Ceresone, I agree with you about enjoying what our "neighbors" are doing, so I will add my bit:

I have spent the last two days digging out oregano that was about to take over the world! I like the plant, but not in a flower bed. I finally finished yesterday in 90° heat!

I have the veg garden going. I have (4) kinds of potatoes; broccoli, sweet onions, lettuce and radishes, and just finished planting tomatoes, maybe 36 plants. I am behind because of our late frosts as I am sure you all are. I have yet to plant sweet corn, pole beans, and anything else that I have seeds for.

We are running to Bolivar today to look for Beauregard sweet potato plants. I have great luck with these.

Oh yes, almost forgot, we picked our first very small picking of what I think were Cardinal strawberries. Delish!

I have lots of things in my pot ghetto that were waiting until the rest of the trim was put on the house. Finally, we have our old farmhouse pretty much maintenance free. I think our ladder climbing days are behind us!
I was hoping for rain, but got out the hose and have been watering for three days now.

Everything else is pretty routine. Still feeding the birds and were very excited to have a female oriole visit our HB feeder this past week. She is beautiful!

BTW, we are sw of Springfield, Mo. about 20 miles.

Hoping to hear from all our Ozarks neighbors..........

GD

What are you going to do with all those tomatoes?! My dad always gets carried away and plants too many so I don't plant them. He'll be leaving sacks on my porch soon.
I've planted pole beans this year for the first time. They're about an inch tall. What will you let yours climb on gldno? I found some six foot bamboo poles pretty cheap but I wonder if I should use something taller since it will take some height off when I stick them in the ground. I was hoping if I made a bean teepee, it would encourage my 7 year old twins to eat green beans again. These are 'Helga' and I think the catalog said they would grow to 10 foot - not really wanting to get the ladder out to pick green beans though. lol

I've mostly been moving stuff around that I put in temporary spots last year. I wish I wouldn't do that - especially trees and shrubs. They're too much trouble to move.
I planted a few new perennials that I got in an exchange and a few I got from the Master Gardener plant sale this year. Starting a new bed next to my driveway. It's actually an old flower bed that used to be infested with bermuda grass. I'm starting over now that I got all the bermuda out.
I've planted pole beans this year for the first time. They're about an inch tall. What will you let yours climb on gldno? I found some six foot bamboo poles pretty cheap but I wonder if I should use something taller since it will take some height off when I stick them in the ground. I was hoping if I made a bean teepee, it would encourage my 7 year old twins to eat green beans again. These are 'Helga' and I think the catalog said they would grow to 10 foot - not really wanting to get the ladder out to pick green beans though. lol
I've been watering new stuff but haven't drug out the hose yet. ugh Maybe it will rain tomorrow.
I've had a slug population explosion this year. There's little baby ones everywhere! I picked some toys up out of the yard and had to pick slugs off of my hands when I was done. yuk! Also had a parade of slugs going across my asphalt driveway awhile back when it rained. This is the first year I've seen a lot. Our yard/house is 16 years old now and our trees are getting big enough to make shade for those icky things I guess.
An oriole! Aren't they pretty. I have a hummingbird feeder that I pulled the little yellow plastic flowers off of so the holes would be bigger for the orioles. I need to put it outside I guess. Hope I haven't waited too long.
I'm soaking some melon seeds to plant. Is anyone planting melons yet?
And! I called a tree service and they delived a MOUNTAIN of wood chips absolutely free! I'm using them to put along my shrub row. It's taking forever since I'm putting down newspapers first to smother the weeds.

Ceresone,you will have to either can a lot of tomatoes or go to a farmers market or give lots away.That is if they don't get frosted or hailed on or we have a drouth.We sure need rain here.I have been tilling a new bed,pulling lots of weeds,mostly henbit and chickweed(could feed lots of chicks!)Am going to get some Partridge cochins from my son and daughter in law for Mothers day,for my chicken tractor.I also have a pot ghetto of things I need to plant.Started seed of globe artichokes from the spring festival at Bakers creek and they are up and growing under the lights.Also am trying a lot of cuttings under the lights.Have a cold frame full of flowers and some birdhouse gourds that also need to be planted.Posy Pet

Southwestern Stone County checking in. My DH decided this is the year to take a break and let the land rest, so we are playing catch up on all sorts of other things this year. I still have the permanent plantings to care for and put up. Just finsihed putting asparagus in the freezer. We have blueberries, strawberries, and several fruit trees.

