🍃🔪 Desert Rose trimming and propagation

Looking kind of rough, only seen one flower this year as apposed to several last year. Its either time to repot or maybe give it a trim.

Think I will attempt to trim it, especially the tall branch. By trimming I am hoping it will encourage it to grow a few new branches and kind of fill it in some. It need some new growth regardless.

I will take the cutting/s and attempt to propagate them as new plants as well.

I tied back the branches last year to try and shape it some, so I will release those as well and see if they stay put or just bounce back to where they were.

Wish me luck, I have never trimmed one of these before so hopefully I don't kill it off. 🌺

UPDATE:

Trimmed  off the upper branch from the tall stalk. The caudex was looking sad and somewhat soft in a couple spots which usually indicates the plant is dying off, so I trimmed off the bad/soft spots treated with a fungicide.

Grafted the cutting to see if I could save it and generate some new growth in a different direction. We'll see what happens. I was really hesitant to do any cutting at all, but in order to give it a chance, I figured I better try or loose it anyway.

I will update again if I see any changes over the next week or two.

🌾 Week of Yardwork

 

Been a really hot week and I have managed to get a lot of yardwork completed despite the temps and rain showers everyday.

Everything from Palm Tree trimming to lawn mowing, shrub trimming and even removal of a large unwanted one around the a/c units. Sure took it out of me though, I think I lost about 2-3 lbs. each day in just sweat.

Still have several projects on the back burner and will keep plugging away as time permits.

What your emotions are telling you:

 

What your emotions are telling you:

Bitterness:

Shows you were you need to heal, where you're still holding judgements on others and yourself.

Resentment:

shows you where you're living in the past and not allowing the present to be as it is.

Discomfort:

Shows you that you need to pay attention right now to what is happening, because you're being given the opportunity to change, to do something different than you typically do it.

Anger:

Shows you that you're passionate about, where your boundries are, and what you believe needs to change about the world.

Disappointment:

Shows you that you tried for something, that you did not give in to apathy, that you still care.

Guilt:

Shows you that you're still living life in other people's expectations of what you should do.

Shame:

shows you that you're internalizing other people's beliefs about who you should be 9or whoyou are) and that you need to reconnect with yourself.

Anxiety:

shows you that you need to wake up, right now, and that you need to be present, that you're stuck in the past and living in fear of the future.

Sadness:

Shows you the depth of your feelings, the depth of your care for others and this world.

O'Dark-30

The sights, the smells, the sounds, even the tastes...This is how you wake up on Fathers Day.

PEACE & Quiet..with hot coffee.

👩‍🎓 Our Graduate

 

So proud of this little girl..Ms. Aria, smart as a whip she is..!

🚇 Roomba iRobot.

 We came across this Roomba at Goodwill and took a chance on it. These things sell used on Ebay and other markets for anywhere from $60-900 with most being around the $100-500 mark. We got this one for $10.00 thinking it probably doesn't work, but they assured us that it did in fact run and if not we could return it.. So we brought it home, and tried it out.. Surprisingly it did power up and would run for about three minutes and then require another charge. Well that doesn't do me any good.. so it sat in the corner on the charging stand for a few days and again would only run for 3 minutes before quitting.

We bought a replacement battery, @ $20.00 which came with additional cleaning brushes, etc., charged it for only a couple hours and programmed it to start cleaning at 6 PM. Well low and behold it fired itself up and began mapping our floors and ran fine for over an hour, even returned itself to the docking station as it should. Finally a win...lol. Have been seeing a lot of these being sold for around 10.00 and even some giving them away..I wonder if they ever though about getting a new battery before giving up on them. I could make a small profit refurbishing them considering what they cost now-a-days.

I like this model as it is completely programable for days, times, etc. for when you want it to run and the fact that when its done, it automatically returns to the docking station and recharges itself.. Win-Win!

Thankful decision..

 

Last year as some may remember I almost through away a single potted plant that looked like it had seen its last days, But having considered it I decided to keep and nurse it back as best I could. Well I am thankful I did not.. It has now been one year and the plant is thriving again and has produced many off spring already and they too are flowering on a regular basis.1 has now turned into 7 individual plants. Hopefully I can keep the line going and produce another 6 or 7 in the next year.

👓 New Eyeballs..

 

 New eyeballs arrived today. Taking a bit to get use to as they are transition/progressives with three different zones for visibility. Still adjusting to the middle zone as its occasionally blurry until the eyes adjust. But the lower zone is spot on and I can actually read small print with perfect clarity. I have really bad near sightedness and cant see crap right in front of me.. especially text. But that is solved for now, as well the bright light of the sun and headlights at night will no longer cause me to squint and get headaches thanks to the transition film being added to the lenses.

This is the first time wearing prescription glasses as I have always just used store bought readers, so its taking getting use to them.

