Phew, me too Jean. My DH and I did our once-a-year penance this weekend - cut back the huge bougainvillea over our front gate so the mailman and UPS guy can actually get to Sleeping Beauty's Castle again. We were both bleeding by the end, but the collection guys took most of the cuttings away today, so we're winning. Good thing it's pretty otherwise the chainsaw would come out one of these days! Evil thorns (last pic) even stuck through the soles of my shoes!

I am so busy, I was thinking just yesterday, I hope there is a ATP to come back to. Besides everything else, my Mother is coming, that takes major work. That being said, it so just spectacular here today, for the next at least two hours, Im out to get out some of the dead weeds pulled up, fertilize my daylily seedling. Just get a few hours of real life.
Three weeks till Christmas and my nerves are already about shot when Im out To many people...to many stupid people Stupid isnt the right word, nicest I could put it tho

Took this picture yesterday of Orchids blooming at the Botanical Garden where I work

Wowser!

Yea...agreed! I could look at pictures like that all day!

Imagine being able to work while walking around this place.....

Dream job.

I despise COLD, dreary, windy, wet weather!!! I want warm temps & sunshine back!!!!

Yes it has been Jean. Its so chilly today still!
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Anyways,... after the plethora of computer problems I've had, followed with a distinct attitude of anti-tech-internet vortex syndrome;............I have readjusted my concept. (lol with a tinge of dementia of course )

So the gardens are still growing and since I refuse to prune, fertilize, or do a thing in the gardens here except for picking up a leave or two on occasion of course, , this is a picture from an at least kind of attractive corner in one bed that makes me happy,... taken yesterday. I am sorry to have ignored my Florida gardening friends for a length of time. Florida gardens can be bleak this time up here in the North (above Orlando) but I know we all have beauty somewhere in a hidden pocket that we can fin in all of our Gardens!

Hello especially, Ann, Jean1 and Jean2, Elaine, Lin, Pam, Hetty (loved those Orchid pics from the Arboretum) and well all Florida gardeners!

The Blood Oranges seen in this picture are especially tasty already but another chill or two will increase their color and flavor.

Hi David! So glad you're back,we've missed you.

I've been away but home tomorrow. Brrr! Hope my garden is still alive.

We had our first first this morning. Actually surprised we haven't had one before now with the way temps have been. It was light tho and so far doesn't seem to have been bothered too much. ( Except for me... , running around covering plants and dang near getting strangled in the greenhouse trying to get everything watered)

Another go round tonight too it seems. When's spring ?

Aarghh. I am away til tomorrow. Wonder if my bro will remember to cover my plants.

Welcome back David and I LOVE blood oranges!!

Welcome back David!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gee, MJ, we've had numerous frosts here already. In fact we've had frost every morning for the past 7 days. The bird baths have frozen a couple times already & many times have had thin sheets of ice on them. Today was gorgeous even though we began with our hardest frost yet. The sun shone & the humidity was in the 20 percentile, we got up to the 68 and it was just perfect for sitting outside watching the world go by.

Good Morning!
We've not had any frost yet. I thought of all you guys closer up towards Georgia back in November when we had that way to early cold snap. When That thing first started rolling down I had visions of doom in November,......ya' know,... when everything gets flattened and the whole place looks torched at Christmas?

My Chaste tree at night

Good Morning all. I'm so ready for Summer........................I am not enjoying the COLD but at least my GH seem to be doing the job. I have small green tomatoes that will hopefully ripen. Pepper plants still going. My Kale isn't doing well but do have chard growing. One of these days I'll get the veg gardening figured out!!!!

David - the Yellow Roselle I got from you grew like a weed. It was in full bloom when that frost hit in Nov. The bottom was protected by the top so now it is blooming at ground level. I will need to dig it up & move it for future years. And the Blue Sky Vine bloomed up in my neighbors tree!!!! Gave them some color in their bleak yard.. It also croaked during the frost but the bottom 2' seems fine protected behind a clump of cannas.

They do grow like weeds Jean. Mine is like a huge spidery Tarantula now. worth the effort and loved though... I'll have to send some pictures of my evercrawling Sky Vine. It is still producing pendants on long drapes like ornaments on the same stalks from two years ago. Thats only because it did'nt get froze back in that time frame. They will always come back once established!

Well, my oh my. David David David.....glad your back, dont dip on us again now that is the slow time of the year

Been down with my Mother for 10 days, doing a two day turn around and heading back. She fell...the only child thing again...enough said She will be OK, her mouth is working fine

I had more freeze damage here than I expected. I salvaged the lemons, picked some beauty berry to dry, but thats about it. Even the camellias are not blooming yet. No worries...Ive hit the seed catalogs, venturing back in to a FEW veggies, ordered way way to many new daylilies....just looking forward to digging in as much dirt as possible here soon.
AND since I finally learned to use the camera on my phone, I can actually send some pictures. Im getting a new actual camera, but I just cant pick it out when my mind is so full of other stuff. Since this is the FL forum, there is nothing new here to you, but Im posting a few pictures from out back at Mothers. I had some good fun in a little 16 ft. ski boat when I was 14/15. Couldnt drive a car, but we tore that river up.









Be blessed, be happy, be safe.

Lovely photos Pam! Those were the good old days weren't they? We who lived on or near the river didn't need cars, we could get around by boat & even if you didn't have a boat there were plenty who did. Come home from school, off with the school clothes & into a swimsuit & off we went, never to be seen again until dinner time. Halcyon days.

Those were wonderful pictures of an interesting home indeed Pam. I love the way the concrete around the pool was created to look like sand drifts and the dimensional qualities it has. Its also good to know that clearly you are doing well after your heart surgery last February.
Thank you for the kind words.

It would have been a dream to have grown up in such an area for me. I loved Ann's story too... and I think it was a wonderful one. You both have had blessed childhood days to have been raised in waterway scenic neighborhoods.