Canna #4

vadap, what an impressive garden for a cooler climate! you've apparently been working really hard

Red, you're fortunate at least to have a verry clean slate, lol! I know nothing of the climate/rainfall there, (is that rocks in the dirt or clay clumps?) but at least you're in an upper cold hardiness range.

Wow! The fun you can have with that. Isn't it a bit like the mediterranean climate? The gardens of southern France and Spain are absolutely beautiful. Roses, lavender, and locals like agastache and penstomens. Lots of work ahead, but man, the possibilities.

ha ha ha - I know, yesterday I was feeling overwhelmed. I got some things in the ground tho and that has helped, for some reason digging the first hole was as intimidating as he**!

The soil is weird Trop, lots of rocks - but I don't know if that's from them digging for the house ?? And when you do get it wet, it is silty/muddy - I imagine that is clay. Argh, I'm used to the PNW, have to adjust. First thing, I think I should get a load of compost and just pile it over the whole dang slope - yesterday I told my DH I felt like I was "chopping rocks" not really planting. It rains 14" per year, mostly Dec/Jan/Feb. (In Tualatin, OR it rained that much in one month - so way different for me)

yep, it is mediterranean -which I love. The hills around here are mostly dead & brown, then you'll turn the corner and see one completely filled with grapes , the vines are loaded (and they are picking right now, too ) really pretty.

so we'll see, I think I've already made mistakes (which is how I learn anything unfortunately) ... but I'm thinking no grass :)

Redtootsiepop, is your property a brand new resident or one that was neglected by a previous owner? If the former, keep in mind that all the top soil on the property was carted off by the developer or the builder, leaving only the soil under it, and in that area it is mostly clay. I was raised in the Walnut CreekConcord area and it was originally orchards - mainly almonds. Part of our home was the home of ground squirrels and my Dad fought them every year he lived in the house. Dad - 0, Ground Squirrels - +++. You will especially appreciate trees; tall trees. It can get quite hot there in the summer. Our summers were probably a little warmer than yours will be. We had the same weather as Sacramento. Frost in the winter at times, but no real freeze if I remember right. (I've lived away from California for 40 years now.) By the way, before I forget, Sunset's Garden Book is really useful in the bay area. I think there are 8-12 different plant zones. I hope you have a wonderful time planning and planting your gardens. Dotti

Red, dottik is dead on with the new soil, especially if it is a new build. I know here in Aurora, which has seen tons of new builds that I have participated in, the city REQUIRES a minimum of 4 yards of compost to 1000 sq feet just to plant grass. Personally, I'd get a couple more than that and get it dug in deep, at least 6" as a minimum. Around here, you can have sand in one yard and clay just down the street. Either way, it needs help. I love the idea of no grass. If I knew I was living in this house long term, the grass would nearly be gone already.

Thank you dotti and Paul (Paul, I was going to ask you about the soil, since this is new construction) you are both dead on right - it seems clayish, but there are so many ding dang rocks. I'm definitely going to have compost delivered, I need too much to do bagged compost. I'm going to focus on the slope first, if I try to do the whole yard - it will just be too much.

Dotti - it is hot ! But it cools off at night way more than I would've thought. Ok, ok - I get it, NO PLanting for a while!!! I get the soil amended and hopefully get some plants in when it does cool off some. I bet your Dad hated those ground squirrels! lol, we have a squirrel that drops (accidentally, I'm sure) half-eaten pomengranates from the neighbors tree in our backyard. We're hoping we get to pick a few, if there are any left.

yummmmmmm just dug

yum, break out the marshmallows and pecans....

Those are some BEAUTS !!!! - Are you eating them now?

yes for dinner

Aw man. Just need some butter, cinnamon and honey! Yum.

LOL

Was that your birthday dinner - a present from the garden ?

no i had baked stufed egg plant to night am makeing chinese soup

yum yum σούπα lol Παύλου

LOL ! :D

can u share your recipe for the soup? I'm a big fan of soup - was the eggplant from your garden?

Ok this ones for Sweet Red Bean Soup Red bean soup is both a popular snack and a sweet dessert soup. Azuki beans are a "yang" or warming food. Tangerine peel, used in many recipes, is thought to aid digestion.

