Checking In
Well I do declare it has been far too long since my last post.
Last I recall, I was sobbing over a rotted Radiant Star. God bless him, he was a fighter. When I finally dumped the pot for an autopsy I found two intact solid crowns. The original crown ended up rotting down the middle. So I have them both potted up (separately in case I almost kill one, again) and they are looking good, pushing out a new flush of leaves. It is late in the year, but better late than never I suppose. Chris assured me out of my hysterics and advised they would know when to go back to bed. Phew !
But my goodness what a whirlwind this season has been.
In June I embarked on a botanical extravaganza to Michigan. You all remember the fields of hostas I posted when I came back (still drooling). Well, slightly before I left I was offered a promotion at my job. Naturally I took it. My mother always said … nobody ever got paid for sitting on their @$$. And boy are they making me work for it ! I had known what the job would entail and fully accepted my new responsibilities, but I was definitely ignorant to the fact of how many additional hours I would be working.
This, along with the monsoon rains of June had cut severely into my garden time. And we all know that is no good. So June was a bust.
But then came July, the clouds parted and we saw the sun. And then I remembered why I hate July. For the first two weeks it was near 100 degrees almost every day. A sauna would have been more enjoyable.
The heat didn’t kill the humidity though and that was when the fun started (note sarcasm). The squirrels were on a rampage and tearing into my soft potting soil almost daily. So I diligently began reapplying the crushed cayenne pepper . . . only to watch it mold in two days. It looked like the blue mold you get on salami that sat in the fridge for too long. I did some research and discovered it was not harmful, but ugh what an unsightly mess !!!
So at that point I threw my hands up and said to hell with it. The squirrels still continue to terrorize my pots but I just go and fill the holes back in when I see them. I’ve fondly taken to calling them various profanities and throwing anything I find lying around at them. I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn . . . but they don’t know that. ;)
So anywho, now we are in the middle of July. The heat for the first two weeks had all but killed my desire or motivation to get any gardening done. And by the time it starts to cool down to a more reasonable 80 degrees the rains come again and pretty much wash me away into August.
August however was not such a bad month. It was smattered with rain, but there were some solid weekends where I was able to make some serious progress.
Dare I say it . . . I actually managed to get a whopping TWO hostas in the ground !!! But more importantly I finished the design plans for my first bed. I have about 7 more hostas sighted and plan to get the rest of them in by the end of next weekend. Any later than that and I might as well keep it in the pot for winter.
Elegans is already starting to show her fall colors and many others as well. It seems this year it cooled down quicker than last, but either way, with evenings in the upper 50’s the hostas can’t help but think it’s sleepy time. The sycamore are also stating to drop their leaves pretty aggressively. The maples though are still holding on.
But through it all I managed to lose touch with all of you, and for that I apologize. You all are no strangers to how quickly like can grab you by the cuff and drag you away. I’ve been snooping the forums as I can, but don’t have much down time these days. Everyone’s pictures throughout the season have been splendid and I‘ve enjoyed lurking for the past couple of months.
But yesterday I was reading Don’s post about the torrential rains in Colorado (thank God you are ok Don) and noticed my name was being thrown around. Curious, I did a search and found some have been inquiring about my absence for some time now.
Again, I apologize. No need to worry, all is well in Ludi Land. But I suppose I could have stopped by and said hello periodically to take the mystery out of it.
But enough of all this yammering. I’m notorious for my long winded posts, but I thank you if you made it this far through the text.
I will now reward you with what I consider my best shots of 2013 and promise not to stay away for so long again.
(Didn’t we go through this last year ?)
Ludi
Elegans beginning to unfurl
Volcano Island fresh after rain
Class Photo #1
Radiant Star . . . during better times :(
Elegans . . . . quite the lady seeing that fern can’t keep his hands off her !!!
Andrew
June
Wolverine
Class Photo #2
A leaf unfurling on Golden Meadows
Cascades . . . still one of my all-time favorites
Cranberry Wine . . . Ohhh Gurl look at dem LEGS !!!
Elegans
Class Photo #3
Stained Glass
Hudson Bay
The leaf edge of Sea Gulf Stream
Night before Christmas
Flower stalk of Dark Shadows against the leaves of Elegans
Rare Breed
Clifford’s Stingray
The Graduating Class of 2013
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
jadie88
Related Professionals
Bridgetown Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Taylorsville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Allentown Landscape Contractors · Arlington Landscape Contractors · Dixon Landscape Contractors · Hawaii Landscape Contractors · La Verne Landscape Contractors · West Covina Landscape Contractors · West Orange Landscape Contractors · York Landscape Contractors · San Pablo Landscape Contractors · Bethesda Fence Contractors · Clarksburg Fence Contractors · Alafaya Solar Energy Systems · Hercules Solar Energy Systemsjosephines167 z5 ON Canada
don_in_colorado
ilovetogrow z9 Jax Florida
bkay2000
hostahillbilly
mctavish6
Ludicious AcresOriginal Author
don_in_colorado
esther_b
hostafreak
User
jan_on zone 5b
DelawareDonna
Ludicious AcresOriginal Author