A More Constructive Use of My Weekend... by Kwicko

And with that, I'm beat, and off to bed...

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero, Real World Event Discussions

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, March 28, 2010 5:09 PM

TRAVELER

I am working my way through the "Stargate 1" series. I never had cable, so only saw the show sporadically as it drifted as reruns from one local station to another. I saw four episodes this weekend and have reached the halfway point of season seven. It certainly makes more sense when you watch the episodes in the proper order. I finally understand the difference of a Tok'ra and a Jaffa.

Now everbody lift an eyebrow and say "indeed".

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731
Traveler

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, March 28, 2010 5:34 PM

Sorry, I see no Serenity images or models- no Enterprises, or anything.
Is this an effect of non-fan P-whipping?
Please, offset the coldness of the wall with fan stuff. The change is for the better, but it could be so much more, IMO.

Nice robes, btw.

The laughing Chrisisall

"I only do it to to remind you that I'm right and that deep down, you know I'm right, you want me to be right, you need me to be right." - The Imperial Hero Strikes Back, 2010

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, March 28, 2010 5:47 PM

I watched Le Chevalier D'Eon.

Got my box of bargain bin specials Friday afternoon, including the full collectors edition of said series, and wound up watching it end to end, cause it was just that good, heh.

I'm gonna need a new bookcase to put all this stuff in, myself - I use really undersized furniture to make the place look bigger, so my bookcases are comparatively small - most of ya would prolly feel like you just stepped into bag end if ya came in here, especially YOU, Mikey.

-F

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, March 28, 2010 6:06 PM

TRAVELER

Tell me about not enough book cases. I have little stacks of books siting in ever cranny.

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731
Traveler

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, March 28, 2010 6:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by traveler:
Tell me about not enough book cases. I have little stacks of books siting in ever cranny.

DVD's take less space.
Oh, you're like Kirk...

Fondness for antiques...

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 3:48 AM

CANTTAKESKY

That's pretty impressive, Kwicko. Very inspiring.

I spent my weekend on Facebook and FFF. Haha.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 4:13 AM

TRAVELER

I am a antique myself. So it is fitting. (c:)

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731
Traveler

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 4:30 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by traveler:
I am a antique myself. So it is fitting. (c:)

I was at an engagement party this weekend, and most peeps there were 60 & 70-something. I looked around and wondered "where are the young people at??"
Then I realized: I was one of them...

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 4:58 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:

Hey- is that Serenity on the third shelf up?
And is that Buffy on the bottom?

Kinda fuzzy...

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 5:03 AM

PIZMOBEACH

... fully loaded, safety off...

You got rid of the dangling cables?!

I tell people half jokingly (even though I'm serious), "some day all power will be wireless... imagine: a world without cords!" Just, yanno, stay out of the beam.

Funny, my wife and I were trying to pick the right shade of orange paint... Gingerbread, Caramel Latte, or Pumpkin Pie... only in America!

Nice upgrade btw.

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 6:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Then I realized: I was one of them...

"Gobble Gobble, one of us... one of us..."

-F

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 6:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Fremdfirma:
Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Then I realized: I was one of them...

"Gobble Gobble, one of us... one of us..."

-F

I MEANT one of the young peeps....

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 7:10 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Oh, the 'after' result is TONS better, Mike...the use of complementing colors works. And the wires ARE hidden, big improvement. The color of course was highly noticeable to me, being a color freak and a "matching/complementing colors" nut.

My weekend wasn't as imaginaive as yours, unfortunately. We bought another car some months back, because I tend to trash cars (I mean dents and messes inside) and my beloved Maxi (Maxima) wouldn't start; we figured she was on her last legs. Turned out it was a minor repair, so we ended up with three cars, which is actually good because it means Choey can have a car to use when both Jim and I are using the others. Turned Maxi into the "dog car"--she can't be any worse, and is big enough for three big dogs (Choey has a lab/bloodhound mix).

Well, two weeks ago a young guy plowed into me and the new (used) car...the damage didn't seem that bad, but the cost was more than the car was worth, so AAA considered it "totalled". It took me a whole week to work it out with them (long story, mostly Jim's and my fault and a REAL fair treatment by AAA), but once we did, we had money to replace the car.

