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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

Cole is on a roll !

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Take your GOP plan out of the witness protection program.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

Fani Willis claps back at Trump chihuahua, Jim Jordan.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

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You are here: Home / Garden Chats / Sunday Morning Garden Chat: Spring Unfolding, Part II

Sunday Morning Garden Chat: Spring Unfolding, Part II

by Anne Laurie|  June 7, 20205:57 am| 83 Comments

This post is in: Garden Chats

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Tree Peony

More from our own WaterGirl:

Spanish bluebells

My new azalea, planted last year

Ferns & pups

Peonies & allium

Peonies

Ferns & clematis from my window

Peonies close-up

***********
This week has been terrible in so many ways, but the pink Zepherine Drouhin and dark-red Don Juan roses have burst into prolific bloom by my front door, so I’ve got that going for me.

Just as well, since — now that the humidity is promised to drop below the ‘oppressive’ level — I’ve still got five more rootpouches to fill so I can pot out the last of the mail-order tomatoes. Only 18 plants (17 varieties) this year!

What’s going on in your garden(s), this week?

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Previous Post: « COVID-19 Coronavirus Update: Saturday/Sunday, June 6-7
Next Post: Justice Protests Open Thread: Mayor Bowser vs. the Squatter-in-Chief »

Reader Interactions

83Comments

  1. 1.

    satby

    June 7, 2020 at 6:15 am

    I’ve become a peony fan too. I have seven planted though only three are old enough to bloom. Next year several more lilacs and peonies will have matured enough to bloom and it should be a nice display. Not quite WaterGirl garden level, but some day ?

    I still have three tomato plants, six daylilly starts, five petunia pots, and a couple of other perennial plants to get in the ground or pots today. We’re starved for rain even as the river is still high from the last batch. I want to get as much done today as I can, because the next two days go back into the 90s and humid.

    Thanks to John’s lovely review, I was swamped with orders. Think Christmas season in June, in 15 hours. So many I ran out of packaging, but it’s being delivered today and I will get all of the rest of the orders out tomorrow. I really appreciate all youse guys ?

  2. 2.

    Lapassionara

    June 7, 2020 at 6:16 am

    These are so lovely. The ferns are spectacular!

  3. 3.

    raven

    June 7, 2020 at 6:23 am

    Great flowers, spring already unfolded here, the roses are long gone but the magnolia’s at rocking!

  4. 4.

    Geminid

    June 7, 2020 at 6:31 am

    Yesterday I visited Millmont Nursery in Stuart’s Draft Va. and picked up 24 pepper plants. They are small, but that’s a good thing as I am behind on garden prep and they’ll stay in the 4-packs until next weekend. Milmont is a wonderful place in a beautiful setting, worth a trip for anyone in central Virginia or the Valley. Four miles off of I-64. It’s Mennonite owned so it’s closed Sunday. Everyone wore masks.

  5. 5.

    Baud

    June 7, 2020 at 6:33 am

    Pretty.

  6. 6.

    NotMax

    June 7, 2020 at 6:44 am

    Did someone say peony?

    :)

  7. 7.

    Mary G

    June 7, 2020 at 6:45 am

    Beautiful garden, WG. Looks like a magazine article.

  8. 8.

    MazeDancer

    June 7, 2020 at 6:53 am

    Gorgeous garden, WaterGirl!

  9. 9.

    Evap

    June 7, 2020 at 6:58 am

    We’ve had so much rain this spring that everything looks lush and green. I’ve got baby tomatoes and teeny tiny green beans. I’ve already picked a few chilies and the eggplants are blooming like crazy.

  10. 10.

    Amir Khalid

    June 7, 2020 at 7:03 am

    @satby:

    I like what all the other jackals say about your soaps and other products, and I wouldn’t mind buying some too. But woe is me: shipping to Malaysia would add 400% or more to the price.

  11. 11.

    OzarkHillbilly

    June 7, 2020 at 7:14 am

    My wife, and her peonies…

    Every year they bloom, big and glorious. And every year the day after they bloom, we have torrential rains that absolutely drown them. This year, after the first batch bloomed and then got destroyed by a frog choker, she said, “NO MAS!” and went out and bought an outdoor table umbrella. Nope, not big enough. Took it back and got a larger one and then asked if I could put it up for her.

