Messages

121

Chit Chat / Re: Happy Birthday MikeW

« on: June 07, 2010, 10:55:21 AM »

Shucks I'm late too... Happy Belated Birthday, Mike! Hope you had a great one.

122

Chit Chat / Re: you must take this dimentia test

« on: June 04, 2010, 09:23:10 AM »

Now why would a blind man need sunglasses? 

123

Chit Chat / Re: My bike and new trailer

« on: June 03, 2010, 09:57:11 AM »

Wow, Steve... that is one sweet bike. Sorry I missed your call last week. Good luck with your baby ducks and your new bike!

124

Chit Chat / Re: Got a gardening tip for a fat girl?

« on: June 03, 2010, 09:50:55 AM »

I get a kick out of reading instruction manuels, that were written in a foreign language and then translated into English by a native speaker of that same native language.  The ones from Asian countries are particularly comical. 

That topic should get it's own thread! 

Check out "The Six Week Cure for The Middle Aged Middle" by Dr's Mike and Mary Dan Eades. I've read it but haven't started the actual program yet. They're the ones who wrote Protein Power and Protein Power Lifeplan. Great books and better than Atkins because they've kept up with the science.

125

Chit Chat / Re: Nasal Rinsing...does it work?

« on: June 01, 2010, 09:45:47 PM »

I really want to try this for my son, who is constantly coughing due to the post nasal drip of allergies. Have heard of others who like it, but I don't know how to teach him how to use it (he's 8 )... do they come with good directions?

126

Chit Chat / Re: Docudrama Mr Big Mouth here. It was on, but not my episode grrrr!

« on: June 01, 2010, 09:38:38 PM »

Nah Jerry, don't worry about it... that REALLY is the nature of the business. You can't ever know what's going to show or not show, because the chief mucky-mucks are the ones who decide.

I was really interested in this new oven, a "water oven", called the Sous Vide... and it was the same shenanigans. The infomercial was all over the place but nowhere to be found... go figure!

Anyway, if you're interested in a really cool water-bath oven called the "sous vide"... just Google it

127

Pond Chat / Re: Current plan for plumbing circuits

« on: May 31, 2010, 10:01:31 PM »

I'm pretty washed-out from that beef brisket that kept me up until the wee hours last night, but I think your plan looks terrific so far. Did you get my facebook message? I am always confused about that.  Wall, private message, private message, note, status, ...?? don't know! I guess I'm a techno Luddite Love your # 1 and #2 drains...

Skimmers are great... but not if you have a lot of plants. Water lilies especially will impede the surface water debris from being effectively pulled into the skimmer. I get mostly string algae in mine. However, I've used my skimmer to power my Trickle Tower (pot filled with bio balls and plastic scrubbies) for several years. Highly oxygenated water is good!

I'm exhausted from that dang brisket. ... more tomorrow!

128

Chit Chat / Re: Got a gardening tip for a fat girl?

« on: May 30, 2010, 08:41:15 PM »

As some of you may know, I've gained about 50 pounds in the last five years, which isn't bad, except that I've been trying to diet for about five years.... 

Whatever diet you're on doesn't work. I hate those so called "experts" who have never been five pounds overweight in their entire life...yet they think they have the answer for you.    I'm definitely trying that wagon idea!

I don't know how financially secure you are, but one of the things I have realized is that it is often cheaper in the long run to hire a pro. Or even a teenage kid who will do anything to save up for an ipod. I've had neighborhood kids do some backbreaking work for five bucks and they were totally motivated. Cash rules. 

I had two pre teen kids dig a pond for me. I told them both that I'd give them five bucks a piece. One kid did all the work while the other kid stood there doing nothing. I paid them both (as agreed), but I slipped the working kid extra. Will never hire the non-working kid again.

129

Chit Chat / Re: Doggie Scare

« on: May 30, 2010, 08:31:34 PM »

Poor puppy... I hope he feels better soon. They're kinda like kids- take one eye off them for three seconds and they're in real trouble!

130

Chit Chat / Re: Docudrama on the 31st At 7:00 and again at 10:00 Photo of "wife" and me added.

« on: May 30, 2010, 07:39:05 PM »

I had my daughter search for it... and yes, "Investigation Discovery" or ID channel tomorrow night. Can't wait to see it!

Jerry, you look better with your "real" wife.  Maybe she should start acting too and you could travel around together acting?

