First of all, I’d love to hear about your gardens. I don’t think I am going to get mine in this year. My life is currently drama and unfun stuff. But I would love to hear about yours.
What I don’t want is to hear about bad things. I keep repeating that. And then alluding to my own bad things. The purpose of this site is to be talking about fun things. And reviewing stupid shit on TV without it being so negative all the time. I get it. All the shows y’all like like have people to hate on. But on the weekends, can’t we at least have some fun and happiness?
Please.
I need to hear about your gardens and good things. Can we do that? 
So this is my story (deletes the bad things) I have empty houses on both sides of me for (deleted bad things). And this has resulted in a an overpopulation of BUNNIES. On Easter Sunday no lie there was a giant white bunny in my yard!
Flash forward to undeleted odd experiences. It’s fun to see one giant white bunny in the ghetto. It’s a bit crazy to see a jack rabbit. You know the term but until see see a scrawny brown rabbit hopping around…. I’m just saying.
Suddenly I feel like I live in the land of bunnies. They are EVERYWHERE. Once or twice is great. But it’s starting to feel like the invasion of the bunnies! So what HAPPY things are happening with you. And please don’t start with As I Lay dying…. if you know what I mean.
Finally some sun in Damn Yankee Territory! Repotting my basil which is growing like weeds and hopefully some container tomato plants! Must have bruschetta and tomato sandwiches in the summer. Oh and planning my wedding ?#Mazel
OMG! email me with deets on where you are registered! tamaratattles on gmail. See? I love good news!
I’ve been thinking about growing some, but I live in an apartment with a cement slab balcony so I’m thinking maybe I get one of those inverted planting thing-a-ma-bobs and plant some upside down tomatoes, and sneak some basil in there. You wouldn’t happen to watch the cooking show Ciao Italia would you? In a recently aired episode she took the camera out to her garden, something she almost never does, and she had these huge basil plants all of them covered in a something very much like mosquitoe netting, apparently it keeps the bugs off of them, and it works because all of the leaves were bug-bite free. Also she said when making a pesto only use the smallest leaves for the best results. Who knew. I think that show is now the longest running cooking show in the states. Congrats on the wedding Mazel.
I’ve grown tomatoes in pots on small deck years before those hanging things and they did great. Lucky for you VERTICAL GARDENING is really popular now, Google it to find everything from plans to build your own supports to what grows together, etc. AND GO BIG. Most important, HAVE FUN.
I have bunnies too! Lots of them! They make me so happy.I do not have a garden because I have black thumbs, fingers, toes, as well as an apparent Medusa like ability to cause plants die by just looking at them. So, I am ridiculously excited that I have managed to keep a snake plant inside, and several herbs, a Black Eyed Susan, and a leafy red thingy that I forgot the name of outside ALIVE, and doing pretty well. I use this lemon mint herb thing to cook fish, and veggies, and pasta, it is good.
Everyone can grow mint. And if you like mojitos… BONUS! Downside, it will take over your yard.
I was just going to post about mint. The other day I spent a small fortune on mint and basil. Then I saw beautiful baskets of both on my friend’s patio. I am planting both tomorrow for my porch. Especially excited about the mint for Mojitos! Yum! If I planted it in the ground and it took over, I’d make more Mojitos. Cheers! (I am looking for a cherry tomato I can put in container if anyone has s good one to recommend.)
??? My post went through!
So Lemongrass, one of/ the most amazing women I have ever known made me a true believer. She was from New Zealand, my children called her Mrs. Broccoli ( real name was close ). She had a tropical paradise and always carried lemongrass in her pockets, chopped it up and sprinkled it in her garden beds.
I don’t know if you can kill it… and it is very pretty if you maintain it in a pot.
Tea olive, rosemary and lemongrass are the best.
Scents and I will throw in jasmine and gardenia… but I prefer herbal/ citrus. One whiff of gardenia and I think Grandma/ Mom
So excited I could post, I forgot the big point. lemongrass keeps bugs away… you can pay a small fortune for organic bug spray or chop away and smell wonderful.
Many places carry Citronella plants at this time of the year. Pretty easy to grow and if you Pot it, you can move it around to where you are working or hanging out.
For cherry tomato answer, or anything, your local Master Gardener is a great place to start. They are not trying to seeps yiu something, just sharing info. Although most nursery employees are amazingly honest about what does well where.
