Just need to talk to my friends (204)

Carl46

Lorita, what is Rusty? A squirrel? One of my aunts kept the squirrels out of her bird feeder by making a squirrel feeder atop a fence post. It was just a big nail driven vertically into the post top with an ear of corn spiked on it. Squirrels love corn, as anyone who has tried to raise corn near the woods knows.

If I get a dog I will get two, so they aren't lonely when I go somewhere without them. I used to work with a woman who shut her dog in a windowless bathroom all day while she was at work. I wouldn't have a dog if I couldn't do better than that.

My son loves dogs. He shared a beagle named Walter when he lived in an RCF that had been built as a hospital about 1890. They had to dig up the sewer line for repairs, and the reburied dirt was odorous. Walter had the most fun sniffing that dirt! It held odors that had been buried for decades. I guess if you are a connoisseur of odors, as beagles are, an old sewer line is about as good as it gets.

Elephants are quite intelligent and probably good company, but I don't think my yard is large enough for a pair of them. (I'm kidding, Iris, I know what you mean.)

A vet is a good idea. Also, a woman with whom I worked before I retired is involved with rehoming dogs. Her mother, who lives next door to her, spends much of her time on it and typically has a half dozen foster dogs.

Lorita

Carl, Rusty is a squirrel. From time to time there might be two and one time I saw three but mostly just Rusty- a red squirrel. One time I saw him hanging onto a bird feeder with his back feet. He would raise up and get a sunflower seed out of the birdfeeder, then go back down, then up. We have never had squirrels before so guess that's why I am so intrigued with him.

Iris, I saw one of the elephants they are going to move to Tulsa. Bobby, I think they called him. They will love having more space. A few days ago the news showed a surprise baby giraffe that no one expected.I think that was in Tulsa but not sure. The baby was 6 ft. Tall and weighed 120.

Caro Lynn, We've had caladiums for many years. Judith told me about Florida Boys and I have ordered from them twice. They are beautiful. Lastly year I bought bulbs from WM. They were pretty but as much as the others. I have two metals pots inside the yard fence where I have them and a blue mineral tub outside the yard fence. I think I read they are toxic. But the dogs have never bothered them. One year the cows ate the ones outside the yard with no ill effects I noticed . They came back and were prettier and more lush than ever. I plant the bulbs when the ground has warned up some. No maintenance required except watering. They do die after frost but Judith dug hers one year to keep over..

Awful, tragic thing happened early this morning near Pryor in NE Okla.. A young msn hit a deer with his car. He called his patents and they came to help. Another car hit his car and pinned the boy's dad and killed him. The car did stay til Troopers came. That young man will never forgive himself for calling his dad to come. The boy was injured but his mother was uninjured. Bad things happen when we least expect it.

Carl46

You are right, Lorita. We never know when we walk out the door if we are coming back. The young man shouldn't blame himself, but it's hard not to.

jfkoc

I would never consider a cat. They do not go for a walk with you…they do not go for a ride in the car…they do not fetch anything ..they get up on counters…they destroy plants and flowers in the house etc, etc etc (so said the king of Siam).

We only ever had one small dog…decided it was a cute pet but not exactly a dog…lol We usually had two dogs at a time. Not certain that they had much to do with each other.

White Christmas caladium is the one I always get. You can dig up and winter over if you are clever. Planted the next year they will likely be larger.

Florida Boys is a family operation and enjoyable to work with.

Carl46

I've never raised caladiums or gladiolis, but I understand they can't stand midwest winters. You have to dig up the bulbs before it freezes and replant them after Mother's Day, or treat them as annuals and plant new every year. My grandfather mistook Grandma's gladioli bulbs for potatoes and fried them with onions one winter. It was a good dinner but left nothing to plant. The poor man. He farmed all his life, made one mistake, and I'm still talking about it 50 years after his death.

Some plants like caladiums can be grown indoors so you could use them as house plants in winter. I would repot them if I brought them in to keep insect pests out of the house. I repotted a plant to take in one fall and found a whole nest of ants in the pot.

BethL

Good evening friends.

Lorita, sad about the car accident. Such a tragedy. I was also saddened to hear that Todd isn't doing well. I am glad you are helping him to get back on his feet.

Carl, glad you are thinking about a dog…they are good company.

JeriLynn, you are doing great with Speck. I think you are an animal whisperer!

HB, I am happy to hear that your mother is improving and you are having a bit more time to yourself.

Ron, thinking of you and praying you are feeling better physically and emotionally.

Zetta, glad you are enjoying yoga. It can be very relaxing. I take a class at the library twice a week called "Fit for Life." There are 6 different videos that we exercise to. It feels great to do this!

GG, so good that you went to visit your aunt. I'm sure she appreciated seeing the two of you.

CaroLynne, always good to hear from you and I hope you are feeling better as the days go on. Losing a loved one is so hard!

Iris, when will you be going to Kenya? That should be an amazing trip! Will you go on a safari?

I got a redbud seedling, about 2 1/2 ft tall, from the library. They were giving them out for Arbor Day. I planted it today. Hope it does well. It is bare root, and dormant so we'll see what happens. Regarding plants, my aspen and river birches are beginning to leaf out, as is my sugar maple. I have a medium sized weeping willow and hubby and I trimmed it as its low hanging branches made it hard to get under it to mow. Also removed 4 little arborvitae - I don't care for them, they didn't look healthy and I wanted their space to plant something else. I ordered a serviceberry tree and should have it soon. I planted lettuce and spinach seeds recently and they are germinating.

Thinking of you all and reading every day.

Beth

Carl46

Good to hear from you, Beth. You will love that serviceberry. In Missouri and Arkansas, serviceberry blooms when the woods are still dark and the white blooms make a beautiful sight. I didn't know they grew in Iowa but know of no reason they wouldn't.

I think my redbud is dying. The place it's planted is mostly fill, and I think the poor thing is starving. it's too close to the house anyway. I'm going to remove it when things settle down a little and plant some red oaks farther from the house. Red oak grows wild in large numbers in SW MO so they should do well whether I take good care of them or not.

All the talk of exercise makes me think I should get back into water aerobics. It is a great workout and stretch, and my bum foot and knee don't bother me because I'm not putting my weight on them. I used to enjoy aerobic dance, but it's too painful now.

It's nearly ten. I'm going to shower and get some sleep. Sleep tight, friends.

Lorita

Carl, I'm not familiar with Service berries. Don't know if they grow here but should if they grow in Missouri. The only early, white blooming tree that can grow wild or not here is Dogwood. I will look it up. They and Redbud can grow wild in the woods. We have tried both but neither lived here at our home on the hill.

Goodnight everyone. Sleep tight.

Lorita

The blooms are beautiful. How tall do they get?Seems I remember seeing and growing a shrub with blooms like that. The tallest I saw in town was maybe 8-10 ft. Cannot remember the name

Iris L.

Judith, my cat Seven used to play tennis, meaning I could throw a small ball and she could jump up in the air and bat it. She could also fetch a small toy to me when I threw it. But now that she is a senior cat, she doesn't do any of that any more.

Iris