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Old 15-02-2006, 07:39 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening,rec.gardens
madgardener
 
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Default Some madgardener rambles and adventures of sorts from last week (it's long....)

sounds of me yawning and stretching...................beautiful day
outside...............warmer than it was YESTERDAY............things are
much much better. Standing and looking out the bedroom window, I see there
are lots more little green tongues poking thru the soil, despite the cold
temperatures. So cold the past few days, you could etch glass with me nips!
LOL

After getting the loan from a friend's parents that we'll pay back when
John and his sister sell the house and contents, we sorta did an insane
dance from the final tortures and pressures to tease and torment us with.
It never ends smoothly, no matter how much we'd wish it. John was FINALLY
told he could call his truck assigner and get back to work, since we'd gone
and jumped through all the hoops to get him back on the road. (he's been off
work because of an imposed "medical leave" for 14 weeks). He was told the
3rd to call Monday the 6th, and I warned him I'd hafta kill him if he didn't
return to work immediately. The loan we got covered ALL the behind bills
but wouldn't cover March, and I knew already that his first check would be
pathetic, and we'd be INTO March before he had a whole check for me to work
with. So I'd be starting out late despite all my efforts.

Monday afternoon the 6th, he got hold of his truck assigner who informed him
that they wouldn't put him into a Freightliner ( they tend to break down a
lot, and all his gear now is sized to fit a Kenworth), but he was going to
have to ride up with another driver from Kingsport's terminal to pick up his
new truck in Chester, Virginia......sooooooo, that meant he would have had
to left half his stuff at the house and gotten the rest whenever he returned
home. I could see the stress building, and suggested that why didn't I
follow themup with all his stuff........and HE said that if I felt that way,
we could
drive up there ourselves if we had the gas money, and called his dispatcher
who told him they'd give him an extra $100 to drive there himself (on the
paycheck, of course, NEVER just given.........sigh). But the old lady has
always got something up her sleeve...............................

Then he asked the $100,000 question.......where would I stay if we drove up
there, as he knew how I was....and I told him the dogs would ride with us,
(no leaving them behind like we did when his mom died in November.....I put
my foot down, and we coulda stayed in her house with the dogs like always,
but he was sorta strange that week and I didn't push it then) and I'd just
stay in a little cheap motel, and I'd get Mike a ride to work and home, and
proceeded to make arraignments for Tuesday. Then came back and informed
Squire that my arraignments were made, and I'd had another idea....how far
from Chester was Suffolk?? Because I bet that I could call Pottingshed
(Beverly Brown) and stay over at HER house and I could kinda make it an
adventure and the best of it. Once we got on the same page, I called Bev,
missed her the first time, but then got her on the second attempt, and she
was WILD for it!

Everything was ready to go on his end, I only had to gather up some minor
things, snag a few gardener's gifts to take with me, work out a plan for dog
bowls and water for the road, and wash my blue jeans. I'm easy to travel
with. I'm not one of those women who have bags and bags of clothing for
every moment, I pack with extra undies, the fang brush, a night shirt, a
Ziploc baggie with Mysore soap, and an extra shirt. I carry my wallet in my
right back pocket, with my pocket watch hanging off a belt loop and in the
right pocket, with the belt that now keeps the cell phone near me and not in
my carpenter's side pocket, I don't usually carry a purse, but thanks to
younger son, I have one that has five pockets and a long strap that I like,
that I can put odd things like phone charger, camera, battery charger with
extra batteries for camera to plug in somewhere, the address book that has
all ya'll's names and addresses and numbers if I have them, an extra hair
brush and socks. The other odd stuff is put into this neat old lady's HUGE
pocket book that more resembles a small soft carry on with another huge
strap.

I wear what I travel in, dress appropriately to weather and climate, as my
coat pockets always have gloves,knitted hat and extra gloves just in case.
Bev said it was damp and cold so I took my colorful mufflers which never got
used, but hung in the car, and I always wear a garden hat on my little head
because it keeps the sun and rain out of my eyes and off my glasses. I
never care what people think of me in them, I wear them for myself.

