Gardens. It's one of the prettiest houses in Bentonville. Every year, when Mom goes there for the summer, someone comes by to tell Mom how much they admire the work that's been done on it. Last year, Mom had all of the windows replaced with double insulated Anderson windows that open so that they can be cleaned. That's Connie in front of the house in 1975. Our Cousin Sheree is on the front porch.

Aunt Grace saw the house after Mom and Daddy did all of their work, but it's been years though since she's seen the house and all of the changes in it. I wish she could see it now. She'd be so pleased.

I know this was more than you all wanted to know, but thought you all might enjoy the story.

Good Morning!

Janet, it's great to hear that Aunt Grace is better, prayers are a wonderful thing!

Ted, I do hope your DM is doing better! How are you?

Patty... not much longer! Yippee....

Well, this day has been one of those that I'd like to crawl back in bed & start over again. LOL My Sweet Mom called at 6:30 this morning wanting me to come get her and take her back to Chase's house. She stayed with Xman for a few hours last night and just knew that she had lost her wallet. She said she had realized it was missing around midnight so got in her car and drove to their house with a flashlight and was looking around in the grass, driveway & street for it. Sheesh... the woman is braver than I am. Anyway, I picked her up this morning & we went back to Chase's house and looked everywhere... no wallet. She was just sick and we were going home so she could call her credit card companies to cancel her cards. I told her that we should look again at her house and sure enough, the wallet was down in the cushion of her recliner. Whew... I thought my day was gonna be a good one.

Nope... got home and started working and my computer froze. Nothing...nada...zilch. My mouse is frozen in the same spot and I'm stuck. What to do? I hate this stuff!!! LOL And now I'm typing on DH's laptop and I hate them. I've asked on the computer forum so hopefully someone will have some ideas. Xing my fingers!!!

OK... nuff typing on this stupid laptop. I hope you all have a fabulous day...

BEEP!!

Cathy..so glad your coleus got a drink! I think S5idney meant the rain dance works better at midnight:-)

Janet..what a wonderful history and photos! My prayers are with you and yours. Hope she lives to make another visit to that wonderful property...Is the corn crib still standing?

Brinda..I did the same thing with my wallet last week and this week it was the house keys..I'm getting so use to misplacing stuff, i don think about calling to cancel credit cards until after I do the laundry and check the bottom of the washer:-).

Icky Fingers from last year...

Wasnt someone looking for SongBird?

http://cgi.ebay.com/WHOLESALE-LOT-OF-36-COLEUS-FC-SONGSBIRD-LIVE-PLANTS_W0QQitemZ250250222222QQihZ015QQcategoryZ3183QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Whatd'yaknow... my puter is unstuck! LOL

Joyce, that Songbird looks so different from mine last year.

No Jada, the corn crib was torn down and burnt in a pile. The only outbuilding left standing is a storage shed that Mom and Auntie put winter things in. It's off behind/beside the house, so you don't see it from the road. Curb Appeal is very important to my Mom. :-)

Janet

Thanks for the picture Joyce. Mine is Icky Fingers.

Wow your Songbird is pretty Brinda. I may have to add that to my RD order.

Patty, that is a pic from last year and I no longer have it.

But... (always a but) I'm thinking of placing an RD order this weekend and adding it. I just loved it and certainly it was at the top of my list last year.

WARNING: Any of you thinking of placing an RD order... their last ship date for the year is June 2nd and that's less than two weeks from now!!!!

Hi all!

Sidney, thanks for the tip about the midnight rain dance scheduling! Way past my bedtime though, sundown is more my speed. Something, somewhere worked though, we got 1/2" of rain earlier, yippee!

I walked around the garden and took pictures, I finally didn't have to play slave to the garden hose, whew!

Jadajoyce, that Ebay site is terribly tempting, but I'm sticking to my guns and just looking! It's so difficult. I did pick up a nice hanging basket on the clearance rack at Lowe's the other day- 2 big beautiful coleus, a few draping ground covers and a coral geranium, all for 10 bucks!

Janet, that picture of the family homestead is lovely. I especially appreciate the gingerbread on the porch of the old house picture. I love gingerbread detailing! What a great family you have. :-)

Maybe a few more pictures outside before it gets dark!

