Movie

Yes, it was bright and sunny until about 3:00. Here is a short movie that shows what became of it (click the photo). Still a nice day, just in a different way. Remember the carpet pad drying outside. I had moved it over to the driveway and full sun for some sunshine freshness and had planned on putting it back in place today. Oh well, a little more washing won’t hurt, nor the squeezing it got when Jeanne left in the van to pick up Kurt who had walked to Roses, in the sunshine.

Before the rain

I captured another delightful image from the south neighbor’s yard. I am spending too much time on yard and house structure to be able to compete with her.

All of her plants that I have photographed are planted in the ground. Most of my blooming plants are in pots. I need a new blog, “The Potted Gardner”, “The Potted Yardner”, or maybe even “The Plant Trailor Park”.

Remember the new plant stand I placed in front of a window (Tuesday). Too much direct sun? Maybe too much heat rather than too much sun? A little morning sun would be better than the hot afternoon variety. Here are some Begonia discussions.

The back of the house faces west and I cut down the tree that provided partial shade to the window they guarded. What could I have been thinking?

I moved them to the other back porch. How many back porches are there? Just two. And a carport, but with a total of 5 back doors. I’ll take a picture once the carport is presentable. Part of what this blog does is to pace my outside activities.

Whoops, topic drift. The Begonias look good in the new location and they help to frame the small second porch. However, it may be a little too dark for extended blooming. Then I do plan on cutting more trees. Sounds like I am going to be chasing them all over the yard.

I want my greenhouse.

1. We have had a lot of rain. The eye of Dennis and most of its wind went to the east of us but not the deluge.

2. Not all bad. The grass patches I started have not dried out as they did one year. I put bamboo cuttings over them to protect from the sun and the grass seems to be taking root. Bamboo works really well for this because it does not compress and thus allows some air and sun. More about sun. Sun is important to grass and my shade trees have caused me a problem in this part of the yard. I need to trim or fell some trees to let in more light. Actually my thoughts for this post have been in draft form for a couple of days and I have already started sawing.

3. But bad for the tomatoes. I have tossed two tomatoes due to some form of internal rot. The tomato pictured suffers too rapid growth from too much water. This plant is "Bush Goliath". The one with the rot was "Better Bush". I wonder if one is more resistant to rot than the other. The patio tomatoes seem to have taken the excessive water better.

Flash Back: Wednesday, July 20

This small tree shaded my favorite place for potted tomatoes, not to mention the grass/sun problem again. However, I think I just did, i.e. mention the grass/sun problem again. The tree was too close to the house and the roots eventually would cause me a problem, most likely. The photo shows additional sun now shining through. One reason I like the tomatoes in this spot is that I can keep an eye on them as I come and go. Later this summer I will need to check them often for worms and other difficulties. But more important, I like looking at them.

1. I used an old saw but it will still eat through this soft wood in nothing flat (idiom alert - that’s idiom not idiot). The shim is the type you buy in a bundle to level and plumb doors and windows. Here it helps keeps the saw from binding. Whether you need the shim or not depends upon which direction the tree leans. Ta Da!

2. I trimmed the tree remains to meet the curb-side pickup requirements. I use the saw or snips depending upon branch size and type of wood. Actually it depends upon whether I can squeeze the snips hard enough, e.g. how tired I am. 

3. I have to be careful with the snips I used or I crack my knuckles. See how close the handles are to each other when fully closed.  Also note the simple, scissor-like mechanical advantage. I like the pair I did not use much better. So why my choice? Please take a closer look at the picture. I wonder if the store stocks the replaceable cutter? The grass under the two snips is some of that I just transplanted from front-yard trimmings.

Plant Tag:
Husky Cherry Red
Dwarf plant
1″ red fruits.
Bury 80% of plant

This year I bought late, 4 plants, and they were too mature for bending. (Actually you don’t have to force to 90 degrees as the plant will adjust as it grows.) All right! They were mature plants. They already had tomatoes on them. Still, it was my good judgment in selecting these particular plants with tomatoes already on them. I will leave them in pots so that I may move them around for best sun.

My son Kurt and I Went to see mom today! She lives in Semmes Al, near Mobile. It is normally an hour and a half drive but we stopped and picked up fish sandwiches and a sub. Mom was not home. She had gone to a grandson’s birthday party and was going to try and return before our arrival. But, off by 30 minutes; not nearly as long as I would be willing to wait. I love my mom. OK, all that to explain why she appears to just be arriving in the photo. It also explains why I was walking around her back yard, killing time and taking pictures. Of course I don’t believe walking in a yard and taking pictures is killing time. More pictures. (Photos are available at higher resolution upon request.)

Take another look at the arrival picture above. You can see a hint that mom likes plants. Please excuse the windmill. MOM! It should really be made of wood. If you could see more of the front you would see that the front door is surrounded by potted plants, the window adorned by a planter.

Now to the picture on the left. Within it is more evidence that mom is a plant person. See them hanging (Not plant people, plants! I’m glad we don’t hang the people we like.)? See the planter along the front of the deck, at ground level? Something is amiss, besides the planter being bare. Take a closer look. You may have to click on the picture for a larger view. Go ahead, then use your browser back-button. Did you see. One of the plants is begging for mercy, begging for its life. Mom does not remember so well any more, apparently does not remember to water the plants. (I would talk more about that but this is a yard-blog. Maybe I will anyway before long.) In this hot weather it would not have taken long for the plant to get into that shape

Here is another example at the other end of the deck. This plant is wonderful. Look closely, maybe you can guess the wonder in this plant. The wonder is that it is still alive. If your life is too commanding and you tend to forget to water then the New Guinea Impatiens is for you. When it needs water it screams at you. When you water it, recovery is quick. And the blooms are outstanding, especially on the double-flower variety. And all summer. Oh, “double-flower” does not refer to the number of flowers but rather to the number of petals on each flower. Here is a picture of one of mom’s plants taken earlier this summer. Made you look. I’ll find a picture of one of my double-flower impatiens. Edit(071905): Here is the picture I promised, photographed today. Jeanne and I think the bloom resembles that of a rose.

Actually I plan on retiring in a couple years and I am getting ready for it now. Here I practice on a portable grill in preparation for practicing on a real grill on a real deck, as soon as I build it. Notice how I appear to be old. Let me reassure you, and reassure myself, it is just an appearance. I weighed 6 pounds when I was born, so, no more than 6 pounds of me could possibly be 62. Most of me is relatively new. Unfortunately the original 6 pounds accounts for some really critical components.

I teach electronic, computer, and information technology courses at a southern university, at least for a little longer. I came here from NASA and there from the US Air Force.