Jim and I HATE buying cars--we even considered keeping the smashed one if AAA would pay for enough of the repairs to make it legal and driveable, and accepting the rest...I don't give a damn what a car looks like. In the end, Jim figured it was more financially sensible to take the money and wade through finding another car.

So that's how we spent our weekend...exhausting, frustrating, running back and forth between dealerships, etc. We didn't finish until late afternoon, so the remainder of my weekend was spent cleaning two of the rabbit cages, pruning flower pots from the Winter dead stuff and planting tomato plants.

Worst result is I had to pump up my bike tires (of course, walking/running the huskies was the first priority each day) and it screwed up the bad wrist. Hauling big pots to plant the tomatoes in didn't help, nor pulling down hanging planters to repair plants.

So my legs are tired, the achilles tendon hurts again, my right had is virtually useless (why I'm here instead of cleaning remaining rabbit cage!) my left wrist is sore (got a "gangleon cyst in the wrist), I'm wasted, sore all over and don't have something neat to show for it like you do!

We did find a little Volvo station wagon for a halfway decent price...they even threw in a set of tires because we'd bought the last car from them, thank goodness. At least it's over.

Wish I'd been there to enjoy building with you instead! Or watching a series...I'd have enjoyed cleaning plants if I had something to watch and didn't have to wade through cars (I do my planting/pruning mostly in the living room, as back doesn't allow me to do it in the ground and I need something to half-concentrate on when pruning).

And yes, that is DEFINITELY Buffy on the bottom shelf, even blurry I can make it out (got the set myself).

But don't get me started on Wright! He built the most hideous abomination for our civic center, for which I have never forgiven him!!!

It's supposed to be "a skyscraper laying on its side and bridging the hills". Coulda fooled me.

http://www.studiolo.org/pix/info006/Marin%20Civic%20Center%20img_17252
3_primary

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 8:13 AM

Yeah, Niki - the Marin Civic Center was never one of my favorite pieces of his. Heck, I'd say pretty much ALL his California work was among his worst, aesthetically (see the house Angelus lives in in Season 2 of Buffy, f'rinstance; I *think* it's S2; could be 3. Big ugly patterned concrete mausoleum of a place, anyhoo).

I think he absolutely peaked at Falling Water, but I also love pretty much all his "Prairie" homes, a great number of which are in Oak Park, Illinois, where I've never been, but swear I will visit. I did get to check out one of the houses he designed in Kansas, and it was stunning.

And yes, that is definitely Buffy - all seven seasons worth. And Serenity, AND the widescreen Collector's Edition of Serenity, and Firefly of course. What you don't see (I had to move the shelf unit on the right to paint, so haven't restocked it yet) is all five seasons of Angel, but they're going back on the shelf today.

What I'm most happy about is that I was able to take what was by far the worst aspect of the house and transform it into one of its best features.

The kitchen's turning out to be more of a challenge; it's quite small (the house is from the 1930s), and I'm rather limited in what I can do with it. We're repainting the trim and refinishing the cabinet doors and drawer fronts, and redoing some accents with stainless accessories, wall plates, and shelves. We're using a bright orange and chartreuse green, to compliment all the classic Fiesta Wear dishes we've collected over the last 25 years or so. We're calling the style "modern kitsch", and calling this our "modern kitschen". ;) It's a throwback, but not a direct rip-off, to the 60s Flower-Power era, and I tried to throw in some cues from Warhol and the pop-art/op-art movements as well.

Seems all those years as a graphic designer and art student are finally paying off, and coming out in ways I never fully intended! :)

I didn't think to snap any "before" pix of the kitchen, but I'll be sure and post up some of the aftermath when we get it all back together.

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero, Real World Event Discussions

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 8:49 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Hah--you should have OUR kitchen! In fact, you'd be more than welcome to come do with it what you could...I dare you! Old house, we're guessing '50s, and built as a rental. A lot of what's around here is broken-up estates, and hey didn't give a shit what they put up. It's literally impossible for more than two people to do anything in the kitchen, and even two is pushing it! Ugly, tiny, and totally unwieldy. We thought of knocking out the wall to the dining room next to it, but never got around to it.

Bathroom's worse. Sit on the toilet, put your arm on the sink, take one step in one direction and you're in the shower, one in the other direction and you're up against the bathtub (which we never use...).

