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chelone_gw

Idyll 337, let's hear it for War Admiral!

chelone
16 years ago

I have nothing more exciting to offer than that in 1937 War Admiral won the Triple Crown and Mum was 11 years old. War Admiral was the get of Brush Up and Man O' War. How's that for trivial?

Comments (102)

  • gardeningmary
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    (((((((Chelone)))))))and your family too. You were loving, caring, practical, honest and one of the best advocates a person could ever wish to have. I hope your mother can rest in peace, and you in the knowledge of all you did for her. The photos are lovely and I hope your memories of your Mum will be the same.

    Mary

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    (((Chelone))) Those pictures are a beautiful memorial! Losing one's mother is always a heartbreaking event no matter what the circumstances. My condolences to you and your family.

    Susan

  • chelone
    Original Author
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It's a strange sort of place I'm in right now. I'm intermittently sad and tear stained, yet alternately relieved and joyful. I think I understand "bittersweet" better now and my next "Indian" or "Chinese" meal will be more meaningful.

    Your kind thoughts and words mean more than many of you will know for some time to come... . I have shared things with you (and heaven knows who else, lol!) that are very personal; and are too seldom the things shared when a person must care for a failing parent. You have been supportive, sympathetic, and have fearlessly elbowed me out of the depths of self-pity and doubt. I thank you for that, and I do so most heartily.

    It will be OK, it always IS! and it's right and proper that I should "sorrow" now. But, as I said, I don't sorrow for the loss of Mum... I sorrow more for what I wasn't able to give her. And I know I wasn't able to to that, and it will be OK.

    Mum was a librarian. She imbued in my brother and me with a love of books and delight in reading. One of her favorites was, "The Enormous Egg", by Oliver Butterworth, c. 1956. It might be perfect for your David, Mary maybe Jacob or Megan or Matthew... . This is politcal commentary and satire at its best, but a wonderful story about choices. Anyway... I went shopping for a Christmas ornament in her memory and I found... a TRICERITOPS in blown glass, LOL!!! And as I was driving home the cloudy morning had given way to a perfect blue sky.

    It'll be OK.

    And I thank each and every one of you for your kind thoughts. :) One day, I hope I'll be able or repay the kindness.

  • just_t
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Chelone.....my sympathies to you and all who loved your mother.

    T.

  • Marian_2
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Eden, I love that "A Parable of Immortality by Henry Van Dyke ". I had never read that before.

    Chelone, I wish I had words of wisdom and comfort for you, but I know you are strong, and will be okay. I wish I could have been as good a daughter for both my mother and my father as you were to your mother.
    The pictures are priceless....

    Marian

  • veronicastrum
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A little mini-rant on our health care system. My doctor wanted me to get some routine blood work done, so I scheduled a "late start" at the office and last night I started my 14 hours of fasting. I woke up with the most horrendous sinus headache which I suffered through as I didn't know if popping some ibuprofen would affect the blood work. I get to the lab shortly after they open, and the receptionist informs me that my insurance company no longer allows me to have it done there. It would have been a thirty minute drive in traffic to the "approved" facility. I gave her a glare, said "I'm here, I've done my fasting, and I have a high deductible plan, so it's all coming out of my pocket anyway." Had to sign an affadavit to that effect, but I got it done.

    So how much does the insurance company save that it's worth another 1 hour of my time, not to mention the gas? My headache was so bad, I really think I would have had an accident had I tried to negotiate the trip in morning traffic. At least I know I can afford to cover the cost myself, but too many others can't. This system is just plain dumb! (EOR)

    Hi Marian! Glad to hear you are okay. Since I was so behind, I wasn't sure if your absence was brief or not. Because you asked, here are a couple of more photos. (Don't encourage me folks, I'll never stop!)

    A passion flower at Butchart:

    {{gwi:183586}}

    This next one is from my yard. This is a small lilac bush on the side of my driveway, but the photo is taken from the back side of the bush. We had no idea this was here until the leaves fell! After we've had a freeze and I'm sure it's vacant, I will bring it into the house for my fireplace mantle.

    {{gwi:183587}}

    Deanne, I understand what you are saying about wanting to keep over so many plants. Part of my mind says that the Rosy Dawn coleus were marvelous, grew fast, and can easily be repurchased next year. And the other part has stashed the plants in the garage for one more night so I can get all my cuttings done on Saturday. The first batch I did are growing strong.

    Now I'm off to a dinner meeting. The nice part is, it's only a mile from home tonight!

    TTYL,

    V.

  • veronicastrum
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oops - forgot about your question. E. Pink Double Delight has flowers identical to E. Razzmatazz, but it only grows about 24" tall (no flopping) and is supposed to be very floriferous. My plants have proved the latter statement to be very true!

    V.

  • dodgerdudette
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    FOR CHELONE

    {{gwi:183588}}

    Chelone, you have been an example to us all in your steadfastness and endless championing of Mums cause. How proud she no doubt would have been if she had been in a place to comprehend your efforts on her behalf. All the best to you and DB as you travel through the next few weeks and months. And thanks for sharing the lovely pics.

  • dodgerdudette
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good evening everyone. We are seeing the weather change a bit out here in the west, which will bring needed relief to the Socal fire situationMarian asked about proximity; I am a good 500 miles from any of the fires, Denise is much closer30, 40 50 ish miles I would say..right Denise ? They are in all directions from her. The area I used to live in in San Diego has been very hard hit. It is hard to describe these fires to those in different parts of the nation, they are not forest fires and in fact happen in suburbs that have been built in the hills around urban areas. We have native plants that require scorching for seed germination so wildfires are natural in a perverse way. The pressures of development have placed homes in the hills and canyons where these fires take hold. With no rainfall in summer and fall, the land is tinder dry .One of the fires is suspected to be deliberate. These are the worst I have seen in my lifetime.

    V, I too have just anted up and paid for things to avoid the aggravation of dealing with the health system. What I would really like is a lower premium. I dont use prescription, I dont get sick, I only go to the Dr about once every two years and I know it would be cheaper to just pay for all this stuff up front and have the insuance in case I really get sick-maybe a 5k deductable. Of course my d*%m teeth are a different story !

    Deanne ..I squirmed when I read of your yellow jacket experience. Ouch ! Always look into the cocktail before sipping ! Bet you will from now on..Pics of the new items from Inta ??

    Ok, busy work day tomorrow so Im off..

    Kathy in Napa

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    For Chelone...

    {{gwi:183589}}

    photo by Kevin Adams of the foothills in Great Smoky National Park.

  • Sue W (CT zone 6a)
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Chelone, when I read about your mum passing I was both sad and relieved for you as well. You did give her what she truly wanted, a loving, giving, caring daughter. Who could want for more?

    Sue

  • Lara Noles
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good Morning, I think autumn is finally here to stay. It's quite chilly out this morning. Still no killing frost here though. I do believe that's about to change in the next day of two. I'm still lugging in the last few tropicals, caring for them inside seems to take up much more time. I've had Bella the last three days and she'll be here again today and tomorrow so I'm not getting to much else. I'll leave you with this picture from yesterday and hope it starts your day with a smile.

    {{gwi:183590}}

    Eden

  • deanneart
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good morning all,

    Well the day dawned beautifully with a temp of 37 and patches of frost here and there but it doesnt look like Ive had any damage from it yet. Like Eden though, they are predicting a temp of 32 on Tuesday AM so that is now the deadline Im aiming for. I counted the pots in the container garden and there are now 20 of them instead of 40, I only have four left on the patio, twelve in the back yard, and eleven in the front. Ive probably missed a few but at least there are only fifty or so left to deal with instead of the 150 I started with. At ten a day Ill be done in five more days! LOL Tomorrow is supposed to be windy as heck again and whatever gets blown down is going to get chopped down. Its time, even though the Charles Grimaldi has surprised the heck out of me and put out another couple hundred flowers Im going to cut it all off if it gets blown over again.