Lemongrass
We had large sections of mint and sage on the side of the house for DECADES. The mint was suddenly gone completely last year. The sage this year. Dead as can be. Like they never existed. I can’t even blame the lawn service because it’s not near anything they touch and we don’t use pesticides so it remains a mystery.
OK… this isn’t depressing but slightly evil. With cameras these days I don’t think I can pull it off… BUT I have a few condo association people that have driven me nuts over the years. I have this dream of planting mint in several inconspicuous spots around, plants and seeds, right when I move.
Bamboo in amongst bushes, that stuff takes over everything but it is good for privacy since it grows so tall, but I mean it it does take over. It has to be dug out because clipping the shoots above the ground don’t deal with the rhizomes under the ground.
Also you shouldn’t use that knowledge for evil. Just saying. ;0)
Oh. My. God. I love you. BRILLIANT.
(And I should have remembered that. We’ve had to remove it places. I’ve always said that if I shared a fence with someone I wouldn’t do trees as a block, I’d do bamboo – but in long pots, even if I bury them so they look like they are in the ground. I love bamboo)
I planted Bamboo in the small strip between my driveway and my(now dead) psycho neighbor’s fence . It’s taken over the yard. 🙂 Except for the most important part of the planting. Whatever he put on my days of bulb planting has an area where literally nothing will grow. I was hoping the bulbs would recover at some point, but nope.
That’s Awful TT. Sounds like you might have to dig out that soil and replace it, but man that’s a lot of work.
Oh hey next time you’re feeling down tell us a story about Banjo and I’ll tell you about Arti. And you know everyone around here has a dog story. Just don’t let ’em talk about their cats, cats are evil.
You always make me smile Forum Dude. You’re kinda newish here. Be glad that you missed THE GREAT CAT LADY PURGE a few years ago. They started numerous hate sites to dox me. It was pretty dramatic. 🙂 xo ~tt
It is soooooooper invasive and a literal rats nest. It took me a a year and 14k to get rid of it. It was so aggressive that it grew under my pool decking and broke through the plaster looking for water. We ended up redoing the entire yard and salting the ground so thoroughly that we can’t grow grass. I will never plant or buy a home with bamboo again.
Preach it Kendra, because I’m thinking Erica is heading for the bamboo dark side here. But she does have a good idea about using planters. I’ll bet they would work to limit their growth.
My weekend plans cancelled and for the first time this year I’ve got nothing to do but binge watch tv and putz around. The only thing I planted were pots of flowers and grasses. So far everything is alive but it’s early.
I’m NOT a bunny fan and it’s rare that I see one in the wild aka my neighborhood.
I’m bingeing something called Sweetbitter? on Starz they hooked me with Vida which was fabulous and now I am watching other things.
Vida was fantastic! Hoping there will be a season 3. Will have to check out SweetBitter. If you are into historical stuff about Tudors, Plantagenets checkout the White Princess, The White Queen and Spanish Princess. Each are one season and loosely follow each other.
Just curious was I banned? I think the last time I could post was after Clemson won the Natty? Trying not to be a pain, I just am so excited, I could comment and was worried I had pissed you off…
I’ve been passed out for hours. I’ve changed nothing. I never banned or unbanned you!
LOVE SweetBitter. It’s weird, fun and addicting. I still have to try Vida before the next season starts. Have you watched the Spanish Princess? It’s an interesting take on Catherine of Aragon. No, it’s not historically correct but but I love getting lost in the scenery and the sub stories.
I’m into the Spanish Princess too!! It’s very good, but in my opinion, it’s not quite as good as The White Princess. Both have amazing sets and costumes, but I think the actors and the plot in The White Princess were superb. What do you think? I read some the books too and much preferred Lizzie’s story to Maggie’s.
I was so so on The White Princess because I wasn’t fond of Jodie Comer who played Lizzie. The White Queen, however, I LOVED. The White Queen was by far, my favorite of the three series. I loved all the actors and every single thing about it. BBC produced The White Queen and they partnered up with Starz for The White Princess and The Spanish Princess and the series became a little more slick/Hollywood imo. On a side note – was it just me or was the actor who played Arthur in The Spanish Princess awful? He looked so comical between his long neck and the pageboy haircut.
Watching Spanish Princess now.
