Wednesday, May 25, 2011

A thank you, heat-humidity, blooms

Good morning Friends

I want to say thank you to Cameron at Defining Your Home for the contest she held recently. I want to thank BHG also, for sponsoring and donating the 5 - 1 yr. subscriptions. I was one of the winners, randomly chosen. I have known Cameron for years via the web, we met a long time ago in a forum about Cottage Gardens. Her colorful gardens are always an inspiration to me.

I also want to thank Susan of Central Florida Gardener for the sweet post she did on my humble cottage gardens where I grow roses and other plants on a shoestring.

A thank you goes out to Meems of Hoe and Shovel for the ID on the unknown grass at the library, Fakahatchee grass.

What a bummer! We are most definitely into summer down here. Yesterday I was out moving potted plants, weeding, raking, hand watering from around 9-12 and that was almost too much. I couldn’t seem to stop until I did and was surprised at the time. I was sweating buckets too but remembered to drink water also. I've got some plum tomatoes growing in cement blocks, they seem to be doing well. These are from seeds of tomatoes from the veggie market. There are blooms so I hope we get to see some tomatoes soon. I screened the area off with old screens in our stash of 'stuff', to keep night critters out. Every time I've grown tomatoes something takes bites out of them and throws them on the ground. Grrr.

05-23-tomatoes

I've got basil growing from seeds I recieved from Sharon Lovejoy and Renee of Renee's Garden. for becoming a member of Sharon's Grimy Girls Hands Club. I have enjoyed Sharon's writings and artwork since I first found her in the first issue of Country Living Gardener in 1989.

I used some of the basil last night in homemade pizza sauce. Yummy! I hadn't made pizza in quite sometime and it is a favorite of ours. I love my bread machine for making the dough.

I also made a banana bread yesterday afternoon, using a 5 spice powder blend, different and good. Great with a cup of coffee this morning.

Our little restoration project, is going to be a stationary garden fixture, not a camper to go out on the road with.

We sure need the rain, and it is predicted for us to get some next week, we'll just have to wait and see.

I'm trying to group all container plants into a couple of areas to care for them easier, then try to handwater the garden areas and am hoping for the best.

The other day I was smelling a wonderful rose scent, and I thought where is that coming from, and then I spied an open bloom of Chrysler Imperial. Oh, oh, oh. There is just something about the rose scents that touches my very being.

05-23-chrys-imp

Then I smelled another rose in a different area and it was Maman Cochet. This little shrub is from a cutting, that I used the Fish-it Fertilizer on and it has quite a few buds about to open. I didn't get a picture of this bloom.

A few weeks back we were driving in a different neighborhood, and DH spied something in a curbside pile, and this is what it was. It is made of iron.

05-23-found-iron-bskt

We found this street side Monday as we were coming home from doing our errands. The chip will go to the back, of course, so shouldn't be noticeable.

05-23-found-pot

These are So. African foxgloves, grown from seed.

05-16-african-fxgl

05-16-african-fxgl2

Penelope roses again. They are so sweet.

05-16-penelope

05-16-penelope2

05-16-penelope3

Queen Crepe.

05-16-queen-crepe

So far, I am really enjoying using Live Writer to write my blogs and upload them to Blogger.

***

"The secret of improved plant breeding,

apart from scientific knowledge,

is love."

Luther Burbank, 1849-1926

***


Zone 10 ~ s.e. FL

10 comments:

Darla said...

I with you on the heat and humidity along with the missing rain. You and your husband find the neatest things roadside...love the white foxgloves.

Karen said...

I'm so far behind with reading my favorite blogs! You have been so busy and I'm so sorry to hear you are in a drought. If I could send some gentle rain your way, I definitely would, we just keep getting inundated here.

I love your recent finds, the iron bowl is amazing. Why would anyone throw it out? I was reading your post about the camper, what a neat idea this is, I can't wait to see the end result. You and your DH have so much talent! The roses are gorgeous!

NanaK said...

You always find the greatest stuff! I sure hope we all get some rain soon. I'm only working outside before 9AM and after 6PM and it's still HOT!

GRACE PETERSON said...

Love your Penelope. And Chrysler Imperial used to be in my garden but it was a blackspot magnet. I remember it being super fragrant though. I hope you get the predicted rain. WLW is great isn't it? What I love most about it is that you can drag and drop your photos from your computer. No need for uploading...if that makes sense. :)

Southern Lady said...

I was a winner too! Yipee. My subscription to BHG had run out and I had been too busy to renew, then I won! God is good. I love your pictures of your blooms. They always brighten my day. Great curbside finds too! Carla

Lona said...

Girl you always amaze me at all of the great goodies you find. LOL! I think you have radar. Your African Foxgloves are so pretty. And you reminded me that I have not planted my seeds yet. Yikes!

Becky said...

You all find such wonderful treasures Street side. We rarely do but it is always a joy when we do find something unique and/or useful. Scott has been snatching up old bed frames, head boards and such for recycled use. We are trying harder to keep our money in our pockets and use what we have on hand.

gld said...

The blooms are beautiful! I am anxious for my first bloom from Chrysler Imperial.
After seeing your Penelope, I am sure that is what I have next to the front porch. All my data is on the old computer and I still can't access it.

Great finds curbside! I will be watching to see how you use them.

Sorry for all the heat and humidity you are having. I expect that will be next for us.

Seven Gates Farm said...

I'm so glad I found someone else whose getting a little nibble out of their tomatoes too. Snap, it makes me made. I actually saw a squirrel running across my yard with one of Cherokee purples last year. What a drag! I love your curbside finds. What gifts! Yep, I'm pulling my pots closer together too to help with all the watering. Once they get to blooming, its a pretty thing. I hope you get this comment; I'm have problems like everyone else. Can't find my followers or connect with new ones (if I have any). Have a fun and safe holiday ~ Debi

Masha said...

I hope it rains soon, it is no fun to hand-water... I agree on Chrysler Imperial, it is very special. I have an old specimen of it that has been declining, I hope I can get another good one to replace it with... Love your Penelope pictures, mine is blooming too!