Otis' white-tipped mood indicator set to "fine"; we've had ample rain.

:https://soi-falstaff.hyperchat.com/c1.jpg

Otis questioning me about the "Mexican Sunflowers"; we've never grown them before, but think some will be orange and we do live in TN; "Go big Orange." Baseball team ranked first in nation, girl's softball ranked third; I like to watch fit young women through hard underhanded, but not as much as ice skating.

:https://soi-falstaff.hyperchat.com/c2.jpg

Cilantro turns into coriander; I can't stand the taste of it (genetic) but do admire the flowers.

:https://soi-falstaff.hyperchat.com/c3.jpg

Peonies fading; Chrysanthemum coming on; those have been there a LONG time; it bothers me nowadays, the varieties sold, many of them annuals, and planting in the fall or just displaying and discarding; old gardening books recommend pinching the blooms back, make the plant exert more vigor and creating more branches and thus flowers;

I think that is mean to the plant, why work it so hard, relax; soak up the sun; you have fertile soil at your roots and I will water you.

:https://soi-falstaff.hyperchat.com/c4.jpg

Pooching my jaw out with my tongue; donning a cape covered in crescent moons and gargoyle heads, waving my arms in a curious but potent fashion.

As the blue ball Alliums fade, thumbergia runs riot, ready to grasp the tobacco sticks, weave and turn yellow flowers to the sun; THUS, Shall the Solstice be marked, one month from now; Naked we shall celebrate, dance, feel primitive, pay homage to our genes and wild ass ancestors.

The sticks shall NOT be used to burn witches, even if they own a cat, but to light the way in song, in dance, into the mysteries of Dionysus!

:https://soi-falstaff.hyperchat.com/c5.jpg

Kneeling, digging my fingers into Mother Earth, feeling her pulse; riding her, agreeing with Atlas, oooh, give me strength.

May your gourds grow long handles.

:https://soi-falstaff.hyperchat.com/c6.jpg

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Retired Cork #1 Retired Cork #2 #r-z2poli has 3 in last 24hrs. (This cork has 5 in last 24hrs)

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z2cork room page~ with informative links and room information

1. Sun May 26 04:26 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
   SouL^@jag said:

2. Sat May 25 11:12 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
   Starr said:

   Pan!

   Lord!

   Well, in ALL HONESTY...I ate roadkill too. Snapping turtle, it was! Freshly hit! Cooked up in a pressure cooker! A finer dish I have rarely, if EVER tasted!

3. Sat May 25 04:56 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
   Panurge said:

   Starr: Elk were reintroduced to Cataloochee area of Great Smoky Mountains, and they don't read maps well, or watch for vehicles on the interstate; the one I ate, son found crippled by side of river, knocked from interstate, soooo, it was still alive until he mercy killed it and we ate it to the great glory.

4. Sat May 25 04:51 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
   Starr said:

   Why am I NOT surprised that you eat road-kill, Pan!? HUH????!!!!! Fists on my hips, staring.

5. Sat May 25 04:45 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
   Starr said:

   Pan....I do NOT believe that ELK are running free in YOUR STATE!

6. Sat May 25 04:44 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
   Panurge said:

   Starr: I disdain tiny shovels and rakes! Listen, Elk have been reintroduced around here; ate one two years ago that got hit on the interstate, pretty good, anyway; I think an Elk could break through poultry wire; especially if it was rusty and it would deteriate quickly with ground contact.

7. Sat May 25 04:33 ~ - Subject: Panurge - 0 reaction(s)
   Starr said:

   Arms crossed, side-eying YOU.... Pan, not everyone uses a danged TRACTOR to till up a garden, some of us use a tiny shovel and a little garden rake!

   Pacing now! CLEARLY agitated! GAZE VERY NARROW!!!

   Probably those danged ELK anyway!

8. Fri May 24 19:26 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
   Panurge said:

   Starr: No lover of the land, of amending and refreshing the soil would even consider poultry wire except for penning up CHICKENS that SHIT everywhere unless suitably contained. AND, how do you know what caused Orlando's Alliums to not flower as well this year, huh? Laughing, Breaking free of the headlock, breathing deep voles, moles and things that go bump in the night, bullshit; could of been a soil pathogen, maybe a gopher lives near Orlando, but I know, that I do NOT know what is wrong with his Allium and I do KNOW, that putting a bunch of poultry wire in the ground is a damn mistake!