Azuki beans, dried lotus seeds, and dried tangerine peel are sold in plastic bags in Chinese or Asian markets.
Cook Time: 1 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup azuki (adzuki) beans
6 - 8 cups water
1 strip dried tangerine peel or fresh orange peel
1/4 - 1/2 cup (about 1 1/4 - 2 1/2 ounces) dried lotus seeds
6 - 8 tablespoons brown sugar, as desired
Preparation:
1. Soak the azuki beans in water overnight to soften. (While the beans won't have completely softened, they will have expanded considerably). Drain.
2. About 2 hours before making the soup, place the dried lotus seeds in a bowl with enough water to cover.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring the 6 cups of water with the tangerine peel to a boil. (The soup can be thicker or thinner as desired. I usually start with 6 cups of water, and then add more boiling water at the end with the brown sugar if I want to thin it a bit.)
4. Turn the heat down, add the adzuki beans and lotus seeds and simmer, partially covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are softened to the point where they are just beginning to break apart.
5. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if desired. (I usually start with 1/3 cup and then add more, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed). Thin the soup by adding boiling water if desired.
Remove the dried tangerine peel before serving. Serve the red bean soup hot or cold. Serves 6 - 8.

Variations:
*Use white instead of brown sugar
*Other versions of this dish are made with longan seeds, lotus roots or lily bulbs.p] Another recipe for Sweet Red Bean Soup
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I'm Baaaaacccck!!!

My computer went kaput several weeks ago. We thought it was just the power supply but it turned out it was also the hard drive. So I had to order a new computer and finally got it today. It is running really slow on the internet but I am gonna try and figure out how to speed it up later tomorrow.

Other things have happened also. I no longer work at PG as of Tues. So I am now job hunting. Hope to find something soon. :~)

wow, pepper, wish you luck on finding the right fit job-wise..

nice deal getting a new pc , good to have you back

I am glad to be back. lol. Now I won't have to worry about getting so many phone calls from a friend on here trying to help me organize a RU. lol

I am glad to be back. lol.

welcome back pepper

that's right pepper, you were brave enough to have folks tromping thru your place....I know I couldn't....

welcome back Pepper - I've missed your posts. Good luck with the job search : )

** Phicks, Thanks for the soup recipe!

It's actually being held at my grandma's place. Her house is bigger and she has more land. My house can't hold too many people at a time. lol. We learned that the hard way.

I need to print off that soup recipe too. Course that means figuring out how to get the printer to work with the computer. This thing is a pain sometimes. lol

I feel for you and the new computer.. uploading all that stuff again.. ugh.. trying to get everything working the way you want it.. I don't eny you one bit. I have to hook up a new printer.. have the new one sitting here for weeks and have not done it. Still using the old one just printing streaky stuff with no real color.. no, cleaning will not work nor will new color cartridges.. already tried that for months..

Hey PePper am looking for a Maid

Hahahaha. I'm out of that business. Might work in the gift shop at PG if the woman in charge is hiring and am thinking of getting on at the Cafe there too. Part time on both.

OK, just have to share with someone.. my brother lived in Galveston, TX.. they got out before hurrican Ike hit but had to leave most things behind in their rented two story home and he tied his boat at the marina the best he could in a large slip. Upon return he was lucky to find the house still standing with most of the downstairs washed away but the upstairs still intact with only a couple inches of water damage up there.. he then found his boat to be one of only two to have survived in all the boats at the marina. We have been so worried and happy for them. They still have no place to live.. are staying with her son... his stepson right now... well, he moved back down to live on the boat tonight because he has work to do.. he works for many of the realestate agencies in the area doing repair and remodeling work and has tons of work to do... well.. just got off the phone with him and he told me "the rest of the story"... he did not tell me all of the truth how lucky he really is until now.... yes his house is still standing... barely.. one wall is off the foundation.. the only access upstairs is by climbing... he can only get some things out he can carry while he climbs... all stairs and decks are gone.. even the stairs inside the downstairs are gone... his house and the neighbors on one side are the only ones left standing on their street... glad he waited a week to tell us that part... he had gotten what he could out before telling me that.. will try to figure out a way to get more out soon. I told him to get their clothes out ASAP.. it is VERY expensive to replace all that!!! They do not have insurance on anything.

Tammie

...thank you for letting me share.. this has been so stressful on us.. I can't imagine how much stress he and all those living there are under.

Wow!! Glad he and the family made it out ok.

Oh wow Tammie - I can't even imagine having to climb upstairs - good lord. I'm glad he has work, that is good. Does his family need any clothes- shoes, I have alot of kids clothes (some adult) clothes going to Goodwill. I'd be happy to ship a box down.

wow..makes you feel lucky...

are these folks getting the help they need down there?...I'm not seeing much about it on the news....

