Hi guys, just got back from New Mexico, and this is the first thread I
clicked on. I see nothing much has changed in the old neighborhood.
How are the real estate values? And how are all of you?

Zhan

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 15:58:27 GMT, BillandJeny
wrote:


Hi guys, just got back from New Mexico, and this is the first thread I
clicked on. I see nothing much has changed in the old neighborhood.
How are the real estate values? And how are all of you?

Zhan


Hi Zhan,

It's just like time stands still isn't it .......if only it would!!!!

Welcome back

Geoff

"BillandJeny" wrote in message
...

Hi guys, just got back from New Mexico, and this is the first thread I
clicked on. I see nothing much has changed in the old neighborhood.
How are the real estate values? And how are all of you?

Zhan

ZHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGE MADDIE
HUG)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) I MISSED you!!!!!! gbseg This
might explain the returned cards, returned cd's, returned
e-mails.............. messages of "the number you have reached...........has
been disconnected..........." WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The word is out......Tennessee is the place to be........farms are being
sold as soon as the probate passes the year, divided up and turned into
mushroom subdivisions. Lowes commercial sales is pop pop pop, but the grass
is still green, the sky is still blue and it's still awesome around here. Of
course property value has more than quadrupled since you poked yer head up
here two years ago come the 18th..............not ours. I might be able to
push selling the chaos for just over what we refinanced to pay the thugs
(who still claim we owe them, so same old, same old)
We now have TWO dawgs again...............Sugar is the proud adopted mama of
Sméagol, an unidentifiable loveable hound of sorts. Male this one......the
gardens are peeping their eyes open, a few crocus, the Cornelian cherry is
trying to burst, my Diane witch hazel refuses to give up her red threads
yet..............little golden mouths popping in the western bed amongst the
seedlings of seeds that are germinating that Dian sent me from Oregon, plus
massive digging damage done by Smeagol and lately, a throw back regression
from Sugar who tore up major work under the black cherry tree shade bed
because Squire had the door open yesterday and wasn't paying attention to
what she was doing..............she lives still, but the two foot deep hole
is heart rending, especially when I see I lost the Amber Waves heuchera I
had nurtured this far, and most of Pottingshed's (Bev's) "taters" or antique
woods hyacinths. I was tucking over 120 bulbs back into the hole and I
still wanna know, where does the soil go???????

I'm getting the itch to change locations, but feel like we're here for the
duration. We'll see what happens. I keep playing John's lottery number he
dreamed about.
I have morphed into a fat little Southern
woman........sigh..................Squire has dropped almost 65 pounds
living in his semi and driving for Heartland Express. He is over this
carnage on the road.............he longs to be home more now. And Mike is
STILL with
us................................................ ..........................
................

How are YOU?? Catch up!

madgardener, still up on the ridge, back in a slightly neglected and
overgrown Faerie Holler, overlooking English Mountain (whose night lights
are more and more prevelant against the deep purple twilight southwards) in
Eastern Tennessee, zone 7? Sunset zone 36

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 16:50:45 GMT, escape
wrote:

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 15:58:27 GMT, BillandJeny opined:


Hi guys, just got back from New Mexico, and this is the first thread I
clicked on. I see nothing much has changed in the old neighborhood.
How are the real estate values? And how are all of you?

Zhan

Zhan! Great to see you again. My house value has increased by almost double.
I actually considered selling it, till I told Mark, who then gave me the look
of, "if you think I'm digging up another garden and moving it, you're crazy."

So, same same.

Victoria


Need a good, cheap, knowledge expanding present for yourself or a friend?
http://www.animaux.net/stern/present.html

It's great to be back in touch. I had withdrawal (sp) symptoms in New
Mexico. Too far out in the boonies to have a computer. After
Hurricane Ivan blew us out of Pensacola we landed in New Mexico. We
have bought a double wide here in central Florida in a retirement
community so we can be around the grandkids part of the year. I won't
admit to being trailer trash but it is the first home I've ever had
with VIN numbers. I can do all the gardening here I want to as long
as I don't make it difficult for the maintenance crew to mow. If I do
then we have to mow it ourselves. I'm sure Bill will keep me in
check. In NM all my gardening is done in containers. I remember the
pictures of your garden in Dallas, IMHO you're lucky you got him to
dig it up the first time. :-)

Zhan

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 22:28:37 GMT,
wrote:

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 15:58:27 GMT, BillandJeny
wrote:


Hi guys, just got back from New Mexico, and this is the first thread I
clicked on. I see nothing much has changed in the old neighborhood.
How are the real estate values? And how are all of you?

