Wow! So lush and blooming too!...its super hot in my green house right now. I had to pull most of mine out. Yours look so content :)

They look happy as clams! I bet RHP will be blooming up a storm before you know it.

Denise in Omaha

Thanks! I hope so, too.

Lydia, I left the plastic sheeting on my greenhouse, otherwise it would be way too hot.

Josh

I especially love your obovate. I am drawn to round leaf hoyas.

Josh!!! How are you, buddy? Missed seeing you around here. Gorgeous plants as always!

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Hey, Brad, yeah life has a way of taking up all free time.

But I'm glad to be able to pop in lately.

Josh

I can relate, Josh. Life's been quite the learning curve lately (good and bad, but that's what life is). I hope you're still doing your artwork. I've been dabbling in writing poetry lately (as a form of therapy for myself). I pop in from time to time also.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

I've been doing a little art here and there, and still writing.
Funny, I actually wrote a poem after my last therapy session!

Josh

Good to hear :). Nice to know the Muses still look down upon you.

I've shared a little of mine with friends and they enjoyed it. Definitely not giving up writing any time soon. Just cutting back for now since I don't feel inspired. I have been crocheting a lot lately, too.

It feels good to write. Poetry, journal entries, letters, and the like (which I still do write letters to friends-it's becoming a lost art it seems). Gives me a chance to still use my cursive penmanship.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

you crochet brad? whats your current WIP? im in the middle of a dot& poppy blanket myself :)

I just finished a doily using worsted weight yarn for something fun to do, but I mostly do shawls now. I've sold three in total (one last year, and two so far this year). Hoping to sell some more. I have another shawl going that I need to finish. The blanket sounds pretty. I also have a granny square blanket (it's just one large granny square) that I am making for a friend.

Some samples of my work.

This is the Virus Meets Granny Shawl.

The Twirling Flower Doily

Starburst Shawl

Trellis and Fan Shawl

Sarah Sanderson's pouch from Hocus Pocus ( I messed up how the squares were supposed to go, and I just winged it-no pattern. It's four two-round granny squares in the front, and a granny square with a single crochet border in the back, and a few double crochet rounds up at the top in black to make it a drawstring pouch.) It needs fringe yet, but Halloween's not for a few months yet. I'm not going as her, but a friend is.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Keeping up with the Hocus Pocus theme (
25th anniversary of the movie this year!), here's some things I put together for a friend who's going as Mary.

Her corset (a modified granny square vest). I crocheted around plastic shower curtain rings for those gold rings at the bottom.

Her apron. I've since added the strings to tie around the waist.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Sorry for getting carried away, Josh lol. Just wanted to share some of my work.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Hi Josh, I hope you are having a pleasant summer. Your hoya looks
fantastic! Any blooms yet? Do you use the 511 mix for the hoyas or
something else? I just have one hoya bella at the moment but hope to get some other types soon.

Brad,
you are very talented, both with plants and your crochet art! My favorite is your Virus Meets Granny Shawl, love that arch pattern that you created!
-Nancy

Hi Nancy,

Thank you! The shawl looks arched because I have it arranged on a hook to help hold it up in the middle while I was taking a photo of it.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Carolynn,
I mostly just add Osmocote to my containers, but I also occasionally do a dose of Foliage Pro. I don't fertilize my Hoyas often...just the slow-release a couple times a year.

Hey, Nancy, the H. obovata won't stop blooming...tons of peduncles on new vines. An incredibly vigorous and easy Hoya to grow. The Royal Hawaiian, however, has yet to produce a single bloom. That's the one I'm really looking forward to!

Josh

I moved one of the plant stands out to the greenhouse and elevated my overflowing pot of obovata. My propagation is shooting new growth now, too.

Looking good, Josh!

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Thanks, Brad! I think I should repot today :-)

Josh

Got it done!

Separated the Hoya cuttings from the Pachira cutting, and repotted them.

The Hoyas are in a self-watering container now...not sure where I'm going to put them ultimately.

You're welcome, Josh! Look at those roots! Wow!!! Very happy cuttings, indeed!

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Hooray, it's got a new home! Well done, Josh. Hey do you have other hoyas? any variegated?