Cathy

Lowe's bargain

Closer view of the coleus

Does anyone recognize this one? I got this nice sized plant at HD for $2.49, what a steal!
It looks sort of like Defiance, but has a nice wavy edge to the leaves. Sadly the cuttings I took from this one and the one above didn't make it. The dry winds and high heat did them in. Pooh.

Cathy

Jada! It was ME!!! yAY!!!! THANKS!
:)

Sidney....I got 17 minutes of light rain....keep dancing!!!


whooohooo, what a day!

I just got inside at 8PM. Tom had ribs and fresh peas and mashed potatoes with barbeque sauce ready and waiting. I came limping (my hip went out this week with no hx of it) in swearing to myself NO MORE PLANTS!! Still such a mess with no end in sight. Still doing spring cleaning outside. I must get done with that before I start planting my zillion 4 inch plants I have been buying in earnest for 2 months. Some are starting to die so I have got to get them into bigger pots.

And then I see Brinda say order fast at RD and see the coleus Cathy posted at Post #4981263 and get all hot and bothered again. I have such a list at RD, I will be bankrupt! I need to go to Cathy's HD and Lowes!

I just loved your pictures of your charming old house, Janet. Did anyone save that incredible gingerbread that was on each side of your front porch posts? Just so beautiful.

Beep beep Hap. Go Patty Go! A few days to freedom.

And Brin, I am so happy I read your post here about being stuck. I now get it. LOL Hope you finish this work ASAP and come back and play!

As I came in tonight, I took some pictures on the way. So much is in bloom. I got to the backyard and was so overcome with such an incredible fragrance. If I could bottle its scent, it would make me wealthy! If I could only have 1 brug, let it be a true Arborea. Not as pretty as some but oh what a scent!

PS My Amaryllis 'Charisma' is about to make some seed if anyone wants some.

Kell, you are too funny with your "zillion 4 inch plants," I was hoping for an attached picture of the plant masses! The brug and the amaryllis are beautiful!

Seems like our humidity may be here to stay, finally, might try taking some more cuttings to root and share. The few in the tray from last weekend, mainly broken stems from the squirrels digging around the coleus (can you imagine the nerve?!) or a slug itching for my wrath, look all happy and perky with the rain yesterday. Wish me luck!

Mary, glad to hear you got some rain too, hopefully we'll all get more to make our coleus big and strong!

Have a coleus-filled day!
Cathy

City Lights

G'Morning Folks!

Cathy, you got some real beauties on the Rescue Me Aisle at Lowe's. I bought many plants there last year and the year before, but don't ever remember seeing such beautiful coleus there. I haven't even looked this year. I've been trying to stay out of temptation's pathway.

Kell, so sorry to hear about your hip. Limping around is no fun at all. You're very lucky that your hubby cooks and it sounds like he cooks deliciously! Your brug and your amaryllis are beautiful Kell. I have a lovely brug in my front yard that I've never seen bloom. It's taller than me, "Y'ed" and the foliage is full and beautiful. I've fed it with Miracle Grow Shake and Feed and watered it religiously. It's been in the ground since last summer and I sure hope it does something soon to deserve it's place of honor and space. It's HUGE! Is there special food that I should be giving him? I think it's a Dr. Seuss. See Photo below of it.

As for the gingerbread trim on the porch. Last year the whole front porch had to be replaced. It was rotten in so many places. The house looks as it does in the bottom photo, so they didn't put the trim back up. They may have saved it though. I really don't know. I haven't been back to Virginia since 1997.

Connie and I were talking yesterday about making a trip one of these days. It would be neat to go in the winter when there is snow. But Mom would be in San Antonio then. I haven't been there in wintertime since I was a baby and I sure don't remember that! HAHAHA Some of you may be thinking to yourselves, Snow ain't all it's cracked up to be. I've always had this desire to make a snow angel... just once in my lifetime.

Just heard hubby up stirring around. I think I'll go compare "bed head" with him. HAHAHAHA

Be back later on.

Janet

Edited to add: That split leaf Philodendron has been moved and the Brug has gotten even taller. That photo was taken a few weeks ago.