We've never gotten around to ANY of the sort of things you're trying to accomplish. Too much money/time/energy over the years spent on motorcycles/photography/camping. So in our old age we're stuck with a house that's falling apart, wasn't any great shakes to begin with, and is full of "stuff" helter-skelter.

Poor Choey can't stand it. Her room downstairs (converted garage from when we took care of my mom) is always spotless, and she says when up here watching TV with me, she has to look directly at the TV; if she glances at the mess around it, her head spins! ;o)

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 11:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
I MEANT one of the young peeps....

And therein lies the other end of the joke.

Lest you forget, I'm prolly one of the youngest rabble rousers here, without even two score years under my belt just yet - I just happen to have born crabby and get a lotta things done, is all.

-F

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 11:57 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

I'm forced to admit, Mike, that Falling Water IS beautiful. Doesn't excuse our civic center tho'...

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 12:08 PM

STORYMARK

I think you'll get better performance from your sub woofer if it's on the floor. Though if you have downstairs neighbors, they might not dig it.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, March 29, 2010 12:53 PM

Story: No more sub. It was part of a home-theatre system that wasn't compatible with my PS3/Blu-Ray system, so it had to go. And the TV honestly has decent sound, at least as far as my blown-out old ears can hear! :)

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero, Real World Event Discussions

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 5:03 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

Oh, I just thought I'd respond now since my weekends are Su/ Mo.

Spent like usual - yardwork, housework, shopping and cooking for the week ahead, going though the mail and paying bills etc. Yardwork takes a lot of time this time of year since we just had our winter rains and everything is growing, especially the weeds. I had a lovely crop of wild oats, wild barley and wild rye along with bur clover in the back (no irrigation system, hence, no lawn). But in the front yard I had planted Mexican evening primrose

instead of a lawn and it does a pretty good job choking out the weeds and thrives on very little water. It also takes well to foot traffic, and you can mow it quite short and it will still be OK. I would say you can't really kill it. If it wasn't so pretty and lacking in nasty characterisstics it could be a weed. S'wenyways, the front yard is getting better as it fills in.

MIKE - IT LOOKS AWESOME ! WOW!

The thing that impresses me is you did so much painting so quickly - tell me - what's your secret ? Painting takes me forEVER ! Your color choice was quite bold - but very nice. What is that color ? And where do you get all the energy ?

If I get the pictures of my house on my computer I might post them. Last year it underwent a major 'to the studs' remodel. No 'before' though - just during and after.

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 6:12 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Rue...how lovely! I can just envision a "lawn" of those beautiful flowers, and being able to them so they don't get too high...it sounds gorgeous. It's a wonder people didn't think of it before--lawns are a pain in the ASS!

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 6:29 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

There is one caveat - lawns are good for playing on. They are springy and take extremely well to foot traffic. Evening primroses don't offer the same advantages. While they will take foot traffic, they won't look at their best if you keep walking on the same paths. But since my front yard is not used for playing or routine walking Mexican evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa) is a good choice.
By my 5 year-experience the Mexican evening primrose is sometimes (once) tasty to the Mexican flea beetle. If that happens, you can cut it all the way down - to the ground - and it deprives the flea beetle of food and the primroses come back in about 3 weeks.
There are other evening primroses which may do well here, which I haven't yet planted, and which are harder to obtain. I think a combination of white, yellow, rose and pink will look very nice !

Oenothera brachycarpa

Oenothera caespitosa

Oenothera californica

Oenothera kunthiana

Oenothera macrocarpa

along with the existing

Oenothera speciosa

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 6:54 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

bump fpr Niki

I thought you might like to take a look at some more pictures.

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 7:09 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

It seems that EVERY weekend is a treadmill! But this past weekend I gathered all of my tax papers for the annual ritual. I normally do my own, but this year am going to a tax preparer bc I have a few unusual changes. So... whew! Done with THAT, for now. Saw a couple of good movies on TV too (normally not a TV/ movie person): Gran Torino and The Shooter.

Next weekend gonna take some more photos of our house in progress* and send them to mom along with a letter, hope she enjoys them. *Last year we re-roofed, re-plumbed, re-wired, re-AC/Furnaced, and re-insulated. Also replaced some carpeting with hardwood and replaced the windows in the LR/DR with energy-efficient. THIS year we're redoing the back and front yards, garage woodshop, and have started our "clockwise" room-by-room renovation. (2 Front BRs are getting new windows and floors, crown molding and paint, plus we turned one hallway into a closet.)

