((((((((((((((JODI))))))))))) I just blasted back in myself!!! Miss you my dearest!

Hi Jodi,

Nice to hear from you and we've missed you and all your sage advice! We've all learned a lot from you...hope you're feeling better and are able to join in from time to time..:-)

Donna

To what do we owe the pleasure??? :B Missed you muchly!!
:-) HUGS!!
Kristi

Jodi!
I have missed you soooo much! Haven't had a lot of time on here myself but when I checked in it felt like someone (YOU!) were missing.

I don't get on as much as I used to but it is so nice to have friends here when I do.

I have a greenhouse now and it makes my plants so happy (When it isn't keeping them too moist or chilly) here in the cloudy grey winter And the bright blooms do so much to relive the grey. I have 3 trays of babies coming on, 1 each from the last 3 yrs. I have been mostly focusing on the Maguires for crosses. I still have quite a few blooms to come since they have been cooler in the greenhouse then when I kept them inside with inadequate light.

SO what is happening with your life, Garden Gal?

Actually, I got an email recently from Cindee, and Xuan reminded me of all the beauty and friendship here through her lovely photos of blooming bulbs.

Where to begin? Our eldest son got married last July... I did the flowers, and they turned out very nice! Our middle son ties the knot this next October, and graduates a full fledged Pharmacist this year! He's been working for quite a while already, though. Our daughter moved to Tennessee, and we miss her.

Our grand daughter, Abby, will be seeing a heart specialist... she's only 5. Her doctor found erratic beats, and since some issues run in the family, no chances are being taken. We're hopeful it's nothing serious.

The Harbor Freight greenhouse was finally erected last summer, though not to our specs. It doesn't have a good foundation, and we've lost 2 panels to storms since last fall. Once we replace those and install fans, though, I should be able to use it... at least for the nicer months. We're looking around for shade cloth.

We recently bred Maia, and are hopeful of a litter. I want to keep a female. We didn't get to keep anything last litter, and we still have a waiting list. We should know soon if she "took".

Reports of blooms from the first Hippie seeds I sent out are coming in this spring! I'm so excited to see what has been produced! So far, I've seen photos of a Pamela x self, and it's lovely!

Most of my bulbs and other plants are doing well. The Chalice Vine cutting Chaz sent me is loooong! I really need to prune it back! I have lost several orchids, though, and it's been decided that Dendrobiums are one of the only orchids I can successfully grow in my current environment. I shall keep trying others, though... they're just too beautiful to resist!

So... what's been happening with all of you? Are you ready for spring? I know I am! I'm past ready! ;-)

I missed you ladies... Cindee, Kristi, Liza, Donna... thank you for the welcome! And hugs back at ya! :-)

You have had a load of "stuff" to deal with, Girl. Don't you know that with your health problems you should be leading a quiet peaceful life, LOL? I seem to manage about 3 months off a year with joint and muscle problems...currently it is a severely sprained ankle that has 3 more weeks of "Rehab"i.e. wearing a cast boot then more work to regain proprioception in it. And before that its been rotator cuff issues...Well, the shoulders are getting a good rest now along with the leg, but as Kristi reminds us...Springs a comin!

Along with turning 65 6his January, and with Hubby retiring this year, I have decided to cut back on some of the more fiddly annuals I grow for my Cut Flower business and concentrate more on the perennials and dahlias. I am totally in love with the brilliant colors of dahlias, and hoping I have worked out better practices to keep them from freezing in the ground over winter. This summer will see me with about 200 of them if I didn't loose too many. I also moved my English roses to a new raised bed of good soil where they are raised up into the sunshine more, at the bottom of a north facing mild slope...should see better growth and blooms and less fungal diseases.

You are so going to LOVE the greenhouse once you get it structurally sound. Mine survived the winter fine once we found the loose wire that was keeping the vents from closing after the automatic fan came on! Just a little wire had jumped off its hook! I'm still looking forward to having hubby home during a dry warm spell so he can finish the caulking that he neglected last year on it. When ever we get a rain water pours in the seams he didn't do then the air is too moist and too much algae growth! The Amaryllis definitely do NOT like this!