I have been trying to get all the flowers into pots and/or ground so I can run away to Arkansas this weekend. Also potting up some stuff to take to Kaye's plant swap. I have some seedling Japanese Maples and dogwood that I still am not sure about how to keep in the shade, but out of a scorching hot greenhouse. Not sure they will tolerate the winds yet. Have been running out to spray with water all morning. Since I don't know for sure that we will get rain, I am watering all the beds and permanent plantings.

I had several LARGE pots that needed cleaning out and re-doing. I have plans to use an old stump in the front to hold a huge potted rose with Russian Sage growing up around it. Looks good in my head...now if I can just get them all to grow the way I want. :O)

We have three ewes to help keep down grass and brush in our small pasture and to give us some lambs to butcher. For some reason I get to do all the bad things to them. They really hate to see me headed for the barn...poor things. Just finsihed the last of the shots and all are banded. Worming is not such a big deal for me or them.

Roses, Iris, and Peonies are all in full bloom down here in the lake valley. I really love this time of year, but could do without this excessive heat. We have gone to 90 down in this valley for the third day, today, and probably will again tomorrow.

Anyone else seeing an increase in wild hogs? We had one hit on our road about 3 weeks ago. I really don't want those things coming my way, but it looks like they are multiplying. If you think an armadillo is bad, watch out for these guys...and they have a really bad attitude, also.

Wow, wild hogs.....I didn't know we had any of those in Missouri.

So far, this has been a very bad year for black spot on the roses and I have the first tiny slugs here. I can't remember having them in such numbers before!

Christie, I use the bamboo poles, (4) tied together at the top teepee fashion for my pole beans. They fall over at the top and drop down, but I just pick them that way. Sometimes the beans will get cramped and be crooked but not enough to hurt. I set the poles on 36" centers. I raise a bean called Kwintus that I love.

I plant too many tomatoes too, but for some reason in this garden spot, I barely raise enough for canning. This year, I am going to try a few in "new" ground and see if that helps. Dad used to say that the people who raised tomatoes for the canneries (that used to exist in Christian Co.) always put the tomatoes on new ground each year to prevent disease.

We didn't get much accomplished yesterday. It was errand and grocery shopping day. I did find a wonderful new nursery a few miles from the house, Dorothy's Digs. She has a beautiful place, wonderful gardens and a couple of ponds/water features, and a huge garden. She does it all by herself except for the mowing. I was just stunned. Her plants are very reasonable. Lots of clematis in gallon pots for $5.50. Just what I needed, a plant source near me! Before I left she gave me a 6-pak of Hyacinth Bean to grow over my dilapidated hoophouse. I have never grown them before so am thrilled.

My last order of daylilies came yesterday and I got them in soil to hold until planting out. Now, if my knees will allow, I need to empty the ghetto once again. DH may have to learn to garden.......

Here is a picture of my oriole taken through the kitchen window.{{gwi:1112005}}

Have a good day. I think it is sprinkling here!!

GD

South central Texas county here. We are doing major clean up in our back yard where the old barn fell down and trying to plant a few flowers.
Have radishes, onions coming up. Had to put tomatoes out for the second time, as the wind tore them up the first time. Green beans coming up and planted some watermelons. Have no idea if anything much will grow as I haven't gardened in years and am trying to get into it since I retired from a paying job.
I have a small thrift shop I run 4 days a week and trying to landscape around it and some garden there also. DH lets the horses out to graze every morning to help keep the grass down, so can't plant too much at the house or they will graze the wrong thing.
Have peonies and iris blooming at present time. Have scads of things I need to relocate.
Can hear thunder off in the distance but no rain yet. I am afraid it is going to go around us once again. Looked on the doppler radar from Springfield and showed it north of us and south of us and our little area clear. We are in dire need of rain, even the grass is starting to turn brown. Had just a few sprinkles when I came from town about 9 pm, had to go in and watch grand daughter's gymnastic recital.
Donna

Hallaleuja! We got just under two inches of rain. I feel partially responsible since I had watered for two days.....that usually brings one on. I should have done it sooner.