Mike, I really really like the re-do. What inspired you?

Rue, I really like the evening primrose. I might add it into my garden.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 7:27 AM

Rue: That primrose looks fantastic! I gave up on having a nice grass lawn, and now I'm just happy if ANY ground cover grows at all. We have some primrose and some Mexican Heather out back that seems to be making a comeback, and out front, there's so much shade (BIG trees!) that the grass won't grow, but there's a lot of clover, which is fine by me. And Jeepie the dog loves rolling around in the clover, so it works out pretty well for her, too.

There are some BIG wild onions growing along one side of the yard - I found them when I hit 'em with the mower last year, but they're back, and bigger than ever! They smell very strong, but more like a mix of onion and garlic. I keep swearing that I'm going to pick a few and cook 'em up, but my wife thinks I'm nuts for wanting to, since she doesn't know what they are for sure...

I call our current yard "zero-scaping", an even less labor-intensive form of xeriscaping. I've even got a tiny patch of prickly-pear cactus in one corner of the front yard, which I'm leaving alone in the hopes it will make a nice home for snakes (seems every time I stumbled across this stuff growing up, there was a rattler or a bullsnake or coachwhip nested at the bottom of it, using it for shelter from eagles and hawks!

Signy: As for what inspired me, I'd chalk it up to boredom and Spring Fever. :)

We recently bought a new couch, and it's RED - very dramatic - so that got us thinking about making some other dramatic changes in the decor of the place. As always seems to happen, improving one area makes others seem lacking, so it's kind of just spread from there. The entertainment center is just the latest installment, because the old setup looked REALLY bad up against the other stuff. So it's all just kind of happened bit by bit, organically, one improvement growing out of the previous one.

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero, Real World Event Discussions

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 7:34 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Thanx, Rue; yes, they're beautiful, and the combination must be gorgeous! I HAD thought of the foot traffic thing, but then thought "yeah, but how about people like us, who have no kids"? I'm really surprised more haven't tripped on your idea...do they take more or less mowing than a lawn? If less, even MORE reason for older folks to have them!

Our lawn is probably 75% weeds, but we never have to water it. In the 30+ years we've been here, we've only had to water it once, during the drought. It's 'cuz we have a natural spring under our, and many neighbors' houses...which pops out at the sidewalk and makes a constant mess of muck.

Still have to mow it, tho', dammit. Where do you live, that Winter frosts and snow don't kill them?

Me, I go in for hanging baskets. Easier to plant, and with two huskies, the only way to keep anything alive! I got obsessive with them a few years back, to the point where, counting front and back, we had over 100 hanging baskets, window boxes and "urns". I adore them, but am backing off on the obsession--less time with huskies to exercise every day and money...

I tried a greenhouse and my own seeds, but it was terribly disappointing. I thought it'd be cheaper than buying plants, but our energy bill went WAY up from the lights and heat elements. Anyone want some fluorescent lights...I have about a dozen of 'em!

Still love 'em...my all-time favorites are calobrachoa (a mini-petunia that hangs beautifully), nemesia and columbine. Few of the seeds survived to adulthood anyway, so I gave it up. But I still love planting color-coordinated stuff:

I think I love calobrachoa (also called Million Bells) and nemesia because they come in so many different colors (lots of fun to coordinate!)

And that's just a sample!

Do you have any photos of the entire lawn? I'd love to see that...it must be a riot of color!

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 7:42 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

Zero-scaping: HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Well, I'm definitely not zero-scaping, but I AM reducing my lawn area.

Right now, I have re-used cut concrete as a "garden border" in the backyard. One part of it is my kitchen garden, but the other part I plan on keeping the avocadoes and putting in Canary Island pines, serviceberry, pink-flowered currant, a couple of scrub live oaks, some kind of ground cover (haven't figured what yet, its dry shade. Maybe heuchera and lenten rose and evening primrose and see which ones make it). Toss in a bit of a rubble pile, along with our woodpile, birdbath, maybe a gopher snake or two... the one good thing about it: it does NOT look like manicured LA!

ETA:L Niki; Yes, I have million-bells too!

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 7:48 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

Niki
Beautiful flowers ! They are lovely !