    With great trepidation and full expectations of ultimate failure I said, “Yes Dear.” (she hates that)

    So I got a good 20# umbrella base, stuck it in the middle of them, cranked the thumbscrew down as tight as I could and thought, “That’s gonna last about 5 minutes come the first big storm.” After thinking about it I went down to the shop, cut up some #4 rebar I had into three 30″ lengths, put a 6″ bend in one end of each, and then hammered them into the ground around the base with the bend over the top of it. After which I said, “Well, the base isn’t going anywhere.” still fully expecting an to find an 8′ diameter kite 15 or 20 feet up in the trees some day.

    It has now been almost a month. We’ve had at least 3 good blustery storms with winds reaching 30-40 mph. The thumbscrew has held and the umbrella still stands. It did in fact protect better than half the peonies which are now finally finished. So I will fold it up and find a place to store it till next year, and then pray that the Gods of wind are again similarly kind.

    Watergirl, I love the massed ferns. Beautiful.

  12. 12.

    satby

    June 7, 2020 at 7:17 am

    @Amir Khalid: I hope to travel again some day, and your country is on the list. So some day I’ll deliver some to you.

  13. 13.

    satby

    June 7, 2020 at 7:22 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: But did the shade from the umbrella inhibit them blooming? Don’t they need full sun, or did you only open it when it rained?

    And I love ferns too, but they’re skeeter havens here. Every time I consider them for the shady side of my house, I remember the swarms of mosquitoes that used to hide in the ferns at my old place.

  14. 14.

    Baud

    June 7, 2020 at 7:25 am

    @satby: 

    Are we going to have to bail you out of a Malaysian prison for international soap smuggling?

  15. 15.

    The Pale Scot

    June 7, 2020 at 7:27 am

    Does anyone have advise for growing tomatoes in FL? My plans and intentions of getting back to a temperate climate this spring are out the window with the ‘rona. I understand that the problem down here is about fungus. I’m thinking that if I bring the plants into the house with a/c that could solve that. Do tomatoes need pollinators? They’re going to be staying on a screened in patio, which will keep most of the pests at bay but bees too.

    Thnx

  16. 16.

    satby

    June 7, 2020 at 7:27 am

    @NotMax: you never fail to surprise me with the stuff you find on the ‘net.

  17. 17.

    satby

    June 7, 2020 at 7:28 am

    @Baud: plan on it!

  18. 18.

    NotMax

    June 7, 2020 at 7:29 am

    @Baud

    No soap, radio!

    :)

  19. 19.

    OzarkHillbilly

    June 7, 2020 at 7:31 am

    @satby: They all bloomed. I think the plant needs full sun to produce blooms, but once they are formed it should not make much difference as to whether they open or not. (might delay) They all still get some sun during the day depending on where it is in it’s travels. AM and some late afternoon sun at the least

  20. 20.

    satby

    June 7, 2020 at 7:34 am

    @The Pale Scot: Tomatoes self pollinate. The problem in Florida, besides wilt or fungal diseases, is that they don’t set fruit at high temperatures. If they’re in pots with potting soil on a screened porch you probably won’t get diseases, but unless you can keep the temps in a range they’re comfortable at you’ll just get lovely long vines. This may help.

  21. 21.

    rikyrah

    June 7, 2020 at 7:38 am

    Good Morning, Everyone ???

  22. 22.

    Baud

    June 7, 2020 at 7:39 am

    @rikyrah: Good morning.

  23. 23.

    rikyrah

    June 7, 2020 at 7:42 am

    Beautiful pictures ??

  24. 24.

    The Pale Scot

    June 7, 2020 at 7:50 am

    @satby:

    Was planning on using Rutger’s tomatoes mostly, I’m a Jersey boy, stick with what I know. Do you know if the high temperature thing is an effect of high temps at night? I know corn has an upper limit to night time temps that it will stand to fruit properly. If they’re in A/C at nite, that should ameliorate that issue. I suppose I should look at hybrids bred for FL.

  25. 25.

    David Fud

    June 7, 2020 at 7:59 am

    If possible, could someone point me to the old post about proper preparation for protesting?  Some I remember, but I would be more comfortable knowing I will be as fully prepared as possible.  Thanks ahead.

  26. 26.

    satby

    June 7, 2020 at 8:21 am

    @The Pale Scot: that link in my previous comment can answer most of your questions pretty well. Even clarified some stuff I thought I knew.