    Eden that Bella is so cute! What a little darling. She must make you laugh on a regular basis. ~~ So how many more tropicals do you have left to get in? That is surely the truth about it taking more time to take care of them inside than it does outside. You should see that Maranta variegata I brought in. Ill grab a pic of it soon. Im really glad I decided to save it. Its a behemoth but a beautiful plant.

    Kathy, thanks for the empathy re wasp sting - it makes me squirm to even think of it. Nasty business! Ill make sure to check my drinks for stinging insects from now on. I dont care to ever repeat that experience.

    V. thanks for the info about the Echinacea. I"ll have to see how I like the Razzmatazz. ~~ That wasps nest gave me the willies for some reason! LOL

    Michelle, I dont know how that stone paint will perform outside but Ill let you know when I find out. It sure is giving those old foam pots a new lease on life.

    Wendy, the coleus are yours. Lunch soon sounds terrific.

    Kathy, here is a pic I snapped this morning of the new sculptures.
    {{gwi:183591}}

    And here is an aerial view of the terraces and the garden room on the hill
    {{gwi:183592}}

    OK lots to do today, have a terrific day everyone!
    Deanne

  • Lara Noles
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Deanne, I love the new sculptures! How can your gardens look so great this late in the season? Mine are covered in maple leaves. You're really progressing on getting in the container plants. I still need to bring in the cannas, waiting for frost to hit them first and the salvias are still out. Some of them have just begun really blooming but I'm going to have to get them in today and tomorrow. I've collected seed from the ones I can but still have at least a dozen to haul in and take cuttings of for insurance. I still have that dratted pile of mulch to spread too. I'd love to see a picture of the maranta. That's such a cool plant.

    Michelle, hope it stays dry for you so you can get the playhouse moved to the children's garden. It's raining here now and supposed to continue through today, tonight and part of tomorrow. We need it so I'm not complaining.

    Wendy, I loved the birthday pic you posted.

    V, You said what I've been thinking. I'm seriously considering not fiddling with coleus cuttings this year since they're not that hard to replace. I've been enjoying all the pictures you've posted lately.

    Bella will be here any minute so time to run.

    Eden

  • Sue W (CT zone 6a)
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    TGIF!

    Lots going on here right now. I have a new boss starting on Monday. Yesterday the old one packed up his office. His last official day was yesterday. He'll probably be around a few days next week to transition but that will be it. Hopefully the new guy will be as good but at this point I'm apprehensive. Personally this would not be a good time for me to change jobs or be out of work but you do what you have to, right?

    Anyway, temps are dropping here-got down to 39 or 40 last night. I still have Brugs in full bloom but will probably cut them back and toss them in the garage this weekend. Like some of you I'm only bringing in the big stuff this year. I plan to take some cuttings-begonias, red leafed hibiscus, maybe a few coleus but that's it.

    Eden, that parable of immortality was a favorite of my nana. It was read at her funeral.

    Deanne, perfect placement of the Inta sculptures. The outdoor room is really shaping up. Can't wait to enjoy a few cocktails out there next year!

    Thinking of Chelone this morning.

    Sue

  • deanneart
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Afternoon all,

    Thanks Eden and Sue, glad you like the placement of those sculptures. I don't think they'll live there forever but for now I'm liking the look there. I might just paint one of my obelisks a bright blue like Sue did.

    Eden, You asked for it, you got it! LOL
    {{gwi:183593}}

    {{gwi:183594}}

    and another pic of a couple of the plants I've brought in
    {{gwi:183595}}
    I sure hope that papyrus makes it as I love the look of it there with the statue.

    OK off to decant more pots and get the house ready for our weekly TGIF dinner with friends. Tonight I'm making chili and chicken soup with a nice loaf of Doug's nine grain bread. Yum...
    Deanne

  • gardenbug
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bittersweet thoughts to you Chelone. I remember posting such photos a while back. A sigh, a tear, and an arm around your shoulders.

    To Cynthia, another year gone by, a fresh new one beginning. No photos possible for now. :(

    I am at DH's office after a sushi lunch. Senior's prices for me now. :) Bought paint for the basement stairs. The basement room which suffered from mildew last year is now painted!

    The second Bouvier was not expecting puppies either. The timing was all wrong for them both. Either we wait until February March for a puppy or we deal with a more distant kennel where puppies were born YESTERDAY. Decisions.

    I am still adjusting to the vibrant exterior house paint colour...
    Also I have been reading the first selection for my new book club and enjoying it in spite of the fact it isn't that well written. The person who chose this book is German, and perhaps she doesn't detect the style is lacking. (Memoirs of a Lightkeeper's Son)

    In the garden the apple seedlings I started 3 years ago are planted. I now have six small stems planted and caged and am hoping that several survive!

    On the discouraging side, skunks have taken up residence and are destroying vast areas of lawn each night. No idea what to do. It looks as though Marian's armadillos have been rooting around there!

    I must go now. No idea when I can use my computer...the parts have not yet arrived. *^&$#@%$#*!

    Reed is busy growing blond hair. Where did that come from???

    'bug & 3 kitties

  • saucydog
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Chelone, so many others have said it so well....I am sorry for your loss and happy for your mother's peace. May you and your brother (and family) find the same.

    Sorry to hear of fires and tornadoes....happy to hear goodness come out of it. Brenda, I too wondered if a big shindig happened, but figured each year fades into winter the way my small garden does.....

    My friends in Lemon Grove, CA were evacuated and have returned in the time since my last post. I find the "germination of plant life/encroachment of human life" topic very interesting.....'nuff said.

    Beautiful pictures for Cynthia's big day! Happy Birthday Idyll friend....

    V., your pictures make me want to be in PNW now!!! Yes, Idyllunion sounds delightful! We can pull together people/resources for such an adventure!

    Things are busy here and I'm trying to fit my new business owner status in with stay at home mom....the birds don't seem to get that when the business phone rings they need to be quiet, but hey, the kids get it :)

    Saucy

  • Lara Noles
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good Rainy Saturday Morning,

    Deanne, I love looking at your indoor plant vingettes just as much as the outdoor ones. Love the statue and the painting! Done by you? Just beautiful! Oh and the plants look pretty good too:)

    Hi Sue, Hope everything works out with the new boss.

    Marie, so are you finding it true that you get much more accomplished throughout the day without the distractions of a computer? I hope those parts come soon. I miss hearing from you.

    Hi Saucy, sounds like the business is going well? Good to hear from you.

    I have Bella AGAIN today. This will be the 5th day in a row and I'm needing a break. Let's just say I slept really well last night. I'm off to the donut shop this morning. I need a treat! Have a great weekend.

    Chelone, thinking of you!

    Eden

  • michelle_zone4
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Morning all, I have a full day planned and I'm sure I will accomplish only a fraction of what I have on my list. Kenzie will come this evening to spend the night. I will have a crew here for harvesting so I will need to supply nourishment. There's lots to do in the garden and house. I went to town last night and picked up more flooring samples for my kitchen. I have such a hard time picking that kind of stuff out.

    Deanne, very cool plant vingnetes and your garden still looks lovely with the mellow fall look.

    Eden, Bella looks quite scholarly with her specs ;o)

    This has to be a quickie so have a great day!