I planted lots more things yesterday, but haven't started on the shrubs and roses for some new landscaping where we pulled out oversized yews. My garden was too wet (from my previous day's watering) to plant corn and beans, but with the 40° predicted, I am probably ok.

I did pick a nice bowl of strawberries that we enjoyed.

I went out this morning to check the rain guage and everything smelled so fresh and nice. There is just something about a good rain......

My plants had been in the six paks too long and looked pretty shabby. I sure hope they come out of it. I swear I am never using that small size for planting seeds again.

Have a wonderful Saturday.
I hope the rain was widespread and all who needed it, got some.

GD

GD

GD, thanks for bringing the rain. I, too, dragged hoses around trying to keep everything looking halfway alive. As I look out the kitchen window it is sprinkling again. I really like it when it rains slow so it can soak in.

Now, it will be easier to get some weeding done in next several days.
Donna

The weeds are easier to pull but they grow faster too darnit. So glad to get the rain though. It looked like on the forecast that it will be clear for several days and didn't want to miss the rain this time. We got 1 1/2 inches. Yipee!
Went to Wal-Mart today and looked through their marigold six packs until I found the smallest, sorriest looking ones I could find to replace my Mother's Day marigolds that I got from my kids. My twins twins grew them from seed in styrofoam cups at school and were so proud of them. We planted them and HAD nine altogether but were down to three when I checked yesterday and I didn't want to tell them they disappeared. Not sure whether they got eaten or were just too small to make it. Had to sneak out there and plant my little Wal-mart marigolds before they found out. lol
The hummingbirds are buzzing around my catmint. I have 'Six Hills Giant' and they're huge. This is their third year but I had noticed hummingbirds around it before this year. I watched them for awhile and one of them was swooping back in forth in front of me and putting on quite a show. I think he was warning me. lol

I don't have a veggie garden because the deer eat it when I do. My sweet hubby fed the deer about 100 feet away the two years I did try to plant one. I do have egyptian walking onions beginning to walk and I have some herbs and the garlic patch from He!! that I can't get rid of. I planted a package of garlic from the grocery store about 15 years ago and didn't dig it all and every year there is more and more. Talk about taking over the world. I had the same problem with oregano at one point but I moved it and it's pretty controlled now. Christie, I have a habit of putting things in a holding bed and having to move them too and have some things that have been needing to move for 2 or 3 years and can't figure out where to put them. My irises are finished for this year and the daylilies are beginning to put up scapes. I have one stella blooming. The peonies are gorgeous and roses are blooming so it's starting to get prettier by the day. We got a little shower last night but not enough to make a difference and it's been cooler but sunny here all day. Wednesday I planted 20 dahlias and am anxious to see what they will look like.

Ceresone, you sound like my mom planting so much but she loved to give things away.

gld no1, your oriole is pretty. I would love to get some colorful birds. Last year I did have some gold finches and one blue bird one day.

Here's one of my peonies blooming.
{{gwi:1112006}}

Nancy

The hummingbirds do that swing thing to impress the females.We also got almost 2 inches of rain.Thank you GOD!I had planted more dahlias and a patch of flower seeds before it rained.I try to rotate my tomatoes and use a Jerry Baker concoction that gives me lots of good tomatoes-you add a cup of gypsum and a cup of epsom salts to compost-actually,I fill my garden cart with compost and put a couple of cups of each in and mix it well,then put a shovelfull in each tomato hole,then mulch them good with newspapers and whatever else you have.I use shredded leaves and have had the best luck with them.This mixture ended the black rotten bottoms that you get when it goes from wet to dry too.My tomatoes grow over the 6' cages.(whichever kind I plant but lately its been Parks beefy boy)Posy Pet

