Kim, I don't want snakes up under my feet, either. I grew up not being afraid of snakes, but as I've gotten older and wiser, I try to give them a wide berth. I'm out early this morning in the hedge/bushes trying to buzz them back with hedge trimmers. That's where I've encountered young copperheads twice. I'm making as much noise as possible and stepping gently.

Mary, We have not been as cool at night as y'all have been, but we have been in the 50s, which is a pleasant change, especially with the Air Conditioner broken. We've slept with the windows open at night, which was a startling reminder about how noisy it can be at night....trains, dogs barking nonstop (not our dogs), frogs croaking, cows mooing, roosters (ours) crowing sporadically all night long, etc. Early this morning it was so noisy and cold (48 degrees) that I got up around 4 a.m. and closed the windows. Jet and I postponed our morning walk until the temperatures had climbed up to 55 degrees and it still felt plenty cool.

Amy, The AC repair guys came out yesterday afternoon and diagnosed the problem was a worn-out blower that could not be repaired. They ordered a new one, picked it up this morning and came back and installed it. It was not a really inexpensive fix--almost $300--but certainly was better than hearing them say "your system is old and dead and you need an entirely new one". Our friends up the road put in a new HVAC system this year and I think she told me it was around $4000---and their old system was only 10 years old. Ours is in its 18th year so I know that we'll probably have to replace it sooner rather than later. So, we're all good now as far as the HVAC goes.

Yesterday I cleaned house, trying to pick up the endless clutter that appears whenever we are working on home improvement projects. It seems like stuff sprouts and grows on every flat surface. Then, I thought I'd vacuum....and when I turned on the vaccum cleaner, it started shooting dust out of the bottom of it. Instead of sucking up dust, it was spitting it out. I was pretty mad, and inhaled too much of that dust trying to fix it. After Tim got home he took the vaccum cleaner apart, found the clog and fixed it. (sigh) It is frustrating when you go from cleaning the house to spraying dust all over. The house is clean NOW but it was a dusty mess yesterday, and with the non-working HVAC, I couldn't get the dust out of the air. I had to wait for it to settle on every surface downstairs so I could wipe it up or sweep it up (this was before Tim got home and fixed the vaccum). See, I shouldn't bother trying to clean house at all if the end result is going to be that I'll be spewing loose dust everywhere. I hate my vacuum cleaner.

Our ground is cracking too, but the only thing I've watered is the fig tree. Oh, and I made Augustus his puddle to stand in because he's not happy without a puddle to stand in. I think he must be half turkey, half flamingo.

H/J, I also believe it is a black walnut.

Melissa, I've been seeing a lot more monarchs too. Usually (if anything even happens in the typical time frames any more) we see them migrating through here during the first week of October. Based on how many I'm seeing now, I still don't think they are migrating, but I'm wondering if they are clustering together in advance of migration. Yesterday evening I was working upstairs and looked out the bedroom window and saw one settling in for the night on a tree. I have wondered if the cold nights will push them to migrate earlier than normal this year.

The more I've heard of people being bitten by venomous snakes here this year, the more afraid of the venomous ones I've become. If you've ever seen the swelling and discoloration they cause, or heard the price tag for 18 vials of antivenin....well, there's your motivation to stay snakebite-free. There's been more people bitten in our county this year than I've ever heard of before, so that's making me be more careful too. In our early years, I didn't see nearly as many as I see now....I am not sure if we have more now, or if I just wasn't that aware back then. Other than the snakes being out early (January a little, and then tons of them out early in March) and biting more people than usual, they haven't been that bad. There's been years when I've seen a lot more venomous snakes than I've seen this year, but there's been more venomous snakes this year inside the garden instead of outside the garden, and that certainly is a major issue in my mind.

One advantage of going out for an early morning walk with Jet is that we get to walk past the garden and enjoy the moonflowers in bloom on the garden fence. This morning, just from outside the fence, I counted 42 of the big white blossoms. That's about twice as many as we have most mornings, and the aroma filled the air. Again, because of the cool air, they have stayed open later than usual, which I consider a good thing. I suppose if we walked after dinner, we'd get to see them as they were opening, but by the time we've eaten dinner and cleaned up the kitchen, who has energy to walk a dog?

Dawn

HJ, saw the picture of the tree, and was sure I was looking at a black walnut. I could barely see the tree trunk through the leaves, but one of the several characteristics is the deeply furrowed bark, which that looked to be. Ours are easily differentiated from the bark of our oaks. The leaf arrangement and shape also declares itself, as do the nuts. (Those look like some healthy black walnuts!) Some folks prize them (especially the timber industry); some despise them; non-gardeners may be indifferent, if they don't mind the messiness of the nuts in the fall. Because I don't like the messiness; because I don't love having a tree that squirrels will flock to, and because mostly I am not willing to have the juglone toxicity of the tree to limit what I can grow near them (already being limited by my growing zone, and especially sun/shade), I am not a fan.

An aside. . . one of our daughters and her SO are planning to put an offer in on a house that is just 1.5 from us. We went to see the place with them last week--a good-sized lot of between .5 and 1 acre, a big house, and a lawn that was rather sparse and old, with approximately 12 large trees concentrated in the back yard and near the front of the house. GDW was the one who first spotted one of the black walnuts in the front yard, so as we were walking around, come to find out every single one of the dozen or so large trees was a black walnut! Garry laughed and said, "that'd probably be a deal-killer for you!," and I laughed and agreed." Now to the kids, might be fine; but we did mention it to them, just so they'd know. Was pretty funny, really.

We were out fishing yesterday from 10 am to 7 pm--and it was heaven just to take the day off in absolutely perfect weather conditions. . . 76-78 and not once too hot out in the middle of the lake; a nice breeze. We had so much fun; caught plenty of fish, 13 nice catfish; although we have been doing catch and release all year, we had two different families who wanted catfish, so the poor little guys yesterday went into the live well. I did NOT want to quit, but finally at 7, the breeze died and we were finally getting tired, so we called it a day. By the time we got the fish delivered, got home, quick had a yummy buffet of leftovers, showered, by 9 pm, we were both dead tired. First time we've been out on the lake in 6 weeks; I hope we can go out several more times when we get back from Wyoming.

But I've enjoyed reading the posts from yesterday and today, between the Bermuda grass thread and this one. I'm glad things are okay down there, Dawn--except for the blankety-blank vacuum cleaner. AGGHH. Such an ambitious project you two are tackling. Aren't you going to be thrilled when you get 'er done! And I'm glad you got the AC fixed for a not-cheap $300, rather than a new HVAC system!

Eileen--pretty rose! And the price was right.

Gotta get back to pressing matters. . . .

Nancy, your day on the lake fishing sounds so wonderful. It has been years since I've done that. I grew up with boats and campers, and lots of good memories.

Dawn, I had to replace my HVAC system almost 3 years ago. It was expensive. Mine was about 18 years old, and I happened to have bought a home warranty when I bought the house. That warranty saved me a lot of money...probably more than half.