    Michelle

  • deanneart
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good morning everyone,

    We are getting a lovely beneficial rain today, not the tropical deluges or a spit that doesnt do any good, just a nice constant rainfall that soaks in. I guess Im going to be working in the garage today. There is still so much left to do and Tuesday morning looks to be our first killing frost so thats a serious deadline. Ive left out a few of the fuchsias as I couldnt bear to cut the hundreds of flowers off but I guess Im going to have to do the hatchet job on them today. The hanging Dark Eyes is absolutely smothered with flowers and the Billy Greene fuchsias are unbelievable! Le sigh! (as Da used to say and I wonder what in the world she is doing these days?) Yesterday I counted 47 fuchsias in the garage ready for their winter nap and I still seem to have quite a few left to do. Where did all these fuchsias come from???? Could it be cuttings??? Oh yes, I forgot to mention the enormous Sun Ray fuchsia in the urn in the container garden. I really have to grab a photograph of that one before I chop it. That plant is seriously unbelievable.

    Yesterday I pretty much decided to let the seven foot papyrus go with the frost. There is just NO WAY I can winter over that enormous plant. Ill just have to replace it in the spring. Does anyone have an easy way to de-pot cannas? Good grief, I feel like Im wrestling an octopus when trying to get the things out of the containers. Im considering trying to do some pot-in-pot thing next year to make it easier to get them out of the pots in the fall.

    We had such a terrific time last night and the chili was a big hit but the star of the evening was Les recipe for pumpkin martinis which we had for dessert. They are now officially added to our Thanksgiving dessert menu.

    Marie I agree with Eden, I sure hope your computer gets fixed very soon. We miss your posts here.

    Saucy, sounds like youre pretty busy these days. Glad you could check in.

    Eden, Thanks! I bought that statue from Toscano also. Shes so pretty. I forget the name of the sculpture but its a reproduction of a piece in the Paris Opera House. No, I didnt do that painting. That was done by a friend of mine and is part of a three piece set. The other two are of a pair of ocelots and a painting of a pair of parrots. It has a rain forest theme. I had to buy the set because the cats reminded me of Rahjii. I should get a pic of the other two paintings. Youd love them.

    Michelle, I so know what you mean about having a difficult time picking out things like new floors. Me too! Its something that you are going to live with for a long time and it costs a lot of $$. It took me forever to pick out the tile for our upstairs bathroom. ~~ So what are you cooking for the harvesting crew? ~~ RE fall gardens here. We are lucky to have so many mature hardwoods on our property and on the adjacent properties. We really have a lot of lovely fall color.

    Chelone, Deb and Peter U. send condolences.

    OK rain or not, Ive got to get back to my de-potting duty. Hopefully Ill be done with this in the next few days. Enjoy your Saturday everyone.

    Deanne

  • denisez10
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Weekend greetings to all. We are getting the "spit" variety of rain, but at least the skies are overcast with moisture and not soot and ash. Here's a couple pix of the succulent hayrack, which previously contained some annuals until about mid summer. Won't try that again. I'd like to try sheets of the coir/coconut fiber product that the hanging baskets come with. Maybe it will hold moisture longer and be a little tidier. But the succulents seem to be enjoying their mossy environs, and the wavy-leaved aeoniums which had been struggling are doing much better here. Can't have too many old, stamped bricks around, lol, and who knows what function the rusty stand served until my neighbor chucked it, but I wish I had about 12 more. Great with tiles as a tabletop for potted plants too, bringing plants to eye level.

    {{gwi:183596}}

    {{gwi:183597}}

    Ein sends greetings to all idyllers' pets.

    {{gwi:183598}}

  • chelone
    Original Author
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I hate Corgis less than I hate other dogs. There must be something about their stubby legs and appealing faces that inspires the naive belief that they're uniformly FRIENDLY. Every single corker I've known has fallen into the "a--hole" category. And I've been FINE with that! they're cattle dogs! dogs that are meant to herd animals A LOT larger than they are. They're tough, uncompromising, and "programmed" to do their JOB. They're wired to be independent and use their judgement... this what the herding breeds DO!

    I'm not surprised Ein was a jerk to the other dog. My dog can be a complete DINK to every dog he meets, but because he's big the "conflict" is usually settled with some eye contact. His size dictates everything I do with him when we're out. When we encounter another dog I immediately put him in a "down/stay" and enforce it until I've had a chance to speak with the other owner. Man! how come you don't live nearer to me, Denise?! I'd love to have Ein put big, "butch" Rex in his place, lol.

    I thought of Bella and Mum in the same instant. She loved kids and was definitely dialled into the "reward the behavior you want", and don't set the kid up for a temper tantrum. Nap time and bed time were FIXED times and were never violated.

    I'm old-fashioned (in spite of my decidedly wild youth, lol). Believe it, or not!

  • deanneart
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A mellow good evening to all,

    I'm sipping a glass of cabernet and watching a spectacular sunset through the storm clouds. I had another productive day with the depotting routine and Doug and I also managed to start cleaning the pond and got five of the fish in to the aquarium. Winter is on the way. It always really feels like the season is done when the fish come inside to the studio to while away the cold months. Big Bertha is really living up to her name and is just enormous! I'd have to guess she's pushing 13" now and that's huge for a goldfish.

    Denise, I absolutely LOVE that succulent hay rack! What is that trailing plant? It's fabu-fabu! Love the bricks and the stand as well. The moss is terrific. I think its more attractive with the succulents than the coco fiber would be. The softness of the moss contrasts beautifully with the sculptural look of the succulents. You have such different plants than I do here and I really love your combinations. Please post more photos of your gardens???? I love seeing such different plantings than what I'm used to. ~~ Rahjii says hello back to Ein but said to stay on the west coast as he hates dogs more than Chelone does.

    So here are a few photographs I grabbed today of the bitter end of the season's hihglights. This dahlia has been gorgeous for months now and has become a favorite. MJ gave it to me last season and its really been beautiful this year. I'm going to hate to cut it back tomorrow.
    {{gwi:183599}}

    This Acalpha was fairly small from Avent gardens this spring but has put on some marvelous size. I'm going to bring it in and try to winter it over as it's just gorgeous. What fantastic color!
    {{gwi:183600}}

    I know I've posted photos of this fuchsia earlier in the season but I just had to show this to you before I cut it all back tomorrow. It's been fabulous and is incredible right now. It's just going to kill me to cut off all those flowers!
    SunRay
    {{gwi:183601}}

    These dahlias and impatiens have been beautiful all season but have really put on a show the last couple weeks.
    {{gwi:183678}}

    And last but not least - the 'Charles Grimaldi' has covered itself with flowers again. I'm going to cut it all back tomorrow because Doug is heading for Rochester and I can't get this one in by myself. Check out that papyrus next to it too. What a beauty! It seem so incongruous to have a fall maple showing off its color behind a blooming tropical like a brugmansia.
    {{gwi:183679}}

    Okie dokie, Doug looks like he's dozing off and I need to motivate and get us some dinner so we can get to bed early tonight. Have a great evening all.

    Deanne

  • michelle_zone4
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Kenzie is due to arrive any minute and she wants to go for a combine ride with papa. It is now dark before 7. It was an absolutely fabulous fall day. Sunny and mild, but not warm enough that all the bugs came out. I did manage some gardening amounst running errands for Rick. I dug up one King Humbert and one Wyoming canna and they yeilded enough roots for next year. The rest can decompose in the ground. I also dug a yellow striped one that I can't remember and some elephant ears. They all got rinsed good with the hose. I'm still trying to decide what to do with the musa basjoo. I have only 4 or 5 containers left and all but one are in the garage or shed. The veggie garden is all cleaned out except the parsley and carrots. Its supposed to drop to 25 tonight. So I took a few pictures today.

    Deanne, the crew just gets sandwiches, chips and that kind of thing. I did make it to the orchard this a.m. so apples were also part of it.
    All your pictures are just so scrumptous! Everything looks so fresh. I have lots of nice color, but it pales in comparison.