9. Fri May 24 17:57 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
   Starr said:

   Panurge

   Gripping your neck with a slow, steadily increasing pressure until your face turns a lovely shade of PURPLE!

   Pan...I know what I'm talking about! Geez....

10. Fri May 24 14:36 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Panurge said:

    Orlando: I am no expert on Allium; only my second year growing them; the ones came back around the stump, but were not as spectacular as the year before; all I can say is daffodils are generally as spectacular, year after year, tulips, maybe three or four years, but squirrels love their bulbs.

    Pay NO attention to Starr about the poultry wire; can you imagine getting that wrapped around tiller tines or trying to amend the soil through it.

    Starr: I'll send you some pics when the yellow and white marigolds bloom.

11. Fri May 24 07:35 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Starr said:

    Things are looking very good this year Pan. Send me pictures of the yellow and white marigolds when they open, please.

12. Fri May 24 07:34 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Starr said:

    Orlando

    You need to build a bulb cage out of poultry wire to plant your bulbs in. The voles, moles, mice are eating your bulbs. Also kill the grubs....

    The cage will allow the flowers to grow up and out, but many of the critters will not be able to get to them. You may want to make the bottom part of out hardware cloth/wire and the top out of poultry wire for added protection.

    Elk, black bears and prairie dogs will eat the bulbs too...among other pests.

13. Thu May 23 08:11 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Kenneth said:

    Looking good as always, Pan. I’ll bet things look fantastic next month.

14. Wed May 22 09:20 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Orlando said:

    What is the deal with our allium? It's spectacular for one year, and then never comes back, yet it's supposed to be perennial.

    I love your garden's progress, Pan. Thanks for sharing.

    Bellyrub for Otis

15. Wed May 22 09:01 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    krysta said:

    Enjoys the flowers while scritching Otis...

16. Wed May 22 05:52 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Panurge said:

    Thanks everyone for kind comments.

17. Wed May 22 02:02 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Delilah said:

    Oh....and cilantro here is still called coriander as a plant....grin

18. Wed May 22 01:59 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Delilah said:

    I am shocked Pan! You don't like coriander??? I love it. I often add the leaves to salads cos it tastes so lovely. Those alium heads look like huge dandelion seed heads. When the seed blew off in the wind, we called the 'fairies' over here. Also used to blow the seeds off the heads to 'tell the time'....LOL

19. Wed May 22 01:40 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    ~bambou~ said:

    i always enjoy a walk in your garden when i am around, and you make it sound even better, tomorrow will be full moon, it makes it even better, a stroll in a garden.

20. Tue May 21 22:49 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    RCS said:

    Winter is on its way here now. Almost time to hit the road and travel again.

    I enjoy your photos and prose, together they make poetry.

21. Tue May 21 19:50 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Mercury said:

    Somehow my cilantro plant has returned, suffering through a mild winter. The Rosemary and Thyme are rugged and will last for years.

    How I love the stroll through your estate with Otis leading the way. Such beauty and life.

22. Tue May 21 17:38 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Pepin said:

    I hope you have cooperative weather for the solstice celebration.

23. Tue May 21 17:37 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    Panurge said:

    cait~: I'm sorry your front yard peonies have been "beaten to death" I don't like blaming rain for it, but yeah, that dang wind! Glad there is solace in the back yard, ants be damned.

    vaash: Interesting about coriander spice not engendering same reaction as herb cilantro.

24. Tue May 21 17:24 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    vaash said:

    Cilantro turns into coriander... I enjoy using both in cooking but I get that it is a flavor that one either loves or hates. Coriander, as a spice, doesn't seem to engender the same intolerance as the herb cilantro.

25. Tue May 21 17:05 ~ - Subject: * - 0 reaction(s)
    cait~ said:

    The peonies out front have been beaten to death by the rain and wind.... and the ones in the backyard are strong & tall but the ant's have yet to find them so they stay closed.