My mother dislocated the hip AGAIN. Third time now. She has to see a specialist. But last I heard she can't get in until Sep 14th. 3 weeks...she might as well move into the ER. Dislocated twice in 3 days, I fear she will continue to have it come out.

And my DIL has an appointment with a rheumatologist in FEBUARY. Earliest they could get her in???

Yes, Konnor is a gift. He appears to be calm like his brother. He always amazed me, I think he still takes naps. My #1 used to wake at 6 am and go to sleep at midnight. He never stopped in between. Konnor's daddy, #2 was calmer, but I don't think any of my kids took naps after age 2. Anyway, I hope they're lucky enough to have another calm baby.

The weather has been lovely. I shampooed carpet today rather than work outside. Tomorrow.

We had a lovely lunch. I think there were 14 women there! We had to add a table. Went to Hapa in Owasso. Japanese sushi or tempura. I had a Pork Katsu Don "Fried pork cutlet with special Japanese sweet soy sauce, onion, spinach and egg omelet over steamed rice". While they do have TVs on the wall, there's no loud music, I don't freeze and they put up with a dozen women on separate checks. Food is good.

Rebecca, I can't believe you've encountered yet another garden pest! I've never heard of any insects like you described.

Dorothy, I wouldn't like that design in a washer either. My water runs with the lid up, it just won't agitate. When it was broken and I wanted to watch it to see if the agitator worked I couldn't find a way around it. My last machine had a slot where the lid came down and depressed a button that told the machine the lid was closed. A plastic knife could do the same thing if you wanted to watch it. I always put detergent in with running water before I ever put the clothes in. A MAN must have designed the newer washers.

Cute meme, Kim. And so true.

Good night my friends.

I'm so unhappy tonight. Just got back from trip to Wyoming, 1100 miles away and getting ready to go back, No way, no how, but this is my/our directive. We gotta do what we gotta do. Gotta go back for Mom. I'm at odds ends, don't know upside down from upside right But getting ready to take off again, solo Soooo sad.... but so thankful GDW is here to hold down the forts.

Oh Nancy I am so sorry. I wish there was someone to go with you. Bless your heart.

Nancy, I'm sorry. Godspeed on your journey and know that you carry a piece of my heart with you. Sending you hugs.

Everyone else, I read everything and wrote my typical long response and then Houzz ate it, so here's just the quickest of answers. I want to type fast before I lose it again.

Nancy, Early GIrls are great for fall.

Amy, I agree with you that men must have designed these new machines.

Rebecca, I don't know what sort of pest you're describing. Can you give us a size---bigger than a mosquito or buffalo gnat? Smaller than a green lacewing?

Whoever mentioned cinnamon basil---I grow it for looks and fragrance, not for eating. I grow a ton of different basils, but only use Genovese for cooking.

Gotta go. Prayers for Texas and Louisiana, and everyone else Harvey is threatening and harassing.

Dawn

Amy, so sorry about your mom. Happy you got to see your new baby. Life--what a ride. It's good, it's bad. it's rarely dull.

Thinking of you, Nancy. I'm sorry for your upcoming long trip and that your mom isn't doing well. The Early Girls I plant in the spring, keep going through the first freeze (of course they aren't new plants which is what you are actually asking). Well, I shouldn't try to sound like an experienced Early Girl grower. This is my second year with them. LOL. Last year, that's what they did and it appears that is what they'll do this year.

Speaking of tomatoes....the Brandy Boy tomatoes are about done. They are okay tomatoes--taste good. BUT, can anyone recommend something similar that I could try next year instead of Brandy Boy? Early Girl is a keeper. SunGold is a keeper. Brandy Boy may or may not be a keeper. Celebration is out.

Rebecca, sorry about your pest problem! I have no idea what it could be.

Nancy, I am very sorry about your mom. Safe trip.

H/J, are you doing hybrids on purpose? If so Jetstar or Jet Star, depending on where you look. The star of the year here was Cherokee Carbon, which IS a hybrid of 2 heirlooms, Cherokee Purple and Carbon. Chocolate Champion is another I can recommend. Heirlooms for OK? Large Red Cherry. Cherokee Purple, Gary 'O Sena, Indian Stripe, Arkansas Traveler.

Many of my herbs have not survived. The pyramid has not been fixed. The fabric bags have been great for some things. The parsley likes it. Something defoliated it but it is coming back. All my thyme is in bad shape, but it looked good longer this year. I bought 2 rosemary plants this year that died waiting for the pyramid. It will get done eventually.

Nancy, sorry to hear about your mom. Safe travels and prayers going with you!!

Amy, sorry to hear about your mom. I would imagine it hurts pretty bad to have your hip pop out like that? Three weeks is a long time to wait and maybe she can be somewhat bed-ridden till then?

Dawn, it was me that mentioned cinnamon basil and I think I am going to do exactly what you said and just grow it for looks. It is a pretty plant, right?! I just don't like the flavor or smell. Regular basil? I can smell it all day long throughout the day.

I sure hope the rain stops soon down South. My heart just aches for them. I saw where a toddler was clinging to it's mother who had drown and was floating. WHY must they put these details out there?!?! I just want to grab that toddler and hug tight. :(

Is it too late to put some zucchini seeds in? I would normally just do it but with the weather being cooler than usual I am not so sure now. I would love to have some more but also not sure I want to tempt the squash bugs to return.

I forgot I bought this gardening book from Sam's awhile back titled All Natural Gardening Secrets. It's a reader's digest book. Gonna pop that open tonight!

Nancy, so sorry about your mom. FWIW, I only do herbs in pots. I want them close to the house so I'll use them. Much easier to just pop out onto the patio for them than to traipse across the yard. My Arp rosemary usually overwinters, sometimes it dies back a bit. I keep it out of the wind and close to the house, but bring it into the garage when it's going to get bitterly cold or ice/snow. Sometimes I'll have it bunk at my mom's house, where there are no cats to get into it. I have 3 32gallon Rubbermaid totes full of basil this year. Every couple weeks I cut it back hard and make pesto. It just keeps regrowing. I don't even know how many plants I have crammed in there.

Dawn, I'm not sure what a lacewing looks like. This thing was similar in looks and size to a mosquito, only pale green. Stings like the very devil. You feel the sting and it feels sharp, like a bee. I thought I was getting into a yellowjacket nest until I saw one. I didn't have my phone with me to try to get a picture. I'm still covered in bites today.

I don't have much to talk about. Waiting on things to grow. I do have some gorgeous butterflies on the flowers this year. Had a big black one with some gold and blue patches on the pink zinnias this evening.

Nancy, so sorry about your mom. Have a safe trip and know we're thinking of you.

Amy, sorry about you mom, too. Three weeks is much too long.

I am the personification of Kim's meme. I have plenty of work to be doing, but I spent the morning moving and adding plants to a new shade bed under two elms. I planned on doing the work in late September/early October, which is normally when we start cooling down down here. But it's been so nice, and they're saying that another cold front will be coming in next week, so here I am working on a new project, when I have plenty of old projects to finish/maintain. I love the planning and implementing of ideas, hence the new bed.

Michelle

Thanks for kind words, all of you. Our plans have changed. . . GDW is going with me, since we'll be moving Mom's stuff out of assisted living and trying to get her set up in the nursing home. And we'll bring back my grandmother's dining room hutch (where I'm going to put it is a whole different matter, lol). And we're taking Titan WITH us! We'd discussed it a couple weeks ago, and thought one of these days we'd give it a try on a trip to MN or WY. So this is the try. We think he'll do just fine. Pretty sure he will. Now if I could just get GDW to listen to an audio police mystery, the trip would be super easy. Hahaha.