    Denise you have some of the coolest looking plants. When I saw the stand you are using, it reminded me of something you would find on a farm. I have incorporated several "found" items in my garden. The other day I found buried in the ground a gear that's about 8" across so I had to find a spot for it.

    Chelone, your mum sounds like she was a very smart lady. I'm glad you have such nice memories.

    I must sign off
    Michelle

  • babs_clare
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Breathe.

    Yeah really.

    It's so weird. I haven't read the Idylls since before the Cleveland Indians were winning the championship(gee and I thought that was stress?)-that was sweet but short-unbelievable how things change. No I mean REALLY.

    Since then Chelone's mom leaves her. My niece at age 11 is diagnosed with diabetes, my brother & family in San Diego are thrust from their home due to fires-not necessarily wildfires but possibly arson(don't get me started). Just in a matter of a few days.

    Chelone I can't say what I want to-it just feels right to give you a hug. I can't say what I know you are feeling but if it's like what I had when my dad died, it was a weird mixture that went through fear then guilt and eventually acceptance(that took lots of time). I know you will get there when it's meant to be. It's a crappy place to be where you might be right now-don't redo it all and plug in where you 'weren't'. Unlike many family members of some families you really WERE in the right place and helped your mom live as long as she did with dignity. When you are at the right place reflect on those times that you did laugh with your mom or when you admired your mom-because that was the gift you gave to her. You did what a daughter should do. I am a bit bummed because I wanted to email you upon the news-I can't even contact you : ( . If you need to talk, Deanne and Mary have my true email-I think I gave GW an unused address that now is defunct. Odd how you know it eventually will happen but it still shocks you. I'm just so sorry it was a bumpy road.

    If you knew the history of my family the whole diabetes diagnosis thing for my niece just bites-I'm sorry, at this point refinement doesn't enter the equation. Why her. That's what keeps replaying through my mind. Why not Aj-he's the same age, has some of the same genetic makeup(my oldest sister has had type I diabetes since the same age as my niece). Now I worry about the chances for my kids. It's just weird. Yes, a diabetic can live a normal life-BUT it's a pain in the you-know-what to every day do the daily care,so essentially it sucks. What's worse is that the sister of mine whose DD this is happening to is a pull-back family member-doesn't want to ever show weakness-blah blah blah. All I want to do is support my niece and there's that barrier. It just bites.

    As for my brother & his family they are OK. We were on pins and needles for a few days there as they evacuated. Their house is OK(small smoke damage) but they were in the Rancho Bernardo area and it's the weirdest thing. On their street one single house burned to the ground-across the street from them to the east. The rest of the street is intact-yet,west of them(they are on a ridge)the wild area beyond their backyard also burned so it is all grey/black devastation. The fire skipped over them! but I believe firefighters were there and I commend them-what selfless people,you know? Can you imagine yourself doing what they do? I'm just so relieved. I am really relieved. Have you ever thought what it would be like to have your whole house burn to nothingness?

    Hmm I'm too dismal upon my comeback I've decided: ) sorry! Life eh?

    ...And we have births! So happy bday Cynthia-you will have to wait for a pic-in time.

    So how about that,Eden your Clero bloomed ! Very exciting: )

    Miss you all and I have been thinking of you too.

    ~Babs

  • gardeningmary
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good morning

    Babs - what a lot has happened just recently:0( I can fully imagine both your concern for your brother and family and the sadness about your niece. I was following the San Diego fires carefully as we lived just west of Rancho Bernardo and still have many friends there. To me the thought of fire racing through all that desert dryness destroying homes in its path is terryifying. As awful as flooding can be (New Orleans in particular) I think I'd rather take my chances with water than fire. And as for the arsonists, I couldn't print my thoughts on that here.
    I'm sending you cyber hugs and hoping that next week will be a little brighter.

    Deanne - I'm not sure I would get any coleus cuttings throught the winter (Sue's phrase serial house plant serial killer jumps to mind) but cannas I can do justice to. I'd love a bit of Pretoria if you have some to spare. Is Doug here Thursday or is that a driving back day for him? Love those last flings of color.

    Yesterday we all left in different directions for the evening. DH was on his way to LA and had a celeb/photographers party, Annie and David both had costume parties too. I was feeling a tiny bit lonesome and had picked up some wool to start knitting when a friend called with an extra theatre ticket. We saw the play Doubt which was well acted and quite thought provoking. It was actually my second night out in a row as DH and I had gone to see Into the Wild at the movies Friday. One way and another it was a busy week and today we are laying low, finishing homework and pumkin carving. It's cold and rainy and we might venture out to Borders this afternoon - a favorite destination in bad weather.

    Enjoy your day

    Mary

  • ctlavluvr
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It was the Hunter's Moon this week, so herbs have been harvested for drying and the roots gladly soaked up some good rain. Possible freeze tonight so brought in any tomatoes with any amount of pink/red/orange/yellow. Geraniums need a touch more cold before yanking, dahlias are blooming their heads off so they'll stay put for now, and I'm hopeful that it's just frost and not a freeze tonight.

    Turned the birdbaths upside down just in case, though.

    Wanted to tell Chelone how much I'm thinking of you, and how I just might invite you down with your so-much-hated dog to teach my mom's terrier a thing or two.

    Sue -- Nothing more worklife changing than a new boss. Remember that Panera is right around the corner for a quick escape.

    Deanne - POP!!! Very cool ornaments.

    V: Good to "see" you. If you're ever in Hartford or New York or Boston ....

    'bug - Hope your computer gets well soon! Feb or March isn't so far away.

    Cynthia: I still owe you a birthday pic but won't post it until I know you're going to see it. Are you out there?

    Eden: My hope is you don't see this until about Monday afternoon and that you've used the meantime to recoup from Bella. She is a doll, but ...... :-)

    Mary and anyone else: Would you like some seeds for snack-sized tomatoes (reseeded this year from heirloom seeds that fruited just as prolifically last year). Or yellow pear mini tomatoes that are better than what I thought they could be? I'll have lots of all.

    Marian: How are the puzzles going?

    Denise: I like Ein already. Also like your DS's art. Stay Safe!!!! No luck so far with your Salvia, but last I heard the question was somewhere around North Carolina through the grapevine.

    And speaking of which -

    Kathy -- Many possible varietal placement possibilities are crossing my mind ..... LOL. It ain't over 'til it's over but we'll know a mere 6 hours from now. Through your contacts, do you know if the now-closed heirloom rose farm in Maine still exists as a farm? Or what happened to the specimens?

    Roast chicken sounds like it's exploding on the grill so best go to the rescue. Later!

    Martie

  • deanneart
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Evening all,

    Well I'm beat, beat, beat.....

    24 hours later....
    {{gwi:183680}}

    So Doug and I spent the day doing more container decanting. As you can see we tackled the 20 or so huge pots left in the container garden. I pruned the heck out of the huge Charles Grimaldi then de-potted(as you can tell from the empty huge pot)and it is now resting in a plastic bag in the garage. I hope it survives the surgery and the upcoming winter. What a beauty it was!

    Martie, the Jean Pascoe has about 100 buds on it that haven't opened. :( so now they probably won't as it's supposed to be 30F tonight. What a bummer that I never saw one flower from it this year. I'm going to dig it out and save it for next year. I also cut back my lavender and have that ready to re-pot to bring in under the lights for the winter. I've got all the prunings hanging to dry for lavender potpourri.

    Mary, Doug said thanks so much but he'll be driving home on Thursay. ~~ Right now the Pretoria are snuggled in their pot for the winter and I'll cut some off for you in the spring.

    Babs, thanks for stopping by. So very sorry about your niece. That is a real blow to the family. A very dear friend of mine's son was diagnosed with diabetes when he was an infant. Mary was a superb Mom and monitered it like a hawk. He's now married and doing really well. It's a terrible thing but it can be dealt with successfully.