Beautiful pics!
LOL Christie! The "swinging hummer" was courting you!
Well, I am just over the Oklahoma border from the Arkansas/Missouri line.
My tomatoes (only 6, thank goodness!) survived being frosted twice this year. ANd that was besides the other two times that I covered them. Strange year....
I have been trying to get everything out of the greenhouse and into the ground, or placed around the yard if they are potted plants. This week, I need to finish planting gourds and cukes, before I leave to visit Portland next week. Seems like I am running way behind since the weather was so uncertain this year.
The Purple Martins have been having a terrible time with a beautiful pair of sparrow hawks who insist on "visiting" the Martin house twice each day. Guess they are looking for eggs?? I try to help by yelling at the hawks, and shooting my shotgun in the air to frighten them. Amuses the neighbors, I am sure. So far, the hawks mostly ignore me.
We had baby Chickadee's in the mailbox birdhouse, and a boxful of Bluebird babies that are currently being fed by only the male. I am not sure what happened to the female. I saw her just last week.
The hummers here are out in full force. Draining both feeders twice daily! I may buy stock in a sugar company.
Ceresone, this was a great idea!
Dori

Do you think we should do a weekly Journal thing like we do on the Farm Forum? That way it won't g et too long. I am enjoying this too.

I love the peony, Nancy, do you know what kind it is? Somehow I have ended up with three peonies, all with no fragrance! I plan to order some fragrant ones soon.

We had our first male b. oriole finally show up at the hb feeder this morning. I couldn't get a pic of him. He is gorgeous. We also had a first.....a pair of quail were in the yard right by the back door ! We don't even see many on the farm now. Very curious.

I am not liking this 42° temperature this morning at all! and I forgot to bring my remaining tomato plants and the sweet potatoes in last night. They were inside the hoophouse, but all doors were open. Drats...........

I still have tons of planting to go, but my knees are giving me fits. I think I am going to give up and call the Dr. tomorrow and see what I am dealing with. I am going to try to do some more today.

Thanks for telling us what the Hummer dance is all about. I saw my first one and thought he was having a fit! He was madly flying back and forth maybe two feet right by my head.

Birdwise, we are seeing goldfinches, purple finches, titmice, hummers, doves, orioles, blue birds, white crowned sparrows, and of course, robins and red birds and the small woodpecker. We haven't seen the pileated woodpecker all year. I think he tops my list as the most fascinating bird.

Have a nice Sunday.

GD

so glad this is active, gldno, i "sorta" hoped we could pattern it like the journal on the farm forum, glad everyone seems to like it.
i didnt know, either that we had wild hogs, first the armadillos, now, wild hogs. winters just arent like they were when i was a kid here, we tunneled inside 6' drifts!
garden all in, rain yesterday helped the cucumbers and green beans pop up, something keeps eating my tomato plants, lost 17 so far. no, i wont be canning, as still have too much left i canned last year. raised fantastic tomatoes last year, posted free tomatoes at senior citizens center, a young lady came out, said her grandma told her i had too many tomatoes, and she could "take a few off my hands"!!never again. BUT__baby chicks coming in the morning-- i'm going to turn my tomatoes into eggs-- magic, huh?
got 50 brown eggs layers, and 25 ornamental layers coming, about 5 a.m. post office tells me.hope i still remember how to raise them, have everything ready.
everyone enjoying this cool weather? cant we ever hit a "happy medium?

gldno1, sorry I don't know what kind of peony it is. It was a gift but it is highly scented. This is the first year it bloomed and I was so proud of it. Glad you like it. My DH is trying the hay bale tomatoes this year but I'm afraid he's going to be disappointed. The frost got them almost as soon as he planted them and one of them isn't going to recover for sure. He only planted two. We're still waiting to see what they other one will do. I think he should pull them up and start over!

Nancy

A local here told me that the wild hogs have been around since he was a kid way back there. I am sure they are escapees, but you wouldn't know it by looking at them. I had a sow with half grown pigs walk out into the road in front of me, one night. She turned toward my headlights and just stood there as if deciding if she would attack or just stand her ground...finally walked away, taking her old sweet time about it. These animals can be dangerous if you are on foot and too old to climb a tree. Ask about them on the Texas and Oklahoma forums...not good. Some neighbors have one tearing up their garden that is not real close to house so they can catch him at work.

Game wardens say shoot them on sight...trouble is, what do you do with a huge dead hog if it is near your house.