Zhan


Hi Zhan,

It's just like time stands still isn't it .......if only it would!!!!

Welcome back

Geoff

Thank you. I've missed you all. Would it be slutty of me to follow
that up with a little begging for a Scottish calendar?

zhan

On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 22:26:41 -0500, "madgardener"
wrote:


ZHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGE MADDIE
HUG)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) I MISSED you!!!!!! gbseg This
might explain the returned cards, returned cd's, returned
e-mails.............. messages of "the number you have reached...........has
been disconnected..........." WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Snipped


madgardener, still up on the ridge, back in a slightly neglected and
overgrown Faerie Holler, overlooking English Mountain (whose night lights
are more and more prevelant against the deep purple twilight southwards) in
Eastern Tennessee, zone 7? Sunset zone 36


You were sending mail to a cement slab!! The wind took the fence,
shed, and trees 5 miles north. The storm surge took the house to the
Yucatan Pensulia. Sure made packing up easy but we got nice thank you
notes from everyone.

I'll email you on updates. I don't want to get flamed for off topic,
my asbestos undies are in the Yucatan with the house.

zhan

From: "BillandJeny"
Subject: RE. RE. Abuse record...........
Date: Monday, February 07, 2005 11:21 PM

On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 22:26:41 -0500, "madgardener"
wrote:


Snipped

You were sending mail to a cement slab!! The wind took the fence,
shed, and trees 5 miles north. The storm surge took the house to the
Yucatan Pensulia. Sure made packing up easy but we got nice thank you
notes from everyone.

I can imagine............I was sure worried about you. My ex-husband who
lives in Pensacola said his trailer parts business wasn't torn up too badly,
but I wonder. He finally got a land line and called to let me know he was
alive (like I was too worried about his ass........I think not) I just hope
he stays down there in Pensacola.



I'll email you on updates. I don't want to get flamed for off topic, my
asbestos undies are in the Yucatan with the house.

Ahhhhhhh good enough then. I can wait patiently. I still live in the same
place, even if the mortgage is now almost too much to afford now thanks to
the IRS thugs (and they STILL say we owe them the same crap, I'll never be
rid of them until I hit the lottery and pay them off once and for all) LOL

Since when did a little WARMTH bother you? You were the one with the
aversion to cold..............................gbseg Like you always said,
you loved a good food fight...... I answered your post towards me but there
was a fatal error in your e-mail address..........hmmmmmm I'll try again.
Speaking of food fight, you need to holler at Tomkanpa, he's been pining for
yer humor and wit............................I look forward to hearing from
you. Hell, CALL me. I'm off the next two days (February 8th and 9th) if you
need a reminder to me number, I'm STILL in the book......................LOL
maddie

"BillandJeny" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 16:50:45 GMT, escape
wrote:

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 15:58:27 GMT, BillandJeny
opined:snip, prune,

It's great to be back in touch. I had withdrawal (sp) symptoms in New
Mexico. Too far out in the boonies to have a computer. After
Hurricane Ivan blew us out of Pensacola we landed in New Mexico. We
have bought a double wide here in central Florida in a retirement
community so we can be around the grandkids part of the year. I won't
admit to being trailer trash but it is the first home I've ever had
with VIN numbers.

Now look here, around here we call those MODULAR HOMES!!!! Squire and I
have been looking at those for a few years now. I've even considered getting
one, tearing the house off the foundation and getting someone with a crane
to put one on the foundation so I could have a house with TWO or three
bathrooms and four bedrooms and den/kitchen. It's either that or we trash
the inside of the house and make it the way we want. At the rate we're
going, no one in their right mind would buy this place, no matter how
ecclectic it is.