    OK I think I'd better think about getting some dinner on the table. Have a great evening all,

    Deanne

  • denisez10
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Michelle, it'd be great fun to prowl around a farm. I'm also intrigued by Nolon's pile of scrap metal, lol. I've had this piece of ancient farming equipment for years, bought for 25 cents at a flea mkt, which is propped up for better view. A component of a giant tilling machine?

    {{gwi:183681}}

    but it's used like this currently, to balance the pot on a narrow pedestal:

    {{gwi:183682}}

    Chelone, your riff on corgis cracked me up. Ein is certainly all that.

    Deanne, that haybasket succulent trailer is Senecio radicans, the "fish-hook" senecio. Isn't there a commercial grower's greenhouse in your area that could overwinter some of your ginormous plants like the papyrus? What a shame to let the frost have them. I won't pretend your photo of the empty container garden isn't a bit wrenching to me, but what a job to have that all tucked away. Can't wait to see what it looks like next year...

    Babs, so nice to hear from you but what challenges your family faces -- ain't it always so! Hopefully the little girl will be able to get all the support she needs from the adults, even in spite of family dynamics, We've had similar situations in our family (who hasn't that lives and breathes?), in our case a diagnosis of a nephew's autism. I saw this same nephew at a recent family wedding, now about 15 yo, and he's transformed from a kid we thought would never talk to one that will give you "cauliflower ear" from chattiness. Hurray your brother's house was spared but what a nightmare to endure so close up. It's been no fun for anyone the past week in So. Calif, that's for sure.

    Mary, if your DH has any tips on where a budding photographer should look for work in NY, they'd be much appreciated. Or where's the "best" city for commercial photography these days? My DS is having his "book" of work printed and will shop it around NY in a couple weeks. This is the tough, nerve-wracking part of encouraging your kids to pursue what they love, lol.

    Martie, I can't believe you beat the tom-toms for that salvia I mentioned. What happens to the half-ripe tomatoes now?

    Good luck with the new boss, Sue. Being an independent contractor, my "boss" is an amorphous, wizard-of-oz being I've never met, about whose motives I can only wildly speculate. I don't know which of our situations is worse, lol.

    I've linked a news piece on a private garden in Minnesota courtesy of the gardenrant site. That "temple walk" is pure Stourhead, right, Mary? Enjoy!

  • dodgerdudette
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A pleasant Sunday evening to you all- wondering which garden center in town Ill visit to select Marties grape vine, cuz it looks like Im loosing big ! Sure am glad I have no emotional attachment to the Rockies.
    Ive got a pile of stuff staged in the garage to move out curbside for the cerebral palsy foundation truck to pick up tomorrow.That was my big chore for today, alon with some work on my back patio that I am tackling a little at a time.

    Deanne, how forlorn that Charles-less pot looks. I havent moved a thing yet except for my Plumerias. That last photo you posted with the tree turning in the background is terrific.

    Denise, love, love, your hayrack ! I truly am going to break out my wire baskets next year for a couple of succulent creations. I have to show some restraint as I will have a for sale house, but I know just where Ill put them . I also think the farm implement what ever it is , is very cool indeed.

    Babs, So glad you checked in and sorry to hear about your troubles. I looked up the address of the house we lived in in Poway on SD Countys web site , and that neighborhood seems not to have been hit. When I was a little girl , about 8 I think, my family home caught on fire during Santa Ana conditions in early December. This was not a brush fir , but one caused by an electrical issue as I recall- but the winds whipped it up. The fire dept was able to save our house , but much of the contents were ruined due to water and smoke damage, and the roof burnt off. We moved to an apartment for several months while the house was repaired. That was a scary event for me. Ive had a very healthy respect for fire ever since. Im so glad your bro and family are ok.

    Mary, funny you mentioned Borders and inclement weather; I went to Trader Joes today and my fave bookstore in town is in the same shopping center, so I dropped in there, but left rather quickly because it was so nice outside it somehow seemed wrong to be in bookstore in the middle of a beautiful day ! What creatures of habit we are.

    Sue, as a boss who is leaving my crew in 08 , I worry and hope that they will be put in good hands on my departure. I hope you have a good new boss experience. Is this someone hired from outside and therefore unknown ??

    Okay everyone, thats all I have for now..hello to all, and hopefully we will hear from Cynthia soonand Cindy too

    Kathy in Napa

  • michelle_zone4
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a busy day! We went to church, I taught Sunday School to 6 3 and 4 year olds including Mc Kenzie, came home and DD and DSIL were waiting for us, DS dropped in and they all started watching the Viking game. I threw some pizzas and cheese bread in the oven, ate lunch with them, after they left, we loaded up the things that we needed to get the playhouse, drove 45 minutes to my folks old house, loaded the playhouse on the loader bucket of the tractor and then up on the trailer, ate supper with my parents, drove home, unloaded a bunch of pots, a porch swing and some misc that they gave me, unloaded the playhouse in its spot in the Children's Garden and unhooked the trailer. Whew! Rick has a 30' foot flat bed trailer that he put the tractor with a loader bucket on. When we got there he scooped the playhouse up, secured it with a tie down strap and drove the whole thing up on the trailer. Then the tractor is secured with tie down chains. So now the fun begins.

    Denise, your piece is a part of a rotary hoe, a piece of equipment meant to weed out very small weeds early in the growing season. Pretty much not used any more.
    Rick tells me we have about a hundred of those lying around here.

    Babs, sorry to hear about your DN, but I'm glad to hear that your brother was spared his home. Our niece has diabetes and its been quite a trial getting her thru the school years. At that age kids want to eat and drink what their friends are. She is now starting college and I believe she understands the seriousness much more.

    I think I need a garden helper like Doug ;o) Deanne, you are a lucky woman.

    October 27 in the garden:

    {{gwi:183684}}
    {{gwi:183686}}
    {{gwi:183687}}
    The tractor in the background is loading corn into the bin just behind the trees.

    Michelle

  • michelle_zone4
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Denise, I just viewed your link. It's a beautiful garden, but sad that so few have seen it ("less than a dozen") Does this guy not have friends? I can see not opening it to the public on a full-time basis, but possibly on the order of a Garden Conservancy type opening. Mpls. is about 3 hours from here.

    Michelle

  • ctlavluvr
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A very happy good morning from Red Sox Nation! The office is decked out and the poor Yankees fans are finding reasons to go on the road :-)

    As much as I'd enjoy a grapevine from Napa, I'm afraid it wouldn't survive well in the pot ghetto for the winter, Kathy, unless it's already dormant. We had our hard freeze last night. Will I turn one down? No. But I want it to live! The neighborhood kids think a red variety would be good in honor of our "home" team :-)

    The tomatoes are in the basement in paper bags and will ripen slowly, Denise. It is a tradition to get them off the vines on the day of first freeze, and we usually have some just ready for Thanksgiving. This year, maybe even Christmas of I'm careful. They don't rot, and taste just as good as if they were fresh. And if for some reason it doesn't work as has happened a few years, it's fun to try.

    Spinach is sprouted and we had a teeny salad last night. Ummmmmmm.

    With all the rain and unseasonable warmth until yesterday, I have plants crowning that I was fairly sure were toast. Next spring will be interesting!

    Everyone have a great day!