The dawgs were easy too, we had an old Rubbermaid container that had no lid
that both dog bowls fit into, and I poured the dry kibbles into a gallon
Ziploc and topped it off and it fit perfectly on top of the bowls, and
decided to spoil them this once and took two cans of Alpo because Sméagol is
gaunt looking due to Sugar hogging the food and playing Alpha with him when
he eats. The only thing I really needed to get was nylon collars at the
Dollar store for the leashes I knew they'd be on at rest stops and outside
at Bev's house.

I always have cranberry juice gallon containers with handles to put water
into for the dogs to drink while on the road, and the huge dog non tippable
dish for the water (and munchies if I can't finish something we've stopped
and grabbed a snack for). I had half gallon containers filled with sweet
iced tea to take along, as well as my infamous "madgardener's tea jug" that
is part of my hand most times. It holds about a liter with ice and has a
thick, rubbery straw sticking out which makes life easier when I'm thirsty.
The van was packed tight with all of Squires stuff, and John made a sorta
bed for one of the dogs to lie on during the trip out of his body pillow he
uses in his sleeper as extra support, he'd thrown all his fried rice we'd
made on the weekend into the freezer so it wouldn't thaw or spoil until he
could get his fridge hooked up and turned on and packed.

I ran to the Dollar store for the dawg collars while he did some
downloading, I also went and got an oil change for the van for the trip (it
needed it) topped the tank up at the local Wally because gas was $1.98!! and
loaded up my Wally card so if there was one with a service station up there,
I could save some money on gas for the trip back (there was). I tend to eat
fruit and cheese on trips (I don't know why) so I snagged grapes and some
Granny Smith's, a box of Wheat Thins and of course I'd have me sweet iced
tea.

When I got home, I knew what I was bringing Bev up with me as gifts. A
book I'd gotten at the used book store of one I have myself that I enjoyed
reading, "The Gardener's Gripe Book", and something special since she sends
me neat things occasionally, a shorty watering wand by Dramm, a spring
shower Dramm rose to screw onto the end, and a brass shut off valve that
will last forever for the handle portion for her garden hose. Cuttings of
plants would be done at the last minute, in a gallon Ziploc baggie and
placed in the cat bag with the goodies. I was set except for washing my
hairs...

The trip was great, Sméagol took the rigged chaise lounge during the trip,
Sugar hogged the back bench. He refused to eat OR drink the whole trip, as
did Sugar, (I suspect the cold kept them from really overheating despite our
having the heat on and John smoking) but Smeag showed me he had sensory
overload at the rest stops when we gave them a bathroom break. He took the
leash alright, but was so wild about all the smells and people and such, he
never peed...........And Sugar freaked out and barked inside the van the
whole time I tried to walk him (they're very close). When I got her on her
leash, she came right out, we walked over towards the dog designated area
and she had to pee, NOW. No messing about for mama dawg. I made a mental
note to take them both at once so he'd get the idea later on. Having Rose
for nine years spoiled me as she traveled a LOT and was quite a lady and
would go when I asked her to at rest stops.

The only SNAFU was Mike's boss wouldn't bring him home Tuesday morning so we
didn't get the advantage of leaving at the butt crack of o dark thirty and
had to wait and pick him up at the truckstop where Robert drops him off
(saves me 300 miles a week, and yes, soon, he'll have his license
reinstated) I took the cuttings of the plants I was bringing her, Swiss
cheese philodendron, 'Brasil' variegated philodendron, the spiderwort that
makes "pipes" that I always forget the name of, packed up my stuff and let
John arrange it,made sure I had MY pillow (another necessity as I always
take my pillow and sometimes a quilt to throw over me if I chill when Squire
opens windows to smoke) and installed the dogs, and we left at a late 8:30
a.m.

Despite that we now have an Xm to listen to over a radio station and the
music would be really good, I brought along three of my nine music cd books
for a bit of my own music when I was driving by myself. The trip would take
about eight or nine hours once I started homewards. Good thing I love to
drive...