I has forgotten about the Huskies.

I think my yard is a trendsetter. And instead of a sidewalk I have a 5' wide (minimum turn radius for a wheelchair - thinking ahead !) Trex-type walkway from the front gate to the front door, and then around to both side yards. Plus my parkway is also Trex-like planking with four trees planted in 4' wide gaps. All of the planking has 1/8" between them to allow water to the ground underneath, plus each section has a dry-well at a low spot to let the rain seep into the ground. Except for the two Crape Myrtles on the parkway that the city planted, all of my plants are N American natives, most from the western states.

I have really tried to make my yard as environmentally responsible, pretty, handicapped-friendly and low-care as possible.

I forgot - on either side of the front yard I also have clumps of another drought-tolerant flower the Matilija poppy which is evergreen (and yes, they ARE that beautiful ! I would almost say the photo does not do them justice.):

And along the west side I have some (evergreen) Catalina Island cherry trees which look something like this:

and which will plant themselves into a nice shady hedge as the cherries drop and sprout.

I live in southern California inland near the foothills. My experience is that it is SO dry and hot here for most the of the year that plants in containers (baskets, barrels etc) need to be watered every day - or even twice a day.

When I get pictures I'll post them. But I have a new computer with a whole different OS (Linux) so even though it is very user friendly I'm still getting used to it. So ... ahhhh ... it might take a while !

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 8:03 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Oh, neat, Sig...aren't they great?? They "flow" so beautifully in hanging baskets, and if you take care of them, out here they survive the Winter.

Oh damn, that's right Rue, I knew that (duh!). Yes, in Summer I have to do a lot of watering, but it doesn't get that hot up here in Marin, so it's not for long. Down THERE, yes, watering would be a major pain in the ass! Not that it wasn't up here too when I had so many!

I love poppies, but only our native ones...the big tall ones I've seen in gardens don't do it for me, I'm afraid!

I'll look forward to a shot of the whole lawn eagerly, just imagining it makes my mouth water. And believe me, I "grok" about computers--I had to work to resize two of those monster pics, and that meant going back to resize them in Photobucket and even then they didn't change size when I posted them, so go back to computer, resize them THERE, repost them on Photobucket...didn't someone say something once about how computers would save us so much time? Mind you, I'm not complaining, so much would be impossible without them, like getting to talk to you guys and share stuff!

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 8:17 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

Niki

I think I forgot this - the evening primroses can be mowed 2 - 4 times a year to keep them from getting too leggy, and to encourage younger plants to sprout from the roots.

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 8:33 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Wow--2 to 4 times a year! How my husband would adore that! He mows every other weekend or so (the underground spring doesn't help!), and his back is bad, has to lay down after he does about anything.

He'd REALLY appreciate it right now; he's about to have surgery for a torn ligament in his shoulder; imagine how long that's gonna take to recuperate! The lawn will swallow the house before he can, so I suppose I will be...sigh...

I'd look into doing what you have, except it would mean tearing up the whole lawn...yuck!

What I see with people who don't want to mow is only that tall, woody plant (I can't remember te name, dammit) or cement.

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 8:40 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

double

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 8:43 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

Hey Niki

What you might try and do is either get some primrose seeds or plants and spread them about - and just let them do their thing ! They even grow in lawns here as a 'weed' people try to get rid of. That's where I first saw them many years ago - they were about 3/4" tall blooming in some lawn and the people there thought they were a nuisance weed. But nobody knew what they were ! I spent a lot of time identifying them.

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 8:45 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

Hey Mike

I have many trees which have planted themselves (several coast live oaks, a couple of fan palms, a couple of sumacs) and which I appreciate. As a plant they are nature's best answer to heat and sun management !

What is your tree ?

(As you can see by my posts, I am an avid amateur landscaper.)

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 9:06 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

That's an idea, if they proliferate that well. What kind of primrose do you suggest, and can a few plants survive mowing as well? Since it'll be months before Jim can mow, it'll be my job, so I could go around them to give them a chance to settle in (Jim is famous for not going around ANYTHING, and has killed plants I've tried to put around the edges...sigh...some men...). It'll probably be at least three months or more before he can mow, is that enough time for them to take hold?

Not sure if they can win the battle against our weeds...some kind of bermuda grass best I can figure, and LOTS of...those yellow puffball things (my brain REALLY isn't working this morning, I know the name but can't drag it up...)