    Martie

  • cynthia_gw
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you all so much for the beautiful cards! I've not been visiting here often and do miss you all. Photos of your gardens are a wonderful treat, better than any other gift I could have :) Deanne, thanks for remembering!
    ---
    Chelone, I'm so sorry about your mum. It's hard no matter what the circumstances and you will never stop thinking about her, so savor all of the good memories you have.
    ----

    First frost predicted for tonight, and I should have been running around yesterday getting all chopped down and into GH, but managed just to move begonias and agaves to sunroom and puttered about with no sense that frost would be predicted a day later! I really thought I had a few more weeks. In fact, we may have had light frost last night as the I.blackie and I.marguerita are looking a bit limp. Hmm. So I spent an hour tonight taking cuttings and moving the tender things to gh. I had used labeled cat litter buckets for brug cuttings last year and found them under a bench all ready to go tonight! So the important things are done, and fuschias, agapanthus, cannas, ginger will all be allowed to take a frost hit before I move those.

    It was cold here this morning and I couldn't bring myself to turn on heat so threw fleece blankets on the dogs, and turned around to find Dannie keeping Monty warm:

    {{gwi:183689}}

    He was a little stiff this morning, and though Katie's been wearing a nightgown for a week now, and I've got them all in nightgowns now :)

    Hope you are all snuggled up and warm too.

    Cynthia

    PS: The photo of the hive that V posted looks a lot like Munch's 'The Scream' doesn't it???

  • triple_creek
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    First of all. Heartfelt thoughts for you Chelone. There are some wonderful tributes here for your mother. I especially enjoyed Edens post. And the photos you posted leave me with a feeling of warmth for your mum rather than thinking of her last trials. May peace come to you and your DB.


    I have read the Idylls for the first time in several days and have comments for sveral people , But after shuffling off the guests and a couple of screening tests at the lab, I'm wiped out. I'll try to get back soon.

    The wedding went well. It was both, emotional and fun.

    Sleep well, I know I will. Norma

  • dodgerdudette
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So glad to see that Cynthia has checked in ! How cozy the kids look with all the snugglie trappings. Good call on the Munch !

    Martie you are a winner fair and square ! Ill hold your grapevine till spring..I can ask around which red varietals are most cold hardy.

    Michelle, your photos look so nice with that slanty fall light your gardens still look quite fine . Mine are getting quite untidy and I have my annual crop of mushrooms in the back lawn (such as it is) many the size of Portobellos.

    Hi Norma..glad to hear all the marital events went well for you...

    Thats all for tonight ..

    Kathy in Napa

  • veronicastrum
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello to all. Another one of those "disappearing weekends" has come and gone. There was this post all written in my head that doesn't seem to be on this thread. Hate when that happens!

    Saturday was a "puttering day", but it also was a gorgeous fall day and one of my errands required a nice drive in the country. In fact, that errand also required buying a case of wine (for upcoming events here at home) at a local winery, and the owner was TOO gracious in pouring me samples of everything. Nothing like a wine buzz just before noon! He has a winter blend that was designed to be served heated that will be available in December, so a winter trek may be required.

    Also made a quick stop at a garden center out that way where no one knows me to get some bulbs. Except I was greeted by name as soon as I walked in the door. I just wish I had known her name!

    Sunday started with church and Sunday School (Michelle, I had nine 5th graders). Do you know how hard it is to teach them that Martin Luther and Martin Luther King, Jr. are NOT the same person? Especially when the bible text for the lesson is, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free" and I can hear MLK, Jr. saying that very verse in my head. Anyway, after that I headed down to DD's school for their fall choir concert. The concert was wonderful and we had a nice dinner with her two cousins. When I was leaving, DD gave me a "care package" - some bread she had baked, a package of candy corn (one of my weaknesses) and a coffee mug that she said had reminded her of me. How sweet was that? Once again, I think I'll keep her.

    We finally had a freeze here, so the canna and other tropicals have bit the dust. The bad news is that, in the course of the latest house project, the front lawn has disappeared. Of course, now it's too late to seed it before winter. DH was certain nothing near the house would get destroyed this time around. Which is why I've told him that there is now a moratorium on new projects until after the wedding in 2009. He's talked about new kitchen cabinets, but somehow I know even that project would find a way to destroy a part of the garden.

    Cynthia, my bees are well educated in modern art. They appreciate that you have recognized the major influence on their style.

    TTYL,

    V.

  • deanneart
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good morning all,

    Well we had a hard freeze Sunday night as predicted and the dahlias and impatiens have finally turned into fall mush. Its time for them to feed the compost. Ive finally caught most of the fish and gotten them into the aquarium. There are only three more to find but theyre dark and really hard to see. Oh well, if I cant catch them theyll just have to take their chances in the pond. Yesterday I did a lot of cleanup in the basement plant light area. I worked a bit cutting some stuff back outside then took all the cleaned pots up to their winter storage. Today Ive got to get all the bare root plants into pots. I started cleaning and bagging some of the dahlia and canna tubers for winter so things are progressing well and Im hoping to have all the container stuff put to bed in another week or so and then its time for the gardens. Ive done quite a bit of cutting back at this point though and things are looking pretty good. I do want to get that lilac out of the front by the steps but that might just have to wait until next year, well see.

    Denise, that rusted farm ornament is very neat. Love it. Thanks for the id on the Senecio. Thats a great plant. ~~ RE storing stuff at an offsite greenhouse. Ive thought about it but Im a bit leery of picking up bugs and disease. Id have no way to control the environment. ~~ Thanks for that link to the Wallace Garden. What an amazing place! Its amazing what one can do with enough, space, time and $$. Wouldnt I just love to see that one in person. I wonder if the Idylls could get an invitation to visit?

    Michelle, I just love your garden photos. Thanks for sharing. Your potting shed is so fabulous! Im jealous as all get out. ~~ I cant wait to see the playhouse in its garden. ~~ RE Doug, you are so right and I count my blessings every day. Hes a terrific guy!

    Cynthia, great to hear from you. Ive not turned on the heat here yet either and it was 58 degrees in the dining room this AM. I just put on and extra fleece and threw quilt over my lap. For some reason turning on the heat for the first time of the season seems like Im finally admitting that winter is on the way. Silly really. Love the pic of Dannie and Monty!

    Norma, glad the wedding went well.

    V. Sounds like you had a terrific weekend. How sweet your DD gave you a surprise package. Nice!

    OK Ive got a ton of stuff to do and its not getting accomplished here with my sitting in my favorite chair. Have a great day everyone,

    Deanne

    PS thought youd get a kick out of Luke reading the Idylls with me.
    {{gwi:183691}}

  • veronicastrum
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just got my blood test results and I have to do a little celebrating - the nurse said my results were Excellent! She said my good cholesterol level was exceptional. I give full credit to red wine, dark chocolate and grass-fed beef. :)

    I had a few nervous moments - the nurse left a message at home yesterday and she sounded very dour. I kept reminding myself that she always sounds like that and not to worry. Phew! glad to have that out of the way. Now to schedule the annual smushing exam...

    V.

  • gardeningmary
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Great news V!! Time to celebrate with more wine and chocolate:0)

    Deanne - I LOVE the photo of you and Luke reading the Idylls! What a pretty and cozy looking throw. Perhaps we should each post a photo of us at our computers (although as that would mean a major tidy up on my part I might be a little er... tardy in getting mine up.)

    CYnthia - glad you could stop by. Your greys are elegant whatever they wear. Give Katie a hug from me.

    Denise - your rusty plant pot stand is really nifty. I haven't forgotten to ask DH about cities and tips for a young photographer. He's left town again and with the 3 hour time difference we end up playing a lot of phone tag.

    Michelle - I always enjoy a "walk" aorund your lovely property. Thank you for sharing those.

    Today after school was pumpkin carving. The weather was warm enough to send everyone outside which certainly cuts down on clean-up. I always love seeing their results.