He was going to drive the whole way up I-81 and we'd also printed out great
directions for me to use coming back and getting to Beverly's in
Suffolk. Beverly kept calling me all excited the night before and I had to
assure her I was really coming, but that I was only staying over for a
night. (or so I thought).

Squire got a brand new semi- truck, we got there just at the start of rush
hour, (Virginia tends to be a bit crowded)once we unloaded his stuff, and we
tried once to let the dawgs check their water fence where the trucks were
parked despite the woods just behind the fence line) installed them once
again, only this time there was massive amounts of room, and Sméagol took
point and shotgun.

I was actually tearing up because after all, Squire HAD been home up
underneath me for 14 weeks,I sniffed and straightened up, gave him a good
Marilyn hug, but with good directions, and unable to reach Beverly on my
cell phone, I headed out towards Suffolk. I did good too......the drive
from Chester to Suffolk is about, but not quite, 2 hours. I was still
unable to reach Bev and only when following the directions (it was dark at
this point near 6:30) and making a turn and not seeing what I hoped to see
even in the dark, I pulled over about three miles down where I'd turned at
the sign, I pulled out the address book and decided to call the other number
under her name. And got her immediately. Apparently I'd been trying to
call her husband's old phone number which was disconnected...........had to
turn around and go back to where I had turned wrong, and turn left which
would have been going straight had I not taken the directions literally, and
got to their house within 10 minutes.

They live in the older neighborhood of Suffolk with incredibly old houses
everywhere (including theirs). Poor George's stomach was gnawing his
backbone at this point, and once we got some of my gear stowed inside their
house, let the dogs tinkle (Sugar and Smeag on leashes at same time works,
by the way, the boy figures out what he has to do quickly), give them both a
little bit of water, and since George knew where we were going to eat, I
handed him my key and asked if he'd mind driving. Of course not. I sat in
back with dogs on the bench and we had a great meal.........I made our
waitress laugh (I'm good for that) and when we returned, since George had to
get up at the butt crack of o dark thirty to go to work, I said my
goodnights, and she and I sat up and talked (she tends to stay up until 1,
gets up with George and then cat naps a few hours after that, which is
almost what I do since taking and picking up son).

At one point Mike called me and we made plans about his getting to work, I
decided to stay one more day, but made sure I wasn't a hindrance to George.
And the dogs were incredibly well behaved. Children should be so good! Then
realizing that I was way more tired than I knew, we reluctantly went
upstairs where she had decided I'd sleep in her granddaughter's room when
she had lived with them for a brief period while her mama went to school and
worked years past. It was a scene out of a comedy. Both dogs sleep with
mama. And this was a twin bed. The dogs are clean and no extra friends on
them (no fleas, ever) but it would prove interesting since I have bed fights
with them and we have a King sized bed at home that they crowd and hog every
night.

The dogs were so happy to not be riding, they settled almost immediately
with me, Sméagol taking the feet and bottom of the bed like usual, draping
his wrinkled head over my ankles and grunting like he does in sheer
happiness. He sounds like the air is leaking outa him. I had the center of
the twin bed, and I could hear Sugar's toenails on the hardwood floor as she
shuffled around the bed trying to negotiate. Her first attempt was
hilarious. She slipped and landed heavily on the area rug. The second
attempt was better as she landed lightly on the bed just next to me, stepped
daintly over me and flopped like she does, heavily, and snuffled and did her
catchy inhaling sound and then ripped one, just for me.........to show me
she was a bit put out.................lovely......., dog farts to deal with
and me unable to turn over..............lol

As I started to feel the warmth seep into me from both dogs and my poor old
body relax, I found myself listening to a clock that ticked somewhere in the
room and caught my thoughts of "gee, I hope a dog doesn't bark, Sugar will
go insane" about the time that a dog barked a few houses down, and I was
able to quiet Sugar before she woke George up. Being out of her element was
making her much more mindful and obedient. She'd loosen up as time went
along. She's quite hardheaded and independent.

Now for giddy middle aged gardener adventures...............

