Coffee Lounge Jan 29/08

30 Jan '08 1:25 am

Good morning my friends. Come on in and sit down for a while. We have hot coffee this morning for those who need an eye-opener and plenty of fresh tea for those who like tea in the morning. Fresh crumpets, cinnamon buns and bagels, warm from the oven and if you wait for it to cool, a piping hot apple pie is cooling on the side board. If you would rather there is 9 different kinds of cereal and milk with fresh strawberries to top it off. Take your pick and sit back and relax. Lets have a chat.

My goodness, but there is an awful blizzard outside right now. Wind is howling and the temp dropped to -45C with the wind chill. Good thing I'm all cuddled up in my chair with me dog Storm at my side and Weebles the cat sitting on my shoulder like a good little co-pilot. My Deb is asleep right now dreaming of flowers, no doubt.

It's Jan 29 and we are already excited about our plans for the coming seasons. I tell you, last summer was the summer of the clean-up act and that's all I seemed to do. Our poor yard was in a state as you can imagine. But the up side is we made 3 new flower gardens in the front of the house and we are all ready debating on what to plant in them this year.

I was down in the basement the other day and low and behold, the roses I stored down there last fall are starting to show new growth. Shocked

Yes, it's true! Dancing

I noticed that they were looking a little dry so I took some water down for them, but mom said not to give them too much.

Aside from that, our house plants are all doing fine. My 2 ferns seem to be tolerating the dry heat of the winter. I have them in our big west window and I mist them almost every day. The African violets are still green, but they seem to be dormant for the winter.

We had the most beautiful coleus last summer. Lava Rose was her name. I meant to bring her in but before I could, Jack Frost came and snuffed her out, all except a little snip way down by her roots. I rescued this little snip and planted it in a 6" pot and put her in the south window in the kitchen. She has flourished there and now is quite a big plant.

We had a poke-a-dot plant that got ravaged by Weebles and was rather sad looking with long gangly stems with little greenery left. Mom saved it by clipping it off low and then she re-potted the off cuts. The original plant is making a fine recovery, but only one of the cutting has taken root and is struggling to make a go of it.

I was going to get the greenhouse completely rebuilt last fall, with a new floor to replace the rotting one and other improvements, but the cold came on too fast and I never got it done. So we have determined to use the existing greenhouse for one more year and when the weather is better next August I will do the re and re on it.

So now I have to hustle off to get a flat fixed on our van. (don't you just hate when that happens? d'oh!

)

So there you have it. I've had my say. So now it's your turn to let loose with a good ol' chin-wag and let us know what's going on in your corner of the world.

Christopher

31 Jan '08 2:20 am

My goodness, Christopher! You have certainly set my mouth to watering. Now if only we could really have such a place where we could all meet (think teleportation). I do have my cup of coffee at hand, but none of those tempting treats to go with it.

It's a cold, bright day here today after a rainy and very windy night. The sun is sparkling off all the large puddles lying around, which is a wonderful sight to behold. We are predicted to get more rain tomorrow. The experts are saying we are still in a severe draught situation, but the rain we have gotten over the last weeks has helped a little.

My two male ducks have found a Mallard couple to hang around with, so I am happy for them. I have been putting out ground corn at the pond edges to encourage them to stay around. Of course, I can only do this when the horses are in the barn having their morning and evening feeds because they gobble up the corn as soon as they are released back to the pasture.

Thanks for opening such a pleasant dialogue for us Christopher. I hope all the other Forum friends will stop by to share their news of the day.

31 Jan '08 9:00 am

Thanks for the response, Faith. How terrific it must be to have water fowl hanging around. I know my suggestions of goodies are only for your imagination, but it's fun to even just imagine it. I too hope our friends join in.

Suffering through -50C today.

Christopher

31 Jan '08 12:19 pm

Thanks for the wonderful hospitality,Christopher and Deb-I hope Deb is awake by now.
Nice to see you too Faith,the others will be along soon.
Our earth is so parched-in town there is severe water restrictions.I am careful with the water for my precious plants-they are all winding down now as autumn approaches.There is a delightful and pervading perfume of Pennyroyal in the air.It covers the paddocks near my home.I am surprised the cattle and sheep don't eat it as it is a type of herb,I think.
We are waiting and w a i t i n g for our new grandchild,who is a week overdue.When he comes I will go down to Wellington to help-not interfere,mind,help.
Our grapes are not ripening yet,and we check the clusters daily.We have enjoyed the first tomatoes-they are 'Brandywine'-an old heirloom tomato that I successfully grew from seeds.
I have been busy painting for our town's floral festival-Our town was set up as a Borough 100 years ago this year and we have many types of festivals planned to celebrate-the country music club,yarns in the barns,and what I am especially involved in-the display.I am doing the backdrops for two displays-One is finished-it measures 12 metres x 3 metres -it is of the dairy factory which is the centre of our area.It is said that where I live is the most intensive dairying area in the world.The whole town has some association with the dairy industry.The other one I am doing is of the old picture theatre-the movie playing is Gone with the Wind and I am doing the big staircase and landing for the background.Scarlett and Rhett are being created with flowers and foliage,standing at the bottom of the stairs.
It is great to always have something to look forward to-call it a goal-a vision-a hope.
Thank you Christopher and Debbie-hugs for Storm and Weebles.
Dixie.

31 Jan '08 12:23 pm

Could I please have another helping of apple pie?
dixie

31 Jan '08 5:50 pm

It's true. As something new to try out this winter, I have taken up making apple pies. Never made them before and Mom keeps refusing to make me one! But she did help me with the last one I made and showed me some neat tricks. I just love apple pie! Deb says I'm really good at it, too.

My goodness, Dixie, but you are the painter! I am so curious to see what you've been up to with these giant backdrops. I have been known to paint a backdrop or two myself. I think the last one was for the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies. I'll see if I can find a pic for you. Scarlett and Rhett done in flowers sounds very intriguing. Reminds me of the Rose Bowl parade where everything is made from flowers and other organic matter.

It's warmed up! It's -30 C now! It just about feels like spring! Anxious

Christopher

31 Jan '08 10:32 pm

Good Morning to...me, Chris, with this magnificent text of yours!!!

Look!!! Why don't you start writing in a local Paper or something, to uplift your fellow humans' feelings/spirits/emotions??? We ALL just NEED THIS lovely spirit and heart of yours!!! All over our planet Earth, no matter our colour or Religion, we-humans NEED such wonderful spirits like Christopher's!!!! We DO!!!

And, PLEASE!!! Pity on me!! I am on diet (again), to lose my extra kilos!! Your tea-goodies description is more than ....extra realistic...

And concerning all that plant love-affair of yours/Mom's/Deb's, you remind me of myself, much younger in Greece, when I was non-stop creating new baby-plants from a Mom-plant, either to save its existence, or simply to create one for my pot-garden ( only VERY late I had a little garden in Greece-- in a hired house- just before moving to Belgium, 15 years ago). And I was doing the same , too, saving almost dead plants!!! WHAT an UTMOST joy, to see an almost perished, poor plant, alive again, with tiny green leaves appearing on its - - seemingly-- dead stems!!!! Life!!!Oh, LIFE!!

Well!! THANK YOU, my tender Christopher, for making my day!! And...how I would love to have myself flowery (or kitten-y) dreams , like your beloved Deb, every day/night!!!

Be in....feelings-uplifting touch, please!!!

Coffee Lounge Jan 29/08

Coffee Lounge Jan 29/08

Garden Lounge

Lucky ducks

happy to see you

PS

Oh Yes, the apple pie is especially good

Aw!! Hello, our wonderful Christopher!!!