    Tomorrow is my last Elementary school Halloween parade (David will be in Middle school next year). For 8 years for me this has been a tradition and I'm using a personal afternoon to be there - kleenex in hand. The whole school marches around the bus loop, following the principal and sheriff, teachers dressed up too. Afterwards everyone sings "The Twelve Days of Halloween" and the kids make their way to their classroom parties where they are fueled with enough sugar to see them through an evening's trick-or-treating. David is a rather wacky pirate this year, with a mask with long hair and bulging eyes. I miss the days of being able to sew cute costumes (but at least it beats last years mask with blood dripping down the face)....

    Mary

  • dodgerdudette
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A brief hello tonight, Im going to hunker down with a book and rest up for the dental procedure on the morrow. I must say Deanne, that Luke is well trained as he is not walking on your keyboard, a problem I seem to have with my two boys. Perhaps they are confusing it with the newspaper.

    Mary, you are a far superior Mom to me ! I hated those Halloween parades at my kids elementary school- part of it was the stress in coming up with costumes and the other part was the poor co-ordination and logistics on the part of the school which drove me nuts ! Thank goodness they turned out okay in spite of my defects !

    V., Midwestern beef is number one in my book- in fact almost the only time I eat beef anymore is when I travel on business in the Midwest and I always make it a point to go to a steakhouse. Last steak was St Elmos in Indianapolis. Think its corn-fed though. When I eat beef at home I go to the best meat market in town and buy the good stuff---why not if you only eat it at home maybe three times a year .

    Waiting to hear if the rumors about Joe Torre and the Dodgers are legit.

    Well, hello to all wherever you are- a silent evening on the Idylls!

    Kathy in Napa

  • denisez10
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This week is careening out of control, and it's only Tues. Where were we? Rotary hoes! Thanks, Michelle, for the ID. I googled it, and there was lots of references to the Dust Bowl in the same entry. I didn't read in detail, but it seems this rotary hoe may be implicated. Also found a woman selling these on Ebay at $18 a pop, but I imagine the shipping must be prohibitive. I feel like I've got a little piece of your farm now. Your garden still looks great.

    It's turning a bit colder here, still the 70s, not as dry. But what a cold weather curtain drops on you guys! Segue to our kitchen windows, which have been removed, with only the screens in place, supposedly a one-day project to clean them up a bit with fresh paint in honor of Aunt Annette coming from Holyoke, Mass. for Thanksgiving, whose housekeeping standards are legendary. Might be a little too chilly to have started that project, and a one-day project it ain't. Big surprise.

    V, good for you to get caught up with medical exams. The smusher is a doozy, I agree. Deanne, just wondering is this the weekend you collapse in a heap? You look mighty cozy with that blankie and Luke at your side.

    Have a fun Halloween parade, Mary. Remember to post photos if you've got 'em. My DS just left for San Francisco this morning with his "book" on the "one-dollar" bus. Seriously. How he finds these deals is beyond me. A dollar up and a dollar back if you book a month in advance -- just answered the phone and it's DS telling me they've just had a 5.5 earthquake in SF and did I feel it. Not a thing here. He's OK, though sounded a little shivery. Wonder if Kathy felt that.

    My mom insists she's taking me on a cruise this spring in the Mediterranean. This just does not seem within the realm of possibility, but she's steaming ahead on plans. Would I like to leave from Rome or Venice? Maybe I better start taking her seriously. I told her Roma! G'night all.

  • deanneart
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Its another chilly good morning here. The temp outside is 37 and the house is 61 Brrrrr. I still wont turn on the heat. LOL. Its a challenge to see what the latest date is I can fire up the furnace for the first time. Dougs a woose and would have had the heat on yesterday. Im guessing that this weekend will be it though. With cold temps all week the indoor temps are getting pretty frosty and they are now predicting a 29 degree evening soon. I guess Id better get that last Fuchsia Dark Eyes inside and pruned. Its still going strong and is so gorgeous I decided to let it go until the last hurrah.
    {{gwi:183693}}

    I cant believe I still have this blooming at the very end of October. Got to love those fuchsias.
    {{gwi:183694}}

    Speaking of which I snapped a pic of my container depotting area in the garage for you. Thought youd get a kick out of this. The shelf on the right are all fuchsias as well as the hanging plants on the right. Doug built that rig so I could hang the fuchsias. What a guy! And the big dead tree looking thing is my Charles Grimaldi. Poor fellow, looks so sad!

    {{gwi:183696}}

    Denise, Rome in the spring sounds fabu! ~~ LOL about collapsing in a heap, that never, ever happens. I drive my husband to distraction because I dont know how to relax. Actually Im teaching a three day class this weekend. Im teaching that fruit bowl piece that was on the cover of the Decorative Painter magazine the beginning of the year. If I wasnt teaching Id be working on buttoning up the borders for the winter. I still have stuff to cut down and Ive got to get the dahlias dug, washed, dried and in storage.

    Kathy, funny you should mention that. Ive been working on training Luke to sit on the arm of that chair instead of on my keyboard!!! That is his normal MO. If you look at the pic youll notice that hes really looking at the keyboard and not the screen because hes thinking that would be a better place to have a snooze and some pets. ~~ Best of luck at the dentists. Ill be thinking of you and sending positive vibes.

    Mary, I LOVE the idea of us all posting pics of us at our computers. No tidying allowed. Youll notice my normal stack of books and catalogs, cup of coffee etc on my table. ~~ Please post photos of the finished pumpkins? Sounds like great fun. ~~ Have a fun time at your last parade and dont cry too much!

    V. congratulations on the good results on your bloodwork! Thats good news. Speaking of the squish, Im overdue and must make an appointment also. Yuk!

    OK must run and get my day started. Have a great day everyone and hope more missing Idyllers can check in today.
    Deanne

    {{gwi:183698}}

  • Lara Noles
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Happy Halloween from Dorothy!

    {{gwi:183700}}

    Eden

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Eden Dorothy is almost as cute as Bella:-)

    Deanne you and Randy have similar views on heat! Im in Dougs camp though. The heat is on but not really kicking in much as weve gone back to fairly mild temperatures yesterday and today.

    My de-potting exercise was a piece of cake compared to most of you. Barb and I wrestled the elephant ears out of their pots on Monday. Ditto a dark-leafed canna that never bloomed. I cut back the brugs the one with buds never got to the point of actually flowering and weve had some frost on roofs the past week. I took cuttings but Im still not sure if I want to grow them next year. The cut-back plants are in the garage and the cuttings in water on the living room windowsill. I think the test of whether to grow them will be if they survive the winter in the garage or the cuttings root and survive the winter indoors on the windowsill, I will give them a second chance and add them to the driveway pots again next year. The winter prep for the rest of the driveway pots is easy. The blueberry and strawberry pots will go into the garage near the end of November. The one remaining pot of elephant ears baby ones that have been growing on to put on size for next year - has companion acidanthera bulbs which are still blooming like mad. When they finish blooming, Ill de-pot them all for storage in the basement probably next week. The pots of petunias will get dumped in the compost bin once the frost finishes off the petunias. The pots of spiderplants from the planter bench boxes have already met their fate in the compost bin after I collected baby spiders for keeping indoors until they are needed for the bench for next year. The pot with a honeysuckle cutting growing on for planting next year will go into the garage with the blueberry and strawberry pots. And thats it for pots for me. There will be about 14 of the large (3 cubic feet soil capacity) pots in the garage. Its a good thing we have a double garage but only one car!

    V- congratulations on good cholesterol numbers! I struggle with that too. I made the first dent a couple of years ago when I got fanatical about eliminating trans fats. But then I couldn't seem to make any more progress. But I was reading a lot about Vit. D and how that maybe the Mediterranean diet benefit is as much about sunshine as olive oil and red wine. In combination with reading about the benefits of Omega - whatever in cold water fish, I decided to bump up my Vit. D intake to 1200 IU and take two large wild salmon oil capsules a day. My cholesterol test earlier this month showed the first good improvement since eliminating trans fats! I have a squish test coming up in December - ICK!