The morning sunshine filled the room wonderfully and the dogs were dancing
on tippy toes desperate for me to get UP because after their mush and
kibbles and water last night, they DID have to go.......so I opened the door
and they immediately ran down the beautiful staircase with the neat
bannister and the cool window in the wall near the bottom landing, and went
immediately to Bev who was having her morning coffee. When I finally got
down to her myself, she already had slipped on her coat and hooked Sugar up
and was about to hook Smeag to take them for a piddle outside in her side
yard.

The house across from them was sitting on a huge corner lot, the house
itself probably over a hundred years old, the yard had a natural ravine and
was overgrown and in need of someone like me to clean and clear the ivy and
such and plant things. At the back of the yard which was encircled in a
wrought iron pointy fence were ancient magnolia's that hadn't been trimmed
up. She suggested we take the dogs there to do other things as the yard was
fenced and more laid out. (at LEAST an acre, probably two, not including the
huge sprawling house above the yard). The element of unfamilarity was
enough that when I unhooked the dawgs, they both immediately ran into the
Boston ivy and did what we needed them to do, and they then returned
immediately to me when I called them. I'd have troubles later with
Sugar..............the boy ALWAYS returns to mama when I call him......

I put the dogs back in her house and grabbed my camera and proceeded to
capture some of Bev's Hellebore who were blooming. Large white with
freckles, I'd lift a face and talk quietly as I took pictures, next to the
white, a stray pinkish one. Noticed a huge clump was growing underneath the
fence onto the other side, and walked around to the sidewalk side where the
fence fronted and took pictures of that Hellebore and her daughters. A bit
down the raised bed was a dogwood loaded with tight buds just waiting for
the right day in April. Beneath her arms were clumps of narcissus, and they
were all heavy in bud, with one lone adventurer already bursting open.

Worked my way past her front stoop and porch to the side and discovered
another pure white Hellebore whose blossoms were so large they didn't look
real. Lifted their faces and said "yogurt!" and got great photo's of them
too. Found Bev's little shady alley between houses where her oil tank is and
the new central air unit, and thought about places to put her unhappy
Hellebore. And all those windows of hers! I couldn't stop my mind from
thinking of everything I'd have enjoying those huge windows and cool
temperatures. (the ceilings are 13 foot). Snapping out of my revere, I was
back to her side yard behind the maple tree and near her porch stoop. The
dogs were waiting for me...........both sat there, picture perfect just
sitting and anticipating......it was so endearing and cute..g

Bev had an important appointment and we decided that we needed to grab a
bite of brunch somewhere and after her appointment, we'd do whatever came
up. It never goes the way you think....we loaded up the dogs into her car,
and we headed out towards the local WalMart (good, I noticed they had a gas
station and it wasn't bad in price. More than home, but still cheaper than
along the interstate.) She whipped into the parking lot and parked next to
the garden side and informed me we were stopping so she could pick up some
pots to put the cuttings I'd brought her into. I was game. We were about
to have a blast.

As we entered the garden center, the first thing that caught my eye was the
display of newly arrived cacti and succulents. Always on the lookout for
something different I don't normally see, I immediately spotted a hairy
Hawortia. uh oh.........and another Hawortia that had spots along the outer
leaves and smooth green inside. Never seen one like that........and
crap.....there was a spiney Euphorbia. All these were inexpensive and as I
stood there picking up 3 inch pots, I saw Bev was picking out a hairy jade
for her sister. This might be a bad idea. I am highly contageous! lol

We decided not to get a cart (to cut down on what we got) and we spotted the
seeds. By now it was hopeless. She went and got a shopping cart, then she
was picking out seeds she was going to start, I was finding seeds of
Heirloom flowers, a very fragrant one, a sweet pea called Captain of the
Blues, then several different kinds of sunflowers with names like Strawberry
Blond, Autumn Beauty, Lemon Queen and Velvet Queen. I could get these to
grow. I have to go easy with seeds. The ones you can shove in and they do
well without you from there, and the ones you scatter, like Cleome and poppy
and such. but no somniferum poppy seeds here...only oriental. I settled for
California poppy seeds, and knew I could sow them when I got home so they'd
chill and stratify and germinate for me this year. And I had the perfect
spot for them. My madgardener alter ego was awake and
insane............idea's were popping out of me like shoots of young bulbs
were poking up thru the weeds and debris in the gardens I'd seen in the
neighborhood.