My only concern about going so soon (we'll leave Sunday and get there in the wee hours Sunday night) is that what if Mom gets all perky and strong and we move all her stuff and then she's fine for living back at assisted living. As unlikely as it would be, that would be SO Mother! No one else shares that concern with me, however--not my SIL, not the assisted living director; haven't heard from the doctor yet. It's sad, of course, but most days, I think she's too tired to care that much; her attitude sounded good.

Our new gardening neighbor/friend will be checking on Daffy and the plants. I feel very good about him checking for us--he's a peach! You know I hate leaving home, but of course wouldn't have it any other way.

So we're going to be busy getting things done here. I put up 7 more pints of pickles and pickled peppers today. But Saturday I'm tearing the cukes out. We have potatoes! Thought sure they were a no-show. But today found 7 little plants up by a couple inches. Yay. Need for 4-5 more to show up. The yard's in pretty decent shape, as is the house, so it's a go.

And, Amy, I missed that about your Mom's second dislocation--that stinks! Is she in much pain? Sounds like surgery is imminent, I suppose? Can you get her to just be STILL until her doc's appointment?!

I was looking for Cherokee Carbon--I LOVED the one you brought us--SESE and Johnny's didn't have it, I'll find it when I get back from Buffalo. After all, not planting it until January, so guess there's no hurry!

Michelle--you were laughing at yourself--and I was, too, then remembered I said I had to build a new bed for herbs. We are all shameful! But then I read your post, Rebecca, and thought hmmmm, I certainly do have a lot of fabric pots. . . do your herbs do fine as permanent homeowners of the pots? I guess they must, eh?

I had to laugh, Rebecca, although it's not at all funny that you got nailed by a vicious insect like that, about Amy's comment. I'm with her--can't ever remember seeing anything like it! What the! (Your butterfly sounded like a swallowtail, to me.)

Yes, the tragedy continues down south. My fear is that people will get BORED hearing about it and my prayer is that they do not, but, rather, continue to care and help--well, the helpers who are already helping certainly will continue doing so, and fantastic to see the military getting involved in the numbers they're sending.

Thanks, Dawn and HJ, for the reassurance on Early Girl. What's with GW eating everyone's posts!? LOL Not right, not one little bit.

And Dawn, thanks for your sweet words. I'll miss all y'all!!! Isn't that strange, I can still keep in touch, kinda, but it's so far away from home, and you guys are all here at home!

Nancy, safe travels to you both. And yes, I have permanent herb pots. I just direct sow what I need each spring, with a few exceptions, like rosemary. They flourish. Also have a couple of lettuce and spinach pots with them. Those do fabulous in containers too.

Nancy, I'm glad y'all are taking Titan. I think he'll be thrilled to travel with you. I know it is hard to make that drive not knowing if your mom will be better or worse when you arrive, but it probably is time to do the nursing home thing anyway at her age and with her recent health history. I'm sure that when y'all get back home, you'll find a place for the hutch.

You can order seeds of Cherokee Carbon from many tomato seed sources later on when it is time to plan for Spring or you can buy the plants at any store that carries Bonnie Plants transplants. I saw it everywhere this past spring. It did really well for me here and was a great producer of tasty tomatoes. I know that Totally Tomatoes carries it, and so does Territorial Seed and probably a bunch of other places as well.

I understand why you'll miss us....and we'll miss you. We. are. a. family. here. That's why the Spring Fling is so important and so special to us all----it isn't all about the plants and the wonderful covered-dish luncheon (though either one of those all on its own would be a reason to attend!), it is about being together, seeing each other, oohing and aahing over how much the kids (and dogs!) have grown, etc. It is our family reunion.

Michelle, Isn't this weather awesome? I keep waiting for the heat to come back and slap us upside the head, but there's a part of me that's thinking it may not actually happen. This September (well, it isn't here yet, but you know what I mean) seems like it is going to be totally different from last year's very hot, very dry September. I'm okay with that. I'm better than okay with it....try....deliriously happy about it.

If it wasn't for all the mosquitoes the size of Lear jets, being outdoors would be even more pleasant than it already is.

Kim,

Here's an image of the very, very beneficial green lacewing, which as far as I know, do not bite humans. There's also brown lacewings, by the way, but I almost never see the brown ones. I was trying to use the lacewing as a reference to size.....but your pests sound more the size of skeeters or large gnats? Or small flies? All of those would be considerably smaller than a green lacewing.

Green Lacewings

There are some green flies that are so small they look more like mosquitoes than flies, and they bite. I believe they are called midges (and midges come in various colors). Sometimes thrips bite, but they are smaller than what you described.

Here's some info on midges, which in many places are nicknamed no-see-ums.

Midges/No-See-Ums

I do think your butterfly sounds like a swallowtail. I've had them all over my zinnias all summer, and we have several different kinds of them here.

Melissa, You have nothing to use by sowing zuke seeds and you might very well have time to get fruit from seeds sown now.

The story about the toddler clinging to her mama's dead body in the water was so heartbreaking. I hope the child, who apparently is 3 years old, has no memory of this later in life. It would be such a haunting memory. I am so glad the rescuers got to them before they went under that trestle bridge, or the child wouldn't have been rescued alive as the rescuers said there's no way they could have gotten over or under that bridge. So many, many rescues have occurred that it is truly mind-boggling, and then there's the sad cases where rescue was not possible. This disaster drags on and on and on. One thing about our tornadoes here---they hit and then they are gone. Sure, the recovery takes a long time, but at least the affected people aren't in an ongoing health/safety crisis for days or weeks on end. This whole thing is mind-blowing.

Cochise, It certainly is interesting-looking, but I don't think I've ever grown a melon or winter squash/pumpkin that looks quite like that. I wonder if your volunteer fruit developed from a cross-pollinated plant. I guess time will tell. My best guess is that it might be some sort of winter squash. I have grown some large greenish winter squash varieties in the distant past....green hubbard or blue hubbard (which really isn't blue) but I don't think they looked like your fruit. Has it stayed the same color pretty much all along?

H/J, For something similar to Brandy Boy, there's a slew of big pinks, but the ones I grow are heirlooms and do not produce nearly as heavily as Brandy Boy. There's the original Pink Brandywine, Marianna's Peace, Tennessee Britches....or Stump of the World, a long-time favorite that reminds me a lot of Brandywine. I like all of the ones Amy named (I've very partial to Gary 'O Sena and Indian Stripe, as well as JD's Special C-Tex)......Pruden's Purple, Aunt Ginny's Purple, or Caspian Pink. You also could try Big Brandy, another hybrid bred from Brandywine.

Yesterday I started painting a room upstairs, so I'm headed upstairs in a couple of minutes to finish puting the first coat on those walls, and maybe get the second coat on the walls I painted yesterday.

Dawn

Amy and Nancy: I'm sorry to hear about your mothers. I know it is hard. My mother passed away when I was 28. She was 48 when I was born, and my dad was 52. He died when I was 19. My mother was never quite the same after he died, and she fell twice, breaking her shoulder, and then her hip. She was also legally blind from glaucoma. After she broke her hip, dementia set in. Shortly before that happened, I had transferred with my job to Denver, so I wasn't home (here in Oklahoma). Luckily, my much older brother was here and he and my mother were thick as thieves. I spent the next few years either flying or driving back and forth; first from Denver, and then from southern Tennessee. It was hard, because I had 3 little kids at that time, and a job. I know this sounds strange, but so much time has passed now that when I close my eyes and relive old memories, I can see their faces and movements....but I can't hear their voices anymore. I used to be able to conjure up their voices.