What I long to do is finally hit the lottery number that John dreamed about
that he keeps playing, and buy the biendejo (sp?) across the driveway out
completely and after bulldozing HIS worthless house, hiring Carmichael to
haul ALL the non running vehicles on the property, tearing down the assorted
outbuildings, and the old three story barn (saving all the wood and
replaning it of course, you can't replace old oak and the like and it'd make
great material to use), making a better road to that barn, and putting a
Palm Harbor house where the barn is using the recycled wood as the outer
clapboards and what not............and digging a deep pond in the lower
pasture to stock with catfish, bluegill and bass (if you build it, the rest
will come.......cranes, frogs, etc). There are better trees further down in
the property, and as you remember how we scraped ourselves up treking thru
part of the land that day (I am still mortified in trying to help you over
the barbwire..........I'll learn). I actually went further inside and
wonder why on earth no one built further in but realized the answer was
because it used to be Joyce's dad's farm. It's perfect now for a home to be
tucked way back where the barn is now................and there is a nicer
view back there.

THAT is MY dream. I still like it here, but damn lady, even YOU would be
shocked at how much it's been built up around here. A lot of Floridian's
have relocated up here, and the property value is rising like flood waters.
Mine are still low but I smell change in the winds. I know purchasing other
land would cost dearly and this island of land that is a "green belt" would
be easier to get at cheap prices because of the restrictions in building.
Since my house is the real one and they won't let him build on the land
(something about grandfathering, so his three kids and his sister's four
sons are really S.O.L when it comes to selling the land when he passes on
for profit. And she's moved in with one of her son's and his new wife now up
in Wisconsin so I don't think she'll move here even if he goes despite that
she has life rights too). Greed will play a huge part in it when he goes
with his kids, especially the one daughter over in Seymour, but unless
Dandridge city counsil gets up off it's butt and rezones this land into
buildable property, and that means a road...........paving, I don't see it
happening. I might just be sitting in a good spot. We'll see............

That's what I really want though. There is a subdivision just east of me, I
can see the lights of one house. They won't put a road thru here because
it's a one way in and out subdivision. Wish I'd known about the land when
we were first looking. I'd be living there now with a nicer plot of
land.....but can't wish for shoulda woulda coulda's......

There is another subdivision behind us to the north that scares even me, but
that won't touch us either as there is a quite distinct hill and ridge
separating us from that as well. I just see houses building up around us and
below. You would notice the eleven new houses on your way up my winding
road. And much longer, the field before the woods will sell and there will
be even MORE houses I have a feeling..........sigh........................At
least they're nice houses. Not like the expensive ones across the road
though. Or the small mansions they'll build in Majestic Bay
acres................................yeppers, Tennessee is the place to
be............Dandridge still doesn't have a traffic light though ! LOL

I can do all the gardening here I want to as long as I don't make it
difficult for the maintenance crew to mow. If I do then we have to mow it
ourselves. I'm sure Bill will keep me in check.

Oh heck, he can handle a little bit of mowing. How much property comes with
your modular? Half acre? 50 X 100? Acre? 200 X 200? Give me idea's. Gonna
grow ornamentals or veggies and herbs and such? Or all the above? I still
long for a more level area to put tomato's and peppers and spinach and beans
and the like. ....I just might make this year the one where I tear down the
shed behind the house to free up that spot for a veggie patch. It might lie
north of the house, but gets rather intense eastern, southern indirect and
western exposure. I'm sure the veggies would be fine. I would even cut down
more Jack's if need be. I found an inexpensive but honest tree cutter. He
cut down six of my Jack's for $100 last year. I just need his number again
to call and get him to drop six more for me.He just doesn't haul them off.

After Ann and her new hubby, Greg came to visit last year, she saw where I
could even make a garden if I'd cut a good swath of trees down to do it.
I'd rather clear the patch behind the house though and leave my woods on
either side alone and thin the pin oaks and such out altogether and do my
rooms and paths in the quiet shade and such.

This year I'm determined not to cram another plant in up top of my ridge by
the house in those nine beds I've made. I'm cleaning out fence on the west
side, whacking saplings, burning a pile of wood that will bring the fire
department up here (I'll get a burn permit first to cover my butt) and scare
the neighbors, and then clean out Squire and my first attempt at the first
woods room that has started to return to the wild where I planted the Harry
Lauder's Walking Stick or Twisted Filbert, Florida Kousa dogwood, Yoshino
cherry and Forest Pansy Redbud.

