VSR Saturday April 6

[mnwildflowers]

[flowerpowerz5]

Good morning 38 out might get up to 50 and I see some sun. The Gold finches are turning more yellow. Nice to see things changing slowly.

I got most of the chores done yesterday still need to transplant. I will do them this morning and hopefully get outside when it warms up. 

I went out to dinner with a friend last night. We always have fun and laugh a lot. 

Have a great day!

[mnwildflowers]

Good morning. 29 headed to 55. Quite windy but I guess its helping dry things up.

Yesterday work went good. Everyone showed up but we did have a fairly light load. I work again next Friday. When I got home I worked on getting stuff set up for dds get together. I did some watering as well. We’ve had plenty of sun and that combined with warm led lights the plants dry out fast. After dinner dh, dd1 and I went for a 2.5 mile walk.

Today ds1 and his gf are coming to visit and have lunch. Will be awesome to see them again so soon. Beyond that I will find things to do outside.

Dh and I are going to go get a walk in. Have a great day.

[plantdoctor]

Good morning everyone.  It is 30º and going to 55º later and it's going to be sunny.  Today is about the same as yesterday except yesterday was calm and today is windy.

Other than helping Phyllis for an hour yesterday, the day was mine to do as I pleased.  I transplanted the hibiscus and rose of Sharon I planted earlier.  It looks like I could transplant tomatoes today if the spirit moves me.  I watered all of the geraniums in the gh and spent extra time there just soaking in the sun and warmth.

This morning I need to fill my friend's bird feeders and take Curt to the post office.  I am undecided if I am going to Dollar General or not.  I hate to waste that $5 coupon I have....lol.

Melissa...thanks for opening.  Did the girls have fun at their bonfire last night?  Enjoy the visit from DS and GF.

Sandy...Fun for you to go out to eat with a friend.  The finches here are getting lots of color as well.

Karen....I failed to answer your question about what seeds I've started.  Earlier I planted hibiscus (I also got seed from Leslie) and Blue Satin ROS to share with others.  I started some tomato plants around the 20th of March.  This week I planted lots of zinnias, alumina marigolds and 4 Tithonia and a few statice and calendula.  Oh...I forgot to say that I also planted Tropical milkweed the same day as I planted tomatoes and I transplanted them yesterday.  Very little compared to what I usually plant.

Happy Saturday to all.  Charlene

[grandmazn8]

Good morning. It's chilly at 50 and only going to low 60s. Today is youngest grandson's 6th birthday. He wanted to have his party at the zoo last year but it was cold and rainy so we did the museum instead. This year it is a bit chilly today so I will meet them at the zoo tomorrow. I think I will be the only one other than the 5 of them. Haven't been to the zoo since 2010 so I'm sure it has changed some.

Yesterday I spent 5 hours burning limbs and small trees and my legs are sore from the up and down and walking back and forth to feed the fire. Every time I decided to sit down for a break either I would see a limb on the pile that I thought I should add to the fire or the wind would change and blow the smoke in my face. I did sit while I cut limbs into a smaller size and strip the dried leaves off. I don't like burning leaves and especially not on a day when the wind would occasionally pick up. I still have small trees that I need to cut up with my chainsaw. I did burn a few by laying them across the fire until they burned through in the middle and then moved them around. Burning the smaller pawlonia limbs is fun because they are hollow in the middle and pop like firecrackers. Maybe I should start saving them to burn on the 4th of July.


Charlene, your tomatoes are way past mine and I planted mine in February. Perhaps I should thin them again because there are still about 3 in each cup. None of my milkweed sprouted and the only thing I didn't do was alternate temps with them like I have read. I think I'll just plant some in pots outside where they will get that.

[mnwildflowers]

Charlene-I also am planting less than before. I’m just gonna buy what I want beyond what I am growing.

Leslie-HBD to dgs! I can’t believe he is 6.

[SunshineFL10a]

Good morning all! 70° and sunny. A beautiful morning. Already went to Aldi's this morning. I drove through the Circle to see if I could see anything new. There are two beautiful murals on two buildings.

They were setting up for the Soda Festival so I parked and walked around. There are some new storefronts coming in and they were filming. I didn't want to be in the way so I left. I've gotten really weird with crowds lately. I just want to be invisible or something. I would rather be home or in the village at least. It wasn't even crowded yet. Just a lot of hustle and bustle getting ready.

Not sure about the afternoon. I wasted all of yesterday with a book. It's my df Ruth's bd today. Rather than another plant or flower this year, I got a bag of compost that our favorite nursery bags themself. I put it in my beds before I sowed zinnia seeds. They're growing like I gave them steroids or something.

Guess I'll get outside and see that moves me. Have a great day all!

[Gayle]

Good afternoon,

We are cloudy & 53 at the moment but feels like 47 with the breeze. The sun peeks out every now & then.

I've filled bird feeders, added a little more yard debris to the stump hole & raked out a rut from one of the back beds.

My BFF has a baby camellia coming up under hers & she asked me if I wanted it.  Of course I said yes even though I certainly don't need it.  So I walked around trying to find a place for it.  I think I have one. If she still has it I'll get it from her next week.

Who's excited by the coming eclipse?  Not me. I guess it means I can't work in the yard during it?  Or is it OK to be out there with sunglasses as long as you don't stare at the sun?