But having a gardening friend back home who had GREAT luck in starting
perennials from seed was my undoing. I got several packages that were
priced at just a quarter and a dime and knew we were hopelessly immeshed in
sticky hands. Celosia, double gaillardia, sweet peas of her own. We went
to the pots aisle and Bev picked up four pots with watering lips which is
rather neat, and we decided we'd better stop, not to mention time was
rushing past us and her appointment was drawing closer.

As we stood in line with all our booty, there were other ladies standing
waiting for the little old lady who was the cashier to get finished with the
woman in front of us with the check, and they were kinda looking at my
smiling face and the big ol' orange with white flowers garden hat. I told
them not to stand too closely as I was highly contageous with gardening
madness and we all laughed. It was great to meet nice people who weren't
all grumbly. Beverly kept telling people I was her gardening friend from
Tennessee and we all compared the accents. I was having a ball.

She wanted me to run into the grocery store and snag her a cup of coffee
while she waited in her car, and since I had my tea jug with me, I agreed to
run in for her. Passed a soda machine that had a dollar sticking out of it
like a green tongue, and thought this was a good sign (no one at the
machines, so it was another example of me finding money, which I always seem
to do) snagged it and as I entered the store, there before me were the most
wonderful looking fresh muffins on display..........and decided a quick
knosh was called for
to tide us over until she had her appointment. Got her coffee, snagged us
lemon poppy seed muffins with crunchy topping, and wild berry ones with
crunchy tops and we had a quick little knosch in the parking lot as we sped
towards her appointment.

While I waited in the car with the dawgs, I looked at all the neat old
buildings and started looking for Spring sign. I'm sure I saw an old Quince
in bloom in the yard behind the old hardware store across the street. Not
too much traffic, and above me over the pines and magnolia's and other trees
I didn't try and identify, I saw gulls and larger birds high up riding the
thermals in the bright blue sky. The air was noticibly damper and despite
tempertures that don't bother me, I could feel the chill. But the sun was
warm, and the dogs were actually snoring in the back seat while I waited
patiently. I caught myself thinking I could have brought my new issue of
Fine Gardening to wile away the time, but I also knew it wouldn't be long.

And I was right. There was Bev's smiling face and her familiar "hello" that
is unmistabably her, and when asked where to eat, my answer was normal
Maddie......wherever there is good food. I am easy. We settled on a local
Mexican restaurant. Afterwards she took me to wetlands that were close by
and we saw commerants (sp?) and assorted ducks and some cranes in the grassy
places. I was itching to get back to her neighborhood and just walk the
dogs around and check out the Camelia's and whatever else was blooming.

There's nothing quite like two women the same age who are rabid about
gardening and who both have the love of capturing pictures of flowers up
close and in their faces. The houses were all awesome. Yards were nice, I
was blown away by the sheer volumn of ancient magnolia's, the huge towering
Camelia's in bloom and bud, even Mahonia's were impressive. The find of the
day though was this one house an old queen had lived in for a large portion
of his latter life, and making good money, he'd formally gardened. When he
died, he'd not had anyone but a nephew in France somewhere and had willed
the incredible home and gardens to the historical society.

Bev took me to his house and yard and carrage house so we could poke about
and look into windows (they opened it up later in the season, and were
slowly doing a few repairs) and see what was growing. I found an alcove
just off a great room with all windows and an inner fireplace with marble
mantle, and found his fern alley. The Autumn ferns were still lush and had
already started making little new fiddles......as we rounded the corner, Bev
informed me that there was an ancient old rose on a wisteria trellis that
she suspected had been butchered, but hadn't had time to check it up closer.
As we got to that corner of the house, we came upon it. Butchered wasn't
the word. There was still lots of tendrils and canes reaching up 12 to 14
foot, and rose hips that were as large as a man's thumb. The canes were
thick and gnarled, but they hadn't known how to prune it and we could see
sad whackings.