I went to Lowes this morning, for supplies for my big bag bed. They had a few broccoli plants, a few kale, and a few brussels sprouts. All with bug damage and yellowing leaves. Guess what they decided to stock up on? Tomato plants. Very small tomato plants. Tomato plants that looked like they had just been hardened off good. LOL. I guess I'll have to make the rounds to see if I can find enough transplants to fill part of this bed.

I was surprised with a gift from sweet friend today . A state park pass so I can go see the Buffalo more often and I don't have to pay. What a wonderful surprise that was.

Gotta go pick more tomatoes and peppers.

Y'all, I needed a night like tonight. I've been so down. Mostly due to lack of time at home. Among other things like feeling as though I'm the most boring person in the world. To me, I'm not. I'm super interesting--my brain is full of so much. But, I'm afraid most people don't get me and find me boring. BUT Tonight was wonderful. I rolled in a little after 5 and it's been so enjoyable. I watered. The big girls got to free range a bit. This allowed the little girls to have full run of the pen for a couple of hours. Everyone figured out how to drink from the new waterer. Now, we just need to figure out the new nesting boxes.

I have tons and tons of peppers. What do y'all do with your extras? Throw them into compost? The marconi that I accidentally picked up at the spring fling has finally made fruit. This poor thing was planted in an odd spot and it died a couple of times. It's back and making fruit. What do y'all do with marconi peppers?

Found some leaf footed bugs (or maybe stink bug) in the crane melon/purple hull bed.

We moved the old coop to the other side of the property. The soil where it sat is nice now. I put cardboard down and plan on throwing my compost items on top for the next 5 months or so. Then we will build a bed in the spring and add a little dirt and plant! It's in a spot that gets some shade and it's near a tree, so there's probably some roots. What would y'all plant there? Maybe an herb garden?

I've enjoyed reading y'all's posts. Our Walmart had a few plants, mostly tomatoes, broccoli, and squash. I'm looking for annual herbs. May need to go to K and K (now it's Marcum, I guess).

The tree behind my Mom's house doesn't make nuts (she says). But makes those little fruit things. They drop down into her yard and she doesn't like it. Do black walnuts ever just make those little fruit things that don't turn into "nuts"?

I had a pecan tree at my old house that made shells that were empty. I learned you have to have a male and female pecan tree to make pecans. Maybe walnuts are the same?

Now, how do you tell rhe sex of a tree?

A friend and fellow gardener could never be boring! Not boring. I can only imagine what a snooze I am to our kids and to loved relatives and acquaintances who share none of my particular passions, nor I theirs--and perhaps also to some who DO share some of those same passions. Nonetheless, we can't be second-guessing, HJ! :)

Now about that tree. . . I give up, unless I can see it in person. YOU, however, probably see it in person now and then? Well, the answers are out there in google-land! Google is our friend! There is a ton of information about tree ID, black walnut or other "fruit" bearing trees (including the nut trees in "fruit") I can't second-guess your Mom, either. if she says it doesn't make nuts, perhaps it doesn't. On the other hand, when green walnuts fall to the ground, they don't shed their skins, for the most part. They turn brown. Then one must crack their skin off most often. However, like I said, won't try to second-guess her. Good LUCK to you both!

I bet your new bed built on the chicken coop site will grow plants or veggies like gangbusters!

Kim, what a sweet gesture from your friend! Wonderful.

Thanks, Mary--being on the lake all day was divine, but I sure got a sunburn--which is funny, kind of, had been out there so many many times before under various conditions and had forgotten my hat before, and never got a burn. Last night my face was so HOT. GDW felt it and said it felt like I had a fever. It's not a super bad sunburn, but definitely noticeable.

The requirements for admission to nursing homes and ramifications of Medicaid and financial rules and regulations has keep me busy and stressed for the past couple days. Sheesh.

But on the fun side, GDW is making progress on the enlargement of our raised beds area. . . got new posts set for the expansion! I am so excited--Woo-Hoo! Really, that fun outweighs any stresses right now, it truly does. I'm going to take a couple pics tomorrow, will share with you. Veggies right now have certainly been out-performing sad leftover flowers from summer, for the most part, and that's just fine!

This, suddenly, not related to gardening per se (except in terms of me having to give some time away from it) is that while we thought we were going to Wyoming to transfer my mother from assisted living to the nursing home, tonight, we (WE--and GDW had been thinking about it, come to find out, for a couple weeks, as had I, but what we hadn't voiced to each other) decided the reason for our trip up there is not to turn her over to the nursing home, but instead, to bring her down here. I'm fully confident we can handle this; I took care of a dying son with love and an almost other dying son; GDW saw his mother-in-law, as well as his previous wife, through to their deaths. Is it something we look forward to? NO. Is it something we are prepared to do and WILL do, yes. So sorry to insert this aside into our forum. . . because it almost certainly couldn't qualify as gardening. But like HJ saying she's been down, or any of the other slightly asides from gardening posts, I know I'm there for whatever is happening with you all, and know you're there with me, too. So that's our plan! Wish us luck! (Actually, the thorn in the side is Mom herself. She is so independent that she hates giving up any control to anyone. I suspect, given her alternatives--nursing home or us, she'll choose us. If I can make her realize she isn't giving up her control by moving down here, should work out. Gotta love her spirit!)

I wanted to pop in and mention that Henry Field's, always good to send much email, sent me a half off seed notice that looks pretty good.

I assume that most of us know the site, and get plenty of notice directly from them, but on the off chance that someone is looking for cheaper seed, here you go:

http://www.henryfields.com/category/vegetables-and-flower?p=0646018&uid=---lapP1JbqNe0fFaeMYsPlUwyx4LPeizjXXWaUh6tMVD4_&r=090817HFA&utm_source=em&utm_medium=spec&lm=hfsp&spMailingID=656173&spUserID=NDc4NjI2Nzk0S0&spJobID=380094914&spReportId=MzgwMDk0OTE0S0

Nancy, I wish you and your family much success in moving your mother here. I see lots of positives to that decision :)

Hazel, I think a lot of us feel that way at times. I don't find you boring at all!!! I think my daughters get tired of hearing about my garden, and garden-related things...I'm sure I'm boring to them. That's why I live here! ;) I agree with an herb garden in your new shady location. I think that is what I would do. Regarding your peppers, I used my over-abundance last year and did a couple of things: I chopped and froze some in 1 cup portions (I put them in sandwich bags, and then put the sandwich bags into large freezer bags). I pull them out each time I make chili, or meatloaf, or a pasta sauce. I also made a pepper relish that I named, "Sweet Habanero Hellfire", because the relish had a lot of habaneros. I basically just made a relish using a bread and butter pickle recipe, but it was really good and really hot. I ate it on pizza, and beans, and you name it. I gave a lot of it away, as well. You could pickle the peppers, too.