Even though it is a little chilly I want to get out & work in the yard a little later when it warms up some.  There is tons to do & the weather plus the tree damage has me way behind.

I'm seriously considering transplanting the yarrow.  It's still kind of small but it doesn't seem to be growing.  Maybe transplanting it will give it a kick start.  I don't think they are any bigger than they were when they first came up.

That & whatever else comes along will be my day.

[luvmyb_b]

Good afternoon. This has been a day and a half and it is barely 1:00. At least the weather is nicer?

When I got up this morning, DH was sleeping very soundly in his chair in the family room. I took advantage of that to turn down the volume on the TV and do some transplanting in relative peace and quiet. While I was doing that, a friend of DH's called on his cell phone. Today was the library sale and that friend was going to take DH along with him and his wife. Pretty much taking the place of the friend who used to take him to lunch and the sale to buy movies, but has inexplicably dropped off the face of the earth. DH never moved a muscle in response to his phone ringing so he was sleeping pretty deeply. I tried to answer the phone so I could talk to that friend about DH, but he had hung up before I could answer. I got his number from DH's cell and called the guy on our landline, thinking that he would maybe see our home number and realize he could answer it. Probably could have called on DH's phone but didn't. Anyway, I explained that DH was sleeping and also filled him in on DH's health concerns a little bit. He knew things were not okay with DH but not the extent of the situation. They were going to the sale fairly soon and couldn't wait on DH to get ready. That was fine with me as DH just got a shipment of movies that I got for his birthday. I guess the friend will call later tonight. I doubt DH will tell him this, but it was for the best that DH didn't go with them. He fell again this morning after he got up. I had just given him his insulin and doled out his pills for the day, when he turned around and headed to the family room - perhaps too quickly. His left leg gave out on him or he lost his balance somehow, but he went crashing to the ground barely missing the dining room table and knocking over one of chairs. He could not get up no matter what I did, so I called his cousin who used to be the chief of paramedics here in town. He had no luck with DH either because he couldn't get him up on his knees anymore than I could. DH was stopping short of getting up. The cousin called his wife and DSisIL to come help if they could. They were heading out of the house to run an errand so he thought they could come. His wife is a nurse and DH trusts her. She said it was time to call the squad. This time, he bought it. He fought me any time I suggested such a thing. I don't think he was keen on me calling his cousin, but I needed help. When the squad came, one of the medics was our nephew's wife. She told him, as did the older paramedic that DH kinda knew, that he HAS TO use the walker from now on. I gave him mine to use because his Rollator is on 4 wheels and our niece was afraid that would get away from him. Probably true. DH is so conditioned to using that to hold his laptop (even though he isn't using it like that anymore - it's just an old memory) that he resisted me taking his Rollator. I need something sometimes and the Rollator isn't the best thing for him, so I traded him. It speaks volumes as to where his head is at that he needed two walkers and I got none. That is not DH. He's currently in his auto lift chair because his cousin convinced him that is the better place for him to be. If he'd stay in that chair most of the time, it would be the best thing for both of us. He's safer there. SO, I feel as though I have been pooped through a goose, but DH isn't hurt. That is what matters the most. I'm sure glad I got in my relaxing transplanting time earlier. I don't think I even have energy for that right now. 

I'll try to gather my bearings and come back later. 
      

[grandmazn8]

Gayle, I'm pretty sure it won't hurt you as long as you don't look directly at the sun, just like any day. Normally people know not to look directly at the sun but during an eclipse you might not think about that when it's not as bright because of the moon. I know schools in some places are having early dismissal or no school because they are afraid the kids would look at it without the appropriate glasses. My niece in Alabama lives in one of those districts and I think she will keep her son home. I don't remember what the schools in our area did in 2017 but I'm thinking my sons' area must have canceled school because my grandkids all traveled to another area with family to watch it. To look at the sun during the eclipse you need special glasses. They are usually paper framed ones. Last time people got ones that weren't good and damaged their eyes. Wearing sunglasses is fine but you still can't look at the sun with them.

[plantdoctor]

Karen....I am so sorry to hear that DH took yet another fall, but glad he's okay.  Perhaps other people telling him that he HAS to use a walker will make him take heed rather than hearing it from you.  Thank goodness he didn't go with his friend and take a tumble on his watch.  Just relax and take deep breaths the rest of the day.  Charlene

[grandmazn8]

This is how the shadows look during an eclipse. I thought it was cool so took a few photos. With all the talk about the one coming up Monday I thought I'd post it.

[pippin3]

Who was it that said she had a recipe that works on keeping deer away from flowers and vegetation? Maybe Gayle? Would she share it please?
Thanks.

[flowerpowerz5]

Pippin Gayle has the recipe. I have it but can't find it right now. 

Gayle you can be out during the eclipse just don't look at the sun. I hope I get some good pictures because it will be a total one in my area. They say it will look like night time but only for a couple of minutes. Will take pictures because we see it again for 100 years. I don't plan on being around that long. LOL! 

[wilderness]

I'm not Gayle but I found her recipe.

DIY Deer Repel
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbl cooking oil
1 Tbl dish soap
1 gal. water
Put all in a gallon container & shake to mix
Spray every 2wks or so (I tend to do it when I think of it or if I see ANY sign of deer nibbles)
Spray after a HEAVY rain. No need to spray after every little shower.
Let it sit a few days before using. The longer it sits, the worse it smells & the worse it smells, the better it works.

Bet