The treasure, though was the full grown Daphne. A Carol Mackie, and
variegated and loaded literally COVERED in buds at every intersection of
twig. The whole bush was five foot wide and only four foot high and the
fragrance is one I'll never forget or be able to describe. I had to have a
piece. And I'd left my little snips back at her house. So I prayed my good
thumbnail wouldn't let me down as I deep pinched an end that split into two
opposite twigs with several leaves and lots of tight rosy buds and only two
open flowers, and I was able to sever it without tearing. My eyes almost
rolled back in their head from the heady fragrance the little flowers put
out.

We'd ditched the dogs in her house so we'd be able to take pictures
uninterrupted and in focas. As we worked our way back towards her part of
the street, we came upon a totaly different colored Camelia. Now I had
pictures of red tightly ruffled ones that grew on a bush that must have been
12 -14 foot tall, a pink and white blousy one, a pure white one that was so
large I couldn't see how tall it was, and next to it, a clean pure pink one
whose blossoms backed each other on more than half the branches. I made
note that I had to get back when the Southern magnolia's were in
blossom........

Since we had eaten so late, she decided I needed to meet some of her
neighbor friends. Great ladies with full lives who each lived in houses with
character, great windows, high ceilings and ancient mature trees and bushes.
A neighborhood you could walk a dog or just stroll and admire. An old
church rang bells every half hour and hour just a few streets over. An
invitation to come have tea was taken up, and I met another dear friend and
lady she'd worked at a home kindergarden for years just down a couple of
houses.

I met a crusty older black woman who came out of her house like some
scolding blackbird when she saw me thru her windows taking pictures of her
blousy pink and white Camelia's (after I asked her grandson's permission to
enter the yard, of course, and Bev had known this young man when he was a
small child, now a teenager). When she spotted Bev, she laughed, as I
explained I wasn't taking pictures of nothing but her beautiful flowers. And
she accused me of being one of them nutty gardeners, but since I was with
Bev, she KNEW I was one of them nutty gardeners and harmless.......later I'd
speak a hello to her daughter as we went to have tea and her daughter
invited me to come up next time and have a game of spades with
her.............

We were snapped out of our gardening and visiting thoughts when we realized
we'd left the mutts inside her house and we both said it at the same
time......poor George!! Apparently they were VERY happy to see him come
home while we were out taking pictures and getting into yards and
trouble.......he'd not found anything destroyed, but noticed once he sat
down at his computer, they laid close to him and were just fine.

I knew I would be leaving the next morning some time, and we started back to
the house, saved her husband from the watchful eye of two needy dawgs, and
started gathering things. Then I got out my snips and we proceeded to cut
and root everything. I'd cut, pass them across her sink and counter to her
in the dining room on the opposite side and she'd stick. Two pots of Swiss
cheese phil, one pot of Brasil phil, one pot of spiderwort, variety unknown
until I find the entry in my gardening journal at home later and e-mail it
to her.

We wound up talking into the wee hours, and reluctlantly crawled off after
the dogs let us both know they wanted to go to bed......breakfast would be
on me, as George had the day off and they both were sleeping in. I'd fill
up, we'd have a good brunch and then I'd head homewards to Tennessee. I'll
say it again, there's nothing like good people and being able to sit and
have a meal and laughs and share things and be civil. I caught myself
wishing Squire was with me enjoying this little man. Earlier in the
morning, he'd shown me his copper iris he'd made, which I'd been looking at
for two days and didn't realize he'd done it with his own hands.