🧙 Gnome Home

 

Came across this old photo that I had created back in the early 2000's. Originally it was a mundane looking green bird house. With a little thought and creativity, I managed to create this cute Gnome Home. It is a compositional piece made up of several other photos and adapted to blend and fit into one. So I guess my love for Gnomes actually started back then..lol.

❤️ A place called Love

 You don't love someone because they are perfect-because no one is..

You love them because they sooth your heart and soul, they make you feel comfortable, they accept your weirdness, they make you see things the way you had not seen before, they make your chaos less chaotic and your pain less painful, and they take you to that place of love, warmth and peaceful existence with all your flaws and craziness.

🌧️ Are you a Pluviophile?

 

Most people have never heard the word “pluviophile.” It’s not a commonly used word, but it’s interesting. Pluviophile is defined as (n) "A person who enjoys rain and rainy days, and who is fascinated by the sights, sounds, etc., of rain. Those who find peace in the rain." That might not mean much to most people, but it means a lot to those who love the rain.

To us (rain lovers), there’s something special about rainy days that others might not understand. We revel in the sound of rainfall and enjoy walking in the rain. We’re happy when it rains and wouldn’t want it any other way. If you’re a pluviophile, you know what I’m talking about.

Most people know what it means to be a fan of the rain. They might open their windows to feel the fresh air and hear nature’s soothing noises. Some might take a walk during a light rain shower. A few might even run in the rain. But are they pluviophiles? Probably not, because most people have no idea what Pluviophile means.

Pluviophile can be interpreted in many ways, but for the most part, it means that someone enjoys the weather conditions associated with rainfall and finds beauty in storms and clouds.

To some people, being a pluviophile is a way of life; it’s more than just enjoying the rain; it’s about appreciating all of nature’s offerings. And to others, it’s simply a term used to describe an individual with an affinity for rainfall. No matter how you look at it, being a pluviophile is pretty cool 🙂

Happy Flag Day America.

 

When we Honor our flag, we honor what we stand for as a Nation- Freedom, Equality, Justice and Hope.

Will it grow.? 🍍

 

Decided to try and grow a pineapple plant. Taking a store bought pineapple, removing its top and going through the process of planting to see what happens and if I can actually grow one from a store  bought item.

 Started an album with pics as I go.. apparently its a long process up to a year and half or more to actually bear a fruit depending on conditions, etc.. But going to see what happens.. lol.

Follow the Pineapple:

Top removed, simply twist and pull, comes right off.

Removed lower 1/3 of leaves to expose the skin and future roots.

Let air dry for two-three days to heal and encase the roots. Once dry and a whiteish color, its ready for transplanting. This is following day after removal. You can see the roots that are exposed and eagerly awaiting growth.

Once dried/healed you can either water grow or soil grow, depending on your choice. The idea is to get roots established and healthy for transplant, but can be transplanted directly as long as the ball is healed and dry.

Pineapples do NOT like wet soil, they are actually in the succulent family, so watering about once every 7-10 days is plenty.

Tracking progress: Day-1 in water jar 6/14/23.

While establishing roots, avoid direct sunlight, place on a sill or somewhere it can get indirect light until roots are established and healthy, afterwards, when ready to transplant, place in direct sunlight as they require about 6 hours/day to be happy and fruitful. Water was changed every two days.

UPDATE: 6/26/23

Roots have developed and into the pot it goes...

                                                                   Potted today 6/26/23

                                                                   We'll see what happens!

Well it has been 6months now and here we stand...

It has survived and is still growing nicely. It will not bear any fruit this year but with any luck at all next year I should see a nice one forming.

So proof that yes you can in fact grow them from just the tops of the plant.

🌴 Limited tree trim..

Before

 

Starting to look ragidy and rough. Branches are getting to overgrown and I decided I would take it upon myself tp do a small trimming with what I could reach. which apparently wasn't much due to the slope in the yard..lol. But I did mange to trim off about the lower 5-6 feet. Its not professional, but it at least looks somewhat even now and I can again see the neighborhood across the water. The whole tree needs a good trimming as its getting front heavy on the waterside and one good storm and It s ready to go, hopefully not though as it would really make a mess and destroy part of the back porch as I am sure the roots are well below and far enough in to tear up the cement, etc. But at a couple grand to trim it, its fine as is right now..

After

Also did some sprucing up of the large Palm tree out front at the corner of the garage. Palms were hanging a bit to low for comfort and suitable appearance. So they needed a cut back of a couple feet as well a thinning of branches.

✪ ✯ ✰ Meaning behind those stars..

 

We've all driven through rural areas and taken in the silent beauty of the vast landscape, homes and farms spread out over acres, and of course, the iconic red barns.  Or maybe you live in a rural area, and these views are an everyday part of your life.  It's certainly quintessential Americana.

I've seen enormous stars in various colors on barns here and there, and always thought of them as just lovely decorations.  However, when I started seeing these gigantic stars painted on barns or made of wood, metal, or quilts on almost every barn I ran across, it seemed awfully coincidental.  I knew there must be more to this around New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts

It turns out it's not just a New England thing, but rather all over rural America.