131

Chit Chat / Re: New sign of a stroke

« on: May 30, 2010, 05:42:14 PM »

That's good advice, especially the new tongue thing. My Mom's friend had a stroke a few weeks ago. They found her at home late morning, with a plate of spaghetti spilled on the floor next to her. Everyone feared that she had the stroke the night before, and she was there for more than 12 hours.

As luck would have it, she's now moving and talking. She doesn't remember anything, but everyone is hoping that she had her leftover spaghetti for breakfast, not the night before.

The raising your arms and smiling thing is to check if one side of the body is drooping or sagging.

132

Chit Chat / Re: One amazing magic trick It is in Japanese but no matter.

« on: May 28, 2010, 05:59:40 PM »

That was really great! Although I'm no expert in Asian languages, that sounds more like Chinese not Japanese...

Trick of the eye... wonderful stuff. Where was he hiding the quarters and how did he get so fast at it?!

133

Pond Chat / Re: Pond Pix 5-28-10

« on: May 28, 2010, 05:51:23 PM »

Everything looks great! It's nice to see them again. Quick question though- what kind of waders are you getting? I took mine out and discovered dry rot at the knees- they're no longer waterproof.  I've put off all my re-potting and dividing because of this and really want some waders that will last.

134

Pond Chat / Re: Guess what I found

« on: May 27, 2010, 08:08:32 PM »

Those pictures are so amazing! I love seeing how real people grow their stuff... crates, hoses, and all. I used to think all that stuff needed to be put away before I took a picture, kind of "perfect" if you will. Now, I love to identify with reality. The reality of crates and hoses.   Beautiful plants, btw.

135

Pond Chat / Re: Mourning a plant they tell me wont live but two years... will it really die?

« on: May 26, 2010, 10:00:28 AM »

But the most poisonous risk found in many flower gardens is Ricin, or castor bean plants.  The seeds, which are attractive, contain enough poison to kill an adult, and children should be warned or kept away from them. there is no antidote for ricin poisoning.

I stopped growing castor bean plants...one day I went into my garage only to find my son stomping on the bag of seeds. That was it. My kids already give me enough reasons to pop an aneurism- I don't want any more.

136

Pond Chat / Re: Mourning a plant they tell me wont live but two years... will it really die?

« on: May 25, 2010, 10:04:47 AM »

Funny how it's poisonous to pretty much everything (livestock, pets, people), yet digitalis can be used to treat people who are experiencing atrial fibrillation. It's the dosage that makes the poison.

137

Chit Chat / Re: Charlies new Digs

« on: May 21, 2010, 11:05:54 AM »

Hey, Steve! Where ya been? That is one sweet condo. It makes perfect sense to use trunks, my cat always used our cedar posts for sharpening. If I ever get another cat, I'm stealing your idea. 

138

Chit Chat / Re: Pumps at Home Depot.

« on: May 21, 2010, 11:00:44 AM »

You were in just the right place at just the right time. Serendipity. 

139

Chit Chat / Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEAN!!!

« on: May 17, 2010, 12:41:40 PM »

Happy belated Birthday, Sean... so sorry I missed it! Hope you had a great one.

140

Chit Chat / Re: credit car fraud!!!

« on: May 07, 2010, 06:54:42 PM »

I'm probably the only person on the planet who has not been compromised (...yet). This is all good advice, and a great reminder to check up on things.

Usually, I just look at my bank statement and say "yeah, that looks right". So much at the grocery store, Wal Mart, Gas,  utilities, etc. I've never ever had a problem with any of it.

Sometimes I think it would be better to use cash at restaurants precisely because of what Esther noted. My brother came back from Mexico and all of his accounts were emptied. Can't trust transient restaurant employees. They could be long-time employees or month-long crooks... you have no way of knowing.

If I were absolutely sure that this happened at a Home Depot, I'd put the pressure on them to prove their system is absolutely secure.

141

Pond Chat / Re: More sun than fire.

« on: May 07, 2010, 09:39:01 AM »

I love the depth of color on that one. Very pretty!

142

Pond Chat / Re: Pink Ribbons...

« on: May 07, 2010, 09:37:09 AM »

LOL  I thought she made a post and got excited.  Come back, Joyce!

Me too... ditto that!

PS: beautiful pictures of a beautiful lily.

143

Pond Chat / Re: Covert ponding

« on: May 02, 2010, 11:27:22 AM »

Go for it. You can call yourself "The Lily Bomber". Love it.