Too hot for gardening here in glorious Florida. Heading to the beach for hours floating in cool, clear waters. Wish you were here.
me too. And I hate you. 🙂
Ditto! ? Im stuck in TN awaiting the Bonnaroo invasion wishing I was in FL. ?
I am super excited, I couldn’t post for so long. I have been her since before Jodie Arias, I thought you had banned me. ????
Never! I thought you left me!
4 kinds of tomatoes and 3 kinds of peppers in the garden my sister and I planted are starting to bloom after 2 weeks in the ground. We planted several herbs (lavender, rosemary, mint) that supposedly are “stinky” to deer and they won’t eat them. Pray for my butternut squash which I’m afraid the deer will love.
I really need to get out of this funk. Some of you on Twitter or maybe here, I can’t remember know about my harsh breakup with Ladarius the kid that used to cut my grass. I have a real guy now but he has returned. He lives in the house that keeps getting busted for drugs with his brothers. He’s a kid. I love him. So anyway, I just wanted to sleep all day today and ignore everyone. But he came knocking for the second time. He doesn’t have a lawn mower. So um. WTF? But he is trying to earn dollar. Last time he never came back. This time the negotiation went like this.
Him: So $15
Me; Do you have a lawn mower WITH You?
Lasarius: Yes
Me so $20 it is.
Haven’t seem him since. This Kid! I think he likes to read so I am giving him a copy of The Women of Brewster Place if he finds a mower. I have all of Gloria Naylor’s booked signed this is a duplicate. And Gloria almost NEVER signs for adults.
All the feels reading this. I hope he comes back with the mower.
I haven’t read that book but I did see The Oprah act in the made for TV movie and I think that was one of her better acting moments. I just found out there was series by the name as well. I’ll have to look that up.
I recently moved from the beach to the desert, due to family stuff I can’t talk about because we’re being all happy and positive today. Unpacking my garage last night I found a large scorpion dangling from a set of new plastic storage drawers I bought to organize my crap. L-o-v-e-l-y.
Happily I had the name of a pest control guy to call. Well he just came by and asking why I chose this location to be in, informed me I live in scorpion central due to a nearby (100 yards away) natural lake. He said all forms of arachnids in desert locales are attracted to the 8 degree cooler weather I chose to locate to. Walking away he warned other pests, like rattlesnakes and bats love this area too. I’m off now to get all kinds of bug zapping sprays, boots on, snake stick in hand. Smiling all the while because I sure know how to pick desirable locales.
Picking up some hearty, golden lantana while shopping for critter fighters.
Scorpion hunting is a blast! Get a really good LED blacklight flashlight and wait for nightfall. Shine the light on exterior walls and fences and the little bastards will glow neon green. We can get 20+ on a good night.
I want to say this is not a happy story!!!! But it did in fact make me smile. I was raised in the Sahara. It was amazing. Now I am in the ghetto fighting an infestation of cockroaches so huge that it made the local news.
But aren’t we supposed to call them palmetto bugs here in the South? Cockroach is such an ugly word. Haha!
We have different bug issues up here in PA. This is the lucky year. Every seventeen years we have the cicada invasion. Their gross little cocoonish webby things are all over the trees. It’s icky and loud and skeevy and everywhere. Google it. I’ve got until August to find a rich man to whisk me away for the month ?
To Rebecca… I wouldn’t even play with scorpions, I think I’d sleep with a propane blow torch.
When you see those great big white web’s in your tree’s take your blowtorch to the web, that will kill all the pillar’s inside, I guess you could do the same with the scorpions as well.
I love scorpion hunting! I live in AZ and do this every year. I put on a tall pair of rain boots and go outside with a black light, blow torch, and hairspray. It’s soooo satisfying. Last year I killed a mom with babies all over her back. It might seem cruel, but I got stung on the finger a few times and lost feeling in it for a few months. Every scorpion I kill is one less that will end up in my house!
Yes, people who have been stung are allowed to be free from guilt during a scorpion hunt. I was stung when I was putting on a shirt that I had left draped over my bathtub. It was a small bit deadly bark scorpion and it felt like somebody was holding a burning cigarette against my skin for 2 hours.
The pain gradually subsided over 24 hours but I would get periodic pain like when it first stung me. I had a hard welt for nearly a month. The spot still itches occasionally after 6 months. Both of our small dogs have also survived stings but they were much more tough than I was, lol.