    Edit: the blossom drop without setting fruit is an effect of high temps both during the day and overnight. But that article describes how to compensate for some of that.

  27. 27.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    June 7, 2020 at 8:26 am

    Bluebells! There was a bluebell wood about a mile from where we lived in Iowa. They came out very early in the spring. Sometimes it looked like a blue cloud floating over the greenery.

  28. 28.

    debbie

    June 7, 2020 at 8:27 am

    @raven:

    Interesting. Here, magnolias bloom well before the roses.

    Beautiful flowers, WG. And all you need to do is look out the window!

    Does anyone know much about aliums? A neighbor grows them, a smaller variety. The blooms are all bright purple, and as they fade, some remain purple and some have turned crimson.

  29. 29.

    OzarkHillbilly

    June 7, 2020 at 8:28 am

    @David Fud:
    Peaceful Assembly and Personal Security – Re-upped.

  30. 30.

    Sab

    June 7, 2020 at 8:28 am

    @satby: When I lived in Vegas I grew cherry tomatoes in pots on wheels. I used to roll them inside at night for the air-conditioning. It worked fine.

  31. 31.

    prostratedragon

    June 7, 2020 at 8:31 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:  Cheater!

  32. 32.

    Aleta

    June 7, 2020 at 8:33 am

    @David Fud: For a start:

    Michael Ahn @storysaveslives wrote this on twitter on June 1, 2 ,5

    My 19 year-old daughter is going to a protest march in Manhattan tomorrow, so I asked my public defender friend to give her advice, and I thought I’d pass on what he told her.

    Most important: have a plan. Know why you are going and what you intend to to. Take your participation seriously. If you plan on doing an act of civil disobedience, research what that process is: what you’re going to do, and what you expect the cops to do.

    Know what to do if arrested, and how to get out of jail. Nobody wants to stay in jail a minute more than they have to, and no one will guide you through the process. Know who you can call, how to make bail, etc.

    Police at the event are there to intimidate and show force. They are not there for dialogue and debate. If you don’t comply, they will initiate a program of force to get compliance. Don’t expect mercy or understanding.

    If you’re arrested, don’t make small talk with cops, as anything you say can be used against you.

    Don’t take anything valuable with you. If arrested, you may not get it back. Take pics of ID, credit cards, etc. Back up your phone data.

    Don’t post inflammatory stuff on social media, as that can be used against you if you’re charged with a crime, as can videos and pics you’ve taken. It can also be used to ID others.

    Wear heavy clothing, jeans and athletic shoes or boots. Stuff you can run in. People are getting hit by projectiles, tear gassed, shot with rubber bullets, etc. The violence can be indiscriminate. Dress accordingly.

    One more thing: carry a “in case of emergency” contact with one phone number of someone standing by. This all sounds melodramatic, but it’s not a party, and they’re not fooling around.

    Article from the good folks at
    @LegalAidNYC
    on what to expect if you’re arrested.
    https://www.legalaidnyc.org/get-help/arrests-policing/what-to-expect-if-youre-arrested/

    When my daughter attended a protest here in NYC, she wrote this number on her arm. If she’d been arrested, they would have contacted me and gotten her a lawyer. She said they also have donated funds for bail.
    (The number is here : https://twitter.com/storysaveslives/status/1269112550118920192)

  33. 33.

    MomSense

    June 7, 2020 at 8:41 am

    WG your garden looks beautiful.  My peonies are full of big buds so it won’t be long until J can enjoy those blooms.

    I planned to spend the day in the beds yesterday, but we had thunderstorms.  After some coffee, I’ll try to do two days worth in one.

  34. 34.

    mrmoshpotato

    June 7, 2020 at 8:45 am

    Spanish blue balls.  That is all.

  35. 35.

    mrmoshpotato

    June 7, 2020 at 8:55 am

    @Baud: @satby: I was thinking to myself “satby the soap smuggler.”

  36. 36.

    Immanentize

    June 7, 2020 at 9:01 am

    WG. SO NICE!  Thank you.  I too love ferns.  I have a little fern and hosta space — full shade — where my climbing Hydrangia is rooted.  Japanese and painted ladies are my current faves….

    Report on the solarization project — BIG success.  As you probably have forgotten, my veggie garden is right up against the house. I finally had the house painted last year, so given the forced opportunity and in light of years of wilt problems, I solarized the soil the whole summer. I used sheet black plastic (Home Depot), cut it to size, then just weighted it down with some drainage holes cut in it.