Nancy, That's exciting news about having one of y'all's daughters and her SO put in an offer on a house near you two. I hope they get it. Keep us posted.

How's Titan the magnificent wonder dog doing? Is he back to 100% yet?

Sometimes I feel like we'll never get the house finished and the way I want it. Too much of it still is stuck in 1999 or maybe 2004. Room by room, though, we'll get it done. We are in a real time crunch here as Tim has work-related travel next week and then we get busy with lots of various VFD fundraisers and community activities from Sept. through Dec., so I've been trying to get this done in the limited time frame available. I guess we'll keep plugging away at it, but it seems like the progress is slow. (I am not a patient person--and real life is not like a home makeover on HGTV....those get completed really, really quickly.)

We are really dry here (as I imagine most of y'all are as well) and the grass fires, hayfield fires, tractor fires and barn fires are becoming more numerous---not just in our county but in counties around us, on both sides of the Red River. It is astonishing how quickly we go from too wet and lush/green to too dry, cracking ground and very dry vegetation.

Mary, It is a day that we know is coming, and when it does, we'll ante up the money and hope the next one lasts as long as this one has. I do dread having to spend that money on it, but we know it is coming and we are saving and preparing. We had a lot of trouble with it in 2011 and really didn't think it would make it through that summer. Luckily, our most excellent friend/HVAC repair guy (a retired professional firefighter) did some miracle repairs in 2011 and kept it working and now it just keeps chugging along. He has since retired, but the new guys that work on it nowadays are both volunteer firefighters from the adjacent county and we have worked with them and their VFDs on some big fires in both their county and ours in previous years, so having them here working on our HVAC system is sort of like having a relative working on it. They do great work too. As hard as our HVAC systems work in the summertime here, I think it is a wonder that they last as long as they do. I suspect our old blower has just worked less well and less well over the last few years until it finally died, because after they installed the new blower yesterday, I was freezing cold in no time at all. It felt like the system was cooling down the house much more quickly than it had in a long time. Of course, it was only 80-something degrees outside and not 90-something or 100-something so that probably had something to do with it as well.

I've noticed the same thing with the stores here---a fresh round of tomato plants much too late in the season. It is baffling. I suppose people ask for them, so they supply them, but tomato plants put in the ground now have little chance of producing much before the first freeze. Now, if put into containers that could be protected a bit more into autumn, then they might be worth planting.

Kim, What a sweet gift! I hope the harvesting went well.

Jennifer, I'm glad you had a good night at home and, no, I don't think you're boring. I do think you're developing a real affection for the simple things in life---like letting the girls out to roam while you water. There's always going to be people who don't understand how/why that is fulfilling, but I understand it. There is great peace and contentment found in interacting with Mother Nature in any form. When we told all my cousins (most more countrified than me when we were kids) that we were moving to the country in the late 1990s, they were laughing "you? in the country?" but that was just because they didn't think a city chick could be happy in the country. They were 100% wrong. I knew what my heart wanted....and it wanted to be here. I am where I always should have been and every day is very meaningful to me, even if my activities might seem boring to other folks who don't 'get it'.

The great thing about peppers is that they are so easy to preserve. You can dry them, freeze them, can them, jelly them or pickle them. I do all the above. Usually at this time of the year, I'm drying Anaheims, turning habaneros into Habanero Gold jelly, either freezing jalapenos for winter cooking or pickling them (Candied Jalapenos for Christmas gifts usually but sometimes just sliced jalapeno pepper rings) or making jalapeno jelly, making pepper-flavored vinegar from small hot types of peppers, and slicing and/or chopping sweet bell peppers and poblanos for winter cooking. Despite being distracted by the projects inside the house, I've been managing to stay caught up fairly well on pepper harvesting and pepper processing.

For Marconi peppers, you can use them fresh in many ways---slice and eat them in salads, grill them, or stuff them (lots of recipes for that on the internet). If the new area you're going to plant is protected from the chickens, you could grow greens like lettuce and kale there. If not, then I'd probably plant herbs and shade loving flowers, but the chickens may go after them. I don't have much trouble with chickens bothering large, established plants in an unfenced area, but they will tear up small new seedlings as they dig and scratch their way through the soil.

I can't answer your question about the walnuts and whether nuts form that never make nuts. It is possible that they form but don't progress because of some sort of pest or disease, but I'm just guessing. Our black walnut trees are way off in the woods where they belong, and nowhere near our yard and garden (if they were, I'd cut them down because of the juglone issue).

Jen, Actually, pecan trees are monoecious and do have male and female flowering structures on the same plant. However, with many of the trees, it tends to be that if the females are functioning on that given tree, the males aren't, or vice versa, so they are considered to be functionally dioecious. I'm not sure why. It seems pointless to have both types present on the same tree but not working in concert with one another. You can Google the type of tree you have and ask for images of male or female flowers or catkins or reproductive structures and see them and then compare that to what you see on your tree or trees next spring. With trees like the native persimmons, there are actual visible differences between the female and male trees, but they are dioecious so you can tell by looking at the tree's flowers in spring if they are male or female trees.

Nancy, I hope your mom cooperates with the plan you and GDW have hatched. Parents can be so stubborn sometimes! Regardless how it ends up, I personally hope she chooses to come down here with y'all. I cannot imagine she'd prefer staying up there and living in a nursing home, unless she just has a terrible aversion to change. I 'think' that my mom would rather move in with any of us 4 kids than go into a nursing home when/if that time comes, but she is surprisingly stubborn about wanting to stay in her own home too. I hope y'all have a safe and successful trip either way---whether she chooses to stay there and go into a nursing home, or chooses to come down here with y'all.

We are a gardening forum, but we all are people first and one of my favorite things about this forum is the way we all help and encourage everyone in every way---whether the subject at hand is gardening or animals or family or whatever. We are a gardening family. Family. That makes us much more than a gardening group, and I just love this group all the more for that very reason.

Dawn

Me too

Couldn't agree more, Dawn! Unlike other forums I've joined in the past, I actually enjoy getting on every day and reading about everybody else's day or week. It really is a community more than a forum it seems.

Not sure if I have posted this before here but this is a great recipe to use up extra Jalapeno peppers. I add a a few pieces of chopped bacon bits to the cheese mixture.

Jalapeno
Poppers with Pepper Jack

12 oz.
cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
25 jalapeno peppers, seeded, cut in half
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups dried packaged breadcrumbs
Oil for deep frying

In a
medium bowl, combine cream cheese and pepper jack cheese; blend well.
In a pot of barely simmering water, blanch the pepper halves for 2 minutes,
drain and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Spoon the
cream cheese mixture into jalapeno pepper halves

Place
milk and flour into two separate shallow bowls. Dip the stuffed jalapenos first
into the milk then into the flour, making sure they are thoroughly coated.
Place the coated jalapenos on wire racks and let dry for about 10 minutes.

Dip the
jalapenos in milk again and then roll them in breadcrumbs to coat. Let coated
peppers dry, repeating the dipping in milk and rolling in breadcrumbs if
necessary.