Agreed! I got stung by a bark scorpion washing down my counters. I thought there was broken glass in my sponge. It got me a few times and did some serious nerve damage. I have a high pain tolerance, but I was no match for the numbness it caused.
I can’t complain too much. My daughters friend has a rattlesnake that lives in her yard so I guess I’m thankful I only have to deal with these vs something that could actually kill me! Haha
A 2×4 is the best scorpion whompin stick, and turn those boots and shoes over and shake vigorously every single time before putting them on. Even if it has only been 2 min.
yeah those scorpians are a big no from me. I could never live in a place where scorpians would even considered putting roots down!
lol, I can’t stand any bug no matter what they look like or how big they may be. I go thru these spells where I get alot of Centipede’s running across the living room carpet, I naturally freak out, and Miss Besse (cat) doesn’t seem to care about them, so that means I have to kill the ugly looking things, I had looked them up and found out they were poisonous, I really needed that kind of information, lol
I just can’t with all this scorpion stuff!! I could maybe even deal better with Dorit or Tessa than scorpions. Or cockroaches. Or palmetto bugs for that matter.
I have lived through cicadas before, and now I have to again. The buzz is almost relaxing if you don’t know what it is. I am glad I don’t have a toddler. I am gone most of the month. Hopefully I will miss some of the cicada invasion.
I garden with native plants, and belong to Wild Ones, a wildlife garden club here in the midwest. My yard is pretty small by Kyle’s standards, but I do get plenty of bees and butterflies. My brush pile hosts a stray and her kittens, which we see but haven’t been able to catch.
I’ve enjoyed your blog for years, even when I don’t share your allegiances. Thanks for the entertainment!
Wild Ones? I am envious. But not enough to move there’s!
What good things are you guys binge watching when you aren’t in the garden?? Is it too late to start Killing Eve? Worth it??
Killing Eve may be the best thing on TV. Never too late. If you have time, I recommend you watch the first episode, read the TT recap, then watch the episode again. You have three (not long enough) seasons. It is worth the time. KE is multi-layered and subtly (and sometimes NOT subtly) nuanced. Very dark funny stuff and a bit of silly-ish funny stuff. And great fashion. Have fun.
I hear you on the drama and unfun stuff! I’m up to my neck in it, which is what led me here to lighten up. So far today I caught up on Project Runway, after my morning coffee I ate a grilled cheese sandwich. Don’t be jealous of my incredible drive to achieve great things!? My hope is that I go fetch supplies later and then hole back up in my fortress. If I had Oprah money I swear on Elvis I would have a moat (but I’d still have a cozy house). On my list I have food to get, 3 plants for pots I have for my front porch and 1 hanging plant. If the hanging plant makes it through the summer it will be the first. Wish me luck. I’m not much of a green thumb but I do love seeing plants. So 4 plants. I shall name them Keith (the hanging plant) and 3 potted plants will be Charlie, Mick, and Ronnie. The idea is I would NEVER forget to tend to the Stone’s. I have to trick myself sometimes. Everyone be nice to yourself today and remember, don’t be uncool. ?
This is brilliant. And I’d give my left tit(and that’s the big one) for a grilled cheese.
With bacon and thin slices of tomato! Or, tomato soup on the side. Comfort food supreme!
That is like the quintessentially perfect winter comfort food. When I was a kid we would go out tobogganing, and when we got back Sister Mary would have that ready for us and it was just perfection.
There are actually succulents that look like stones. They would be perfect for your Mick, Keith,Charlie and Ronnie! I had to sell my Stones tickets.
If your plants are like their namesakes, Keith (my fave) will keep going no matter what abuse you heap on it. Um … him.
BIMINI!!! It’s that time of year! We are so blessed that we get to go to Bimini with our sweet friends on their yacht for my birthday weekend!
Lobster fritters! Conch fritters! Tequila! Crystal clear aquamarine water! Good friends and good fun!!
We leave from their house (the boat is docked in their back yard) Friday morning!
Did I mention how excited I am?
Happy Birthday! I LOVE GOOD NEWS!
JoJoFLL – I’ve asked a lot of people this, but so far no takers. Will you adopt me? Bimini on a yacht? Wow! I could learn to live like that very easily, apart from the minor detail of getting seasick even when I’m watching movies on TV. Have a fantastic trip; it sounds like heaven (apart from the whole waves and sea thing ?).