Well, I am fighting grasshoppers, stink bugs, squash bugs, and some kind of little worm (fruit-worm maybe?). They are trying to eat my tomatoes, my eggplants, my cucumbers and squash in containers, and my peas and okra. I'm letting them have the okra because I can't fight them everywhere. I brought in groceries a while ago, and as I got out of the car, there was a great big grasshopper and a stink bug on one of my BBF2s. I quickly got the Bonide dust, and I knocked the stink bug off and smashed him with my shoe. Then I dusted the heck out of the grasshopper. Within a few minutes, I watched him fall feet up. Sweet schadenfreude, and I don't feel the least bit sad at their demise. I have been very diligent with these fall plants. BER on Black Prince seems to be gone (keeping fingers crossed). All the plants are pretty, and I feel a little bad that I am putting so many bug killers on them (they are all organic), but if I don't, they would decimated within days. This has been a horrible bug year for me.

My youngest daughter and grandson are coming in tomorrow from Tennessee. She will only get to stay 2 full days, but I will be so glad to see them. She's now in the position that I was with my own mother, and I know how hard it is for her to make these visits. Her birthday is Sunday (she will be 27), and I am planning a cookout with both my daughters and their children. These get togethers mean a lot to me.

Well, I guess I'd better get moving....hope everyone has a great day!

Just a quick note. I'm tearing out tomato plants. It kills me to pull healthy looking plants. I may leave one of the Heidis. They are all tangled up in pole beans. The black cherry and Amy's apricot rained green tomatoes on me. Leaving the Early girl in that bed, but she will need some pruning. Next bed over I will leave the Cherokee Carbon, the Indian Stripe if I decide it's healthy and maybe the Grandma Suzy. Next year, I think the Sioux's and Heidi's in one bed and slicing tomatoes in another.

Picked the first okra today.

Mary, I feel very fortunate that my parents are only 50 miles away and my kids all live within 10 miles. Those get togethers with the kids are very precious.

Back to work.

Well, I got 2 beds cleared before I got too tired. Every one of the tomatoes in those beds, including the Pink Berkely Tie Dye had new healthy growth and flowers. And many green tomatoes. I decided I could put carrots where spinach was in spring and vice versa. Most of the salsify I've been growing rotted. I guess I'll have to dig it up and see if there's some obvious underground issue.

I got my Cherokee Carbon from Seeds N Such.

Yes, it is quite painful when mom dislocates her hip. It has been easier to put back, but that is not a good thing. Easier it goes back, the easier it comes out. The last time she was just sitting and tried to get up. The tendons and ligaments get stretched. She has a brace that goes from her upper thigh to below her knee to help support all the muscles, etc. But apparently there is no way to prevent the dislocations at this point. Her doctor is calling the specialist daily to see if there are cancelations. They've told her she needs "parts" replaced in the artificial joint. I need to find out how to prevent this from happening to me. Maybe exercise to keep things tight. Maybe my joint, being newer, won't have issues. Who knows, by then I'll get an android body,right?

Most of my herbs like pots, too. I expect my rosemary would have survived if it had been planted in a bigger pot. It got forgotten. Most herbs like well drained soil, and the fabric pots do that well. But Nancy's deck is really shady. She'll need a spot further out with more sun.

Dawn, you are just too energetic for me. I guess we blew it. Daughter was dating a painter. Could have had that done. He was a jerk, glad he's gone, but should have taken the opportunity while we had it. I've been thinking about my linen closet. It's time to empty that. I don't know when I'll get to that project.

Nancy, if I haven't said, I'm glad GDW and Titan are going with you. I would hate for you to make that trip alone again. There are hotels that allow pets, if you want to stop.

Rebecca, you just keep your No-See-ums down there in Tulsa. I have heard of them back east, and maybe north, but I've never encountered anything like that in OK. I've not always been a big outdoors person, but I did bird for like 10 years. The only bugs I recall being that evil were mosquitoes at Oxley Nature Center. You seem to have the yard from hell this year!

Hey y'all the 31st day of the month (today) Baskin Robbins does $1.50 a scoop special.

Dawn, the largest and posted fruit is at least the size of a basketball. There are ridges around the base and, with the exception of the side in the pic, it is pale green.

I'm fighting nutgrass now with a blow torch. What I read is that it may take 4 "burnings" to emerge victoriously.

Thanks for the tomato suggestions, Amy and Dawn. Yes, hybrids for now. I tried Brandywine and an heirloom roma for my first two years. They were very tasty, but prone to insects and disease. Also, they didn't produce many fruit. For now, I'll stick with the hybrids. Someday when Ethan grows up and I have a little more time, I'll try heirlooms again...and more than just a 4 varieties, which is what I did this year and it was perfect for me. I'll keep Early Girl and SunGold...and want to try 2 new ones. It's weird that a teen (not a toddler) takes so much time, but it's just because we've chosen to be involved in his activities.

I haven't looked at my garden in two nights. Worked until after dark last night and our daughter fixed dinner for us tonight. She lives north OKC, so it was a bit of a drive.

This weekend is the weekend for moving the older hens. Two of the goofy babies somehow were roosting on the shelf/curtain rod combo. There they sat when I got home tonight. I moved them back down to the roost bar and put pots on the shelf. Seriously. Just stay on the roost bar.

Remind me again when y'all cut the asparagus back? I can't remember when I did it last year. I feel in a rush to get everything tidied up.

Y'all might want to sit down for this one...I brought in a breaker tomato. A real one, not a cherry. It's either a Homestead or a Rutgers from the spring planting. (Squirrels also ripped a bunch of name tags off the cages.) It's got some bug damage, but it's safely in the house. There are more coming on that one and the remaining Creole, too, but I'm afraid to jinx anything by counting on them.

Dawn, neither of those ugly bugs look anything like what I had swarm me. Best I can describe is a pale green mosquito. I have no idea what a no see um is, but I've heard of them. I thought they were the same thing as chiggers? Can't be a no see um because I saw it, right?

The General Lee cukes have bit the dust, pretty much. Not sure why, just shriveled up and died. So far the LL are fine and starting to ramp up. Think I'll pull the GL this weekend and plant tall sugar snaps there. New green beans are up, as are the first beets. I cut a couple of stalled buds off the eggplant and fertilized it, and now I have 6 fruit coming on it. Mom is done with eggplant for the year, so I'll probably take those up to work when they're ready. Need to drench the yellow squash in Sevin again tomorrow night. Borers are hungry.

Amy, another reason I like doing herbs in pots is to move them around. By moving them into the shade when it gets hot, I can usually have herbs all summer. So that might be a good option for Nancy. I do my lettuce and spinach the same way, and can keep both going longer than if they were always in the sun.

No gardening today. . . collecting cucumbers, though--AGGHH. :) I haven't connected with my neighbor who is going to look in on Daff and plants yet--we keep trading phone messages. I WANT to know if he wants cucumbers--if I'd connected with him today and he'd said no, GDW would have yanked them. Instead we collected another dozen. So funny. I wouldn't have thought that we'd have had too much of ANYTHING this year. But we did. Cucumbers. By the way, Dawn, I love the County Fair ones for pickling. They are uniform and perfect! Thank YOU!

Rebecca. . . no way am I gonna be dragging those fabric pots across gravel and up steps! LOL But on 2nd thought, may work, as, Amy, though the deck is quite shady, the first half of it, the part you walk past to get to the tables, is only half-roofed, so it actually gets full sun for about 4-5 hours, until between 2-3 in the afternoon, and I can certainly drag those pots 5-6 feet back into shade. Hmmmm, this could work. And that's where all the container plants are. I do have to tell you that it's so nice that you know what my place is like. . . that makes me feel like we're real neighbors!

Dawn--do ya like painting? I happen to really have fun painting. When I moved down here, as you know this house is very very dark, with limited light reaching it from east OR west (and virtually NO light from the north or south), because of the heavily shaded deck in back and porch in front--well, the rooms were all painted very very dark colors--beautiful, but not in a dark house, PLUS all the darkish log walls and wood-slatted ceilings. Beautiful, but dark. I couldn't SEE anything!! So I painted every drywall wall in the house a light light color. . .a light green or a light blue. Painted the hallway a VERY light beige and put a family photo gallery in there, with several collages of the combined families. All our kids love that hallway, and often go there when they visit.