    This year, I have only about 10% of the weeds I have in the non-solarized beds! Amazing. Although the weed seeds are again blowing in. And, knock on my wooden neck topper, so far — no wilt. And no cut worms yet, either. Like I said, huge success. For how long? Who knows.

  37. 37.

    NotMax

    June 7, 2020 at 9:06 am

    @Immanentize

    Fortuitous combination of fresh paint and espresso grounds.

    ;)

  38. 38.

    NotMax

    June 7, 2020 at 9:14 am

    Meant to ask this earlier but don’t think it’s too late. Would like to have a cherry tomato or other suitable potted tomato plant (not seeds) delivered to Mom for her terrace. Someone have a reputable source? She’s on Long Island, if that helps.

    Her handyman usually gives her one or two annually but I don’t think that’s a-gonna happen this year.

  39. 39.

    Immanentize

    June 7, 2020 at 9:16 am

    @NotMax: Lord knows we have coffee grounds here.  The Immp has taken to prefer George Howell coffees.  Blowing his inheritance, as meager as it might have been, on fresh roasts.  He is a mad scientist of brewing.  Even bought a little heat sensitive sticker that tells him when the group head is at the right temperature (that’s the thick part of the machine that holds the portafilter — which is the strainer with the handle). Yikes! So much new vocabulary in my head.

  40. 40.

    SiubhanDuinne

    June 7, 2020 at 9:18 am

    The garden is glorious!

  41. 41.

    NotMax

    June 7, 2020 at 9:19 am

    @mrmoshpotato

    No love for Spanish flea?

    ;)

  42. 42.

    NotMax

    June 7, 2020 at 9:25 am

    @Immanentize

    The brownish sludge at the college commissary will come as a shock.

    (Or is that mansplaining? I can’t tell anymore.) :)²

  43. 43.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    June 7, 2020 at 9:27 am

    @Immanentize:

    Are you talking about a coffee maker? I got “fresh roast,” but after that things went awry.

  44. 44.

    Immanentize

    June 7, 2020 at 9:35 am

    @NotMax: The Immp has plans for that time (should it ever come)! He has a beautifully machined hand grinder (because it seems, electric grinders are not accurate enough), and a Japanese two-cup V-60 drip w/Hario filters and he is asking for a temperature regulating water kettle for his room as a going-to-Uni gift. Problem solved. At least he has a habit hobby.

    Now that was some serious mansplaining!

  45. 45.

    J R in WV

    June 7, 2020 at 9:37 am

    Our moss is doing great on the big boulders around the house, and even though we had heavy thunderstorms last night the roof didn’t leak. I have a jack pole on the front porch lifting the depressed corner of the porch roof back up to level, slowly. After the tree was removed, it didn’t bounce much when you stood on that corner and jumped up and down, and nor did it make crunchy noises as if serious supporting beams were broken inside the roof.

    The autumn ferns between the front steps and the house are doing great, knee high on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, thick and abundant foliage. On the other side of the steps we have a patch of ostrich ferns, they’re still pretty new, but doing well — down inside those ferns are some painted Japanese ferns, smaller but very pretty leaves.

    Got home with Coo-Coo puppy last night about 11:30. He had a wound of unknown origin on his belly, back near his boy dog parts, which has been stapled up. He’s on anti inflamatory drugs and antibiotics. Over night in a big crate he managed to remove the bozo cone, much whimpering, too. Right now he’s sleeping on a dog bed beside me, where I can keep an eye on him to keep him from licking his parts and tearing up the staples.

    We have a larger crate loaned out to neighbors, I don’t think they’re still using it for their big dog, who is now aged and not prone to need to be in a crate, so he may be more comfortable in there. Plus the cone of shame won’t be as awkward. They had it on his neck with a strip of gauze, I have a nylon collar to use which will be sturdier than their attempt to keep the cone on around his neck.

    He’s sleeping soundly, must have not rested last night. I sure slept hard until his crying woke me up. Once I take him for a walk, hoping he will quickly learn to excrete while on a leash… not really trained to walk on a leash, I wind up dragging him along mostly.