That sounds awesome! I just got back from a week in Turks where I laid on my water hammock all day in that amazing water while day drinking… heaven!
Be careful with lobster, the fine is insane out of season. Beaches will do just about anything I ask but they draw the line at lobster. Which just forces me to go twice a year so I have to wait til the December trip to gorge on lobster, such sacrifices.
Now how to I get on this adoption list? I want yacht fun too! Enjoy!
That sounds awesome. Bimin I has the pigs. That’s on my bucket list.
Will you be going up to everyone, getting in their personal space, grabbing their hands and saying “We got the yacht. We got the yacht” and tittering? Just don’t let TOM on the yacht.
Wow Tamara lazy Saturday at my shore condo. I’m so thankful to you for the tomato posts, which spurred me into gardening, a couple years ago. Greatest therapy in the world. And now I have my first granddaughter to share that with! She’s walking now and I picked up some water,sand shoes for her to play around in the dirt with me! She loves being outside.
Y’all are trying to shame me into getting my shit together and garden like I always do. Meanwhile, I am picking a fight with Banjo because he is being distant or whatever, I’m really REALLY bad a relationships.
I live in the U.P. of Michigan (NOT northern Michigan! Big difference) on a hobby farm. I’ve been outside all morning spreading horse poop on my giant-ass garden. I have no idea why it’s so huge, other than I have no restraint. We have horses, dairy goats, chickens, and barn cats. I started a shitload of tomato varieties in the sauna, because we are basically Canada and it’s still fricken’ arctic here. My stepdaughter wanted giant pumpkins, so I have 8 varieties. I plant all heirloom varieties bc I’m *extra*. Mostly from Baker Creek Rare seeds but some others, too. We have also have bunnies..lots of them! Bald Eagles and red-tailed hawks, too…but *happy shit.* Our livestock pond is next to the garden so I pump water out if that. Toads and turtles dont mind.
Sounds like heaven. Except colder.
Well I just had my third baby- Trey :). Just got home from the hospital an hour ago and I’m SO HAPPY to be back home, even with my two other kids already throwing their demands all over me hahahaha. Just feels good to be home, and I’m thrilled to say I feel much more relaxed about the hospital to home transition this time around than I was with the first two.
Also, we are closing on our new home in the next week, and the house has an awesome backyard- fenced in, awesome deck, patio, rock garden and all the trimmings, just needs our own touch for plants and flowers! So my summer project is to design our yard up! Woot woot!
Congratulations on your new baby and new house Angie!
See? We have good things to celebrate!! YAY! and Congrats.
Well you sure have a busy summer, congrats on all the happy news!
MAZEL TOV!!!!
Happily finishing up my she shed and putting my garden in! I built a new cedar raised frame for the garden. Leaving now to pick out lights for the she shed. Oh and my little dog is being terrified by squabbling squirrels and bitchy birds yelling at her. ?
If I had to live with PEOPLE I’d totally have a She Shed,
A She Shed? Now I want a She Shed!
This sounds amazing!
My she shed is my office/guest room, every nook and cranny loaded with my jewelry supplies, pottery in the garage and at a friends house. My husband is a GC, he can build anything, I’ve been asking for a she shed for 19 years, I am bitter, I admit it!???
Go buy a tough shed! Maybe then he will do it and you can return it… if I have to ask more than a few times I do it myself, he gets irritated, returns whatever I bought and then fulfill my original request. Sick cyclical game but it’s ours 🙂
I have thought to do that but I need h20 and power…gonna look at those portable buildings, I like it!
General Contractors never finish shit in their own homes! Paying jobs first! I know this b/c my parents are GCs, and their kitchen remodel is stuck in everything is finished but the ceiling mode. The warranties on the new appliances have expired at this point.
I love with a people. The she shed will save us. ?. I need my quiet time.
It’s funny you are being over run with bunnies, i am too! My dog is only a year old and is still in the must make everyone my friend stage, which means i hear barking every night when the bunnies come out to eat my back yard bushes.
The weather is finally turning in the northeast towards sun! So fun is sure to start up here.
Just planted my herbs, tomatoes and lavender and i am now waiting to see which gets huge and what dies first, i tend to have more of a black thumb but the local wildlife enjoys eating what i do grow.