He'd shown me he was etching glass, and was working on another project.
Beverly apparently is quite an artist as well, and I discovered an
incredible drawing of a calla lily that was enviable. As we hurried back to
their house to make sure everything was packed, the gathering began. A
roaster because they didn't have room for it, Bev's sister has this thing
about buying nice women's socks when they're on sale, and they're not cheap
socks either, but since Bev doesn't LIKE them........I wound up taking home
almost 100 pair of very expensive nice womans socks. We had a good laugh
about them, but I'll not have to buy socks for a few years! LOL

Get pictures of her and George, she got pictures of me and the mutts with my
camera so I could send it back to her in her e-mail. She printed out a few
pictures she'd taken when we'd done the digital thing. Lots of hugs and
protests of "don't leave, stay another day or two" and then we were off. I
made it three blocks and as I passed the Wally store, I realized I'd left
the cactus......so I pulled in across the street and called her and yes,
she'd just remembered she'd moved the bag of them last night. So I turned
around and made it back and she had two bulbs of lycoris red spider lily in
a bag for me. Earlier we'd tried to dig up a clump of her Hellebore, but
I'd hit a root or something and promised that next time I'd bring my
Fiskar's shovel and we'd do some serious damage and I'd move them for her in
no time. She teased me with the next time I came, she knew where there were
some RED ONES that needed dividing at a friend's house down the
street.............besides the snow storm was coming and I wanted to beat it
and get home....

Before your eyes all bleed from all these words........the drive thru the
Blue Ridge Mountains was as perfect as it could get. My only regrets was
that it's in high winter and the colors of all those trees almost knock you
out with their somber tones. Two stops for the dogs, and they weren't
budging. Home at 10 at night, I could feel the impending storm in the air,
my fingers were aching and as I opened the van, the dogs burst out and ran
up the driveway delirious that they were HOME.......unloaded the music,
everything I had brought home and last the cactus and bare root plants I'd
gotten and gave the dogs some time to just run and stretch and play and
grovel and growl and do what they love and adore to do with each other.

The nippy air was enough, though that Smeagol came back in just a short
time, but the smile on his face was enough. Sugar wasn't far behind him,
and we went inside a brightly lit house. Apparently son was lonely. EVERY
LIGHT WAS ON IN THE HOUSE.........................good thing they are energy
efficient lights. As I entered the livingroom, I saw the nails hadn't been
fed. And the light on the cactus underneath the aquarium beside the front
door was STILL on.......sigh. Get some much deserved rest, poor plants.
I'll kill son later.

Put the kettle on to make a couple of gallons of sweet tea, make a sandwhich
and kick off my shoes, take off the leg warmers and find a pair of those
cool socks for me feets. Put things up in their place, and stretch out,
then call Bev and tell her I'm home.

I'll take you outside in the impending snow andthe occurances and thoughts
later. My eyes are crossing and I don't want to mess that one up. I
appreciate your being patient with me. Tomorrow will be shrubs full of
Cardinals and the scent of snow and all those magical things in Fairy
Holler. For now, good night....
madgardener up on the ridge, back in Fairy Holler, overlooking English
Mountain in Eastern Tennessee










  #2   Report Post  
Old 15-02-2006, 08:11 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening,rec.gardens
Cheryl Isaak
 
Posts: n/a
Default Some madgardener rambles and adventures of sorts from lastweek (it's long....)

Snip, snip!
Wonderful as always! you do know you are welcome in NH if you can snag a
ride that far!

Cheryl

  #3   Report Post  
Old 15-02-2006, 07:53 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening,rec.gardens
madgardener
 
Posts: n/a
Default Some madgardener rambles and adventures of sorts from lastweek (it's long....)


"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
...
Snip, snip!
Wonderful as always! you do know you are welcome in NH if you can snag a
ride that far!

Cheryl

if I made it to New Hampshire, I'd hafta visit you and Gypsy Skylark LOL !
and then that would mean having to pass Ann over in Mass. and Tomkanpa in
Penn..........I still think we old timers on wreck.gardens need to meet
somewhere in the middle and have a good old fashioned family reunion!! Just
think of the awesome variety of covered dishes, plant pieces, roots,
rhizomes, tubers and such and the laughter, hugs and smiles we'd create!
Just take a weekend and have a blow out..............I'm sure some of the
"boys" would like grillin', cold beer, a good wine, a few drinks, some sweet
iced tea, paper plates so there'd be no clean up............... and of
course a clean, affordable place for the friends who have to come over
across the ponds...............LOL yes, I'm ever the
dreamer.....................................


