Timmy... I'm Still Lovin' You

Happy Anniversary to us

Four years ago we met at a place somewhere just north of Hell, I think.  On the corner of Tenth and Central.  I swear God arranged it.  We both did life wrong up to this point.  Lost everything too many times.  Had more than our share of do-overs.  I think He thought we couldn't stand another failed attempt so He stepped in. 

Never before have I known what it was like to feel safe.  I never knew what it was like to trust the one you're with... until you.

Our life is simple.  But it's paid for.  

What we thought was an impossibility... we have accomplished. 

Our "Little Girls"

and the wind in our face... once again

High "Tech" Anxiety III

Another post in the series High "Tech" Anxiety

There is a happy ending so it's OK

Please leave a supply of strong sedatives next to the hose bib if you are going to have me come to your house to water and your plants look like this.

This particular woman does not want us to prune or to spray.

Just water please.

Now I admit, here, there is a reason for not spraying. She raises butterfly's. I believe she should invest in some ladybugs or something. Or have a nice neighbor who doesn't care that the scale is now sucking the life out of the moss growing between the pavers.

The not pruning thing is beyond me. Do people really find a tuft of foliage at the end of a 3' snake-like limb attractive? I wonder. Anyway. It stresses me out. Just let me loose with some pruners.

This whole place is like the cottage garden gone bad.

Like I said there is a happy ending.

I got a cutting off this wonderful desert rose.
~Adenium Obesum~

And I got some pink  Ruellia. I have some of the "Purple Showers" so I thought this was a necessary addition to the family. Snip, snip.

I just have to bathe the cutting in some soap to get the critters of them.

Random Ramblin

A view of the Gulf of Mexico.


(It must suck to wake up and have to look at this!!!)

I don't know the name of this piece but it's cool

(just my opinion)

My job takes me a lot of different places.

I've learned to always carry my camera.

Except for today.

It turned out to be a good thing 'cause I lost my rain-gear off the back of my bike and I was going to wrap my camera inside it.

My honey would have been pretty disappointed as we just got the thing about a month ago. My other camera died (click).

Big Plants... small spaces

I must start by saying I love my job.

I get to see things as they grow.  Watch how the seasons affect the plants.  Meet people.

With that in mind...I am human and as I would never address a client like this,

It is my blog and I can pretty much say whatever I want.

That being said...

Before your plants are to the point of puking thier guts out of the pot...

get a larger container!  Do some root pruning!  Whatever.

Have you ever tried to shove your size 9 foot into a size 6 shoe?  I have and it sucks.

Well, how do you think this plant feels? 

Do you know what it's like to get some water into the pot?  Let alone enough to last till the next time I visit.

Big Plants... small spaces.  It doesn't work! 

Here we have a nice little Bismarkia Nobilis.

The homeowner tucked it nicely under a Ligustrum.

Half way between the house and the wall where the boug lives.  Exists might be a better choice of words. The sticks in back... that's the boug.
BIG MISTAKE!!!

Here we have a mature Bismarkia.

Beautiful isn't it?
I see it all the time...

Big Plants... Small Spaces.

It doesn't work

Pineapple Orange Yum Yum

So, I'm no food photographer. I just like pics with my posts.

Don't let the photograph fool ya

This stuff is like a citrus celebration for the taste buds!!!

1 yellow cake mix

(don't follow box instructions)

1/2 C veggie oil

4 eggs

11 oz Mandarin Oranges (undrained)

Place all the stuff in a bowl and stir

Pour into a 9 1/2 x 11 cake pan.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 min.

Frosting: 20 oz crushed pineapple (undrained)

1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding

1 tub Cool Whip

Mix pudding and pineapple together. Fold in Cool Whip.

Store in fridge till cake is cool.

Store cake in the fridge.

One man's trash is another mans treasure

I was stunned when I found out Air Potatoes (Dioscorea bulbifera) are being sold on the Internet. I worked with a guy from Ohio who had me out gathering them with him so he could take them back up north. WHATEVER! They're pretty enough until they have engulfed your landscape.

Then there are all kinds of sites on "How To Grow Spanish Moss"
(Tillandsia usneoides)

There's even a person on Daves Gardens that has it on her tradelist.

I guess there is the southern ambiance thing going on.
Old oaks dripping in the stuff.
It's great when a big wad of it gets caught in the mower. Or how the hurricane force winds blow it from the trees and piles of it lay like so many cow pies in your yard.

One mans trash is another mans treasure

I guess we all see things differently. In one part of the country we're rootin' out and pullin' up. In another... they're wondering how to propagate it.
Go figure

Greenhouse News

This is Smokey

Wakin up from a cat nap

Life at the greenhouse can be tough...
unless your one of the cats.
Most of us come to work and dread the day.
(Our boss is a tyrant)
The kitties are like therapy pets.