miscellaneous nonsense

Just some random photos of little mini-projects. One of the "e"s from the peace sign was lost for months but surfaced, literally, when I cleaned up the old chasmanthe leaves near the kumquat tree last week. The letters are made of plywood so it is amazing that they haven't fallen into untidy, unrecognizable masses of pulp.
Then I read an article about a Corvallis gardener who turned two old toilets over and made a bench of them. Since I only had one old toilet, it became the base for a birdbath and a concrete stepping-stone thingy for a potted plant to live on.
What is the easiest and most economical way to refinish old lawn furniture?
What to do with a broken glass hummingbird feeder, some bamboo, and a cheap hangydown from Walgreens.

Artsy-fartsy Carpsie

Oh my goodness! Don't tell me this is actually gonna' work this time? There must be gremlins in my computer because sometimes things work and sometimes they don't. I really didn't expect this to work this morning. Ahh, I know. Its only working because my son-the-computer-guru is visiting. As soon as he leaves, I won't be able to blog. ;>)

Things have been very interesting around here of late. I'm hoping to get out of the sale of this property. Much as I want to move back to Oregon, I can't bear the thought of all the 200+ trees and the house our parents built being bulldozed to make way for a rediculously large sub-division. The neighbors are all up in arms as well. They don't fault me for wanting to sell and move but they are certainly not happy with the developer who led me to believe that he "would save as many trees as possible" and now indicates that that number is possibly as many as two. He does not understand how we feel about trees. Trees are just obstacles to him. The fact that these trees are somewhat historical, being one of the few olive orchards left in the area, (there are many other tree varieties also), the fact that they aid in air quality and in halting erosion, the fact that they are homes for several kinds of birds (hummingbirds to titmice, bushtits, housefinch, goldfinch, yellow billed magpies, red tailed hawks, Sharp-shinned hawks, screech owls, scrub jays, mourning doves, robins, yellow-rumped warblers, spotted towhees, California towhees, white-crowned sparrows, gold-crowned sparrows, dark-eyed juncos, white-breasted nuthatches, cedar waxwings, and an assortment of migrants in the spring and summer to name a few) means nothing to him. I haven't even mentioned that there have been a lot of alligator lizards dwelling on the place, though I haven't seen any for a long time. (that doesn't mean that they are no longer here) To tell me "This is a beautiful piece of property! A park!" and then to say that he intends to turn it into solid houses and pavement, is just, well blasphaemous! My tummy has been in knots. Ideally we would like to find a buyer who wanted an "estate" or "estates". Who would build no more than 4 houses, and to have spacious yards, and contain people who actually cared about the earth and who would build "green", earth-friendly houses...

Ok. now let's just see if this will print. errors and all!

a rather lazy day

I shouldn't forget the name of my Terragon any time soon, nor shall I be tempted to "dump that bucket of dirt" when the plant goes dormant this winter. Labeling the plant was about the only gardening thing I did today and its all Laurie's fault. If you haven't discovered her yet, go here; www.LauriesGarden.com . She is hilarious and no dummie when it comes to plants. I have spent a good portion of the last two days sitting on my fat fanny, reading her comments and laughing out loud. I can SO identify with some of her "customer issues"! I don't work in a nursery but I do work in retail. Must look her up the next time I'm in the Portland, Oregon area.
This year's tomato crop is pitiably pathetic. Sure the plants were safe from deer and the rats but...sheesh...only three? Guess they didn't like the containers. The cucumber vines are long and full of blossoms but nary a cuke. On the other hand, the melons are growing at an alarming rate and they are sharing the wine vat with the cukes. Go figure. and then, there's Maud. She is SO lazy!
Ok. Let's see if the photos actually show up. There are lines and lines of coded jibberish above this that I type. Will they come to life when I hit publish? Will ALL of them come to life? I'm going back to reading Laurie's archived entries.

Random color shots.Summer 07

 
 
 
 

Pretty peppers

 

This fabulous string of peppers just arrived from Seattle thanks to my cousin and his partner! You too can have a string of beauty in you kitchen. Just go to www.choicepeppers.com

morning photos

 
 
 

there are supposed to be photos here. Three of 'em. All I see is an entire paragraph of codes. Hopefully, the codes will turn into photos when I hit the publish button. If not, I'll have to bug Angela again to FIX IT! ;>) I am so not techno-savvy.

Picasa Web Albums - Cheryl - An afternoon ...

oops!