I loved the bunnies until it turned into INVASION OF THE BUNNIES! Now they kinda scare me. The big fat white one is my favorite, but the jack rabbit is kinda terrifying.
Ha! Reminds me of that movie…what was it?
Oh yes, Night of the Lepus. Run! Run from the killer bunny rabbits!
Do you thinks they are just doing what bunnies do or if people are dropping off bunnies? Fair Oaks, Calif. has become chicken central because people started dumping their spare chickens there. But they like it, so it’s OK.
We’re neighbors!!! My rental is near watt and Folsom. I live farther south though, near the old sugar mill 🙂
This year I started a porch garden with tomato plants and herbs growing in 10 gallon icing buckets from the publix bakery, so far I’ve kept the lil darlings alive.
My son and daughter in law are coming over for linner (lunch and dinner served around 3pm) we are having homemade fried lumpia and beef lo mein. Hope this little post lightens the day. Cheers to the weekend all.
What’s lumpia?
Phillipino spring rolls DELISH!
Yes and yes they were.
Help me, the spicy sweet sauce? I can’t remember what it’s called…the best chicken and pork, clear noodles and not super sweet, perfect sweet custard like dessert.
I think I wasn’t correct with my spelling, Filipino, is that correct? Karebear, are you Filipino? Geeze I hope I’m not completely culturally inappropriate, please correct and shame me as needed.
I’ve worked with many amazing nurses and patients from the Philippines way back, always very generous sharing of their homes and food. About 10 years ago I had a home patient who’s wife cooked and took “no, I’m sorry, no I really can’t” as a positive answer, she completely heard “yes” after I was broke down, crippled by the basic assault of trying to stay “neutral”, seeing and smelling her dishes that I already knew and loved… So, after I declined to share a meal together during my first visit (kinda a professional no, no) she just handed me a full plate to eat during my next visit, then she sent me off with perfectly prepared and packaged meals (after she had stealthily acquired MY home situation during my first visit, I didn’t notice a thing?, very sharp blade!) packaged up for my family! Talk about Conflicting feelings! I know food is love but my nurse training…but you do become like family and at the time I was only case management…still…I worked with Filipino nurses in Korea years before, loved them (learned a lot from them) and the way they shared not only amazing food, but of themselves? It was really hard to say NO, so I didn’t, I really couldn’t. I’d have been rude, right?
I would love an open forum about comfort foods. I NEED LUMPIA really bad right now!
Sweet chili sauce, I like Piro. My daughter in law is filipino, she has graciously shown me how to make lumpia and now we do it together. My best friend is also filipino, we met in the early 90’s ar a cafeteria restaurant Picadilly. Her mom, aunts and moms friends worked there it was one big family and holiday potlucks were the best. We both became pregnant at the time while working there and all the aunts (they insisted being called) would tease us that there was something in the water. Love all my aunts, their food is amazing and completely delicious.
Oops the sauce brand is Pantai it’s great has shredded carrots in it, best chili sauce. Now coffee is needed lol.
I am lucky to have a wonderful SIL who is Filipino and she always makes a ton of lumpia and a huge pan of pancit for family get togethers. I need that in my life right now but Gina is in Paris and I will have to wait.
OMG with spicy banana sauce…absolutely delicious!
And what about Filipino ice cream? Thick with fruity or avocado pulp. No durian for me though…
We’ve always had bunnies, in my neighbor here in “the land of steady habits,” known to the rest of you as Connecticut, but things have been happening on my side of town since last summer. While the other side of town has been increasing patrolled by wildlife (deer, coyotes, fox, bobcats, and !!bear!!), the highway which divides my portion of town run the rest protected us. No more. There’s a fox living around the corner (which explains our diminishing squirrel population) and bears have been sighted a bunch of times over here). This in a town of 66,000!!
Things are late here due to the prolonged rain and cold that we had in March-May, but the dahlias tubers which I planted a couple of weeks ago are sending their shoots above ground. Out of the 23 I planted, 13 have emerged and one from last year survived and has also emerged. It’s exciting to check every time I go out to see if anymore have appeared.
One year I spent an entire weekend planting bulbs in space between me an my neighbor. I took all day for two days to plant them all. The the POS dick swab came out and said “You’re wasting your time! We are putting up a PRIVACY FENCE. I never said a word but my thought was. OMG I SO NEED A PRIVACY FENCE! and if planting flower bulbs was the catalyst, then that was so worth it, I planted a few of the in the tiny front garden.