I found an audio book and tested it out on GDW on our way to Tulsa with the still-ailing (now pronounced terminally ill by a super good guy at Apple--we could fix it for $755. Now way no how. Time to switch back to PCs. LOL) GDW was disappointed when I turned it off and said it was just a test. We had to wait for our trip to listen to it! Yay! (It was a David Baldacci, special genius military guy Puller--GDW was immediately roped in.) So tonight ordered a new laptop, to go along with the new desktop. I'm broke. Busted broke. Especially after I pay the motel bill that we have to have cuz of Titan. LOL Wish I hadn't gone on a seed-buying binge . . .

I am sold on SunGolds, too, HJ! I didn't grow them, but my SIL in WY did--they were SOOO good! SunGolds will be a must in the garden next year, along with the Heidis and Cherokee Carbon. . . and of course, I did order the Italian paste tomatoes and Mortgage Lifters. . . wait a minute. . . I distinctly recall saying I was only going to grow 10-12 tomatoes next year. . .this is not working out. And I gotta have the Cherokee Carbons and maybe Arkansas Travelers. . . wailing.

Decided I am going to invest $$ next spring and get some snowball hydrangea sapling/plants. We thought it would be interesting to grow a hedge of them in the back shade area dividing the forest from the trees--oops, not trees, dividing the forest from the back yard (i.e., trees). Had to say that, couldn't help it. So we'll order maybe 3-4--if they do well, we'll order another half a dozen.

I'm trying not to think about what lies in store for us next week. . . lots of paperwork, dealing with complicated paperwork types of things and moving furniture. Will be good to be with Mom again, of course, and touch base with my friends of 50 years if possible, but won't be easy, and so glad GDW will be there--I am positive Titan will be a fun and lovely treat to be there, also, for a light and family touch. Not gonna think about it--we'll deal, just like always. No prob. Y'know? We all do. And even while I'm whining, I'm thinking, "Nancy, you ain't seen nothing. You could be in Houston right now with water everywhere around you and no water to drink."

Blessings.

Oh, Mary--meant to comment on how much I appreciated your story about your own mother. . . what a time that must have been for you. Oh dear. It is so touching, and gratifying, to learn about our friends. How very difficult that must have been. Truly, it touched me deeply. And yes, now you and I are the ones our relatives will feel like they need to visit. . . and so life goes. It's precious and fleeting.

Mary, It is heart-rending that you lost your parents so young. My dad lost his parents very young too, so I never knew my grandparents on his side of the family. I always regretted that we weren't able to know them.

The pests are just horrible this year, and I know that fighting them endlessly gets old quickly. I'm hoping the early cooldown brings an end to them sooner rather than later.

I hope you enjoy your visit with your daughter and her child and the big get-together with the whole family. At least your daughter will get to celebrate her 27th birthday with all of y'all. I'm trying to think back and remember what 27 felt like! Youthful and energetic I suppose---I know I had endless energy back then.

Amy, It is very hard to pull out pretty healthy plants, but you've got to do what you've got to do. Enjoy your time in the garden.

Before Tim and I moved up here, our family was very close geographically to my parents---with 3 of us 4 kids within a few minutes' driving distance from my parent's house. Those were the sweetest years---when I was going through closets and drawers purging unnecessary junk, I went through almost 4 decades of photos and there were tons of them from our early married years when we all had young infants...and then toddlers....and then children. It was hilarious looking back at how young we all looked....and some of those kids in the photos now have kids themselves, but we're all scattered much further apart now, and it is harder to all get together. When Chris was in school, I'd often pick up him, my niece and my nephew from school and also take them to school in the mornings, and I kinda miss the sweetness of that--the three freshly-scrubbed faces and neatly combed hair and happy kids....and even happier (though less clean and neat) kids on the way home from school in the afternoons. Although, of course, after they got home, it was the endless torture of homework. I don't miss that.

I did not know that an artificial hip could have parts replaced. I assumed they'd have to replace all of it. Your poor mom. I hope they get a cancellation and can get her in earlier than scheduled.

I start out energetically enough, and then I get tired. Of course, the nice thing about painting a room yourself is that you can take your time and finish it when you want to. Actually, I got the second coat on most of the bathroom and painted part of the adjacent master bedroom---not too much because I was running out of paint. I guess I'll buy more paint tomorrow. I probably won't paint tomorrow because it ought to be grocery-shopping and errand-running day (and, apparently, gas-buying day), and I prefer to paint when I'm the only one here....that way, no one is walking in and out and getting tangled in my drop cloths and whatnot. So, I'll probably resume painting Tuesday since Tim is off on Monday.

I last tackled the linen closet a couple of years ago and now it seems like it needs to be reorganized all over again. Who keeps messing it up? Who, who, who??? I'd like to have a word with those people and see if they can do a better job of not undoing all my efforts to keep things tidy.

Cochise, I'm thinking it is a winter squash that will mature to a darker green, perhaps, or maybe orange. Maybe just a run of the mill pumpkin, though it is lighter in color than any pumpking I've ever grown except for the white ones. Keep us posted on what you get. Its size surely rules out it being some sort of melon---that would be a huge melon.

The only thing that ever has worked for me with nugsedge was to dig it out. It took me several years to dig out every single one from the garden, and I often had to dig down 7-9" to find every nutlet. I didn't want to leave any nutlets behind to resprout. Keep us posted on how burning it out works. I'd buy a weed torch if I was sure I could use it without burning down my garden. I am klutzy that way.

H/J, It is wonderful that y'all have chosen to be involved in Ethan's activities. All too soon he'll be grown up and off to college and you'll have tons more free time on your hands to work around the house. Those years when the kids are still at home and in school are the best years. Everything else can wait.

I turned loose our latest bunch of baby chicks from their brooder a couple of days ago. Their 3 moms have been hanging out in the coop with them and refusing to let them go outside. It is hysterical. When we took the tiny chicks away from their moms shortly after they hatched, the moms hung around near the brooder for a while every day but eventually would wander off outdoors to dig and scratch, hunt and peck and just do chicken things. Now that they have physical access to their babies, they are being very overprotective. Poor little chickens just want to go outside, and their three wild-eyed moms are saying "over my dead body!" Around 5 or 6 pm the moms finally give in and let the teenaged chickens go out for an hour or two, but they hover anxiously near them. About another week of this and one day I'll notice that no one is in the coop in the daytime and the babies have blended in with the flock. It takes their mothers a while to relax. As for roosting, chickens are going to roost wherever they choose despite your best efforts.

Rebecca, Hoory for the tomato. I wonder how in the world the squirrels missed that one? Maybe they've tired of harassing you and devouring your garden and are going to move on elsewhere and throw pecans at someone else.

Cucumbers are disease magnets and sometimes they do get something that makes them die suddenly like that. Often it is bacterial wilt, but there's tons of other stuff it could be.

Nancy, I'm glad you like County Fair. It is the most reliable pickler I've ever grown.

I love painting the house. I have repainted the kitchen, laundry room and breakfast room in the last year, and now I'm painting the master bedroom suite. Most of the upstairs has been painted more recently---one guest room about 3 years ago and the hallway and upstairs bathroom last year. Once I get the master bedroom/bathroom done, I'll only have one other bedroom left to paint---and it hasn't been painted in about a decade, so it is time. Our house has had a lot of browns and greens over the last decade and now I'm switching to grays and whites. Everything looks so new and fresh (and brighter) now. I enjoy the process of redecorating a room---you know, after we paint a room, it has to have new drapes or curtains, lamps, throw rugs, etc. but once I get it done, I can be happy with the way a room looks for 10-15 years before I wake up and realize it has looked the same for an awfully long time. Really, the bedroom and bathroom re-do started with a new bedspread I loved that absolutely did not go with the color of the walls or the drapes. So, I bought the bedspread, and now I'm working to change the things in the room to work with it. I was glad to retire the old bedspread! I hope this weekend to have a chance to look at curtains and drapery and see if I can find anything I like that will go with the new paint color, bedspread and lamps.