I had major rot issues last fall, after the electricity went off during a deep freeze with snow, and the propane burner ran out of fuel. I Lost some amies totally, and a number of others need to grow new outer coats. I now keep w whole extra 5 gal canister full of propane besides the one in use!

I must say, the amies LOVE The extra light they are getting and the survivors look good now, all growing and many blooming.

Will do you all a photo tour soon...

I recently turned 50... yes, the big Five-Oh! It's amazing to think I've been alive for half a century! Some days, I feel at least 100! Other days, I could pass for 30! ;-)

Yes, I know I should be taking it all a little easier, but if I slow down, who will do all the work? Who will take care of all the dogs? Who will take care of Larry? Who will carefully prune all the roses, dig the new beds, amend the gardens, plant new items, take the cuttings for rooting, re-pot everything, and all that other good stuff? And who will take care of my bulbs? I'm a prisoner of my own making, it seems, but being active is good for us... so I keep moving!

I'm sorry to hear you've had ankle troubles, Lizalily... I've had sciatic issues in both hips this past year, so I can certainly sympathize. I've learned to live with Lupus and the injuries I've sustained, so I almost don't even count those, because they're part of every day life. I do hope you get to feeling better very soon! :-)

Spring will be here soon, and that should help. Add a fresh haircut and dye job, and I always feel like a million bucks! ;-)

I'm also sorry to hear you lost some bulbs. I hear you... I've kept my collection carefully protected indoors, worried as I've been about reports of NBF, and what happens? One of the little insects gets in and decimates several of my bulbs! It's almost ironic, really. I lost a few Minerva youngsters, a Eucharis, and several other medium to small sized bulbs. Funny... they didn't seem to bother any of the larger, solid bulbs. I've sprayed, and I plan on using a good systemic as I take them out to the greenhouse.

I actually found one of the tiny maggots inside the Eucharis. I thought they were much larger, but this thing was tiny and white. I killed it, but good!

I'm looking forward to utilizing the greenhouse! It will have to be seasonally, though, since there are no plans to heat it. By next autumn, I'll be bringing everyone inside again.

Here's the latest addition... his name is Charlie, and this was taken several weeks ago, in the heated kennel. He's back in the barn with mom and the other goats now.

{{gwi:5135}}

I felt the barn was too cold for him when he was first born, so we moved him and momma to the heated kennel for a while. He's such a little sweetie!

Well... another cup of coffee, and it's outside to begin daily chores. Have a lovely day, everyone!

Life has been getting in my way a lot here lately,also,so I can truly empathize.
Let us enjoy our common interest,contribute to the knowledge of each other and let the rest go on by.
Del

Charlie is Adorable!

I still have fantasies of building a screened enclosure for the Amaryllis over the summer but We have to build a mega arbor over our front door before any other projects. The wind took my copper arbor down for the last time, with my beloved huge Summer Wine rose. I needed something for shade over the doorway anyhow :-).

Just rearranged the greenhouse and lowered the lights for seed starting for the garden...and re-potted my first and biggest seedling into a gallon pot! This is one of my United Nations and Orange Souvereign (Sp?) seedlings from 3 yrs ago. It has 4 big healthy leaves and the roots had totally filled the 4" starter pot so I have high hopes of bloom within the year. It should make excellent growth this summer. It has at least 2 siblings.

Jodi, last summer I left my amaryllis in the greenhouse and had no nasty invaders. It got up over 100 degrees but they just laughed at it. I have taped fine screen over the vent holes to prevent NBF from coming in. I hope to put up shade cloth this summer, and grow tomatoes and other heat lovers in the greenhouse since we just don't get enough heat units here.

Hi Jodi, great to see you here again! We've all missed you. I do think of you often - as I water my seedlings. I have quite a few that were from seeds you shared with me. Hope you have a wonderful spring! Alana

Hi, OlD GRAND MA OF FIFTY, This young man nearing eighty is still planting Amaryllis seeds, knowing well that they will take atleast 3 years to bloom. Chear up every one has to carry his/her own cross.