The Zebra grass and Yellow archangel lamium has taken quite nicely. And I
noticed the yellow twig dogwood has survived along with a larger Snowflake
viburnum at the back of one of the woods boxes. The 17 year locusts females
damaged quite a bit more than I realized. There are deformed and drooping
end branches EVERYWHERE, and my Yoshino cherry tree lost her leader tip. I
have to get a ladder and prune it to encourage branching, and weed out and
remove all those sneaky pin oak saplings. That will keep me busy for
awhile. Not to mention I'm once again going to have to remove acres of Vinca
Major. More than normal I fear. I'm starting to see it in places I never put
it at all......and it'll trip you if you don't watch out.

Gardengal's Diablo ninebark should be placed in a more prominant place, it's
too happy there next to the fence, but it will be competing with tenacious
honeysuckle that is flat determined to reclaim the chain link fence. I have
to keep a wary eye on Miz Mary's brother in law when he moves his cattle to
the pasture next to me. If he uses post he might kill everything I have
planted near my fence. I need to get him to allow me to just burn the dead
and dry stuff near the fence line on the pasture side. Post or professional
stuff will do in everything I've struggled to get established. Right now
there is a Diablo ninebark, Lance Leaf Helianthus, Wine and Roses Weigelia,
Variegated Weigelia, Oak Leaf Hydrangea, woods poppies, violets from all my
friends at the newsgroup is establishing, another Forest Pansy redbud that
is replacing a long dead mimosa whose stump the cats won't let me push over,
the Zebra grasses and Crape myrtles interplanted among them, and despite
that the lilac's are a bit further, I'd fear the seepage would get their
roots too............

Thanks to John's convincing, I'm taking cuttings this year of every
ornamental shrub along the fence so I'll have more. And JOhn's Deutzia has
finally gotten it's wind and might give me my first blossoms this year.
Just tearing out the privet and vines will be a major undertaking. And
undoing the massive damage the dogs have blessed me with lately
(grrrrrrrrrrr)

In NM all my gardening is done in containers. I remember the
pictures of your garden in Dallas, IMHO you're lucky you got him to
dig it up the first time. :-)

you're right about that one! I still do massive container gardens. I'm
eyeing some of them to top the space under the Lady Jane magnolia I planted
halfway into the ground at the bottom of the concrete driveway. I built a
three high retainer wall around the whole thing after talking to Pam about
the rootball being not deep enough. I can't deepen the hole now, the bush is
LOADED with tens upon tens of fuzzy buds waiting impatiently for spring to
burst open. (pictures will be sent, I promise you)

before I get flamed for long winded, I'll end this babble........there's
more brain droppings, I'll share if I get a response back. And I bet Geoff
will be glad to send you a calendar of Scottish origins. I got mine just in
time for boxing day and it's a beauty........gbseg and yes, I'm bragging a
bit, but I sent him one of Tennessee wildflowers and nature as an even
exchange LOL

GREAT to have you back lady. The neighborhood wasn't the same when you left.
maddie
Zhan

Go with fixing the innards of the one you've got. Anything that upgrades the
exterior just invites folks to sprawl right on up to the next door property.

I remember a few years back I was down in the little village from here and a
guy was bellyaching at me that he was not happy that I never finished the
front of our shack. He says something to the effect of 'you're ruining my
property values' and I said 'good... that's the idea.' Then I went on with
'you bought that house for a tarnished nickel and sunk a fortune in it for
one reason and one reason only... to turn a big profit. There are three
sorts of folks living out here... families who want to have a chunk of cheap
property to divide up to their kids, folks who move here from the suburbs
and then want us all to look like the suburbs they just left, and those who
figure they can snag a few acres from someone who's hurting and make money
selling it to the suburbanites. The latter then raise the property taxes of
the rest of us still living here, meaning we get to pay for the rest of our
lives for your profit long after you're gone... no thank you.' He wasn't
happy.

But once you let them start taking over, there's no stopping them. All the
zoning protections you are assured of early on are amended eventually until
it's another suburban hell hole of house after house after house just like
the house in front of it. They tell you the line about raising the tax
base... but that's an old fallacy that becomes obvious once all that
infrastructure needs maintained, repaired and upgraded.