In large
skillet, heat the oil to 365 degrees F. Deep fry the filled and coated jalapeno
peppers 2 to 3 minutes each, until golden brown. Remove and let drain on a
paper towel.

To
freeze, DO NOT FRY PEPPERS. Place on cookie sheet and freeze until hard, then
package in single layer in plastic freezer containers.

To eat, place on
cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes until hot all the way
through, golden brown, and crisp

********************************************************************************************************

I am going to try this recipe next Sunday when we go to a friends for a Chiefs gameday party. I'm going to chop and freeze a bunch of Jalapenos so I can make some over the winter months.

Jalapeno popper wonton cups

These Jalapeño Popper Wonton Cups are loaded
with bacon, jalapeños, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and sour cream....all in a
crispy wonton shell! The perfect party or game day appetizer!

Author:Cathy Trochelman

Serves:12

INGREDIENTS

·
12 wonton wrappers

·
4 oz. cream cheese, softened

·
½ c. sour cream

·
12 oz. bacon, cooked & crumbled (reserve
2 Tbsp.)

·
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (reserve 2
Tbsp.)

·
3-4 jalapeños, seeded and chopped (**for
more spice, do not remove all the seeds)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.
3. Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup; bake 8
   minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
5. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together cream cheese,
   sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese, and chopped jalapeños.
6. Spoon filling into wonton cups, then sprinkle with
   reserved bacon and cheese.
7. Return to oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes,
   until wontons are golden brown and cheese is melted.

OMG, Jack. I'm gonna have to try the wonton/pepper recipe. That sounds delicious. I've done the breaded poppers before, and they are great as well.

Jack, hold your tongue. That sounds like an evil recipe! LOL No, wait! It's a health food!! Cheese, meat. . . and peppers! Good stuff. I'm afraid if I made a batch, they'd never reach anyone else. . .

Definitely health food Nancy! There are a couple variations on the recipe if you google Jalapeno popper wonton cups. One uses Mozzarella cheese rather than pepper jack.

Mary - I'm excited to try them too! I wasn't expecting the Chiefs to win last night but somehow they pulled it off. Unfortunately I slept thru the best part of the game in the 4th quarter. Having an unexpected win under their belt should make the game day party more fun next weekend.

2 questions:

Are there any types of garlic that are better or worse for growing in our climate?

Best way and time to divide peonies?

Nancy, re. your comment about nursing homes & Medicaid: Oklahoma has a community waiver called the ADvantage Program that helps nursing facility level individuals remain in their homes instead of being institutionalized. I used to work for it as a data analyst, so i can't tell you what the requirements are, but you might call DHS and talk to them. Or depending on where you live you could call one of the agencies that work for the program and get more info from them before applying. PM if you want more info, I'd be happy to pass on the contact information.

Jennifer, you can't be the most boring person in the world, because my youngest son has already given me that title. ;) After dinner and cleaning the kitchen, I like to sit on the patio for an hour or so with my furry friend. We usually stay until the mosquitoes or toads send us indoors. (Lulu is a toad hunter, and if I'm not fast enough, we'll have a bloody/pukey mess!) Whenever my son comes over after work, he always asks me what I'm doing. When he realizes that I'm essentially doing nothing, he says, "Ugh, Mama...you are the. most. boring. person. in. the. world." So it's not you; it's me.

But really, I enjoy the things I enjoy, and that just makes me me. The other day when he was here, I took him out back to show him the caterpillars on the pentas. We counted seven of the hornworms (probably of the sphinx moth), and he thought that was as cool as I did. You are perfect just the way you are, just like we all are.

Nancy, best of luck with your mom. Everything will work out the way it was meant to be. Have a safe trip.

I've been busy in the flower beds, moving things around. Dawn, what are the best annuals/perennials for full sun with minimal irrigation? I have a hard time with one end of the cottage border that gets blasted in the heat of summer. The artemisia, catmint, and mistflower look great, but the daisies, butterfly bush, and lamb's ears needed new homes. I've already added salvia farinacea, because it'll thrive there.

The spinach experiment is over. Even though late August/early September has been cool, it must still be too warm for the spinach. It came up but slowly petered out. I'll wait a bit longer and try again. And I have a new cantaloupe coming along (after I had stopped taking care of it).

Hope everyone is enjoying this weather. I sure have been.

Michelle

Everybody please keep Floridians in your thoughts this weekend. Most of my family has evacuated to Georgia, but I have 3 left down by Sarasota. One is a nurse, and couldn't leave, so all 3 are riding it out. It's gonna be bad bad bad, I'm afraid.

Had a funeral in Bartlesville this morning. A childhood friend's mother passed. It was in a church in the neighborhood I grew up in, so I feel a little nostalgic right now. Bartlesville has changed since I was a kid, but not as significantly as other places. (Owasso is barely recognizable compared to what it was like when we moved here.) Our original house was on the first street built in the Oak Park neighborhood. They were cookie cutter floorplans with car ports, but with some innovative things that made them special. That street has seen better days, but most of the neighborhood looked pretty good. My old elementary school closed not too long ago. A church bought the property.

Today was my folks 66th anniversary. We got Rib Crib for lunch, since they can't really go out right now.

Then home for a NAP, since we got up early.

Jacob, I keep saying I'm going to do the row cover thing. Somehow I'm too worn out when fall comes. I have used plastic as a wind break around a couple of beds, which I also covered with tarps when it threatened to freeze, until that got old and I finally let it go.

Nancy, I'm glad you will have family close, even if they have to deal with black walnut trees. I hope your plans for your mom work out. I do not envy the work you will have to do regardless of where she goes.

Dawn, the refrigerants in AC units have probably changed twice since you got your unit. That's how they hooked us, the refrigerant would cost so much to refill if there's a leak. I think we were suckered, twice. Bah humbug. Like evey other appliance, an 18 year old unit is probably better quality than new.

Rebecca, you CAN grow hardneck garlic here, though I think softneck does better for me. I am buying my garlic from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange this year. Anything they offer is probably something that will grow here. I started with storebought softneck. It did pretty well. Then I bought some bulbs at Cherry Street, which did well the first year, but not so great last year. We didn't like the taste of most of them, either. I got 2 softnecks to try this year.

Yes, the news from the Florida area is grim. DH's sister is in orlando and her son is down near Miami, I think.

I'm going to be growing some Inchelium Red softneck garlic this year. I bought 12 bulbs with 6-9 "cloves" to plant a piece. The person who I bought these bulbs from said that she grows it great here from a planting in late September, and it keeps for 9 months usually. Might be a variety to look into, Rebecca.

Irma looks horrible. They're comparing it to Andrew but somehow I have a feeling it will be much much worse than Andrew ever was. I'll be praying for the people living in Florida tonight.

