Does anyone see this thread? If so, please respond.

These are definitely disturbing time in which we live bart bart

Having health issues, water issues and a terrible war is certainly a full plate isnt it.

I have a strong faith in God and that keeps me ever hopeful for whatever happens next.

Prayers that your scans will continue to be clear and that this dreadful war will be resolved soon

Bart, I rattled Houzz's cage...rather briskly. I might have said something...ungentlemanly. I have no idea if that helped, but it's awfully coincidental that your post appears now. Makes you go "Hmmmmmm".

I guess we won't have to go with Plan B like we discussed, lol.

You have sympathy and well-wishes from us all. We're here to support each other...in spite of How-uzzlezz.

John

Yaaaaaaaayyy the post appeared!!

Well done @fig_insanity Z7b E TN

@seasiderooftop I can't really take credit here. I just, ummmm, made our collective displeasure known. If they needed a fire extinguisher for their monitor, that's not REALLLLLY my fault, lol. In the past, concerning other Houzz nonsense, that tactic hasn't done much good. I'm just glad Bart's post has appeared, regardless of the reason.

Can I get in?

I might be in.

Bart, I just had a horrible fear I was not able to log in because I am on my husband's computer.

It is a miracle you are doing as well as you are doing, what with the health issues, the pandemic, and now the "troubles". We also had the orange problem in the U.S. and barely survived it. We must carry on in spite of it all, though. I think you are not alone in being exhausted by it all.

I know good people everywhere are horrified by it all and are working to improve the situation.

Please know you are not alone. My computer is in the shop so I am dicey right now.

Bart, I'm glad you're finally able to post! And thanks to John for his intervention.

I share all your worries and concerns. The last few years have been harder for you than for me, with your health problems and having your garden, that place of pleasure and comfort, at a distance and not right outside your front door. But this feels like a bad time in the world. P...n has unleashed the dogs of w...r indeed, and the citizens of You-crane are suffering terribly for the mad dreams of one man, while there's a risk of famine in many parts of the word. Well, you know all this. The worst, in terms of immediate, if chiefly psychological discomfort, is the lack of rain, with no precipitation in over a month, and none in the two weeks' forecast. What wouldn't I give for a nice thunderstorm, or a cool wet front sweeping in and standing over us for a few days.

Covid was, and likely still is, bad, but for my me, in my specific situation, it was actually relaxing, and I've probably been as happy the last two years as in any time of my life. This is with home, family, and thirty-three acres to roam around on and busy myself with, you understand. A low stimulus life suits me.

I hope you recover some energy and don't feel like you're fighting a battle all the time. Take care.

Still censoring: I wrote a post an hour ago and it's still not here. Thanks, How-uzz-lezz (and honest thanks to John for the name).

P.S. Is there an civilized forum for old roses I could switch to?

Ah. My first, longish post, is back. Guess the threat of abandoning Houzz has terrified them into submission.

O, thank you allSO MUCH for your support and sympathy!!!!!!!!!

@fig_insanity Z7b E TN John, a special thanks to you . We must remember this crafty Plan B in case a similar thing happens to another forum member. It's perfectly right to have rules about people not trying to sneak in political propaganda,inflammatory statements, etc, but as you all can see, the only defect in my post is that I complain in it, and instead I should just be on my knees, full of gratitude.

@Kristine LeGault 8a pnw I wish I could say that my faith was truly strong, but it does matter so much to me,defective though it might be. As I said to my sister-in-law once "the doctors can't cure me, but I do know Someone who can",and I pray A LOT, for myself and my dear ones, and for the entire world/planet. It is SO important to try to believe in the power of Good,and I feel one has to cling to that as much as possible,especially in these hard, hard times.

@ Melissa Ha! I guess I sort of DO feel like I'm fighting all the time, lol-no wonder I'm tired! Hopefully the tide will turn eventually. In the meantime, about the weather-apparently I spoke too soon; a recent drought map has Tuscany right up there with Emilia-Romagna as far as lack of precipatation goes. The weather sites drive me crazy-one article on one site says there's a chance for a change for the better around Easter, then another article (posted on the same site the following day) tells about how a hideously mighty anti-ciclone is forming around us, to further block the blessed Atlantic rains from Italy... YIKES!!!

Bart, about the weather, basically I'll believe in precipitation when it begins to fall from the sky. I suspect the weather services tempt and taunt us to keep us coming back to their sites (I use ilmeteo), and adding to this the difficulties of accurate meteorological reporting anyway, I trust my own eyes more than what I find on the Internet.

I may have to write off my February bulb order, now planted but waterless. Aside from that, at the moment I've finished with cleanup around the Rock and have proceeded to a small patch of woods below it. It has a good-sized oak and some other trees, and is rather pleasant to tidy, continuing the work I began two years ago during the quarantine. One very pleasant feature is a couple of little colonies of daffodils, feral or wild, which have been there for years but are possible expanding. This is a common daffodil around here, all yellow, large, with a medium length trumpet well-frilled at the end and a mild fragrance. It's just now coming into bloom.

Other delights--because we need delights--are the discovery of two more Cornelian cherries (Cornus mas) down in the woods, and a plant of Gagea flowering at the edge of the shade garden. This little bulb, common name yellow star of Bethlehem, has nothing showy about it, but I don't see it often and this the first time I've spotted it in the garden. It doesn't take much to make a gardener happy.

I hope your garden is bringing you some happiness, bart. It will rain again one day, even if we don't know when. And I hope you get to feeling better soon.

Thank you Melissa for your always lovely descriptions of your garden - they always make me feel like I am there.

bart bart - so sorry your health has been so bad, and glad that it sounds as if it is much better now. The stress from drought, covid, and the THING added on top of health issues - please keep posting on here - we all need to stick together in this crazy time.

John - you are obviously everyone's hero - thank you.

Here this time with wild fires (which burned up our cabin to ashes last Fall), drought, water restrictions, a pandemic, crazy rising crime, and the THING makes me think of the 1960/70s - here it was assasinations, a different THING, social chaos and unrest, crazy rising crime, and immense political turmoil. We survived that, and we will survive this, but I would like it better if life was a little LESS "interesting"!

I agree with Melissa - the garden is a lovely, safe, happy place to be and we are all lucky to have one. Working on "problems" in the garden is so nice - you can do a lot or a little work in solving them, and whatever you do, it reduces instead of causing stress. Every time I spend time in mine I remember that I should be spending MORE time there -

Jackie

Reading this thread reminds me that we are more the same than different. No matter where we live or how old we are we have the same hopes, dreams and concerns.

We worry over our homes, families, health, drought and the state of the world. Im so glad that we are all here to share and encourage each other. What a sweeter place when sharing it with you all.

And Bart, your faith sounds just right.

John, well done !!

There's always reddit's rose forum lol

Kristine reminded me of one of my all time favorite poems. Enjoy, and take to heart:

By Maya Angelou

HUMAN FAMILY

I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.

Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and others claim they really live
the real reality.

The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.

I've sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I've seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.

I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I've not seen any two
who really were the same.

Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side.

We love and lose in China,
we weep on England's moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.

We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways we differ,
in major we're the same.

I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.

We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.

We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.

@jacqueline9CA Jackie, re: your wish for less interesting times. First, we could all use a respite from "interesting times"! lol. It also reminds me of something my mom used to tell us children whenever we whined that we were bored. Her response was one of two things: either "Only the boring are bored", or "Never say you're bored. Fate will find a way to make life all too interesting".

One thing good about "interesting times" is that some things can put whatever we were previously complaining/worrying about in perspective. I think this can be healthy.

Jackie