I often switch to home projects when it gets too hot and too snakey in the summer to spend all my time outdoors. The heat has mostly ended, but the snakey activity has not. Already this morning I've seen a copperhead and a young bull snake, and that was early while it still was very cool. They were out lying on the roadway trying to soak up heat.....it was 58 degrees here this morning, so that's a bit cool for them.

Wow, after all you've been through with the Apple, NOW they pronounce it terminally ill. Why couldn't they have done that a couple of trips back and saved y'all all the trouble and expense of trying to keep it alive?

While it is true that your experience next week won't compare to what folks in Houston and the surrounding areas are going through, that doesn't mean it is not going to be a trying, stressful time. I know you will handle it all and deal with it, and I'm glad you'll have GDW and Titan with you. I think a long road trip is more fun with company....and a dog ensures you stop periodically because, of course, you have to. I happen to love traveling with dogs---they always are so excited when you snap on the leash and they can get out and walk and explore....among other things. You'll get to spend more time with your mom, so that's a blessing too.

Tim has been hyper-busy at work and coming home late after working far too many hours. I'm surprised he is in as good of a mood as he is when he arrives home each day because he is totally exhausted (and rightfully so). We had gassed up the vehicles and filled the gas cans before Harvey arrived, and haven't had any gasoline issues around here....until yesterday. Tim called me from Sanger and said he could't find a single gas station that had any gas available. I told him to skip looking in Gainesville because it was the same thing there and to just come on home to OK and buy gas. Chris told me that a friend of his couldn't find any gas in Denton on Wed. night. So, apparently panic buying is triggering spot gas shortages. Once Tim got to OK, he tried to go to the Chickasaw nation's big gas station/truck stop at Exit 1 by the Winstar Casino. He called me and said the lines were 12 cars deep at the pumps, so he was heading further north. When he got to Thackerville, to the little store/gas station that is the closest thing we have to a convenience store in our area....there was no gasoline there. So, he went further north---all the way into Marietta and found gas there. It still was about the same price as before Harvey, compared to prices in Texas as much as 45-50 cents a gallon higher. He got home about a half-hour later than usual all because of the stupid search for gasoline. So, I'm thinking whatever we do tomorrow, the first thing we do is top off the gas tank just to be safe.

So....if anyone here has thoughts of driving down into Texas over the next few days, be sure you leave Oklahoma with a full tank. They think it is only panic buying causing the disruptions, but people are not likely to dial back on the panic until the long lines at gas stations abate. I heard this morning that since all (or maybe only most) of the refineries in Texas were shut down by Harvey, they now are trucking gas into Texas...which is certainly not normal.

LoneJack, I know you're busy at work and haven't been here all week, but am leaving this message for you in case you pop in this weekend. I hope the trains and employees all are safe and well. I know y'all undoubtedly have big track issues. Just know that you and your company have been on my mind and I hope the flooding impact will be as easy as possible to recover from.

Dawn

Look what sweet little thing popped up in the middle of grass weeds and pepper plants.

They were going crazy in Denton. Filling gas cans and completely depleting gas stations in a frenzy. It's uncalled for but their actions created a problem. My daughter told me one station let you get 6 gallons and that's it. Panic is never good.

It started here yesterday when word spread that Denton and DFW had no gas. People waited in line for ages, apparently. Today, signs were up saying you could only get 10 gallons and no gas cans allowed.

Little Leaf cukes. Happened over the course of about 48 hours. ????

First butternut!

It looks like I didn't post yesterday. Wonder if I wrote something and lost it?

I pulled my LLs yesterday. Rebecca. Pretty much the same thing. At least now I can see the back side of the okra.

Removed the tomatoes coming out of the last tomato bed and tied up the sprawlers that are staying. Working inside today, except I think I might water since the .02 we supposedly got this morning isn't going to cut it. I think we need a deep watering, though the water bill was awfully high this month.

Has anyone else noticed a sudden increase in flies lately?

Dawn, I didn't have cousins close, but my BFF's girls were always with me. I had a minivan, so my 4 and her 2 and off to run errands we went. Frequent trips to the library. I bet they hated to see me coming! My "organization" for today was to pick up the toy room so I could walk through it. Grandson comes Mon, it will be short lived cleanliness. Have to clear the counters and dining table, too.

Nancy, I will be thinking of you while you travel.

I got my Lenovo tablet. So far I love it. It had a set up feature that copied ALL my software and data from the old Nexus. How wonderful was THAT! I have had to log in to some things that I normally wouldn't have to but it made the transition SOO much easier! Now I have to figure out how to turn off the alarms on the old tablet so I don't have 2 going off at once! DH is going to try to learn the other tablets.

Amy, these were just starting to produce, and have a half dozen left that I want to try to get matured. The GL cukes were the same way, so I pulled those, replanted elsewhere, and put sugar snaps in that tub.

Hi everyone! I am here with some questions on Plant ID again.

This plant above has been growing for months. Anyone has any idea what it is? Been waiting for it to bloom. I thought it was from my wildflower seed mix.

Also, the mystery melon/cantaloupe fruit fell. I cut it up. DH said it tastes like a cucumber but sweet. Maybe a Mexican sour gherkin? Hmm I wonder if it's from the previous owner or Baker Creek's lemon cucumber seeds.

Anyway, Amy, yes!! Tons of flies here. I have been swatting them every day. Hope your mom gets an earlier appointment with the specialist. Also, (excuse all the random thoughts) I love Hapa Cuisine! I go there about once a month and their weekday lunch specials are pretty good deals.

Dawn, have you read the book 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up' by Marie Kondo? A lady and the librarian were telling me they liked the book too when they saw me pick it up. I got into quite an organizing mood after reading it some time back.

Nancy, have a safe trip on Sunday. Hope your mom feels better and the waiting list for the nursing home doesn't take too long.

Rebecca, congrats on your tomato! I saw pesky squirrels on Monday when I was at an estate sale in midtown Tulsa and I thought about you. Hope the unidentified green insect that stings you is gone from your place! The mosquito bites that I am getting every day is bad enough.

Eileen, could it be a cross of a melon and cucumber? Or is that impossible?

Kim, I love sweet little flower surprises like that.

Rebecca, congrats on your first butternut.

Thinking of you, Nancy.

Dawn, I enjoy painting too. It's relaxing. A fresh coat of paint makes such a difference in the feel of a room. I, too, bought a new bedspread/quilt about 3 months ago, and now need to change everything else. lol. We haven't really decorated our bedroom since moving here. It's just stuff we had at the other house.Our bedrooms and bathrooms remodels will have to wait a long while. The remodel of the front part of the house was more costly than we thought it would be.

Congrats on your new tablet, Amy.

Did anyone get rain last night? We got the smallest amount ever--not enough to register in the gauge. The garden needs to be watered so badly. I had to run errands today and am disappointed as I really wanted to stay home. We got stuck in the OU traffic after the game on the way to Atwoods.

Peppers, tomatoes, okra, purple hulls, and a volunteer green bean plant are all producing beautifully. Just recently the strawberries started making blooms again. I picked a handful tonight. I sure hope the crane melons have time to ripen before a freeze. The fruit is still very small--barely fruit. No fruit on the Seminoles yet. Weird.

I did move Stella and Peggy to the new coop. The babies have outgrown Stella and when I placed her in the pen, Lulu tried to boss her. Once Peggy came over, Lulu settled down. Peggy is a huge chicken. I feel bad for my four older hens. They are so confused. The little ones (they're not little any longer) put themselves to bed, but Peggy and Stella were so confused and still in the pen. I picked them up and carried them to the roost. And Ida and Marjorie are wondering where their sisters are. It's sorta sad.