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 9:20 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

I suggest the Mexican evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa) to start. In your situation I would go with seeds. They are cheaper and they will be low enough in 3-4 months so that the mowing won't bother them. They will survive in Bermuda grass ! (which is what I had when I bought the place) and even outcompete it over time. They do take a while to get going and fill-in. But when they get going, they spread by both seeds and roots, and occasional cutting down will encourage that.

I have to ask - did you take those photos you posted ? They're wonderful ...

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 10:02 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

I'm actually gonna try that...it would be nice to see SOMETHING come up and survive from seed--my one attempt was so miserable that I pulled the plastic off the greenhouse and just use the shelves for plants.

Betcha the seed catalogs have those available...let you know how it goes. And don't forget that photo of the lawn once you figure out the damned computer, I'm dying to see it!

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 10:28 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

Mike

I just want to go on about trees a little more. They are my favorite plant of all.

They are tall so they allow breezes to flow underneath, something that bushes won't do. And b/c they are tall and intercept the sunlight high up, they keep light and heat from striking below and radiating off the ground and onto walls and windows unlike grasses and shrubs. On top of which, when they get large enough they are generally self-sustaining and don't need water or care. And they just look great.

So, don't ever be apologetic about having trees !

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 10:48 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Found it on line, Rue, but only in pink. Do the other colors have a different name tha oenothera speciosa? The seeds are fairly cheap, so I'm going to get some and give it a go.

Some of the seed stores talk about starting them in warmer temps and plastic bags and all that crap--the stuff I went through last year which was a pain in the ass and little survived. Is that necessary, or can they just be sewn in the lawn? You're my expert here...

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 11:22 AM

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

Niki

They only come in that pink color shading to white then yellow in the middle. If you want other colors you need to go with other species.

I would just sow them directly in the ground, though at this time of year with no rains to keep the surface moist you should lightly water ~ once a week. Don't expect to see much this year. As I mentioned they do take a while to get going.

Next winter before the rain you might want to plant some plants where you were not able to sow seed.

Good luck !

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 11:28 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Hee, hee, hee, obviously you're in So. Ca. It's raining right now, has been since yesterday and will continue tomorrow, with more two days later.

As to color, obviously I misunderstood...thought you said pink, white and yellow meaning three different colored blooms. Oops!
As I've said, it's too late for the grasses, we had just enough stopping of rain for them to turn, but no, it's not over for us yet (BIG GRIN)!

Will take your advice, tho' remember, we have that underground spring, so never HAVE to water where the lawn is.

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 12:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rue:
Hey Mike

I have many trees which have planted themselves (several coast live oaks, a couple of fan palms, a couple of sumacs) and which I appreciate. As a plant they are nature's best answer to heat and sun management !

What is your tree ?

(As you can see by my posts, I am an avid amateur landscaper.)

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

No idea what kind it is. Big. Not pecan. :) It doesn't bear any fruit or nuts. There are a couple big Mulberry trees out front, but the bird wipe out the berries before I can ever get a single one. And there are a couple peach trees out back, some wild grapes, and blackberries, but again the birds and squirrels decimate them. I have tomatoes as well, and I actually got to eat a couple of them last year before the squirrels took over. :)

Anyway, I'm glad to have the trees, and the cats love watching the squirrels, so we're all happy!

Oh, and definitely not upset about having all the trees; I love 'em! I don't really do anything for 'em, except for prune 'em back a little. Most of the yard is shady, and I just need to find good ground cover that will grow in the shade AND can take the intense summer heat.

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero, Real World Event Discussions

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 1:17 PM

Heh, you'll laugh...

Given the difficult of getting even grass to grow in the polluted hell of SW Baltimore, the postage stamp sized "lawn" of one of the apartments I had was mostly just overgrown with some super tough weeds, and the city constantly bitchin at me to mow it while I was bustin ass at three jobs tryin to survive - I joked to the landlord that I was sore tempted to just pave the goddamn thing and lat down astroturf... to my surprise he said if I could get away with it, be his guest!

So I tore it out, dug it down and paved it - then realized that I had a better use than astroturf, given the constant nonstop vandalism of vehicles on the street including mine...

So I parked my car on it.

-F

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 3:30 PM