It's possible my Mom doesn't see the nuts. I'm not sure. I'll keep a close eye on it. She lives in a gated community. Behind her and to one side is a field (she lives at the end of a street). This field at one time--many years ago--had a house. I only know because of the way the flower bulbs would come up each year. It was like they were planted around a structure. ANYWAY, they put a office building on part of the field. There are large pecan trees in the field too.

So, I remember reading about Black Walnuts being bad. Tell me why. Could that be why she has such a hard time getting things to grow near to her fence line?

For me it's more than just being boring because I like to garden. It's all the weird things that I think about. How are we all connected? What is the origin of everything? Why are so many holidays of various religions at the same times of the year? What is that connection? What is the origin of rh negative blood--it's unlikely that it is a mutation. Why do all of the US presidents have rh neg blood when only 15% of the US population have it. Is there still nephlilim blood in some humans today?

It goes on and on for me. Gardening keeps me grounded. It gives me something tangible to focus on. And I love watching things grow. It still amazes me that a little seed knows what it's supposed to do. And sprouts and grows and makes more seeds. It's a tiny miracle every time. Anyway, most of those things aren't interesting to most people.

Thanks for the recipe, LoneJack!

Amy, when are you going to order your garlic? I need to order some too. I've just planted stuff from Natural Grocers and haven't had the best luck. But, I'm clueless about different varieties.

Just caught up with reading today's posts. I have to say this--I LOVE you guys! You're the best!

My day--I was bound and determined to leave the house tomorrow with it being CLEAN all over. So cleaned the pantry/laundry floor, which had been sadly neglected; laundered and changed sheets on bed; cleaned out fridge, cleaned stove; watered yard, saturating dry areas; dusted; cleaned glass coffee table and all the glass stuff, including hung pictures; when we return, it will be to a pristine house, and all we have to do is immediately mow and then just revel in being back home---with or without Mom.

Meanwhile, GDW (with a tiny bit of help from me) set the posts (in concrete) for our new expanded veggie beds. . . I'm so excited (and he is, too) that we hate leaving for just THIS reason. It will be a glorious fall, filing these expanded beds with good soil stuff. Setting posts was problematic at best--an almost impossible task, with the underlying rocks--nay, boulders--which is why he had to set them in concrete, since we could only go down 14-18 inches, at the most, before running into God knows what kind of rock boulders were there. It'll give us an easy 150 more feet of gardening space. Should take us up to about a 500-600 sq ft of gardening, which for us, will be GREAT. Then we were laughing this morning about maybe expanding it further back next year another 5 or 10 feet. . . but then it truly IS rock central. So maybe we have the perfect space for next year and the following years. We'll see.

Absolutely overcome with sorrow for the folks whose lands are being burnt all around them, the haze over Wyoming is unbelievable, can't even see the mountains from 4 miles away in the photos I've seen, and that isn't even where the fires are! The fires are particularly bad in Montana, Oregon, California. . . devastating; and then the south from Harvey and now Irma. My life is pretty darned easy.

HJ, peppers peppers peppers! I had to deal with those today, too. I ended up just freezing them all--a dozen bells, 2 trillion jalapenos, a dozen banana peppers. . . I was weeping, LoneJack, that I don't have time right now to fix some healthful poppers. . . maybe when I get back home. And would have loved pickling some, but, no time today.

Kim, please keep posting, because I will be worrying and thinking about you while I'm not here for the next 1-2 weeks.

Michelle and HJ--no, YOU are not the most boring. I am the most boring! Should we have a challenge? lol Between us, GDW and I have, mmm, let me think--6 kids. Some his, one mine, some steps. A few grandkids who are old enough to be "kids." I have to say, of the six original kids, there are two who actually care what we think and who we are. . . that is, we carry on conversations that are give and take, and interesting and we want to know what each other thinks. I prize those two relationships. The other four. . . have no idea who we are, what we think, and apparently have no desire to know. For them, it's all about them. They come to entertain us with their stories, and there is no way we can get a word in edgewise to say what we think or like or are doing, and they could not care less, and so we don't,. . . . and although they're for the most part 20 years younger than we are, they keep telling the same stories over and over again, their fun times in the past, or their current activities. Kinda depressing. And totally boring. I tell ya', don't exactly know how to deal.. . . .

My stomach was all butterflies today and upset; dreading dealing with moving Mom's furniture into storage; dreading dealing with the nursing home admittance red tape if Mom acquiesces to it. . . dreading my responsibilities as her POA and wanting to serve her in her best interests.

Dawn, Titan is his delightful 100% self for now, although he has stuck closer to us than he did, prior to the tick fever. . . but we tend to think it's because he is more tied to us because of how we babied him through this. Whatever, it is so good. We're actually excited about taking him with us to WY!! It will be a more fun trip just having him along! And love ya!

I'm sorry we can't all visit in person 1-to-1, and maybe at some point we will be. Just know, each and every one of you, how very much I enjoy hearing from you, but for now, I'm burning out and just have to sign off. We're taking off tomorrow about 10 am. Blessings to you all, will be "missing you."

Hi everyone! I tried cooking different colored carrots today that I bought from Trader Joe's, and they didn't taste good at all. The pale colored ones and purple ones had an earthy/spicy smell when I was cutting them and they taste like how they smell even after cooking them (stir fry). I didn't think the taste would be so different, or maybe the carrots were old?

None of you are boring! All of you are the reason why I come back to this website every day to 'catch up' even if I don't post much. All of us are interesting in our own way. The only way you can be uninteresting is if you refuse to engage with anyone and live in your world. Jennifer, contrary to what you think, your curiosity in things, even small things, is what I feel makes you more interesting to me.

Mary, you just reminded me that I might have home warranty since this is the first year we own the house! We are going to check if they can fix dishwasher and jetted bathtub motor. (How in the world DH and I don't remember about that... I don't know.) Your Sweet Habanero Hellfire relish sounds amazing.

Nancy, have a safe trip tomorrow morning. I hope your mum agrees to stay with you and GDW. My dad was very independent too. He would insist on doing everything himself even when he was sick.

Jack, thank you for sharing the recipes! I will try both of them soon.

Jennifer, here's a short webpage on Black Walnut Toxicity. http://hort.uwex.edu/articles/black-walnut-toxicity/ Black Walnut trees produce a toxic substance called juglone that prevents many plants from growing under or near them.

I have been keeping up with the Hurricane Irma updates. Hoping that everyone, including your loved ones, will be fine. Most of my friends' family that live in Florida chose to stay.

Signing off,
Vampire's wife. (haha based off Amy's description of her son who works overnight IT)

Another beautiful morning; a crisp and cool 57 degrees here. Gosh, I'm loving this weather.

I got the big bag bed put up and filled yesterday. That truly wore me out. I had to make 4 big batches of mix in the wheelbarrow and tote it around to the back of the house. I turned it several times, and then shoveled it into the bed, smoothing it out as I went. I know that doesn't sound like much, but for me....that's a lot of work right now. My HF has been giving me trouble, so I have to stop and get my breath seems like every 30 seconds. I can't walk to the mailbox without exhaustion right now. It took me about 3 hours, maybe a little more, but it is done! I have some plants to put in it, but mostly I will seed in it.