We went around and around here, the extended family and I, about letting the
gas drillers put wells on the farm. They really butcher the land, some of
these guys, and we discussed whether it was worth the aggravation that it
would be to go head to head with them with lawyers and such to make sure
they weren't raping the farm. Then we found out that they don't allow any
houses to be built for 300 feet around one... they've been drilling all
around the perimeters since early November. There's gonna be a bunch of the
things hissing away... but at least we won't end up with neighbors staring
down our noses and in our back windows. We'll still be able to see that
hillside of Poplars turning brilliant yellow in the fall.

One guy out the road sold half his acreage to a developer... then they sued
him for spreading manure! If they wanted to stay in the
burbs... why not just stay there?headshake They did not win... but they
cost him a lot of grief and money. He just invested $3,000 for a green
outfit to come and plant a 200ft by 1100ft row of trees and brush and stuff
to form a quick growing shield. It was a bargain considering what all they
are doing... but he shouldn't have to and now the homeowners' assoc. is
going to sue him for ruining their view without a permit. It's all A-1
(agricultural) from that point on... so they'll lose it at first, but they
amend it somehow to screw him... it's just a matter of time.

When all the farms and farmers are gone... and all the green space is
gone... and all the industry is gone... and we are at the mercy of the world
for our every need... our nation is gonna be screwed.



I'm sure I've posted this song to you before... but it could use repeating
as often as possible:

"Houses In The Fields"

John Gorka



They're growing houses in the fields between the towns,
And the Starlight Drive-In movie's closing down,
The road is gone to the way it was before,
And the spaces won't be spaces anymore.

Two more farms were broken by the drought,
First the Wagners now the Fullers pulling out,
Developers paid better than the corn,
But this was not the place where they were born.

There's houses in the fields, no prayers for steady rain this year,
Houses in the fields, there's houses in the fields,
The last few farms are growing out of here.

At first he wouldn't sell and then he would,
Now there'll be children playing where the silos stood,
The word came from the marrow of his bones,
It was the last sure way to pay off all the loans.

The new streets will be named for kings and queens,
And a ransom will be paid for every castle's dream,
The model sign is crested with a lion,
And the farmers they will have enough to die on.

There's houses in the fields, no prayers for steady rain this year,
Houses in the fields, there's houses in the fields,
The last few farms are growing out of here.

Oh, I guess no one should be afraid of change,
But tell me why is there a fence for every open range?

It's a sign I'm getting on in years,
When nothing new is welcome to these eyes and ears.

But there's houses in the fields, no prayers for steady rain this year,
Houses in the fields, there's houses in the fields,
And the last few farms are growing out of here.

They're growing houses in the fields between the towns,
And the Starlight Drive-In movie is all closed down,
The road is gone to the way it was before,
And the spaces won't be spaces anymore,
No, the spaces won't be spaces anymore.




I've seen pictures of your place, if I recall, Madgardner (winter shots?)...
or maybe I'm confusing you with someone else... but nonetheless, you've been
blessed with a spot to protect. Good luck with it.







ralph






"madgardener" wrote in message
...

"BillandJeny" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 16:50:45 GMT, escape
wrote:

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 15:58:27 GMT, BillandJeny
opined:snip, prune,

It's great to be back in touch. I had withdrawal (sp) symptoms in New
Mexico. Too far out in the boonies to have a computer. After
Hurricane Ivan blew us out of Pensacola we landed in New Mexico. We
have bought a double wide here in central Florida in a retirement
community so we can be around the grandkids part of the year. I won't
admit to being trailer trash but it is the first home I've ever had
with VIN numbers.

Now look here, around here we call those MODULAR HOMES!!!! Squire and I
have been looking at those for a few years now. I've even considered
getting
one, tearing the house off the foundation and getting someone with a crane
to put one on the foundation so I could have a house with TWO or three
bathrooms and four bedrooms and den/kitchen. It's either that or we trash
the inside of the house and make it the way we want. At the rate we're
going, no one in their right mind would buy this place, no matter how
ecclectic it is.