    Now that the brick project is done, I have some garden time to spare so weve been up to the longterm care facility garden a couple of times and have started beating back a summers worth of well entrenched weeds! There are a few small stretches now where there are enough perennials to provide effective competition to the weeds. That gives me some hope of eventually making progress in the rest of the garden if I can get enough plants in there. Wherever possible Ive been dropping seedheads into the sparser areas to hopefully generate free plant coverage. I did that last year as well and am starting to see seedlings in those areas that should bulk-up and flower next year.

    Randy doesnt often comment on what he likes in the garden but I have learned to pay attention to what he takes pictures of and thereby deduce his preferences! Last week he was taking pictures in the driveway border where there are still a few Queen Elizabeth roses in bloom with blueberry foliage in full autumn color and some old-fashioned type mums that a neighbour gave me a few years ago blooming in white and pink in the same part of the driveway border:

    {{gwi:183702}}

    Randy is the pumpkin carver here. Weve both been suffering from a flu or something dizziness and queasy stomach so Randy didnt make it to work on Monday. But he did manage to get this years pumpkin carved:

    {{gwi:183704}}

    Liam (Border Collie) is back for today. He was missing his buddy Misty and was bored and getting into trouble on his own at home last week (strewing kitchen garbage around) so he came for a play-date today. Id better go take them outside as hes woken up from his post morning walkies nap.

  • chloehoover
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Shall I make this the "check-in" Idyll? I managed to make it before November after all.... hopefully I was gone but not forgotten.

    I regret to say I have only quickly skimmed this idyll and no others -- the last month(?) has been a blur and I look forward to my own space again after Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wherein I can relax and review the other threads, company, photos and tales I've missed - I have missed you all so very much.

    I can only state that work, life, problems got way too much in the way - my Dad was in Intensive care for a week after a procedure unexpectedly; the houseguest & canine friend have decimated my gardens and house and work has been so overpowering that I could only limp home and hide under the covers when I could... But things are looking up -- the houseguest & dog are moving to their own apartment on Sunday (TG), Dad seems to have recovered okay [next operation scheduled for Dec 5 - hip replacement hopefully to be more routine, please...] and I feel I am getting my life back, in bits and pieces at least.

    Chelone - a much belated virtual hug to you -- I am relieved for you and your Mom -- it is a sad but happy peace. I am glad you both did not have to endure any more.

    It's wonderful to see photos from V - and wow, there are links from David too -- neato.

    Definitely a virtual reunion -- I even see IU4 reminders -- the allium, etc. to perk me up.

    I will try to find something archived to say hi to Cynthia -- I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

    I will check back in and hopefully now on a routine, daily basis.

    Happy Halloween!
    --Cindy

  • just_t
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Happy Halloween to a very darling Dorothy and the rest of the Idylls!

    T.

  • denisez10
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cindy, sounds like dark days but so good to hear from you.

    I've been craving Bit O' Honey all day -- some vestigial junk candy memory from Halloweens past. We carried around paper shopping bags, covered miles, and dumped the whole mess on our beds to get down to the serious business of barter and trade: What'll you give me for a full-size Abba Zabba? All my Junior Mints for your Milk Duds, etc.

    I have no photos of adorable kids in blue gingham dresses, but Chelone has politely asked a couple times to see the equipment I use as a court reporter, and the end of a thread seems the perfect place for workplace photos. Since once I'm home I never take it out, I remembered to bring a camera to work today. I meant to leave the equipment on but of course forgot since I'm usually in a rush to vacate.

    I've had the writer since '98 or so. The black plastic plates are recent repairs, the original molded plastic was all green. New writers are about 5 grand, so this bicolor one suits me fine. Note the absence of a paper tray. No paper notes anymore, though I can still view the steno outlines on both the writer LCD screen and laptop if necessary, but otherwise the laptop screen will show the translated English, except when attys exhaust me, work thru lunch, blood sugar plunges, and my translation rate goes in the dumper. The writer has a hard drive, and when cabled to the laptop I write to the laptop's hard drive as well, so there's a backup. I always back up on a thumb drive too before I leave the conf room. Backups to backups to backups...

    {{gwi:183706}}

    Here's a view with it cabled to the laptop. The Lenovo, knock wood, has been a real workhorse. I never use it except when writing testimony, cabled to the writer -- can't risk getting viruses/spyware crap on it:

    {{gwi:183708}}

    Now gotta run and hide from the trick-or-treaters...what's the Halloween equivalent of a Grinch?

  • babs_clare
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi? I almost don't feel worthy of posting since I am way too sporadic here-sorry: )

    Mary it's good to hear of your kids getting to do the traditional Halloween kinds of things~parades,parties and sugaring it up lol. As I mentioned way back we have a new principal who has been good for the school BUT what a shock to find he doesn't condone Halloween hoopla at school! Our school has had a tradition of the all-school parade and an afternoon of fun.[he cut the party time down to 50 min at teh very end of the day-it was a 'turbo skim'-style party-no kidding I was a helper] Our faculty actually gets more into costumes than even the kids so yesterday was an adjustment. Last year almost all the teachers were witches-seeing them lined up in the teacher's lounge for lunch was so fun to see-as if they were at a witch convention. I've deemed our principal the scrooge-grinch ; )

    The last thing I've felt like doing is sewing elaborate costumes for days on end so I opted to make a pretty serious werewolf mask for Ryan using faux fur-pics will be forthcoming. As for Aj he was a demeantor from Harry Potter-I will admit I cheated and bought a costume from Target,hey it was 50% off and the same cost as buying the fabric so I went for it. Mind you I come from a family where my great grandmother would hand stitch full Halloween costumes like a clown suit/hat with hand made pompoms and the whole nine yards. I wonder how long it took her.

    Deanne I love your garage set up for over wintering-I really need to make-over my garage so I can fit my stuff in there. 'Dark Eyes' looks fabulous! Yes this is perfect weather for those fuchsias. I did bring almost all mine in but love that despite we had a freeze, my 'Gartenmeister' didn't even blink. The deer are ascending upon my gardens now due to the idiot nextdoor-(I don't usually label people with that name but I'm so irritated with his feeding of the deer)when they run out of whatever he's feeding them they check out my yard and seem to be inhaling the plants.

    Eden! Bella Dorothy is a cutey!! That earlier pic with the Mr.Potato Head glasses is a crack up-we have several pics of kids in our family through the years doing that same thing with the glasses-funny how kids think alike: )
    Michelle-did you say what Kenzie was for Halloween? Actually I'd love to know what any of the Idyll kids/grandkids were as well. Saucy?
    Mary I read about David as the pirate-what was Annie?

    Chris went to work as Gilligan-the nursing school goes nuts over Halloween dress up & has a two hour party too.

    V good on you with the cholesterol!Now go have a scrambled egg and bacon breakfast with biscuits and sausage gravy and a milkshake to celebrate...: )

    Cindy-wow you've had your hands full! I'll be thinking of your dad-I just survived my mom's hip replacement recovery-she's halfway into the outpatient rehab & driving now so things are good. I hope your dad's goes smoothly too.

    Denise-how's your mouth?
    Gee,First fire in CA now an earthquake: ( I hope the ground settles down over there.
    BTW at my bro's house in San Diego all they had was some soot entering nooks and crannies-not anything complicated to clean up. My bro didn't think the house smelled like smoke but then again,if they've been breathing that stuff maybe they were used to the smell?

    These last few days I've been thinking of how Chelone is doing.
    Is 'Bug on a trip or something?

    Wow am I back in true form? I'm a blabfest.

    ~Babs