The barn star originated from German-American and Dutch-American settlers to ward off evil and bring good luck to farmers. They're known as Pennsylvania stars or primitive stars, and the color matters, too.

A brown star symbolizes friendship and strength, while white stars stand for purity and energy.  Meanwhile, if you see a purple star, that's considered holy, while a green star symbolizes hope for growth and fertility. A blue or black star is all about protecting your farm, and if you see a yellow star, that means love for your fellow man and the sun.

I love knowing this, and hope that if you didn't know, you do, now.

🧱 Today's mission..Reclamation

 

To reclaim the patio and the pavers out there. The weeds and time have taken over recently. I haven't spent enough time trying to keep up with it and now I have too..If I ignore it any longer, they will disappear within the weeds. Sooo, I guess my day and possibly the weekend will be dedicated to cleaning up this mess. Unfortunately a simple run through with the Weed Wacker is not the solution, wish it were, but they just keep coming back, so I need to get to the roots and remove all that I can and possibly add some chemicals to deter growth. I'm trying not to have to use stuff like Round-Up or similar. Would rather keep it as natural as possible. Might consider also doing a harsh power wash to try and clean up the individual pavers and bring 'em back to newer looking condition. Will post the after pics to compare.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 1 progress, all pulled by hand..grrr. that was a lot more weeds and grass than I anticipated, but its done for now. Might still hit it with some round up and pressure wash the pavers, just to make it a bit cleaner and tidy looking.

Still looking for the right plants to put into the white rock squares I made. Looking for something that grows about 3-31/2 feet and red...easy maintenance and can tolerate the amount of rain we get in the early summer.

🌵 Inheritance

 

This is a Tiger Tooth Aloe about 4 1/2 inches at present..

Our boarder/renter has finally moved on. In her haste to relocate she left behind some of her plants that had been severely neglected over the past 8-10 months.. so I guess I inherit them. I will try and bring 'em back to a vibrant life once again. I don't mind as its a challenge for and to me..lol. Already have separated them and repotted now its a wait and see.

One of two Golden Sedum succulents.

                                                                           Second Golden Sedum

There is also an Ivy that was badly neglected, but I will attempt to nurse that back as well.

📸🤨 Flashback to 1977

 

Fond memories... St. Johnsbury Junior High School class of 1977. Hair days..lol.

👨🏻‍✈️🎖️ 6 years ago today..

 

( For more photos, downloads or prints visit Steve Legge's link at Smugmug )

Six years ago today I had the distinct privilege and honor of standing among these fine folks, Brothers and Sisters of the armed forces and Brothers, Sisters and classmates of St. Johnsbury Academy. It was with great pride in my class that we had several of us that attended the Veterans Bench Dedication at our Alma Mater. Raised in this small town it was a somber feeling when so many attended this event in honor of the Academy's graduates and veterans hailing from this school and hometown.

The guest speaker was then Major General Tom Bussier, also an '81 graduate among our class. None of us had an issue with the fact that it was raining that day.. we all stood and listened with intent to his speech and to the overall dedication service, with echoes of Air Force airpower in the air as they did a fly over to commemorate the dedication. The service was to dedicate and honor all those having served from our community over the years and many campaigns. It was a true honor to be among them, and in spirit with those having never made it back or out of uniform.

🏘️ The Hood..

 

This is Fern Meadows, our neighborhood here in Cocoa. While driving through it may not seem to be of a vast area, but when looking at it from this aerial view, its quite a large community area. sporting a tennis court, area park, three waterways, as well as the beautiful Lake Poinsett / St Johns river in the backdrop, plenty of wildlife and a nice quiet community in most instances. Only real complaints thus far is that the HOA is a real pain to deal with most days. Always finding fault with something, house needs painting, yard needs clean up , etc. Typical HOA though, always wanting to run someone's life and cost them money. So far its been a great residential area, neighbors are friendly, quiet for the most part, aside from the occasional jerk that wants to stir up something... usually sound or noise levels. be it a stereo, a 4 wheeler, or loud exhaust from their vehicle. but all in all.. its a nice neighborhood considering its size.

Was doing a google maps search and found our home back in April 2011 and again April 2023. Everything is so grown up in the neighborhood and surrounding area. Must have been a fairly new but established community back then.

Working on bringing it back to close to the 2011 look. Clearing shrubs, and considering new flower beds, etc. Wish the HOA would allow us to drop the tree though, it just keeps killing off the grass. Would like to take it down and replace it with a much smaller version. Believe it or not that was all new sod less than a year ago, and its already dying off due to the tree shading and dropping its leaves, its a real pain in the ass.

There is a much larger one in the back of the house that definitely needs a trim or it will soon be leaning and or falling due to its overgrown size and weight of the branches. Again the HOA requirements will not allow us to remove the tree, but I think we might be able to get away with it if we replace it with a smaller version as well. We have seen several in the neighborhood take theirs down, some have yet to even replace them.