    Blue Spider-wort is in bloom, they are pretty interesting, the flowers close up at night, clumps of little blue balls on stalks of green. False Soloman’s Seal have bloomed and are now just interesting stalks of foliage. Garden news to be on topic, dog news for what is on my mind today.

    Curb-side service at the Vet ER was well organized, after months of doing it.

  46. 46.

    Immanentize

    June 7, 2020 at 9:40 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Oh yes, the Immp has a fancy espresso maker that he bought sorta broken and very cheap on Craig’s list in the before times.  He performed a total rebuild with some mechanical and tech upgrades.  The machine is now Borg. He is the Dr. Frankenstein of baristas.

  47. 47.

    J R in WV

    June 7, 2020 at 9:40 am

    @Immanentize:

    The Immp has plans for that time (should it ever come)! He has a beautifully machined hand grinder (because it seems, electric grinders are not accurate enough), and a Japanese two-cup V-60 drip w/Hario filters and he is asking for a temperature regulating water kettle for his room as a going-to-Uni gift. Problem solved. At least he has a habit hobby.

    Perhaps he could earn his way through college by selling high-end coffee to well-heeled fellow students during periods of intense study… You know, mid-term and finals cramming and paper writing, fueled by $12 cups of great coffee/espresso at 2 am. Plus the joy of taking money from dorm mates!

  48. 48.

    debbie

    June 7, 2020 at 9:42 am

    @Immanentize:

    because it seems, electric grinders are not accurate enough

    And I thought I was exacting!

  49. 49.

    Gvg

    June 7, 2020 at 9:46 am

    @The Pale Scot: Tomatoes grow great in Florida. Everything likes improved soils, so if you can find a local source of free or cheap horse manure, improve the soil. Plant varieties suited to Florida of course. Read recommendations from local branch of extension service or ask a local master gardener. IFAS https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1189

    florida tomato seed company http://www.tomatogrowers.com/  their catalog teaches a lot about growing here but they seem to be out of paper copies because with everyone stuck at home for months, mailorder gardening suppliers are having their best year ever. All my sources of all kinds of gardening report this.

    water till they are established. Sometimes blossom end rot, solved by calcium sprays.

  50. 50.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    June 7, 2020 at 9:46 am

    @J R in WV: Poor doggy.

    @Immanentize: I raise my cup to Immp. But there’s k-cup coffee in it so best not to tell him.

  51. 51.

    Immanentize

    June 7, 2020 at 9:46 am

    @J R in WV:
    1). I love moss — and so did my wife. She photographed interesting moss and seaweed everywhere we travelled. We have a few of her photos up including a poster-sized print of a moss- covered thatched roof in Sweden.

    2). Poor pup! Fighting or climbing injury perhaps. Bigger crate sounds like a good idea with the Cone of Shame adjustments. (Just thought of a great political cartoon with Esper as a pooch wearing a CoS sitting next to Trump)

  52. 52.

    NotMax

    June 7, 2020 at 9:47 am

    @Immanentize

    Obligatory?

  53. 53.

    Immanentize

    June 7, 2020 at 9:50 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: He is a very kind young man and not judgmental about others’ coffee choices. He is mostly only critical of his father — as God meant it to be.

  54. 54.

    Gvg

    June 7, 2020 at 9:50 am

    @satby: some set fruit at higher temps than others. Generally I get best results from the varieties bred by the University of Florida for our conditions.  Some heirlooms also work, from hot climates.

  55. 55.

    satby

    June 7, 2020 at 9:50 am

    @J R in WV: aw, hope the poor guy heals up fast.

    One of my more recent rescues (porch kitty from Nov. 2018) is showing signs of an ear infection upsetting her balance or worse, a possible brain tumor. We’re going to have to go to the vet as soon as they can get us in. She’s not uncomfortable or running a fever, but she’s falling occasionally and knocking herself over when she is startled. Hoping for an ear infection is weird, but it’s the least bad likely thing she could have.

  56. 56.

    The Pale Scot

    June 7, 2020 at 9:51 am

    @satby:

    Oopps, didn’t see the FAQ section, thanks

     

    @Gvg: Great! thanks, that’s encouraging, I’m not doing a Forlorn Hope

  57. 57.

    Immanentize

    June 7, 2020 at 9:51 am

    @NotMax: A T-shirt of that would suit my SF loving, coffee addicted son.

    Searching….

