Vacation idea worth sharing...
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7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
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some experience to share, for what it's worth
Comments (5)Hi Greenman, It's nice to see you posting and I enjoyed reading about all the landscaping you've been doing. I can't believe how much planting you've done...you sure have been busy! The heat and sunlight here always will be a challenge and I have found many 'full sun' plants grow fine for me with only a couple of hours of direct sun or even in almost completely dappled shade. With your succulents, did you do a massive amount of soil improvement to give them the drainage they need? In general, clay drains too slowly for them. Since I have evil clay soil, I only grow succulents in containers where they can have the near-perfect drainage they require. They do still make burlap bags, and you're most likely to find them at farm supply stores like Tractor Supply Company or farm-oriented feed and seed stores. I usually only see them here in stores in the spring when they sell them right beside the seed potatoes so you can, presumably, store your harvested potatoes in them a few months down the line. One way to help your container plants in the hot months is to buy a larger pot and place the entire plant, container and all, inside the larger pot. That gives the potted roots some insulation from the heat since the outer pot would take the brunt of the heat. I look forward to hearing about your vegetable garden as you build and develop it. Ditto what George said about the native elms here. We have them all over the place on our property and they are tough, having survived all kinds of drought and years of flooding rainfall equally well. To go along with the plants Marcy suggested, the plant that grows best for me in a hot exposure is gomphrena 'Strawberry Fields'. It grows alongside our driveway/roadway/rural mail box and rarely wilts, even in August. It gets nothing but rainfall, being far beyond the reach of a waterhose. My most reliable summer plants in a southern or western exposure are echinaceas, gomphrenas, zinnias and verbena bonariensis. All of those are either perennial or reseeding annuals at our place. Dawn...See MoreSeattle & Vancouver Vacation Ideas
Comments (21)August or up to mid September is going to be your safest bet for good weather. But if you come early, come to Port Townsend which is in a rain shadow and gets a lot less rain than Seattle. Port Townsend can be a day trip from seattle, but if I were you I'd stay overnight or for a couple of nights and enjoy the olympic peninsula. Port Townsend is one of only three true victorian seaports in the US. From here you can drive an hour to Port Angeles and visit the parks or take the ferry to victoria (walk over on the ferry) and do a day trip there or two (everythign is in walking distance from the ferry dock or there is a tour available like buchart gardens (which are beyond fabulous in May and June). In Seattle do the Pike one day, the underground and the old town another, the zoo is great, and walking on the waterfront is a treat. Eat at...gad it's a letter...Z or Y? up about 5th street if you're a wine drinker (lovely selection of wines and cheeses). Dinner at the Brooklyn is a fancy night of fun, wonderul food and a really educational oyster bar as well as a great wine list. It's old fashioned seattle glamour at it's best. Bainbridge island is a fun visit. You can walk on the ferry and then up a block into town to enjoy the day, but I'd drive over (on the ferry) and enjoy a bit more of the island. If you love nordic vikings and all of their blonde buxom wonder, drive from bainbridge to poulsbo (about 30 mins) and park downtown on the water. Sly's bakery is worth the wait, but there are several that are wonderful. I get all of my "home made" pies at another bakery there (they sell them in glass dishes so you can lie and say you made them....oh geeze now if you have pie at my house you know my secret LOL). Lots of antique stores, stuff from norway (even a king or queen on occasion visits) and historic housing. Not as good as Port Townsend, but still worth the visit. PT is another 40 mins across the floating bridge on the hood canal. It's full of wonderful eclectic artists, druids from the 16th century, (I swear that's what those burlap wearing people are) and odd balls like me :) Antique shopping in Seattle is something you can do all day if you have an inkling. If you like modern shopping, hit bellevue mall. Or just wander around downtown seattle. What else can I tell you? :)...See MoreVacation ideas?
Comments (43)Annie - I also was going to suggest New Mexico, as it didn't appear on your list. That looks to me like a very good tour by Taucks - it covers exactly the places i would suggest, Taos, Bandelier, Georgia O'Keeffe's homestead, the pueblos... It would also be nice to have the lectures and special visits that come with the trip. However, NM is a state very oriented towards visitors, and is easy to navigate by yourselves, especially if you explore it on the internet and do some reading in advance. Santa Fe, e.g., has some gorgeous inns and hotels, and excellent restaurants with varied cuisines, not to mention a stunning collection of art galleries (do not go to this city without a credit card). Several years ago DH and I made a special trip to NM to spend a week in Los Alamos, as DH is beyond fascinated by the story of Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project. We had a great time, searched out his house, visited the fascinating museum, explored the unique bookstores, drove along the perimeter of the National Laboratories - a huge area, and drove to various pueblos and Bandelier while there. That could be a good overnight for someone interested in the story of the Project. But the tour also looks fine. I also second the suggestion of Israel (where I lived for several years), a tiny country, the size of New Jersey, with an incredibly diverse population, and an excellent sense of preservation of historic sites, ranging from 5,000+ years ago up to the present, and very friendly people who like Americans....See Morevacation ideas needed
Comments (7)We go to the Fl Keys every yr, we are fortunate enough to have a place to stay there, but there are many reasonable family oriented places esp around Ilsemadora/Marathon. The dolphin research lab is there & they have lots of kids programs, there is snorkeling, deap sea fishing trips, beaches etc. It's very laid back. Bahia Honda State prk has beach camping-it's great and we took my youngest s-son & my son about 5 yr.s ago they had a great time & the dolphins and stingrays followed them while they snorkeled! Key west is a fun day trip but get the kiddies out by dark as it gets a little wild then. there is a website fla-keys.com where you can get touristy info & even check condo rentals. We fly into Ft Lauderdale & drive from there, way cheaper, esp if you are near a spirit airlines they have super cheap flights. I'm thinking of going to the DR, Puerto Plata in a few months and while the resort is pretty cheap & all inclusive the flight from Miami is pricey. There were lots of activities for kids at most of the resorts I looked at. There are tons of all inclusive resorts there. I hear the the US Virgin Islands are becoming pretty crime infested and unsafe, Frommers has some really good forums regarding traveling with kids & kid frindly resorts, you should go & read some posts there, a very good travel resource. Whatever you choose have a great time! When I retire I want to be a professional beach bum :0)...See MoreOlychick
7 years agoBonnie
7 years agogsciencechick
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoOlychick
7 years agogsciencechick
7 years agoBonnie
7 years agowritersblock (9b/10a)
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoBonnie
7 years ago
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