What's your current challenge? A dish to stretch your skills?
plllog
4 years ago
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sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
4 years agoamylou321
4 years agoRelated Discussions
What do you modify in your garden to continue your garden passion
Comments (43)Kim said... >My original obsession was outrageously out of hand and I loved it. [...] I'm keeping to the level area as much as possible. Weeding that slope is offensive enough without having to traipse up and down, sliding on every other step, to maintain anything down there. I know I will resent the ones which go on the slope and will eventually allow them to go the way of the Dodo, so I'm choosing to rid myself of them, instead. That's a LOT of roses, quite a few of which are seedlings either generated through my obsession or those shared with me by other "obsessives", but that is what it is going to take to keep this "fun", doable and prevent the water requirements from eating me out of house, home and desire. Weeding through them to maintain those which are just happier to be here with me and those which are endangered, has been a real chore. Now, if there was a ton of level land with high ground water. Hi Kim, Back in the Dark Ages we lived in California in just the sort of spot you are conjuring up as a high ground water fix. But native trees really like spots like that too... and our house had lots of shade, too much shade for most roses. Still, we wouldn't have dreamed of cutting down a tree. We didn't own the house, we like trees, and anyway, removing a tree was illegal without a good reason for a permit where we lived (a Monarch Butterfly preserve). Anyway, we were relative youngsters at the time and didn't know just how wet that property was until our vegetable garden was swimming in water during the winter months. It was fine, fine black silty sand that held on to the water pretty well too. Your post made me think about what we'd do if confronted with your lack of water problems back in California again. What you're doing makes a lot of sense. But I also am wondering whether a bank full of Renaes rambling around might not survive and also keep the weeds down once they proliferated and established themselves? They might take over the other remaining roses, but if you weren't still trying hard to keep those... A bunch of Renaes might not require so much watering once established? I don't think a big crowd of them would look bad at all, depending on personal tastes, of course. In fact, I prefer that kind of look. We've done that crowded thing in a pretty good sized area with azaleas and rhododendrons here; they all grow together and if there's a weed under there somewhere, well, you can't easily penetrate to find or see it. Once in awhile there's a tree sneaking in that will have to be pulled up, but basically it's too shady under all the plant thickness for most weeds to grow. And I adore the looks of those crowded plants! No, we don't have big problems with fungal diseases, even with the crowd. Maybe fewer than average problems, though phytopthera wilt sometimes does require some cutting back of rhododendron limbs. You know a big problem with azaleas and rhododendrons is that they aren't drought tolerant. Well, we have lost huge numbers since our drought problems began big time here around 2001. It's been wonderfully rainy most of the time during the last couple of years, but the next drought period is probably just around the corner... and if we lose some more azaleas and rhododendrons then, well, I'm thinking of trying to establish some Renaes and Annie Laurie McDowells in their place in the relatively sunnier spots... along with some more camellias, which are drought tolerant after the first year. (Though blooming is less than ideal if August and September are dry.) We lost our Annie Laurie McDowell to Rose Rosette Disease last year, but I am figuring that if it's anything like our Renae here, well, it's as no-care, no-worry a plant as any other plant of any kind we've ever had in our yard. Not a touch of blackspot or any other disease here thus far (though that may well change just a bit as we get more shade as the sun angle changes during the fall). Anyway, I'm hoping for another Annie Laurie McDowell eventually too. Ours is a no-spray all-organic yard for everything we grow and Renae fits well into that way of doing things. I think Annie Laurie McDowell will too. I know it hurts to cut back some on what you are able to continue doing, Kim. But I keep thinking mostly about your achievements and how much you have helped so many others in what you have already contributed. Thank you! Best wishes, Mary...See MoreWhy did you initially view your current house?
Comments (46)We wanted to move from the family home to one with an HOA and some maintenance provided. Kids are about finished with schooling, and we were in an older home with detached garage, large trees, and with lots of upkeep. But we are decades away from retiring. My in laws had moved the year before to a place that was all retirees, and not a walkable neighborhood. Other than that we liked their floor plan and overall home size a lot. So I had a list in my phone of new house requirements. Walkable neighborhood, outdoor patio space large enough for at least 10 people, attached garage, main level living, and lock and leave maintenance. Space to get by yourself in the house, and good natural light. We had looked at some houses that were close to our in law's subdivision, but didn't meet all the requirements. But this gave us an idea of prices and the amount of updating that would be needed if we bought something 20-30 years old. Some friends got married and moved their combined family to a home a few miles away that was new construction and maintenance provided. This showed us what that would be like and how much that would cost. So we know what the in law's 20-30 year old home prices were, and the new construction prices. Then we found the neighborhood we are in. Very close to the in laws. 20-30 year old homes, but a shady beautiful walkable neighborhood. Our house was a total re-do. Needed new paint, flooring, HVAC, and kitchen updates. But we knew that would still be far less than the new construction area. We never would have looked at it based on the listing pictures unless we had already done this market research and figured out what we wanted. The listing and the home in the condition we purchased were full of clutter and outdated everything. Fortunately we could see beyond that, and knew that it would be worth the additional expense to do the fix ups it needed right away. So we initially viewed it due to its location, size, price, and layout....See MoreFun thread: What is your current kitchen related obsession?
Comments (74)Mine longtime kitchen obsession has been vintage cookware from the 50s or older. I have a lot of Guardian Service cookware. I love that the stuff is practically bombproof. At the thrift store the other day I found an ancient but still perfectly workable Presto 4 qt pressure cooker. The hammered texture on the lid caught my eye. It has beautiful wood handles too. I love that I can still get gaskets and overpressure plugs for it which I did because while the ones it had were serviceable they looked a little old. I also found a manual for it. Using some common sense and some internet research, it's incredibly easy to use. Since then I have experimented with making a few dishes in it. French onion soup is awesome in it and beans come out creamy textured. Presoaking gets better results though if in a hurry I can start from dry. Seasonings get right into the beans instead of staying in the broth. I am looking for a big oldie so i can use it at the next chili cook-off!...See MoreWhat's it say about your decorating skills and choices...
Comments (69)Lynxe, I believe they are talking about Christopher Lowell. He was just wonderful with his 'You can do it' attitude. He had a '7 layers of design' that he taught. Layer # 1 is paint and architectural embellishments: Paint is the cheapest way to add warmth to your room. Oh yeah, don't forget to paint those ceilings. Architectural embellishments are moldings and other architectural items. I like to add these elements not only because they add value to homes, but also charm and substance. Layer #2 is installed flooring: This is wall-to-wall installation, not area rugs which come later. Layer #3 is high-ticket upholstery items: These are basically any oversized fabric covered piece. Here is a quick tip to remember when purchasing your items. Remember to focus on solid and textured fabrics rather than patterns. Locking yourself into a pattern can be a costly investment, which won't have any return. Layer # 4 is accent: This is where you can have fun with accent fabrics for pillows, curtains, runners and yes, area rugs. These are the easier pieces to change from season to season or when updating is needed. Layer #5 is non-upholstered furniture (or the workhorses): Without these workhorses of the room, like coffee, end and side tables, a room simply doesn't work. Layer #6 is accessories: This is my favorite part. This is where you can inject personal items like photos, books and other merchandise. Layer # 7 is plants and lighting: Shadow is important to the mood of the room as the light that creates it. Here's a tip, remember, as much lighting should come from the floor as from the ceiling.Plants under lit help make great shadows and add that important living element to the room. Copied from http://www.ivillage.com/christopher-lowells-7-layers-design/7-a-220357...See Morelisaam
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