  58. 58.

    satby

    June 7, 2020 at 9:55 am

    @Gvg: yeah, not a hot climate girl, that’s why I included a link to an article about it.

  59. 59.

    Immanentize

    June 7, 2020 at 9:56 am

    @Gvg: To add — lots of cow patties in Florida.  I had friends in Miami who used to seek them out in the fields on the off chance of finding psilosybe mushrooms….

  60. 60.

    Immanentize

    June 7, 2020 at 9:58 am

    @satby: Poor little kitten.  Ear infection it will be! (If I can will it)

  61. 61.

    JPL

    June 7, 2020 at 10:01 am

    Bunnies have taken over the back yard and I hope they tire of their hopping around before Finch goes out.

  62. 62.

    Immanentize

    June 7, 2020 at 10:05 am

    Ok.  Now I am sufficiently caffeinated (with inferior machine drip brew). Off to maybe put in some more plants….

    Thank you all, especially A.L., for these Sunday morning garden threads. Always brings me a smile and hope.

  63. 63.

    O. Felix Culpa

    June 7, 2020 at 10:26 am

    @J R in WV:  Depending on how long your pup needs his cone of shame, you might want to try an inflatable doughnut collar instead. Worked pretty well on my little guy after he had his…little operation. I’m linking to this product as an example, not as a specific recommendation.

    Beautiful flowers at the top, by the way. I’ve lived in the arid southwest for five years now, and nearly forgot how refreshing the green can be.

  64. 64.

    BruceFromOhio

    June 7, 2020 at 10:30 am

     

    WG your ferns are awesome! Nice pics!

    MrsFromOhio is planting a bunch of stuff I don’t know the names of. The iris exploded in beauty and then vanished in the ridiculous heat last week. The peonies are going in shifts, the dark purple ones came and went, and now the pink ones are getting ready to pop. The herbs are going crazy, with a fresh wave of basil just gone in. I’ve been building a 2-tier terrace for the side garden and digging holes where directed. The mulch we put down last week is doing it’s thing, but soon there will be weeding. MFO says things she thought were gone are coming back to life, one is a small viburnum in the front side garden that got attacked by some pest years back and looked like it was dead.

    It’s dry, we could use a little rain. Perfect protesting weather!

  65. 65.

    WaterGirl

    June 7, 2020 at 10:45 am

    @The Pale Scot:  Have you received my email messages?

  66. 66.

    SkyBluePink

    June 7, 2020 at 10:47 am

    Such a lovely yard!  Love the variety!

  67. 67.

    WaterGirl

    June 7, 2020 at 10:58 am

    @O. Felix Culpa: I will second the inflatable dog collar advice.  I had to get one for Henry when he had his ACL surgery, but I think everyone should keep one around for every dog size at all times.

    After the experience with Henry, I do.  The trouble is, as I type this, I am trying to remember where I put them!

  68. 68.

    WaterGirl

    June 7, 2020 at 11:10 am

    @Lapassionara:  @OzarkHillbilly:  @satby:  @Immanentize:  @BruceFromOhio:

    I appreciate all the fern love!  I was going to say that they are about 4 feet high at this point, but I didn’t want to exaggerate so I measured.  47 inches.

    I started with 7 ferns that were a gift from my realtor, dug up from her yard when I bought the house.  I knew nothing at that point, so I dug 7 holes at the back of my house, planted the ferns, and then put river rocks in the strip where the ferns were planted.

    Big surprise, planting ferns on the SOUTH side of the house, with river rocks, did not turn out to be the bet idea!

    After a couple of years, I moved them to the shady corner of the yard under the shade of 3 huge evergreens planted just on the other side of the fence in my neighbors yard.  They were so happy, and multiplied.  If you noticed the words “neighbor’s yard” you may already know where this is going.

    Years later, I came home from work to find my shady corner was not shady at all – my neighbor had all three HUGE evergreens cut down while I was at work.  The ferns were screaming in agony in the blazing sun.

    So I moved the ferns to the only location I had left, to the east side of the house.  Which is where they are now.  They have been here a very long time.   They are much more impressive than they show in the picture, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t get an angle that shows them in all their glory.

  69. 69.

    WaterGirl

    June 7, 2020 at 11:13 am

    Thanks for all the kind words about the flowers!  It’s been a good spring, and my garden and flowers have been the biggest, possibly only, source of joy as we are all stuck in this timeline.

  70. 70.