This message was edited May 21, 2008 6:05 AM

Janet

Rj told me that brugs are heavy feeders. I think he uses water soluable plant food like MG in the feeder bottle or fish emulsion and I think he uses it weekly or twice a month. I try to do the same. I also have african violet food that a friend brought me and she said the nursery told her she could use it on everything (they did). Anyway I mix it up in a bucket and it works well to bring on the bloom. One of mine blooms constantly; the other has been a little slow to bloom.

I believe Kell is very knowledgeable about brugs so hopefully she will chime in and give us some tips to get them blooming. Where are you Kell????

Brinda thanks for the heads up on RD's last ship date; I will be putting in my much desired order within the next day or two. Can't go the whole season without a mail order of coleus now can I? What kind of addict would I be? I've spent several days looking through their website pictures and my order seems to change constantly. I'm just going to have to pick some and as Nike says "just do it" and be satisfied with my selections.

7 DAYS UNTIL FREEDOM

Have a great Wednesday everybody!!!! gotta go outside for morning duty . . . such fun . . . NOT!!!!!!

Patty

I was sleeping Patti. LOL. It is just getting to be 7am here now. Janet, are you sure it has Yed? Doesn't look it to me. I am not sure what numbers your fertilizer has, but I use the regular Miracle Grow, old formula and new, and mine flower even with a nitrogen of 30. I think it just yours needs more time. Is it in the sun? They flower best with some sun.

If it hasn't formed buds in another 6 weeks, maybe lower your nitrogen. Are you sure it has Yed? It looks to me like you just have sideshoots. Could be Dr. Seuss with the serrated leaves.

Do you have Messenger? It causes brugs to mature faster and flower I have noticed. The only downside is they Y much shorter so you do not get a nice lollipop tree if you prefer that style of growth to a bush, which I do.

I have a brug that is going on 5 years old and has never flowered! Do you believe it? LOL. It is now a war between us. And it is winning

Cathy, maybe later I will take pics but I am not sure it is wise to document your own insanity. You never know when your husband may use it against you.

I never take joy in other's misfortune, regardless of the source. Today was as close as I've ever gotten.. LOL I didn't enjoy your situation Kell.. but I sure did enjoy reading someone doing exactly what I am and that I'm not the only one!
Kell.. we are sooo in the same boat.. I have so many plants to plant.. I go from hating them to buying more.. It was so nice to read your post that I am not alone! If I ever get them planted.. it will be an awesome sight.. but I'm wondering seriously if it's gonna happen.
My back is fine, but I stepped on the hose barefooted my toes rolled under and broke my second toe in 2 places.. so I'm hobbling again!!!!!!!
If my body could keep up with me, I'd be done by now!
I hope your hip gets better soon Kell.
My maintenance man said I should name my garden "Gimpy Garden" cause I'm always limping for some reason!

Beep, beep... honk, honk ~~~~~~~~~

Cathy, Dale uses a loin cloth for his raindance... maybe you should consider that? LOL

Kell, I am unstuck! I have no idea what happened to my computer yesterday but it was certainly STUCK and not one thing would happen. Hmmmm? Time for a new one? I sure hope not but I'm sure it will do it again....

ZZ.. OUCH! That makes my toe hurt just thinking about it. I do hope you get better soon.

On the run... somehow I have to produce 1000 records/judgements in just 2 days. I need a miracle!!!!!

Have a beautiful day everyone...

Kell, your comment about documenting one's own insanity had me cracking up! I guess I have quite the file against myself... Good thing DH and I have our computers in different rooms!

ZZ, I hope your toe gets better quickly! That's got to be miserable, especially when you have so many babiez to water!

Brinda, I'm not so sure about the loincloth (LOL), but I did wear my grass skirt, cacao shell & jingly bell belt last Saturday, so maybe that's what brought the rain. I'll be at the beach tonight, maybe we'll get more rain tomorrow!
I think you posted a picture of Christmas Candy at one time that I drooled over and I was lucky to get it in my Color Farm collection. It's finally starting to do a little something- we need more rain!

Dale, we need more pictures of your plants for sale that will be ready soon.....

Cathy

Kell, I went out and took some photos today of the ungrateful brug.

I've never had them before so you'll have to tell me for sure if this has "Y'ed".

Another shot from a different angle.