Obviously I need to learn to always stick my finger in the pot before assuming that it contains a thirsty plant. I actually suspect that the roots got boiled on this poor Persian Shield. It's a hot spot in the morning in which anything would droop, but then it's shady the rest of the day. Obviously, when the potting soil bag says that it has water retaining gizmos in it, one should pay attention! the poor little Persian is reviving after a rather severe pruning. (They are tough, aren't they!) The other plants are doing fine, though I did move the lime green sweet potato vine to a shadier location.

puzzle

Does anyone know what this clown was used for? He's about 10" tall and obviously not a vase. The piece says "Marcia of Calif." on the bottom, along with "A 85" and USA. Maybe a t.v. lamp?

Naturally I can find other stuff by Marcia of Calif. but nothing like this. He's been up on a shelf in my parents' home for a very long time and had to have been a gift since neither of them was particularly fond of clowns. I don't like clowns (rodeo clowns are ok for some reason) and I don't think my brother was ever a clown fan either. He's a bit of a mystery. The clown, not my brother. Oh. Wait...

Mr. Clown will be for sale as soon as I get an idea as to what he's worth. 99 cents? $99.00? Heck, I don't have a clue! Help?

Maude's Make-over

Poor old Maude. She smiled real big and her face simply cracked and fell off. She was immediately whisked away for a massive make-over and, "Voila"! Just amazing what a little hair color, instant tan, and lipstick can do for a girl isn't it?
Here is the "new and improved" Maude. Of course, she's got attitude now so looks even more formidable sitting in her chair by the driveway, guarding things, drinking her Margaritas, plotting...

Cock-A-Doodle-Dooooo

Peabody forgot to take the old white rooster with her when she left!

peafowl update

Phoebe (the doggie) and Peabody (the peahen) were really at play here, Phoebe thinking it was just grand that Peabody would chase her. Phoebe prefers to be chased rather than TO chase. Anyhow, the day after this picture was taken I managed to capture Peabody. She has gone to live on 18 acres with a real, live peacock so has to believe that she has died and gone to Heaven. I miss having her around but am happy that she is no longer crossing our busy street in search of love in all the wrong places. She will make a most excellent mother to her peachicks. She was, after all, an excellent mother to the one Bantum chick that she managed to hatch and not step on 2 years ago.

and... there's more..!

These plants also came from Target'. Had no idea as to what I was gonna' do with them but loved the colors and couldn't resist. Lo and behold! I came home from work to find this nice basket sitting empty by my gate! (Thanks Angela and Eileen...and Gloria) It was meant to be!

potting mania

Last Saturday I showed up to work 2 hours late because I went to a "potting clinic" at Windmill Nursery. Andrew did a terrific job of showing us how to make lovely filled ceramic pots as well as hanging baskets. We all loved the hint of using a plastic bag (with holes punched in the bottom) to hold the potting soil in a fiber-filled hangy-pot...you don't see the plastic bag once its done. The plants appear to be growing out of the moss or fiber liner and don't require quite as much watering. Another good "hint" is to use LOTS of water soaked moss in hanging baskets. He used a whole big bale of it to do the basket he's working on in this photo. He also used almost all of a large bag of Monrovia potting soil. (Or was it E.B. Stone?)

Since I had to dash off to work, I didn't get to hang around to visit with the other crazy pot-headed people in attendance nor did I get to buy more plants from Windmill until the following Monday. Hopefully Andrew and his cohorts will put on more fun events. We may all just become The Windmill Gang. (Not that we aren't already, but we don't all know each other yet.) ;>)





Not to take anything away from Windmill but to take less away from my checkbook, I mosied into Target last week too. Found this wonderful "Ruby Penstemon" for $3.99, gallon can, and the pretty coleus for $1.98, sixpack.

The Cordyline in the goldish pot was from that "bad place", Walmart, for cheap. The "profusion apricot Zinnias, the Ipomoea "sweet Caroline", the "Terra Cotta" Calibrachoa and the "Caribbean Sunset" Cuphea varia are all from Windmill Nursery. The little corkscrewy thingies I think came from Jo-Ann Fabrics last summer. I just knew I'd find a use for them someday!

The tall terra cotta pot has more fun stuff from Target in it. The tall greenish one is Cape Fuschia (Phygelius x rectus) and the other is a hybrid Dahlia.

More "But I thought they froze to death!"

This Persian Shield (Strobilanthus dyeranus) froze down to a mere brown nub last winter too. (too, as in that was the point I was trying to make in the following post only when I edited, I removed that part! and I can't remember how to get to the "dashboard" to re-edit....so its being done this way! So there!) Actually, my POINT was that though the plants looked totally dead in February, they are all looking absolutely smashing now, in June.'Sheesh. I'd better just go to bed.