    Vince

    June 7, 2020 at 11:25 am

    Lovely flowers, but the “peony” looks more like a Matilija poppy, native to southern California. Very rare in the wild, but they have a cultivated variety that you can plant in your garden. Called the “Fried Egg plant” for its white crepe and yellow yolk. Native varieties only sprout after a wildfire.

  71. 71.

    JAM

    June 7, 2020 at 11:47 am

    @J R in WV:The last time my dog needed a cone, we bought an inflatable device that looks like a life preserver instead. It attaches to her collar, which needs to be tight enough not to slide off her head.  It worked really well and was more comfortable,plus no running into doorframes, etc. She could eat wearing it as well.

    When I typed this, I didn’t notice that others had already recommended inflatable collars, so I guess I second their opinions.

  72. 72.

    Yutsano

    June 7, 2020 at 11:59 am

    The machine is now Borg.

    He shall return this technology to the collective. And by collective we mean this adjunct unit. Hand it over immediately or you will be assimilated*.

    *This is a joke between me and my friends because I have two artificial hips and a spinal cord stimulator. But I am basically a cyborg.

  73. 73.

    Mike in Oly

    June 7, 2020 at 12:25 pm

    Such a lovely garden!

  74. 74.

    Cowgirl in the Sandi

    June 7, 2020 at 1:15 pm

    I love these Sunday morning garden chats – just wish they weren’t almost over by the time I get to them (west coast).  I love the peonies WaterGirl.  My great grandmother used to grow them so they always remind me of her.

    I am fighting the moles, voles and squirrels in my yard.  I hate them with the passion of a million suns.  After coffee, I’m going to plant my last attempt at a flower garden in the front – everything else has been eaten from below.  If the verbena get eaten, I’m giving up.

  75. 75.

    WaterGirl

    June 7, 2020 at 1:26 pm

    @Vince: Interesting!

    I have two peonies that are similar in style, one in white with the yellow inside, and one in magenta.  I have no idea how it is that I didn’t manage to take a photo of the magenta one this year!

    I bought them both 20 or more years ago at a peony farm – they sold only peonies – so I assume they are peonies.  ?‍♀️ Either way, I love them!

  76. 76.

    O. Felix Culpa

    June 7, 2020 at 1:28 pm

    @Cowgirl in the Sandi: We have ground squirrels and mice. I share your animus against those creatures. My garden has become my battlespace, with no quarter given. Traps abound and the coyotes who roam our perimeter get occasional dead rodent treats. And now back to the peaceful garden chat. Ommm.

  77. 77.

    The Pale Scot

    June 7, 2020 at 1:42 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    Sorry, I did some partition swapping and now I can’t get into that box, I know the password, the bastards won’t stop trying to get a ph# attached to it. My nom de plume? bugger off.  I bought a burn phone to do it, I’ll try tonight

  78. 78.

    WaterGirl

    June 7, 2020 at 1:52 pm

    @The Pale Scot: I’m not sure exactly what you’re saying there.  You can’t get to your email?

    In any case, I wrote to you because I have found you on the banned list twice in the past week or so.  I deleted you from the banned list, and then found you there again!

    So I deleted you from the banned list a second time, and I see that you can now post again, but please let me know ASAP if you are unable to post again.

  79. 79.

    debbie

    June 7, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    They’re Japanese peonies. I asked the owner of these.

  80. 80.

    The Pale Scot

    June 7, 2020 at 2:20 pm

    @WaterGirl: Yeah I can’t get in, maybe once I my post didn’t publish I just figured FYWP. Thanks. How am I getting on the banned list? I save my obnoxiousness for Naked Capitalism. This happens not too rarely. I figured the dopy dude from “The Pale Scot Affair” was still tracking me.

  81. 81.

    WaterGirl

    June 7, 2020 at 2:48 pm

    @Mary G: You are too kind!

  82. 82.

    WaterGirl

    June 7, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    @debbie: Oh, that’s really good to know, thank you!

  83. 83.

    WaterGirl

    June 7, 2020 at 3:59 pm

    @The Pale Scot:

    How am I getting on the banned list?

    I do not know.  If it happens a third time, I am going to think that someone is spoofing your IP address.

    If/when you get my previous emails, you will see that it’s always your IP address but with a different email address.

    I don’t believe you are being banned intentionally, so not to worry about that!

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