I made the rounds yesterday afternoon, looking for transplants. Nobody here has anything, with the exception of Lowes, and I called Home Depot in Owasso, and they didn't have anything that Lowes doesn't have. So, I'm on my own. I grew lettuce seedlings, so I will put those in the bed today, and I'll seed some chard, beets, and radishes too.

I should have bought fresh spinach seed. Mine is 2, maybe 3, years old. I am getting maybe 10% germination. I've managed to get 6 germinated seeds into cups, but I'm trying to germinate some more now. I've been putting the baggie into the fridge overnight, and then onto the counter during the day. Seems to be helping. Those that germinate, do so within about 3 days.

I have left-overs to make more potting mix, so I will probably make some more today and fill smaller fabric pots....might as well seed 'em up.

Everyone have a good gardening day!

I've already ordered my garlic from SESE it will be mailed at proper planting time. The last 2 years I have planted on Oct 23....my daughter's birthday. Growing cowpeas in the bed in hopes of fixing nitrogen. Might let the chickens have a go at that bed, too.

There is a substance in black walnuts called juglone that is toxic to many other plants. After I typed this, I see Eileen posted a link, too.

And, H/J, you don't sound boring to me at all!

Nancy, take a breath! I don't blame you for feeling burnt out. You have some difficult times ahead. You are strong, though, and you will do what you have to do. We won't be insulted if you just check in when you have time. We will worry about you, too.

Eileen, that's why I grow so many varieties of carrots, looking for the best tasting and productive. It could be the carrots were grown in hot weather, which I've heard makes them bitter. But when reading variety descriptions, a few are stronger tasting and meant for cooking (like in soup) and some are prized for fresh eating. I've not had any "spitters" among the carrots, but the different colors taste different. Except Cosmic purple. It tastes like an orange carrot. I've been surprised at how long my spring carrots have kept in the fridge.

Mary, I haven't been yet, but Worley's in owasso will have fall transplants. They will be more expensive than lowes. They may not have much more variety than the box store though. What exactly are you looking for?

I don't know what we'll do today. Sounds like DH wants to shop, so I'll have to dress for public appearance. Wore a dress yesterday. I think that's my once in 6 months thing.

I forgot to say "thanks" for the idea for the new bed, Dawn. Lettuce and kale--perfect! I've wanted to work on growing those things. It's been hit or miss so far. However, since I'm skipping all squash and pumpkins next year, I can focus on those.

I went to Worley's. Their herbs are on sale. The mums are out, so apparently I missed their annuals sale. They have much the same selection as Lowes in fall veggies, except a ground hog got up on the tables and ate them, so they don't look great. Herbs were fine. I got a lemon balm to replace the one that died waiting to be planted and a French thyme, because I keep trying.

They had mandevilla plants. OMG, why have I never seen these before? They are beautiful! Looking for seeds but not finding them. May have to go back and buy that plant.

May have found a dishwasher at Lowes. Low cost Whirlpool. Or they have a fridgidaire with DIALS and SWITCHES instead of digital controls (which are what goes bad, afterall). I'm torn. The fridgidaire is louder, by 10 decibles.

Amy, have you checked Hahn's outlet? I got a way better machine than I'd otherwise have been able to afford, because it had slight cosmetic damage.

We may go there, Rebecca, and Metro (is that the name?). But it may come down to how much time we have. These 2 machines didn't offend me, and since this is the 2nd or third time we've replaced one in this house I'm not inclined to put a lot into it. The last one was arranged so you could put taller stuff on one side. But that was also the side where the cups didn't come clean. I don't think anything we looked at today was made that way. (I didn't look at high end). Mom's doctor's appointment is next week. I either want something before her surgery, or it will have to wait. Washing dishes for the 2 of us is not that big a deal, but if Mom is here, that time might be more important.

Jack, I'm gonna make your jalapeno popper cups today. I don't have any wonton wrappers, but I do have 2 packages of phyllo cups in the deep freeze that need to be used. I think the little phyllo cups will work fine. I got up at 4 a.m. this morning, so I'm getting hungry ;)

I'm still trying to use up garden produce from last year, including jalapenos, habaneros, onions, tomatillos, and roasted chilies. I dug through the deep freezer yesterday, and decided to make some Chile Verde. OMG, that stuff is good. I used a 5 lb pork roast, cut into large cubes, as my meat, and it made enough chili to freeze for quite a few meals. I love love love Chile Verde. I ate a huge bowl for supper, topped with chopped onions, cilantro, and a little pepper jack cheese. Oh, and tortillas. Of course, none of that is on my diet.....lol

I don't remember ever cooking any of the colored carrots, I like them raw so I eat them that way. At my old job, I always had something "odd" (purple potatoes, green tomatoes, purple carrots) and my co workers would ask why I dyed them. I'd laugh & tell them they needed to get out more.

Arrived at 3 a.m. Great time, smooth. Titan took NO extra time; was a champ!

We're dirty and tired; will refresh and get up to hospital a bit later. Good audio book kept us wide awake the whole way. Now, not so much. lol

I ADORE chili verde, too, Mary! Love love love it! Sounds like you make it about like I do, with a big ole pork shoulder roast and the fixins. Bummed I didn't do tomatillos this year. NEXT year! But now I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and scrounge some up from the grocery store--I'm on a mission now.

Amy, I love mandevillas and bougainvilleas both--Killed a thriving bougainvillea dead last year, because it got to big to pot. Maybe I'll try both next year again. . . but just have no place to overwinter them. But even as annuals, they'd be worth it.

Amy, I used to grow bougainvillea when I lived in Florida, and southern Alabama. Such a gorgeous plant, but you gotta watch out for those thorns. Mine was in the ground, and climbed the deck and surrounding terrace. Down around the coast they grow like trees and take over everything. Of course, they are perennial way down south. I grew a mandevilla here a couple of years ago at my mailbox. It circled and climbed all over....everyone thought it was so pretty. Last year, I did the same thing, but I didn't give it enough water and it died.

Nancy, I love audio books. They make a road trip so much easier. In fact, I like them when I'm NOT on a road trip.

Nancy So glad to hear you all made it safely and sound. Hope you get some good rest and can get everything done smoothly.

I cleaned up my greenbean patch and before I could get it planted with greens I have beans coming up lol. I am going to leave one little corner and see what they do. I think it's actually limas which I don't like.

I am ready for December. I can't throw in the towel until it freezes. Lol

So if you follow me on facebook, and don't understand today's posts, my son married a girl whose son drowned 4 years ago, before he met her. He died on the 6th, his birthday was the 10th. We released balloons at the cemetery today to commemorate his birthday. It breaks my heart.

Breaks my heart too, my friend. God bless.

There is nothing worse than losing a child. It is a pain that never goes away.

That's very sad, Amy. I can't imagine the loss.