What I long to do is finally hit the lottery number that John dreamed
about
that he keeps playing, and buy the biendejo (sp?) across the driveway out
completely and after bulldozing HIS worthless house, hiring Carmichael to
haul ALL the non running vehicles on the property, tearing down the
assorted
outbuildings, and the old three story barn (saving all the wood and
replaning it of course, you can't replace old oak and the like and it'd
make
great material to use), making a better road to that barn, and putting a
Palm Harbor house where the barn is using the recycled wood as the outer
clapboards and what not............and digging a deep pond in the lower
pasture to stock with catfish, bluegill and bass (if you build it, the
rest
will come.......cranes, frogs, etc). There are better trees further down
in
the property, and as you remember how we scraped ourselves up treking thru
part of the land that day (I am still mortified in trying to help you over
the barbwire..........I'll learn). I actually went further inside and
wonder why on earth no one built further in but realized the answer was
because it used to be Joyce's dad's farm. It's perfect now for a home to
be
tucked way back where the barn is now................and there is a nicer
view back there.

THAT is MY dream. I still like it here, but damn lady, even YOU would be
shocked at how much it's been built up around here. A lot of Floridian's
have relocated up here, and the property value is rising like flood
waters.
Mine are still low but I smell change in the winds. I know purchasing
other
land would cost dearly and this island of land that is a "green belt"
would
be easier to get at cheap prices because of the restrictions in building.
Since my house is the real one and they won't let him build on the land
(something about grandfathering, so his three kids and his sister's four
sons are really S.O.L when it comes to selling the land when he passes on
for profit. And she's moved in with one of her son's and his new wife now
up
in Wisconsin so I don't think she'll move here even if he goes despite
that
she has life rights too). Greed will play a huge part in it when he goes
with his kids, especially the one daughter over in Seymour, but unless
Dandridge city counsil gets up off it's butt and rezones this land into
buildable property, and that means a road...........paving, I don't see it
happening. I might just be sitting in a good spot. We'll see............

That's what I really want though. There is a subdivision just east of me,
I
can see the lights of one house. They won't put a road thru here because
it's a one way in and out subdivision. Wish I'd known about the land when
we were first looking. I'd be living there now with a nicer plot of
land.....but can't wish for shoulda woulda coulda's......

There is another subdivision behind us to the north that scares even me,
but
that won't touch us either as there is a quite distinct hill and ridge
separating us from that as well. I just see houses building up around us
and
below. You would notice the eleven new houses on your way up my winding
road. And much longer, the field before the woods will sell and there
will
be even MORE houses I have a
feeling..........sigh........................At
least they're nice houses. Not like the expensive ones across the road
though. Or the small mansions they'll build in Majestic Bay
acres................................yeppers, Tennessee is the place to
be............Dandridge still doesn't have a traffic light though ! LOL

I can do all the gardening here I want to as long as I don't make it
difficult for the maintenance crew to mow. If I do then we have to mow it
ourselves. I'm sure Bill will keep me in check.

Oh heck, he can handle a little bit of mowing. How much property comes
with
your modular? Half acre? 50 X 100? Acre? 200 X 200? Give me idea's.
Gonna
grow ornamentals or veggies and herbs and such? Or all the above? I still
long for a more level area to put tomato's and peppers and spinach and
beans
and the like. ....I just might make this year the one where I tear down
the
shed behind the house to free up that spot for a veggie patch. It might
lie
north of the house, but gets rather intense eastern, southern indirect and
western exposure. I'm sure the veggies would be fine. I would even cut
down
more Jack's if need be. I found an inexpensive but honest tree cutter.
He
cut down six of my Jack's for $100 last year. I just need his number again
to call and get him to drop six more for me.He just doesn't haul them off.

After Ann and her new hubby, Greg came to visit last year, she saw where I
could even make a garden if I'd cut a good swath of trees down to do it.
I'd rather clear the patch behind the house though and leave my woods on
either side alone and thin the pin oaks and such out altogether and do my
rooms and paths in the quiet shade and such.

This year I'm determined not to cram another plant in up top of my ridge
by
the house in those nine beds I've made. I'm cleaning out fence on the west
side, whacking saplings, burning a pile of wood that will bring the fire
department up here (I'll get a burn permit first to cover my butt) and
scare
the neighbors, and then clean out Squire and my first attempt at the first
woods room that has started to return to the wild where I planted the
Harry
Lauder's Walking Stick or Twisted Filbert, Florida Kousa dogwood, Yoshino
cherry and Forest Pansy Redbud.