I've had a H. bella (reg & var) for a couple years and it's just starting to grow after a Spring repot, thank goodness and I think it may bloom soon :) Recently I got a few more, including H. krimson princess, H. tricolor and H. carnosa aka Chelsea Wax Plant. Let me know if you'd like to see them, alternatively, I have posted them in my hoya threads.

-Nancy

Brad and Nancy, many thanks!

Of the two cuttings, one certainly had more roots...but I was pleasantly surprised that the smaller second cutting had also rooted, considering that I thought it had dried up and died a few months ago.

Nancy, I don't have any variegated Hoyas. I would definitely like to see them, so I'll do a search. I have just four Hoyas - 'Pink Silver,' 'Royal Hawaiian Purple,' obovata, and Vanuatuensis. The H. vanuatuensis was actually collected from a Banyan tree on the island of Vanuatu by my father and grandfather in 1976, so it's really special as an heirloom plant...despite being a rather inconspicuous and often bedraggled looking Hoya :-)

Josh

Josh- Wow! That's absolutely incredible and a great thing to pass onto future generations. To think of all the watering, repots, bugs, who knows what and forty plus years later its still going, bravo to your family!

Josh, that has to be one of the coolest heirloom plant stories I've ever heard! Heirlooms aren't always the prettiest, but if they hold great sentiment, it doesn't matter. I know I'll always treasure my Nikki :).

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Thanks, Brad! Very true, the plants with the stories and the memories are always the best. I've certainly kept a few "common" plants in my collection because they were given to me as gifts from friends.

Josh

You're welcome, Josh! Maybe one of these days, I'l send you some cuttings (not just Hoyas, either ;) ).

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Good morning!

Well, I think it's finally going to happen! Lord knows the plant is big enough. Fingers crossed that nothing damages this peduncle! I've been waiting a long time to see a Royal Hawaiian Purple bloom in person. I'll start a separate Thread if I do get a bloom.

Congrats, Josh! The only pubicalyx I've seen bloom in person is Red Buttons and it's one of my very favorites for color and scent (I tell people it's like a Tootsie Roll Pop).

Brad AKA Moonwolf

That's great news, Josh! Very nice. My fingers are crossed too, for yours and mine. Several of my hoyas are showing peduncles, including Bella and Krimson Queen. I will update too if I get any blooms :)

Edit: Hi Brad, That sounds delicious! I hope one of mine smells like that! If not, will try to get next year.

To celebrate the peduncles, I'd thought I'd share a little artwork with you since you're quite talented. She didn't take long to draw, but I hope you enjoy, Josh. This is Amy from the 1985 classic vampire film, "Fright Night". I was never big on vampires, but I love this movie and The Lost Boys, too. I don't draw very often, but I was inspired to do so today.

Nancy, congrats on the peduncles, as well. I think I might see a small one forming on my shepherdii, too. I hope so! I've been waiting a long time for it to bloom.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Thanks, Nancy, I can't wait to see yours in bloom, too!

Nice work, Brad! One of my favorite movies. Always found that huge gaping vampire mouth to be a terrifying image. Love it!

Josh

Thank you, Josh! I've only recently come to love it (having seen it twice in the past year, and now going to watch it again soon). Amy definitely scared me more than Jerry or Evil Ed (and I love them, too). I never was too confident in my artwork, but I am happy you enjoy it and that she turned out so well (and she's fairly easy to draw). Now, I'm tempted to draw Pennywise since that's what her mouth reminds me of.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Thanks, Brad! Go for the Pennywise!

I'm sure I've posted this before. It's a vampire...that doesn't look much like a vampire...just a hint of malevolence in that partial mouth....

This one, too....

Oooh! Very, very creepy Josh! Nice job! The partial mouth is a little more terrifying than the second, but both show equal amounts of malevolence. Reminds me a little of Jerry from Fright Night. I shall attempt Pennywise The Dancing Clown soon enough.

Vampires are cool, but I do love me some werewolves (as I love wolves in general). I did a painting last year of three Siberian Huskies I watch on YouTube (one just recently passed away), as The Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Here you go, Josh! Pennywise itself ;).

Drew him based on his appearance in the novel (silver suit with orange pom-pom buttons, and the Bozo-like orange hair).

Brad AKA Moonwolf

P.S. We're getting drenched here in PA from the tropical storm George. Might have to move Nikki out of the cherry tree so she doesn't drown.