Feels like a year has passed since yesterday! The new laptop came today and I've spent most of the day fooling around with it, so I'm in a fog.

And the SESE seeds came, which was very cool; nothing too exciting except the roselle! Some flowers, including more nasturtiums, datura and moonflower vine. Detroit dark red beets, and dill and cilantro and fennel.

Well, our plans totally changed. . . social worker called me Friday and said they weren't going to transfer Mom until a week from Tuesday. Since I want to be there when she's actually transferred (from the hospital to the nursing home), we won't need to leave until next weekend. That's fine with me, but GDW got a little antsy about it all. He was all set to leave. Tomorrow. But that would have meant a week and a half or 2 of being away, plus an extra several days of paying for a motel. I wasn't at all keen on that idea.

I cleaned house like crazy yesterday, and hope to continue that on Monday, get the yard worked on next week before we go.

I see HJ has posted as I'm typing. . . And me, I'm still defogging so think I'll see what else is going on in the world today!

GDW and I were out on the deck visiting. I'm growing these sweet potatoes, and they are looking GOOD. He tore out the cukes today (without even consulting me. . . he is doing good!) We canned 40 pints of tomatoes, and so far, 30 pints of various pickles. I served a roast pork loin roast with our baked potatoes and our cucumber salad that included our onions to one of our daughters and her soon-to-be-hubby last night. This was a kind of puny production, but I have to remind myself that it was our first REAL garden down here. GDW is on fire with gardening, and I can't envision a more delightful dream. And I can scarcely believe it, but he is. I never in a billion years would have thought he would have become interested in gardening. I may have created a monster. And I'm tickled pink about it. Life could not be better.

And even more amazing is that he loves certain of the flowers, and wondered about where we could grow more brugmansia and daturas and tithonias. . . . LOL am having the time of my life.

I'm so relaxed about our trip next week.. . no big deal, just being with Mom and getting her moved and comfortable, a little hard labor getting her furniture moved and/or stored. But it will be good. A lot of the relief is having Mr. Titan going with us.

Regarding the medicinal herbs post, am right there with you all. . . . many thoughts in that vein, but preoccupied.

My prayers are with the folks who've been so devastated with Harvey.

Kim, That's a nice little lantana. I'm assuming the birds planted it for you. They planted a Texas lantana (I did have one in a slightly different location the year before) in the back garden for me a couple of years ago and it is still there.

Yes, the more local news coverage there was, the more the gasoline panic spread in the Thursday-Friday time frame. I don't think it was as bad yesterday. We found gas at the first place we stopped in Gainesville yesterday, but there still is a noticeable price increase on the Texas side of the river.

Michelle, A part of me says "good for them for trying to stop the panic buying and the gas shortages it creates" but then, the gardener in me wonders how people can maintain their landscapes and gardens if they cannot fill up a can of gas and take it home to fuel lawn mowers, string trimmers, cultivators or rototillers, etc. That would be really frustrating if you need to mow and cannot buy gas. Hopefully this little gas panic will stop and life will get back to normal. Aren't we the lucky ones though? If a temporary gas shortage is all we have to deal with, then we are one million percent better off than all those folks affected along the TX and LA Gulf coasts. Seeing the videos of everyone putting literally everything they own out on the curb for trash pickup is just so sad. The idea of starting over with nothing is daunting, especially for those who did not carry flood insurance.

Rebecca, At the very least it is something fungal because I can see some sporulation on some of the leaves. I still think it most likely is bacterial wilt as the main issue and a fungal disease capitalizing on that. Remove the dead plants before it can spread to other cucurbits. Bacterial wilt can kill plants overnight.

Nice little butternut. I planted mine early and they are about done now, but have produced well despite all the crazy weather.

Amy, It is hard to keep anything cleaned up enough with a little one around. Toys have a way of sprouting legs and walking all over the house....perhaps with a little help from a child. I don't miss those days of stepping on legos, Hot Wheels or Barbie doll shoes with bare feet.

It sounds like you made some progress cleaning up the garden. I haven't stepped foot in mine lately, but I'm thinking about mid-weed when the highs are in the low 80s instead of the low 90s that I'll brave the snakes and go in there. Hopefully with cooler nights the snakes will stop being quite so active. It is supposedly to be hot today, so I plan to work on stuff indoors.

Eileen, I'm not sure about the plant in your first photo, but it does look familiar (and not in a bad 'that's a weed' way), so I'd leave it alone and see what it does. If it is something perennial, they often don't bloom their first year, so you might not get flowers for ID purposes until next year. In your second photo, that's not a pepper and looks like a weed to me. Your third photo looks like a cucumber cross---possibly lemon cucumber with some other form of cucumber. If it were a pure lemon cucumber, it would of course, be yellow. Whatever it is, the number and size of the seeds indicate it should have been harvested earlier and smaller for best quality, so maybe it is a gherkin that's overly mature. I don't grow gherkins so cannot tell you what happens with them if they get too big but most cukes get seedier as they become more and more mature and eventually turn yellow.

Flies have been the worst this summer that I've ever seen them---dating back to late spring. They aren't as bad now, but we've dried out quite a bit and that might be why. Mosquitoes continue to be awful.

I haven't read that book and I don't want to read it. I'm afraid it would send me off on a cleaning out/throwing out binge even worse than the one I've been on lately, and then there would be nothing left in our closets and drawers. I remember when we bought our first home and moved into it only a few months after we got married, and it was so easy because we hadn't accumulated an excessive amount of junk. Then, when we moved here in 1999, we have roughly 16 years worth of accumulated stuff to sort through as we packed to move, deciding what to throw away or give away and what to pack up and move. We've been here for 18 years now and I cannot believe how much stuff we've accumulated again. I've been making a really good dent in it though, and feel increasingly happy and well-organized. I don't want to take it to an extreme though, because if I get rid of too much of our accumulated stuff, Tim will feel a need to buy more junk to fill up recently organized drawers and closets. To me, it is amazing how much 'lighter' I feel without so much stuff cluttering up everything. Without even reading Marie Kondo's book, I grasp the concept.

Jennifer, It will be a while before we do the major bathroom remodels I want to do, but this weekend the master bathroom is getting a new floor that will keep me happy until we can do the big remodel in a few years. We took up the old floor and did all the prep work yesterday and will put down the floor today. It is freaking out Pumpkin (the cat) because he doesn't like it when we change anything. He looks up at us with the most quizzical look on his face, and I can imagine him asking us "whate ARE you doing to my house?" Painting a room is such a slippery slope because if you change colors widely enough, then there has to be a corresponding change in other decor items. I like it though. Freshening up a room with paint can make a room feel almost brand new. With new paint on the walls, the newish bedspread, and now new flooring in the bathroom, all I really need is new drapery and a couple of little throw rugs to go on either side of the bed, and it will feel like an entirely different room. Just looking at something as simple as the new lamps in the master bedroom makes me happy. I was so tired of the old ones after looking at them for the last 13 years. (With cats, it is a miracle two lamps survived 13 years!)

We didn't get any rain again and don't have any coming in the foreseeable future. We're getting dry again. I hope this September isn't like last September when the rain just dried up. The garden still looks good though. The moonflower vines are blooming with tons of big white flowers at night, and as they are closing up in the early morning hours, the morning glories take over and show off their loveliness. The four o'clocks probably are at peak bloom now, and most of the rest of the flowers in the garden are doing just fine, as are the remaining veggies. Some rain would be nice, but I'm not going to worry or fret about it. Not yet at least. I also am postponing watering to see how long I can get away with not watering.