We are sending them money to live on right now... told them not to use the credit cards! They are still trying to pay off their lossesses from Huricane Wilma! They got flooded out in the Keys then! He got some of their clothes out a few days ago. I told him last night to get his friend over there with him ASAP and get their clothes out.. I hope he does that... everything else they can replace. They got the TV, stero and some other things out before the storm.. took them with them in a small trailer.. he also took all his work tools... that was a smart move. They were planning on packing more the day before the hurricane arrived but the water started rising over 22 hours before its arrival and they had to leave long before planned. The house was on the water... just inland on the island. Here is a pic beside the house... doesn't look that bad in the picture but there used to be a big covered deck with staris at the far end and the opening on the side had a deck and an A/C unit before. It is now open toward the water.. there used to be a big covered pavillion where they had outdoor furniture and did cookouts and enjoyed the water. that pile of debris is 5 ft high in most places.. it is the remains of all the other homes in the area that were completely destroyed. They had to bulldoze the street just to get to the house. One wall is off the foundation and the opposite wall on the other side of the house only has studs remaining.. no outside siding or sheetrock in place. The inside stairs going upstairs are gone too. Will send a before pic also

here is a before pic of the other end with the deck this is looking through the pavillion from the little dock.. now gone... low tide.. you can just see the white stairs that went up to the front deck ... all gone.. the yellow house on the right I think is now completely gone.. I am going to ask him to take some more area pictures when he gets a chance.

Tammie

Good thing they were renting, and his boat survived. Life and priorities of a sailor. My ex BIL lives on the north side of Houston, about 75 miles from Galveston. They had 2 houses on his block demolished from pine trees crashing on them. I remember the 83 hurricane that came over Houston, and by the time it got to us up north, it wasn't much of anything. Big contrast to this one. I saw those pics on TV with Geraldo by the break water, and the water lapping over it. Had to explain to the OH that its about a 20' drop to the beach! We used to drive our cars up & down the concrete slope, coming up off the beach. Oh the memories. Figure ZZTop should do a benefit concert with the Balinese getting wiped out. And the Flagship hotel got wiped out! I stayed there a couple of times in my youth, and thought that thing would stand the test of time. And the reason you don't hear much is because it's TEXAS! They may gripe and grumble, but they'll get things taken care of and won't ask for help in the process. If you want to help, they'll appreciate it, but they won't ask for it. This country used to be like that. Tammie, I wish nothing but luck in your brothers time of hardship, Nothing like family being there for each other, especially in time of need. I'll keep you and yours in my thoughts. Paul.

holy cow - I still can't get over that the INSide stairs are wiped out. I'm glad he had the forsight to take his tools.

* I'm with Trop, I wish they would show more on the news, It's hardly even been in the paper here (I need to switch newspapers)

Olivia turns 8 today !

I can't get over that either. I'm just about speechless.

Well, RU went great on Sat but the bad news is that one front brake on my truck was completely gone and I didn't know it til my dad drove it. Tore up my rotor so I have to get a new rotor for that side and nwe pads on both front tires. Thankfully it was just that one and not the other. :~)

Tell Olivia Happy Birthday for me!

Thank you Pep - I took some popsicles for her class to enjoy at recess.

I need to start attacking my slope in the backyard, I'll post a picture when I get going.... it's starting to cool off a bit. I went to Univ of CA Berkeley Botanical Garden Sale (that was a mouthful) yesterday and got a few things. And we got to see alot of college kids cleaning beer cups off their patios ---- ha ha ha ha ! My kids were like "you can drink beer in college, but wait - you aren't 21 until the last year of college? " Darn, it's tough when they can do math in their heads.

here is a pic of what remains of the stairs.. he said if they will let him ... he may try to rebuild them enough to try to get some of their things out if it is stable enough.. that is a door sitting on one of the cross pieces.. otherwise, there are no risers there or treads to step on... just some of the side pieces and part of the wall is still there.. you can see outside ... that is her cedar chest and a trash can from.. well, somewhere! LOL

Yes, they don't ask for a lot of help, you did not hear a lot about people crying for help after Wilma in the Keys either. Their whole island got wiped out then and the only help they got was on day 3 the national guard came by and gave them a bag of ice and a meal in a styrofoam tray... that was it! My parents sent them $8,000 then to help buy a new car.. lost both vehicles and the motor to the boat and all his tools... generator etc... they got more out this time.... but lost their home.... seems worse this time eventhough they got more out because they don't have a place to live. Their house survived last time... just lost stuff. Interesting how it works out.

Hey, Pepper... had the pads and rotors on my van replaced last month.. was only $149 for all.. the people who did it were great. found a small little garage who do personal great work here... now I finally have good place to take my vehicles.

Tammie

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