Thank you my friends.

Amy, that's so very sad. How truly tragic. But what a sweet thing to do on his bd!

Amy bless you and your family

Jack, What yummy pepper recipes! Thanks for posting them. We live on poppers here in the summertime, and I freeze tons of them so we can have poppers all year long. That's one reason I grow a ridiculously large number of jalapenos.

I was so proud of KC---I wasn't expecting them to win either---but, woo hoo, they did it! Even better was the fact that they beat the Patriots. So, it was a great football weekend---your team won, OU beat Ohio State, the Dallas Cowboys won and so did OSU. I stayed up too late watching the Cowboys last night and had a hard time dragging myself out of bed this morning.

Rebecca, Any and every variety of garlic I've ever grown does well here, so either we have an ideal climate for it (with proper fall planting) or it just isn't that picky. I like trying new ones often because there's so many different flavors. I probably grow more softnecks than hardnecks but they perform equally well in my soil.

Michelle, Ha! I bet Tim and I are tied with you as most boring persons in the world too. So are all our neighbors. Once, in a hot dry summer, we finally got a cool, rainy day. Everyone in the neighborhood, including us, sat outside in their lawn chairs after the rain stopped and just watched the frogs and toads and dragonflies doing their thing, enjoying the cooler, more moist air and all the puddles covering the ground. When we gathered and talked later, we laughed because every neighbor (we are spread out too far apart on acreage to see each other out in the yards) was sitting outside watching the wild things just like we were. We all agreed that our kids (at that point they all were high school or college aged) surely thought that we need to get out more...not outside....out of our little comfort zones at home. I'd still rather be out in the yard, sitting on the patio, watching the frogs, than sitting in a movie theater.

For us, the best flowers for low-irrigation areas, especially in western- and southern-exposures, have been: lantana, salvia greggia (I have several different ones---some bloom red, one is red and white, one is pink or coral, etc.), Russian sage, daturas, moss rose, red hot poker, cannas, Laura Bush petunias (seeds are available through Wildseed Farms online) and gomphrena (I have Strawberry Fields growing down by the mailbox and it has survived for 6-8 years on no irrigation and reseeds itself---in horrible clay and driveway gravel). Oh, and salvia farinacea. It does well on little to no irrigation, and mine has come back for several years now though it really functions only as a half-hardy perennial here. It is just that we haven't had any cold winters lately, other than an occasional really cold night here or there. Mexican hat and gaillardia also do well in our front pasture with only rainfall, but can get tall and floppy in better soil and with more water.

Mary, I hope your loved ones in Florida are fine. There's some horrible images this morning of flooding, storm surge and wind damage. As bad as it is, it could have been so much worse. Had Irma not hugged Cuba's coastline (and, sadly, done massive damage there) for so long before hitting Florida, I think Florida would have been hit even worse than they were. The amazing thing to me has been how that storm traversed the whole state while maintaining its circulation---and with such a huge wind field that covered the whole state, part of the ocean and part of other states all at the same time. There also were a gazillion tornado warnings (and there's more right now as I'm typing this with TWC on the TV), but thankfully, most tornadoes that form from hurricanes are not giant monsters like ours can be here in the Great Plains. Still, I wouldn't want to get hit even by a "small, weak" (relatively speaking) one either.

Amy, Condolences on the loss of your childhood friend's mother. That's a tough thing to go through---it does bring back huge waves of nostalgia, does it not?

Your parents have made it to such an awesome aniversary---66 years together is just incredible. How's your mom's hip?

I am sure the refrigerant has changed at least twice, and we have had some added to ours over the years. I do dread having to buy a new system, but it is just one of those things that is inevitable here at some point. I'm just glad we have air conditioning. I don't know how people handled the heat without it---although we didn't have it in my childhood home either. We had swamp coolers when I was a younger child, and then my parents finally put in window units---two of them---one in the living room and one in the den when I was in high school. They didn't put central air in their house until around 1984 or 1985---after we bought our home on the same block as theirs and put in central air and heat right away. Then, suddenly, they added it to their house (with our encouragement), using the same HVAC guy that installed ours.

Nancy, The western wildfires have been so awful this year and it is just heartbreaking. I also think that they really don't get the news coverage, at least here (but, really, not on the national news either) that they deserve. I've noticed the last couple of weeks that we are having the most gloriously beautiful pink and orange sunsets---but the reason for that is that the cool fronts have been bringing smoke in the atmospher to us---from the western wildfires. So, while the sunsets are gorgeous lately, I hate that it is smoke in the air making them look so beautiful.

I hope y'all have a safe, fun and productive trip, and I'm so happy to hear that Titan is back to being himself again.

Eileen, Yes, it is a well-known fact that the differently colored carrots all have their own unique flavor---and the purple ones are definitely a spicier flavor than the standard orange (and yellow) ones. I find grocery store carrots disappointing compared to home-grown ones. Summer carrots also are disappointing. My favorite carrots are any of the orange ones that mature in autumn through spring because the cooler weather makes them sweeter. Summer carrots that mature in hotter weather never taste as sweet and flavorful to me.

Mary, Are you allergic to any of the standard late summer/early autumn pollen like ragweed? That could be affecting your breathing as well. I am horrifically allergic to ragweed and so is Chris, so we sneeze, sniffle and cough our way through ragweed season. Take it easy on your heart---I know it is good for you to be as active as possible to build better heart health to the extent that you can with your HF, but you don't want to overdo it.

A lot of the stores here don't get fall crop transplants in the stores until late Sept or early Oct, especially kale, collards, spinach, etc. so if you keep watching, maybe you'll see some in stores there in a couple more weeks. I also have seen some new seed displays updated in big box stores for fall crops with lots of spinach and green seeds. They've been out for about a month now. We just stay too hot in September for kale, collards and spinach to be planted until late in the month or in October, so the stores do seem tuned to the timing that's best for our weather down here. I imagine your stores up there do the same.

Having said that, I get so tired of seeing Halloween and autumn merchandise hit the stores in August, and Christmas stuff in late Sept or early Oct. I wish they wouldn't rush the seasons so much. It still is summertime here!

Amy, The groundhog thing at Worley's is hysterical---that's the first time I've ever heard of a groundhog getting up on a table and eating seedlings. Granted, I don't live in an area with groundhogs. Really, the only time I've ever seen groundhogs alive (or almost alive) is when we visited Tim's family in PA, and they are dead alongside the roadways there constantly---sort of like armadillos are in Texas and OK. I don't think I've ever seen a live one, except in videos, but I know they caused Tim's dad lots of yard and garden problems.

Mandevilla is beautiful, but not cold-hardy here, so I don't grow them often. I used to grow one of the pink-flowered ones in TX in zone 8b, and occasionally (though not often), one would survive the winter. The ones they breed nowadays are not as vining (unless you choose one that vines a lot) and are more floriferous than the ones we grew in Texas in the 1980s and 1990s. They do put out an amazing number of blooms here in the summer. AFAIK, they are not grown from seed, but you can raise them from cuttings.