The chickens should merge together just fine. Our little ones I released a couple of days now are fuly intergrated with the flock, at least when their mother hens let them go outside. There's no battles inside the coop either. It went amazingly well. The little ones are not rocket scientists though. They will do silly things like put themselves in the corner of the fenced chicken run, which has an open door all day, and run up and down one fenceline unable to find the open door on the adjacent fencing and go out. You have to go outside and herd them towards the door and freedom. I am sure they'll learn quickly though.

Nancy, Well at least they called before y'all were already on the road---that would have be so very frustrating. You'll be able to get a lot more done and organized before you leave now. That's probably a good thing, right?

I think it is marvelous that GDW has become a gardener. I think that gardening is such a wonderful way for y'all to spend time together.

I feel for people in the hurricane-affected areas, but watching all the rescues and extreme life-saving methods employed not only by first responders, but by citizens from every walk of life over the last week or so has been so touching. It just reminds me of the inherent goodness found in people when I see everyone come together to assist in every way possible. On Friday night they were airlifting medically fragile folks into D-FW Airport late at night so they could be transferred either to shelters that could meet their needs or to medical facilities or nursing homes.....and the attention to detail on the part of the police officers was astonishing to me. They spent hours planning and preparing for the arrival and, long after Tim arrived home, were in constant communication with him on their plans. There was so much thought and attention to detail put into the whole process---even after the buses were going to leave the airport, the airport police were going to escort them to ensure that none of the buses in the caravan got separated from the others and got lost---because they wanted to be sure the passengers arrived at their next destination as quickly as possible. All that's going on down there and even in other parts of Texas where evacuees are in shelters reminds me that there's more that connects us than the superficial things that sometimes separate us.

Now, with hurricane Irma coming across the Atlantic, some other areas are at risk. I'd like to believe Harvey was the hurricane season's last hurrah, but we aren't even at the peak of the hurricane season yet, so I know more trouble lies ahead. Hopefully Irma will not turn into a Harvey-type monster.

Dawn

Nancy, GDW just wants to hear the book you teased him with, LOL. Sounds like you might even get him to water.

Y'all, I bought the lamp next to my chair when I was SINGLE more than 41 years ago. It has a new shade, but I still love it. I am not one to rearrange furniture or make many changes. We painted the bathroom 10 years ago and I have always hated it, but not enough to change it or deal with DH over changing it. I like warm colors. Peach, warm beige, Santa Fe colors. DH does not. We have only bought blue furniture for 40 years because it's the only color we can agree on. I guess it's a good thing I'm not driven to change things or there would have been more conflict through the years.

I cannot do the concept in the decluttering book. I know that as soon as I get rid of something, I will need it. Or a kid will need it. And if I paid good money for it I MUST use it till it dies. I never made any money on garage sales, so that doesn't inspire me. Throwing away what I don't love would be everything (except the lamp), ha ha ha. Maybe that is why I garden. I don't love the house, but I love the garden.

The heroic rescues taking place after Harvey are inspiring. One on FB got to me, an old woman in a wheelchair on a boat and the guy driving the boat is holding her hand. And Dawn, little is said about the people taking in those who've evacuated. How wonderful the DFW LEOs are to be so meticulous.

I thought about gas for lawn mowers, too.

Eileen, do you go to Hapa in Owasso? I don't do sushi. But they have several other options. Maybe we can meet sometime.

My plan is to go to Bartlesville tonight. I didn't water yesterday. Still have to finish cleaning. Time to get busy.

I have been in a funk a long time. Trying to keep this garden producing an income with no help has been a lot harder than I thought. I have 2 months left and then ? We will see.

T d a contacted me and said off the record get copy of report and file with pilot named. I said I already did. He said. No pilot will make a payment until they are named. So I will try again. Then the attorney still wants to sue if he doesn't pay. She thinks that's the way to get them to quit being irresponsible.

Nancy I am so happy your husband is loving gardening and so helpful. What a major blessing. You will enjoy your roselle next year. The plant itself is so pretty. Mine has not bloomed yet but I gave it shot of bunny poo awhile back and cleaned around it so it could get full sun. It has doubled in size since then.

2 years ago I found the most effective way to declutter and purge. Move 100 miles away, using a truck that won't hold all your belongings. Make sure your husband asks "which of these 3 items can we leave behind?" just when you're distracted and stressed to the max. I tossed so much, and this was after 2 yard sales and 3 van loads to the thrift store. I regret leaving some stuff behind, but it couldn't be helped. It did force me to decide "which do I value more?"

I met someone on the facebook group who had lots of palms to give away (plus "a bunch of other stuff). Went over today and the place is amazing. He offered to let me come back and take whatever I wanted, his health isn't the best so for my helping clean I can take it all anddo whatever I want with it all. So now to wait until later when things are starting to die off. And to figure out what can go where. Did I mention the place is unbelievable?

And I think I identified my mystery vine. The fruit forming is squishy, not hard like cucumbers or squash, and looking at the leaves it appears to be a loofa. So as long as I keep them alive, I'll get 2 or 3 loofas this year.

Yay! I want to try loofas someday!

Not much to report here after an extremely, hectic and busy week. Had some radishes yesterday from the farmers' market. Yummy yummy in my tummy.

Harvey was horrible. Sadly I haven't been catching up on the news lately, as it seems it's all political, so I'm not quite sure where Irma is at, though my neighbor told me it was a category 4? I'll go do some looking around.

I'd like to grow some loofas, too.

HJ, you're making me dizzy trying to remember chicken names! I love that you love your girls, though. Makes me laugh and wishing I had some.

Jen, you SCORED! That is so fun that you connected with this FB guy and you get plants! That's always like Christmas, isn't it? Very cool. One of the things I like best about gardening is loving to send folks away with cuttings or veggies. And I'm sure the rest of you are the same way. Sent about 8 good-sized cukes with one of our daughters and her SO Friday; they were back today and said they loved 'em. They did turn out beautifully, and even when some of them got too big, they still have a nice sweet flavor. And, of course, I can't remember at the moment which ones they were. Straight eights, I think, but will have to backtrack and see. And like I said, the County Fairs were perfect.

Yes, Dawn, having this week to clean and organize is nothing but good. I love to leave a clean and organized home, so when one gets back, there's nothing too much to do except revel in being home again. I got that lesson, actually, from my dear DIL in Minneapolis, about 20 years ago. She'd go on a power-cleaning frenzy every time they prepared for a trip. . . and it's a great idea.

Kim, so you're NOT Superwoman! I tell you, what you bit off was more than I'd have ever attempted, and so whether it works or not, you ARE a hero to me. You just absolutely amaze me. And plus, you're just a great person! When you're in a funk, you DESERVE to be. THAT is one tough row you're hoeing. Though I know all of your friends wish you the best and are rooting for you, you've tackled what looks to me to be a nearly undoable job by just yourself. Hmmmm. . . . have you ever thought of forming a kind of co-op? Or being part of an existing one? I know this groups has talked about how lovely it would be if we all lived near one another, and boy, would it ever be! Oh well, I'm just thinking about you and sending all my best thoughts your way. And yes, the roselle. . . . from all of you all's comments (Amy), I knew I had to try roselle. I'm excited.

Dawn, I'm more like Amy, in terms of updating rooms. I'm a laughable case in that regard. When I first got down here, I painted things lighter right away, but that was a function thing, more than anything else, Amy, I'm laughing, thinking the furniture that's in here now will probably be the only stuff we have for the rest of our lives. I frankly just truly don't pay attention. Fairly oblivious to what's around. Now plants? Paintings and wall pictures? That's a whole different story. Spice storage, now that is HUGE. LOLOL Isn't it funny the little things we all key into?

Speaking of updating rooms and colors in that vein. . . . Dawn, you mention of gray pleased me. . . . I'm not sure I could have the gumption to do just gray, but the favorite all-time room color I had was in my condo in Mpls just before I moved down here. Our son up there had just remodeled it, and it was a medium light blue/gray. At certain times during the day, one thought it blue, at other times, gray--it was enchanting. I'd never been a blue room fan until then. And now I actually painted our master bedroom two different shades of blue--one wall, light light blue, the other wall a value darker, and I love it. All the other rooms are a light or medium warm green. That is, what few walls there are that aren't logs!