We have tons of ponds around here. I've always wanted to do that- toss a few lilies in. Nothing invasive (we do have some ponds around here that have been taken over by N. oderata)... only well- behaved cultivars, like Perry's Baby Red, and/or Helvola.

I saw on TV that people are organizing small groups of people to do plant and dash flower plantings of traffic islands and similar areas in big cities with no approval from the city.
They look out for cops and when the coast is clear they all swarm the small area and rapidly plant a bunch of flower bulbs or something and then quickly make their getaway and go back into hiding to plan their next attack. A sort of a cityscape beauty insurgency.

That's really cool. I helped another mom tend to a courtyard garden at the local elementary school. Lots of native plants, birdhouses, etc. Then a local landscaping company decided to donate professional landscaping to the school and they turned it into a lawn. Shameful.

144

Pond Chat / Re: Thinking of adding minerals to water lily dirt.

« on: April 28, 2010, 05:31:55 PM »

Thanks for the responses. Johns & Enzo, I was already using sand to dress the water lily pots... guess I'll just continue & mix a little into the soil. Enzo, when I divide this year I'll try a few in sand to see what happens. I grow mostly hardies and tropical night bloomers.

Julles, that's why I washed my gravel off- so as to not cloud the water. I'm not sure how necessary that was- people add koi clay to their ponds all the time and it's essentially the same thing. Yeah, one can argue what type of clay but it is all essentially broken down rock in the end, right?

I've heard the term "rotten stone" before but can't remember where.

145

Chit Chat / Re: My "Reel" at long last. Scott! got it!

« on: April 26, 2010, 08:55:42 AM »

That was great!

I'm not sure I agree with Esther on this. Maybe I do. Anyway, it was really nice to hear your voice, and I think it has a very distinctive quality to it. Think: "you feelin lucky, punk?" ... that kind of distinctiveness. However, it needs something. I don't know what... maybe a little louder?

I apologize. I know that I attended far too many rock concerts when I was younger and my hearing isn't the best. But I really think you can capitalize on that nice, velvety quality of your voice.

146

Chit Chat / Re: At school typing with brand new iPod

« on: April 26, 2010, 08:45:34 AM »

Now Howell, stop playing with your toy and get back to your schoolwork!! 

147

Chit Chat / Re: Feeling overwhelmed

« on: April 26, 2010, 08:43:42 AM »

I agree with the others about the Hahas and the grammar, but I think you have an interesting sentence here:

When I say passionately grown, that in itself is an understatement.

You should trademark the statement "passionately grown" and make it your own.  It's a good marketing tool.

Also, maybe a small FAQ on the "Truly Named" certification and why it is so important.

Another thing you might consider is something I know nothing about- the Google thing. When I Googled "aquaticlilies.com", it didn't return very much (it returned this thread and some other stuff).
It would be nice if someone googled your site name and your site was listed first. Again, I know nothing about how that works, but if you have any advertising funding, that would be a great way to advertise your site.
 Good luck!

148

Pond Chat / Re: N Pygmaea

« on: April 23, 2010, 08:13:08 PM »

That's weird. I have lots of N. pygmaea, they're just not up yet. I hate to pick my blooms before they're ready, but if I do get plants I'd be glad to send you one.

149

Pond Chat / Thinking of adding minerals to water lily dirt.

« on: April 22, 2010, 05:56:28 PM »

Everyone over the years develops their own favorite water lily dirt recipe. But I was reading an old ACRES publication (it's a mag about farming) about farmer's efforts to add back minerals to depleted soils to improve the nutritional qualities of vegetables, pastures, etc. There is a lot more to fertilizer than nitrogen, potassium, and potash.

Many of the more expensive aquatic fertilizers have micronutrients that try and mimic the natural mineral content of "not depleted" soils.

Magnesium, calcium, halite (sodium chloride), sulphur, iron, phosphorus, manganese, iodine, zinc, etc are only some of the minerals that exist in soils and salts.

Minerals come from broken down rocks. So I was thinking that maybe adding a cheap bag of gravel to my water lily soil recipe. What do you think? When I wash a bag of gravel, all of the gunk that washes away is actually the broken down minerals from the rocks. I was treating it as a waste product and washing it away instead of recognizing the value of it.

I was also thinking about adding a few bags to my vegetable garden.

150

Pond Chat / Re: Picture!!

« on: April 22, 2010, 05:35:57 PM »

Very nice pics... I love that Iris color and the shape of your falls, especially the bottom falls. Nice fish, too. It looks like the little goldies are admiring their supreme leader.