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Gardening Update and Other News

Well, first off I have to say that I'm a bit stunned, disgusted & worried: My brother-in-law's home down in South Jersey was robbed this afternoon when they went out shopping. We don't know yet what was stolen but apparently the SCUM hurt their dogs and they can't find their cat. This world is far more scary than I could have ever imagined and it's getting worse. I know S & A are alright, I just pray this doesn't traumatize them too much and I pray the dogs are going to be alright. They were rescues from a shelter, abuse victims. The cat I'm sure will show herself eventually. She's never been fond of strangers and hearing those dogs go nuts probably scared her to death.

Sigh. Sorry to burden y'all like that. We just found out.

Now to switch gears as abruptly as the evening news: I took the pic above out front this morning. My first Sunflower of the season! Another will be open tomorrow. I have to check my seed packets because these don't look like Mammoth's but then again given the weather up through the 3rd week of July I'm not seeing blooms from seeds I expected to. The ones I expected to see haven't shown yet and probably won't!

The Beef Steak Tomato plants out front look 3errible & the one has fruit but they're not forming normal. (The one out back is at least 4 feet tall! Waiting for 2 huge tom's to ripen).

Perennials: My Black & Brown Eyed Susans haven't appeared this year and my Ice Plant barely came back at all. My Sungold Butterfly Bush died completely.

My Zucchini and Pumpkin vines are all but dead. I didn't even get 1 Zuke and now I won't get any Pumpkins! Apparently, neither like an overly cool, rainy, dim start to their growing seasons and boy did we have more than our usual share of that all this Spring into Summer! Ah well, nest year I'll try them again! I'm disappointed, yes, but that just means more trips on Friday's to the Farmer's Market downtown, through October, which I don't mind.

Though I was pretty tired yesterday (as I mentioned in my prev. post), I did feel a little better. I pushed my luck today I think: I didn't know it was getting so hot & humid today and early (not forecasted the day before yesterday) and I didn't go out front to water the flowers & tomato's until well after 10am. Had I not stayed out there to also Miracle Grow all the containers after watering, I may have been better off. I didn't feel so good after I finished so I layed down for a bit, drank a lot of water and tea. Had I also not run out to Target & Food Town with Vic, I may have been better off! As soon as we walked out of Food Town, I felt the pouding start on top of my head. Needless to say I got a nasty migraine - the kind which is Worse when you lay down!!! I HATE those.

Vic was really good to me. (He doesn't always have the best bedside manner). He massaged my back, shoulders & head to try to relax me. He held me and comforted me when I got upset. (I almost always do when I get a migraine. I know, crying isn't the best idea at that given time, but it's the kind of pain that pushes me to the brink and I can't help it). He reassured me when I talked of my fears about my health. Made me smile with his loving words & stupid jokes. Checked on me every 10 minutes if he wasn't in the bedroom (which woke me every time but that's alright). Cooked dinner (again).

I don't know if I could have made it this far had I not met Vic.

We didn't make the flashlite tour of the Fort this evening but that's alright. We'll do it another time. (They offer the free tours often throughout the year). I pushed my luck enough for one day!

Comments

Mrs. Fry said…
My zucchini plants both died and not one zucchini!
Darn! Funny, my one sunflower plant came up about a month ago, had two blooms, and then it disappeared from the garden and I don't remember pulling it out.

My ice plant never made it past the first season when I planted it.
Lisa said…
To think that they tell you to have dogs to scare away criminals. Clearly that isn't enough anymore. Hope the animals are all okay. I don't know how long it would take for me to feel comfortable in my house again knowing someone like that had been in it.
Lora said…
those kind of migraines are the worst. especially when you get them at work or in the company of people who think you just have a headache.

and the crying? yeah. the tears just start. there is no keeping them in for me when I feel like that.

all the butterfly bushes here in Philly didn't make it this year either. strange.
Cindy said…
So sorry about the robbery; that is awful! Hope you feel better today!
Brenda, because of their dislike of the weather, my Zukes & Pumkpins were only producing male flowers ~ they need to produce both male & female flowers in order to produce fruits.

I've had my Ice Plant for... 8 years or more I think! It's been in the same container for the last nearly 4 years (don't remember if it was in ground or not before that). It's probably time for a new one. (I have the purple ice plant & love it!)

Your Sunflower culprit is likely a squirrel! They love then and will try to abscond with them if they're unable to get to just the flower head!

Lisa, thankfully, it turns out the dogs are fine and the cat was hiding (as usual). Nothing of value was taken, just some coins, jar of change... This may hasten their move to SC or FL where they own property. They've lived in this house for well over 30 years and haven't been through this before. Lord help those people if they come back - my brother in law is probably waiting for them!

Lora, I'm sorry you get migraines too! They suck big time!

My Sungold Butterfly Bush hasn't been doing well since we had to dig it up out of the ground 2 years ago and put it into a HUGE container. I was afraid the transplant would traumatize it too much. (No choice, management was having the grounds re-landscaped and I didn't want anything of mine getting ripped out & thrown away in the process). I'm surprised I got another 2 seasons out of it. My purple and white Butterfly Bushes are doing well thankfully but they've always been in containers. It's likely the weather this year that's affected them down your way.

Thanks Cindy! So far so good today. I'm being very careful and taking it easy.
Brandie said…
Feel better!

I hate migraines. They are the pits.

That is so terrible about the break in! I would be devastated is someone hurt any of my pets. And very likely inclined to hunt them down and kick their ass. Especially if my cat is gone...then that is grounds for jailtime.
Sydney said…
Take it easy... glad you are feeling better. I had terrible migraines with this pregnancy. I get them periodically in my non-prego life, but these were OB. Take care!

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