Laughed at your comment about the book, Amy. I bet you're right. In fact, I brought it up to GDW today, and he got a laugh, too, and said, "Well, that might be part of it."

We are planning to get out on the lake this week and spend a great day fishing, when the weather breaks and gets a little decent again this week. Then, just weeding, cleaning and doing what we do best--sitting out on the deck talking about all the work we have to do and killing pesky flies. We each have our very own flyswatter, and we don't mind the flies--keeps us busy, fly warfare. Most of the time we emerge victorious.

Thanks Dawn. Will pluck out that weed! Yeah mosquitoes are awful here. I am bitten every time I'm out in the garden no matter how much bug spray I put.

Wow Jen, it must be nice to help him clear some of his gardening stuff. I'm sure he will appreciate that you will take good care of whatever plants you take.

Amy, yes I go to Hapa in Owasso. I'm Asian and lived in Asia for the most part of my life, so I crave Japanese food quite often and love sushi. It's not easy to find authentic Japanese food around here. DH & I always talk to the owner of Hapa about Japanese food/restaurants. It will be awesome if we can meet sometime! You know.. my dishwasher stop working! Hopefully there's a good Labor Day sale for me to get one. Mine (Frigidaire Gallery) seems to have a design flaw that causes the control panel to spoil, so we won't be attempting to fix it.

Nancy, I think I know the blue/grey wall color you are talking about! We saw a few houses that painted their walls that color that when we were house hunting last year. Also, I'm jealous that GDW is into gardening! I don't know if I can convert DH. I can't complain though. He and my FIL are always willing to help me with the bigger gardening projects if I ask. I'll be going to Fort Gibson lake with my friends in the morning. Hopefully it is not too crowded since it's Labor Day!

Eileen, have fun tomorrow! I'm sorry we'll miss you, although if you launch at Rocky Point, I could run up and say hi. . . . We're waiting until it cools down by Wednesday to go out. . .

Nancy, if you want to pop by Rocky Point, you can! I will be more than happy to see you. Will be there from 10am for a few hours. If not, there's always another time too. I should add y'all on Facebook. So far, I think I've seen you & Dawn post on Oklahoma Gardening Network.

(Yes, I am still awake at such an odd hour. My sleep schedule is all messed up because of the change in DH's work schedule. He was moved to afternoon shift for his job two weeks ago, and we are still trying to figure out a good sleep schedule although his work schedule may change again. I wish his work would stop making so many changes in a small period of time but this is just how the 24/7 IT support industry functions.)

Dawn, thanks for the info on the bacterial wilt. The LL cukes were just starting to get really going. I'll yank them. Is bacterial wilt soil or air borne? Any problem replanting in that pot? I'm going to solarize everything this winter anyway.

Staying in today. Can't face more heat. Got out to the grocery store early, now to handle fun stuff like laundry, cleaning, and cooking. 3 dark bananas need to become bread today.

One of our dogs got bit at the dog park last week, so he's confined to the inside until we can get him healed. Which means his brothers are confined. Ever try to keep a houseful of toddlers under house arrest? Our boys are worse. So since they can't be outside, I can't be out either. I went for about 20 min today to water and check things, and they were not happy. But the garden seems to be thriving on benign neglect. Grass and weed are taking over in some areas, so I'll have my work cut out for me later.

Oh dear, Eileen, I just bought a Gallery dishwasher this past February.

Ok, I will be buying an inexpensive dishwasher soon, so if you all have others to avoid, let me know! My mom has a Whirlpool that is very quiet. This Amana that I have has blown the computer twice. My first dishwasher was an ancient Amana portable. They used to be good, but even when this one runs it doesn't get my coffee cups clean.

Eileen, let me know next time you come to Owasso. I like Hapa and the people there are very nice. My son is a vampire, overnight IT.

Jen, I can so relate to 3 dogs in the house. My daughter has 3 and today she has our puppy over there to wear them all out. Her biggest is 65 pounds and a year old, next is 50 pounds and 9 mos, and a not very well socialized foster who is probably 40 pounds and mine who I expect is 40 pounds. Mine has NO FEAR. Her two dogs knocked my husband down earlier in the year. I know there is plenty of running and jumping going on right now.

DH cleaned the patio off so we could eat out there, but dang it's been hot. Not sure I want to eat outside.

Kim, I'm so sorry you're still fighting that mess!!!

Nancy, I know it's nice to come home to a clean house, but somehow I always destroy mine prepping for a trip. Let's face it, my house is always destroyed. Except today. I have both a counter and a dining room table. And the floor has been vacuumed.

I did go to Bartlesville yesterday. Passed a horrific wreck at Ochelata. My mom is doing OK. She won't stay sitting. She is sooo OCD. Moving the pepperoni and olives around on a frozen pizza. She needs a new cutting board and a timer that works. Their 66th anniversary is Friday and I have to go back for a funeral that day.

My kids are coming for a cook out tonight. Guess I'll go put on clean clothes.

It was hot on our deck this evening, too, Amy. It's nice now, tho, with a fan going. In fact, I'd been inside reading all evening and just now came out. Our dishwasher is a Frigidaire and it's also quiet. We only run it once every 3-4 days, so maybe it'll last a while! I wash pots and pans and put in the drainer, sometimes meal prep dishes, same. Truthfully, though, it's the one modern convenience I'd be okay without. In fact, in the last 33 years, I've only had a dishwasher 8 of those years.

I'm not a great housekeeper--those gets plenty dirty, we just don't mess it up much; well, except my "art" room, so it is easy to figure out which one of us can be a mess. And it's not Garry. But I've been doing deep-cleaning sorts of things, and that feels good. And the art room looks awesome right now since my organizing binge. (Key words="right now.")

My four o'clocks have rebounded, for the third time after being wacked back twice. Same with nicotiana; lantana have gotten pretty big; I hope these hardier ones will overwinter; we'll see. I have new zinnias beginning to bloom; and I wanted to plant some nasturtiums; I did last year about now, and they did awesome, unlike the ones planted in the spring. But I'll have to wait until we get back from Wyoming to put more beets, cilantro, dill and nasturtiums in. The new batch of potatoes we planted around Aug 1 are doing well; I hope we get more this fall. The peppers, all, while not going gangbusters, are steadily producing and looking good.

I have a question(s) for you all. I know we talked about roselle, but can't find the thread. Can I grow it in part (hot in the summer) sun? And daturas? And brugmansias? Well, the daturas and the brug are actually part sun where they are, getting about 4 hours of full sun per day; they seem to be doing fine, so . . . . I was thinking about where I'd put them all next year, since it sounds like they're all BIG. :) (I know the daturas and brugs are!) And do the roselle re-seed? I'm thinking yes.

It was hot today, but supposed to cool off by Wednesday. We haven't had rain since the first week of August, so I do hope for rain tomorrow. Still worried about south TX, and now Irma. . .

Well thank the Lord I got an ac. Mine went out 9 days ago and I think the heat in here was making me crazy. It was 90 in my bedroom until about 1 every night. Sickening. Tonight I may need a blanket. Gardening. ...can't do any when I am sick

Irma looks like she could be a monster hurricane!

I have been reading Mulberryknob's "Keep Your Fingers in the Dirt" the past two days. So Oklahoma, Dorothy! What a great book to read. What a great gift in terms of books to have, and books to have about life in rural Oklahoma. Great writing, so concise and focused.

I found it doing a search last year on Oklhoma gardening books, found George's review and all your comments. Intended to order it and finally did, last week.

Kim, amen, thank God you got an AC! Bless your heart! No, can't do gardening when one is sick. Godspeed, feel better soon.