  #4   Report Post  
Old 15-02-2006, 08:16 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening,rec.gardens
Cheryl Isaak
 
Posts: n/a
Default Some madgardener rambles and adventures of sorts fromlastweek (it's long....)

On 2/15/06 1:53 PM, in article , "madgardener"
wrote:


"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
...
Snip, snip!
Wonderful as always! you do know you are welcome in NH if you can snag a
ride that far!

Cheryl

if I made it to New Hampshire, I'd hafta visit you and Gypsy Skylark LOL


Gypsy lives (?) up by the Hanover area? Used to be online all the time? I
was in touch with her for a while, but life took one of those left turns....
!
and then that would mean having to pass Ann over in Mass. and Tomkanpa in
Penn..........I still think we old timers on wreck.gardens need to meet
somewhere in the middle and have a good old fashioned family reunion!! Just
think of the awesome variety of covered dishes, plant pieces, roots,
rhizomes, tubers and such and the laughter, hugs and smiles we'd create!
Just take a weekend and have a blow out..............I'm sure some of the
"boys" would like grillin', cold beer, a good wine, a few drinks, some sweet
iced tea, paper plates so there'd be no clean up............... and of
course a clean, affordable place for the friends who have to come over
across the ponds...............LOL yes, I'm ever the
dreamer.....................................


Ah - what a great idea! Hey Ann, we are close enough to each other for an in
between meet.

Cheryl


  #5   Report Post  
Old 16-02-2006, 05:54 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening,rec.gardens
glenon
 
Posts: n/a
Default Some madgardener rambles and adventures of sorts from lastweek (it's long....)

Wait!, I want to join in the party too! But I live in Florida! So if
anyone is coming down this way (just south of Tampa) visit me!

--
gloria - only the iguanas know for sure




  #6   Report Post  
Old 01-03-2006, 04:20 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening,rec.gardens
RAINDEAR
 
Posts: n/a
Default Some madgardener rambles and adventures of sorts fromlastweek (it's long....)

better hurry up and come visit me....come this summer so you can attend the
massive gar(b)age sales gonna be having to get rid of, oh, at least 50% of
the stuff i ain't gonna cart to the next place i'm goin' to (where ever that
ends up being) ;o)

(hint, hint, elbow tickle) gonna have HORDES of gardening stuff, including
books, garden angels, and little halloweenie stepping stones---they light
up at night!!! (i celebrate halloween all year long), gazing ball and
pedestal, windmill, bird feeders (if the bears don't get them this
spring)....you name it, deeries, i've got a little of everything-----and
TONS of everything else.

oh....i mustn't forget to mention CLAUDIA-she's an 8-ft. sculptcha (that's
new yorkese for sculpture)....she can live outside, she can live inside, she
can scare yer bad birdies away, she can let all birdies sit on her. to know
her is to.........oh, you got the pitcher.

anyways, maddie....c'monnnnnnn upppppp!!!!!
--
With Malus toward none, and Cherry-Trees toward all.


From: "madgardener"
Organization: Newsville.Com (
http://www.newsville.com)
Newsgroups: uk.rec.gardening,rec.gardens
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:53:25 -0500
Subject: Some madgardener rambles and adventures of sorts from lastweek
(it's long....)


"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
...
Snip, snip!
Wonderful as always! you do know you are welcome in NH if you can snag a
ride that far!

Cheryl

if I made it to New Hampshire, I'd hafta visit you and Gypsy Skylark LOL !
and then that would mean having to pass Ann over in Mass. and Tomkanpa in
Penn..........I still think we old timers on wreck.gardens need to meet
somewhere in the middle and have a good old fashioned family reunion!! Just
think of the awesome variety of covered dishes, plant pieces, roots,
rhizomes, tubers and such and the laughter, hugs and smiles we'd create!
Just take a weekend and have a blow out..............I'm sure some of the
"boys" would like grillin', cold beer, a good wine, a few drinks, some sweet
iced tea, paper plates so there'd be no clean up............... and of
course a clean, affordable place for the friends who have to come over
across the ponds...............LOL yes, I'm ever the
dreamer.....................................



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