Jennifer, You're welcome. Spinach and other greens are so easy here in fall and winter, but keep those chickens away! My chickens are obsessed with devouring every bit of kale that I plant, so I really have to be sure to keep that garden gate closed or there's no kale for us.

Jen, I think my friends finally have gotten used to me and my black tomatoes, purple potatoes, etc. but it drove them nuts in our early years here that I just refused to grow veggies that were the "right" color. lol. A more colorful diet is a healthier diet so I seek out the oddball colors to make our diet as varied and healthy as possible.

Nancy, I'm glad y'all made it safe and sound and am happy to hear Titan was a champ. You and GDW can laugh at me, but when I think of y'all now, I think of Titan as your child. I do believe the tough summer experience with his illness and all the extra care y'all gave him bonded you three into a tight family unit (and I hope the cat doesn't feel left out, lol).

Kim, I used to be that way, but too many snakey experiences have caused me to learn to stay out of the garden as much as possible in late summer and early autumn, and I'm okay with that. Once I've canned, frozen and root cellared all I want to, then it is easier to stay out of the garden, even if I am abandoning some stuff that we could be eating fresh still. There's just a point where we don't need more than we already have. Encounters with venomous snakes just ruin the gardening experience for me, so I just let the garden muddle on along without me at this time of the year. I focus on stuff indoors until the nights get cool enough that the snakes are out less and less often and I can then return to the garden more (usually in October) to clean it up and get it ready for next year. I do venture in briefly, occasionally, to pick peppers. They just keep on keeping on. I've also got beans that I never picked that now are reseeding themselves along with some cowpeas, so there probably will be a late autum harvest from them. Morning glories are taking over my garden right now, and I don't really care. I can look at them from outside the garden and enjoy them.....Grandpa Ott's is just so gorgeous in bloom.

Amy, How terribly sad. I cannot imagine the heartbreak (and never-ending pain) of losing a child. You just had to mention FB---I've been as absent there as I have been absent here lately---when I put down the electronic devices and pick up the paintbrush, I lose touch with everyone and everything, I guess. One of my childhood friends lost his firstborn child at 17 or 18 months to drowning---in a bathtub. I think that in a lot of ways, that's the sort of tragedy that a family never "gets over", if you know what I mean. How could they? There's always a metaphorical empty chair at the table that that child would have occupied. How sweet that y'all released balloons at the cemetary for his birthday. I hope this sort of memorial activity comforts your son's wife and her family, and all of you who love them. It is important for a grieving family to remember the one they lost---and, to me, the loss of a child is the worst loss of all. We all expect to lose our parents, our grandparents, our aunts and uncles...maybe a cousin or sibling somewhere along life's journey and that seems natural and fitting---it is the way of the world, after all, but we never expect to lose a child.

There, I read everything and tried to respond to everything as much as I could remember to do so. I'm going to try to do a better job of staying caught up on everyone's activities this week.

I've got The Weather Channel on right now and the news out of Florida looks so awful---the flooding, the power outages, the trees that are down, etc. I am so glad that so many people took this threat seriously and evacuated, but then the storm track shifted (forecasting remains an imprecise science) and some people who had fled their homes also got get hit hard in the areas where they are sheltering. It is too early for the death toll to be known yet. I think I've heard of 5 deahts so far, but am sure there will be more. There were 16,000 power crews massed and waiting at certain staging areas outside the state before the hurricane hit, and that included contractors to cut down trees and clear all that debris so that power can be restores. Hopefully the recovery will go smoothly.

We are in an endless pattern down here at our house---cool early mornings, fairly hot afternoons, and no rain. The ground is cracking, and our lovely green grass is browning. Bah humbug! Why is it that rain in August means no rain in September? It was exactly the same way last year too---only I think September stayed hotter.

I am not watering anything except my fig tree in its container. Everything else can sink or swim on its own.

Dawn

This child drowned in a river. She was the one who found him, the next day. Somehow that is even worse.

Every year, something happens that is attributed to the mischievous child being present. She had a 7 shaped balloon tied to the vase on the headstone. While we waited for all to arrive, that balloon escaped and flew away. When we released the balloons, a hawk flew out of the trees and passed under them. While we were at the cemetery, one of the dinosaurs on his cake fell over.

Hey there! I accidentally typed in Garden Web instead of FB, and it was obviously accidentally on purpose! I haven't meant to be AWOL over here. Dawn, it is good to hear you are OK. I was beginning to wonder where you were :) I figured Tim was busy with hurricane issues. Redecorating? Hmmm! I'm a little jealous!

Nancy, I love reading/listening to David Baldacci. I listened to many of his books while I was walking. I guess I hadn't followed the whole story on FB, I didn't realize you were bringing your mom to Oklahoma. I hope the move goes smoothly.

Life has been busy over here. A friend of mine discovered she had breast cancer and needed surgery. She's recovering now and we are waiting to hear what the followup care is going to be.

When the rains came, I pretty much ignored my gardens since I didn't have to be out there watering (not that I was doing much better before). OH my. Good and bad news. The Genista Broom moths massacred all my baptisias. I pulled out the Bt, but I had to be so careful because I deliberately grow larval plants to encourage butterflies. I still haven't reached the other baptisia that I know needs a dusting. In much happier news, I found my first cloudless sulphur caterpillar,two monarch cats, a whole village of pipevine swallowtail cats AND a number of black swallowtail caterpillars!

And what is with the cracks in the soil??? Nine inches of rain should have lasted longer than that!!!

The new job is going well....

Lisa

haha, Lisa, GDW is all about John Puller now! Got the next one bought for trip home! I see it'll take us most of the way! We finished the previous one 15 miles away from our final destination--pretty good timing, eh!? No, Mom is not coming back with us, after all. The nursing home is a DREAM--beautiful. She will be very happy there, I am absolutely sure; we're taking her to see it today.

Hi Lisa, I've been a little MIA but staying busy with stuff around the house, and managed to work in the garden a little while yesterday.

I wish your friend the best with her breast cancer battle. I know that you and all her family and other friends will give her all the support and encouragement she needs! As an 18-year breast cancer survivor, if I could say anything to her to encourage her on her journey it would be this: I am still here. I survived. Many of us do. You will survive this too, and you'll be stronger when you come out on the other side of your battle with cancer. I suspect treatment and everything else involved is probably a lot better now than it was 18 years ago and there's much hope in that as well.

I agree on the cracks and the soil, but the experts down here at the Noble Foundation tell us that it only takes three weeks without rain to put us right back in drought-type conditions complete with cracking soil because our soils are only capable of holding about 3 weeks of moisture no matter how much falls. I guess anything beyond that three weeks' worth of moisture just runs off.

I'm glad to hear you have so many good cats and it is unfortunate you have the bad ones decimating your baptisias.

Nancy, I hope y'all have a good visit to the nursing home today.

Dawn