Posted on 12/06/2013 12:14:15 PM PST by greeneyes
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. There is no telling where it will go and... that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us!
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Can you believe that it's already December? 2013 will shortly be another one for the history books. For me personally, the Holiday season has been a little bittersweet. In 2008, I spent the time between Nov.1 and Dec. 7, living in the hospital as my Dad struggled to live he gave up and went to meet his maker on Pearl Harbor day-darn good timing for an old WWII vet. He is very missed especially during the holidays. He used to make our pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. His mind was sharp to the end.
This year we are Thankful that all our beautiful great grand children, and grand daugter escaped the fire in their home unscathed a few days before Thanksgiving. The fire dept. got lost on the way, so didn't show up until about 45 min after they were called. The trailer they were living in while building the home didn't catch fire until 30 min. after the call, so it's an unfortunate casualty of the late arrival.
I am looking forward to getting some more spring cleaning done this week. We received 5 inches of snow, and still falling. It's 22 degrees now and will head down to 7 degrees tonight. We are all cozy here in the basement except for the feet. That cold concrete isn't helped much by the carpet we put down. Even the socks don't help much. Best thing is to put a heated bean bag on a foot stool with feet on top, and then throw a blanket over your feet and legs. Drink some tea, and get real cozy. LOL
Rightly sent me a link to an interesting website video. Going to try to post it below, for your enjoyment and information:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7nVfrPro8Y
Have a great weekend, God Bless.
Pinging the List.
No snow yet here in Massachusetts. Our azaleas in the back yard still have leaves. Odd.
Globull Warming Strikes again!
I am sorry you are having such cold temps!
Thank You for mentioning Pearl Harbor Day. Here is a little essay I wrote about the “Sleeping Giant”.
Remember Pearl Harbor.
On the Hawaiian island of Kauai, the is a mountain called “The Sleeping Giant”. Although it has nothing to do with Admiral Yamamoto, its story DOES have a relevance for today.
The giant’s job was to protect the ancient “Little People” (Menehune) of Kauai. One day, they were attacked, but the giant was asleep. The Little People did EVERYTHING they could to wake him up, but the giant had drunk too much the night before and would not wake up. They tried pelting him with rocks, shouting, playing drums, whatever, but the giant never awakened, and the Menehune were conquered. The only trace left of them is their superb engineering feats (dikes, fishfarm ponds, water systems) that dot the island to this day. The Great Spirit was so angry at the stupid lazy drunken giant who had been derelict in his duty and caused the extinction of a wonderful civilization, that he turned the giant into a stone mountain. When the tide rushes into Kauai’s lava caves, you can still hear him snore.
I doubt if Admiral Yamamoto knew this legend, yet he speaks of the Sleeping Giant. He spoke of awakening him, and Pearl Harbor sure did.
Right now, I feel like the Menehune, screaming, yelling, and throwing rocks to wake up the Sleeping Giant that is America. Please God, let the Giant awaken, lest our Civilization face the same fate as the “Little People” of Kauai.
I know this has nothing to do with gardening, (Except that Kauai is known as “The Garden Isle!)but I was moved to share it from your Dad’s Story.
Our Oak Trees still have leaves, course they are kinda brown, and there’s plenty of leaves on the ground. I love to look out at the cedar trees when they are covered with snow.
Hubby always wants to cut them down, but they are so tall. They were nice size when we bought the lots 40 years ago, and so have been a part of the landscape for so long that I would miss seeing them.
The feral tobacco plant inside is happy as a clam and doing great.
There will be no outside work for a while, as we're scheduled for freezing temps through Tuesday.
/johnny
One big pot will last for a week and we usually freeze a half gallon. Peppers grown and put up from our garden played a prominent role...
Thanks for posting that story. Pearl Harbor Day is never far from my mind, especially during the holidays. I identify with your desire for the sleeping Giant to wake up.
The garden thread is a group of friends near and far helping each other.
Just as conversation between friends often strays from topic to topic, so too with the garden thread. It’s all good-generally a respite from the political discourse to just relax and share stories and knowledge not just of plants, gardens, and such.
Yep. I have zero plans to go out doors for a while. Perfect weather for early spring cleaning and organization.
Where does one go to find feral or wild tobacco? Sweet bays are laden with ice right now. So are the gardenias.
My Key Lime (indoors right now) bloomed like a snow shower last month and is so full of young limes I think I’ll have to snip off half of them, as to not overtax the plant?
I made some chili last week. This week, I am thinking navy beans and ham. I have a bunch of leftover ham and a ham bone. I’ll make a big pot, and some cornbread.
About half of the pot of beans will be turned into bean soup with home grown veggies added. Soups, Chili, and Beans are the delights of winter cuisine at our house during the winter. Life is good!
The oak trees around use my in ground pool as their drop zone. They stop falling only by the time the new ones pop out in April.
I normally start my tobacco seeds in Feb.
If this one keeps growing (and I keep repotting it), it may be ready to harvest about the time I get ready to plant my regular tobacco crop. ;)
/johnny
MMMMMMMMMMMmm.......Cornbread!
We usually get high enough winds often enough that the trees are barren by spring. They do like to drop into our rain barrels if we should forget to batten down the lids.LOL
I don't make my own mole sauce, but I was shown how by an ancient old woman in New Mexico. Lotsa work.
/johnny
We got freezing rain yesterday afternoon, then snow last night. We are forecast for freezing temps until some time Monday. Low tonight expected to be 13 degrees. Berrrr!
Did our best to winterize things, but this is pretty cold for TX.
Ordered some golden currant seeds this week and have a list of seed from another source that I am planning to plant this spring.
I am surrounded by old mature oaks of all kinds. Most are in the 70 to 85 year old range. We had to cut one down on a property we own next door and our summer cooling bill doubled. The arborist told me a mature oak draws 250 gallons of water per day thru it's roots and cools the area with shade and evaporation. That's 1,600 pounds of water per day.
The tarp has been accumulating rain in spots and sagging because the wire around the garden which supports it also sagged ... so now, I have 2x4s at the top between the posts which stiffened it all up & some supports across - worked ok last night when we had some showers. Hopefully, nothing will crash down on my little plants, which also have a row cover over them.
We had a horrible ice storm in 1998 and they're calling for similar or worse. We do have a generator and once the storm blows through, it shouldn't be but so cold so we'll get through it somehow.
December 23, 1998, "The Christmas Ice Storm": A major ice storm struck central and southeast Virginia beginning on Wednesday, December 23 and lasting into Friday, December 25, Christmas Day. Icy conditions caused injuries from slips and falls and numerous vehicle accidents. Ice accumulations of up to an inch brought down trees and power lines. Outages were so widespread (400,000 customers on Christmas Eve) that some people were without power for up to ten days.
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