Cousins

Jack Frost did quite a number on this Justica aka Jacobinia carnea (Brazillion Plume Flower) It is pretty well sheltered by a large palm tree and an olive tree too. Plus it is near the house. It usually sails through winter with nary a care but then, we don't usually have extended periods of frost. The Bird of Paradise that lives in the pot that candle holder is poking up from turned totally brown and mushy. Lo and behold! It currently has a 24" tall new leaf. (hmm. shoulda had a picture!)

36" away from the Jacobinia grows another of Mom's favorites; the Justica brandegeana (Beloperone guttata) aka the Shrimp Plant. (that is not a snake. just a bungie cord to keep the plant from laying on the sidewalk) I suspect that both of these will be too tender for the climate of Corvallis, which is zone 6 according to Sunset. We are zone 14 according to Sunset. Didn't we used to be zone 8? and didn't I used to be 42?

The Peabody Saga continues

So Peabody and the white rooster returned, looking for non-existant mates early last week. I managed to drag some of that awful orange plastic fencing over the top of the old chicken pen and got "the birds" to go in for yummy snacks. Since I didn't have the "roof" secured yet, I didn't attempt to slam the gate. They would have escaped and never, ever ventured near that place again. Last evening, after the rooster had gone to bed in the tree tops, Peabody made a break for it. Down the driveway, over the gate, and into the middle of the street where, lucky for her, drivers actually stopped. Luring her back across the road wasn't working (not to mention that I was barefoot and clad in my cruddy gardening shorts and a top that wasn't made for someone well past her prime, not to mention her ideal weight.) She has not yet returned. It wasn't very nice of her to leave the rooster behind. Do you suppose that the folks down the road bribed her to lure the rooster away from them?

One of my neighbors from about a mile away happens to be a customer at the place I work. She was in today and mentioned that she saw a peahen on our street..."she was in front of the wacky garden lady's place." "Just where would that be?" I gamely asked. "Oh you know! The place with all the flowers in front." The place with the red gate?" "Yes!" Oh dear. Guess that makes me the wacky garden lady! yikes! It could be worse! :>) One wouldn't want to be known as "That old bitch." would one?! Anyhow, I will secure the "roof" to the sides of the pen tomorrow just in case she returns and then maybe, just maybe I can catch her. There is a peacock waiting for her...but she needs to be caught in order to get her to him. I should record a peacock's call. Betcha that would get her attention!

wildlife

Yesterday Phoebe-dog inadvertantly spooked the doe and a fawn from the bushes. The fawn streaked off to the west, Phoebe and I came in the house, and DOEreen stalked the cat. Dawson-cat had not left the steps and was not about to relinquish his space. DOEreen took one step closer then turned and walked slowly away. When I opened the door, Dawson leapt up from his crouched position and dashed back inside. These aren't the greatest pictures but give me a break! They were taken through the antique glass windows of the kitchen!

DOEreen looks a bit scruffy. She probably has ticks, oh joy, plus she is shedding. No doubt wormy too. She should be plump from eating all my shrubbery. To tell the truth, I don't for sure know if this is DOEreen or her yearling. Would a yearling help protect a fawn? I don't know the social structure of deer. Can't see an udder, but then an udder wasn't visable on the doe last year and I know for a fact she had a fawn.

She does not run from me but other than giving her her space, I have deliberately tried not to "tame" her. She will stand as close as 50' away and watch me intently. Wild animals should remain so. They just get into trouble when they learn to trust humans. Never trust a human!
This morning's surprise was the sudden return of Peabody, the peahen, and a white Bantam rooster who'd run away from home years ago. Peabody left in March, right after the last of the banty hens became a late night snack for a raccoon. I rather suspected that she had headed north, lured by the siren call of banty roosters at a neighbor's place. That would also be the place to which ran (flew) this white rooster...3 or 4 years ago, at least! He'd been penned with others but figured out how to escape...and then vanish. A few weeks later the neighbor came down to ask if I was missing a rooster. Or was it months? Anyhow, he's back. He is looking for hens and she is looking for a peacock. We have one lined up for her but need to catch her to get her to him. I wonder how tame the peacock is. Maybe his owners could bring him over and we could lure her into a truck, or trailer or cage with him. I wouldn't mind getting a hen for the rooster except, if memory serves me, that's how I ended up with 13 roosters and 12 hens 9 years ago! Besides, I don't wish to anger the neighbors. I hope they stay long enough to clean up the snail population which has been growing since the poultry left.