The Zebra grass and Yellow archangel lamium has taken quite nicely. And I
noticed the yellow twig dogwood has survived along with a larger Snowflake
viburnum at the back of one of the woods boxes. The 17 year locusts
females
damaged quite a bit more than I realized. There are deformed and drooping
end branches EVERYWHERE, and my Yoshino cherry tree lost her leader tip. I
have to get a ladder and prune it to encourage branching, and weed out and
remove all those sneaky pin oak saplings. That will keep me busy for
awhile. Not to mention I'm once again going to have to remove acres of
Vinca
Major. More than normal I fear. I'm starting to see it in places I never
put
it at all......and it'll trip you if you don't watch out.

Gardengal's Diablo ninebark should be placed in a more prominant place,
it's
too happy there next to the fence, but it will be competing with tenacious
honeysuckle that is flat determined to reclaim the chain link fence. I
have
to keep a wary eye on Miz Mary's brother in law when he moves his cattle
to
the pasture next to me. If he uses post he might kill everything I have
planted near my fence. I need to get him to allow me to just burn the
dead
and dry stuff near the fence line on the pasture side. Post or
professional
stuff will do in everything I've struggled to get established. Right now
there is a Diablo ninebark, Lance Leaf Helianthus, Wine and Roses
Weigelia,
Variegated Weigelia, Oak Leaf Hydrangea, woods poppies, violets from all
my
friends at the newsgroup is establishing, another Forest Pansy redbud that
is replacing a long dead mimosa whose stump the cats won't let me push
over,
the Zebra grasses and Crape myrtles interplanted among them, and despite
that the lilac's are a bit further, I'd fear the seepage would get their
roots too............

Thanks to John's convincing, I'm taking cuttings this year of every
ornamental shrub along the fence so I'll have more. And JOhn's Deutzia
has
finally gotten it's wind and might give me my first blossoms this year.
Just tearing out the privet and vines will be a major undertaking. And
undoing the massive damage the dogs have blessed me with lately
(grrrrrrrrrrr)

In NM all my gardening is done in containers. I remember the
pictures of your garden in Dallas, IMHO you're lucky you got him to
dig it up the first time. :-)

you're right about that one! I still do massive container gardens. I'm
eyeing some of them to top the space under the Lady Jane magnolia I
planted
halfway into the ground at the bottom of the concrete driveway. I built a
three high retainer wall around the whole thing after talking to Pam about
the rootball being not deep enough. I can't deepen the hole now, the bush
is
LOADED with tens upon tens of fuzzy buds waiting impatiently for spring to
burst open. (pictures will be sent, I promise you)

before I get flamed for long winded, I'll end this babble........there's
more brain droppings, I'll share if I get a response back. And I bet Geoff
will be glad to send you a calendar of Scottish origins. I got mine just
in
time for boxing day and it's a beauty........gbseg and yes, I'm bragging
a
bit, but I sent him one of Tennessee wildflowers and nature as an even
exchange LOL

GREAT to have you back lady. The neighborhood wasn't the same when you
left.
maddie
Zhan

Welcome back Zhan. I got tired of doing all the weeding by myself!!

On 8 Feb 2005 12:42:57 -0800, "TomKan" wrote:

Welcome back Zhan. I got tired of doing all the weeding by myself!!

I can weed as long as the scotch doesn't run out.

"madgardener" expounded:

After Ann and her new hubby, Greg came to visit last year, she saw where I
could even make a garden if I'd cut a good swath of trees down to do it.
I'd rather clear the patch behind the house though and leave my woods on
either side alone and thin the pin oaks and such out altogether and do my
rooms and paths in the quiet shade and such.

South facing there, Mad, and you wouldn't have to tear down your
woods, you'd just clear a bit along the edge and then ease into the
woods! G I hope you do win the lottery, the whole hill would be
awesome to own!
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

"Ralph D." expounded:

But there's houses in the fields, no prayers for steady rain this year,
Houses in the fields, there's houses in the fields,
And the last few farms are growing out of here.

What a sad song (

This is happening bigtime up around our house in southern Maine, the
developers are buying land left and right. When we drive around up
there Hubby is constantly saying "That field used to be full of deer"
or "That used to be a dairy farm". It's inevitable, I guess, but sad
nontheless.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

BillandJeny expounded:

It's great to be back in touch. I had withdrawal (sp) symptoms in New
Mexico. Too far out in the boonies to have a computer

'Bout time you got back here! G
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************