Well the now dead neighbor apparently poured something in the side yard that killed EVERYTHING, and in my garden area. The soil is irretrievable. But I had so many bulbs I planted a few in my front garden and nothing happened until last year when I got some beautiful yellow lily type flowers, My neighbor who is now good and finally dead also set up a surveillance video room and had all sorts of cameras on my house. Did I mention the main reason I quit teaching was because I refused to be photographed? I hate photos let alone cameras. Rest in turmoil mutherfucka.
Isn’t is disappointing when your bulbs don’t bloom? I have had lovely tulip bulbs for 5/6 that didn’t bloom for the first time last year. The stalks grew but I never they bloomed. My coworker told me deer love tulips and were probably eating them. I live in the city and have never seen a deer in my neighborhood, so I thought that wasn’t a possibility. Lo and behold I walked out my home early one morning a big azzxzz buck with antlers was standing in my tiny front yard. Staring at me like ” you ain’t got no more bulbs?” I was so mad. I dug up every bulb and threw them away. They won’t gonna turn my front yard into an all you can eat buffet. I buy annuals now.
If you have bunnies, good call on not planting a garden. It would just become one big bunny smorgasbord.
Summer has definitely arrived here in Houston, so am taking shelter inside while considering how little I can get away with doing in the yard so that it doesn’t look too crappy. Beyond that, I’m looking forward to seeing Jimmy Buffett in concert tonight and heading to NC for a short trip with friends tomorrow.
Ah Jimmy Buffett is good things.
My man, ah the stories we could tell! That is so true and if you get that reference you are hardcore like me, I love old and new Buffett. Hope you had a great time!
It’s been a very wet spring in the Boston area but my garden is finally starting to look happy! Lots growing this year: tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, watermelon, spinach, beans, carrots, lettuce, zucchini, radicchio, peas, eggplant, various herbs and many, many flowers. Provided I can successfully relocate the jackass possum who just moved in under my stairs, it should be a good season.
Btw, I never comment but I visit this site daily and I’m always guaranteed a much needed laugh so thanks for doing what you do!
Oh thank God.. something I completely understand ! I have 1 & 1/2 acres of gardens (my hobby) and a fuck load of bloody wild rabbits.. I’ve bought every contraption known to man, nothing works.
I went online & was told Cayenne Pepper, however it rains that bloody much, another waste of time.
I love the laughs on your site, everyone from English Rose, Kipper, Marc, Adleft, Navymom, JojoFll, Dalai Mama, Vicki in Wales, the Australian contingent etc (please forgive me if I’ve spelt your name wrong or forgotten you).. bank holiday in Ireland off to get pissed.. Thanks Tamara x
My 92-year-old neighbor purchased some kind of vibrating, solar sunflower spikes for her garden. It’s wild kingdom in my neighborhood with the rabbits, raccoons, deer, groundhogs and possum and they all stay away from her her vegetable plants. It’s amazing!
Thanks Niamah. I appreciate the compliment
I love reading about all of your lives near & far. We got something special here. I know I speak for all when I state that. Blessings to all. xo Marc
Awww that was sweet Niamh and Marc. My bff swears by hair clippings in the garden to keep the varmints away (she is a stylist) but that just skeeves me out. No garden this year. I had a trying first 5 months and still dealing with it. However, one of my big pots is growing a tomato plant all by itself. It must be from seeds in the soil from last year. Also, I just let my petunias die off and I cut them down to the soil line and they come back every year.
Spring has been lovely and abundant here in N. Idaho. Blossoms on all the apple, pear and plum trees, and the lilacs were breathtaking this year. Now the Hemlock tree is heavy with pink blooms and my wild roses are close to popping. Only thing planted is a horseradish root that finally gave a shoot off, so very exciting.
At 42 I am finally teaching myself Botanical Illustration, only wanted to do it since I was a child, and dabled and painted everything but. So the bounty of plants in the yard have been lovely and seeing them with new eyes is refreshing. Sure hope we can renew our lease next year making it ten years. We love our little trailer in paradise.
What must it be like to live in Idaho? I think I would like it there.
It’s a weird mix of backwards racist and live and let live. Hard to explain, we are white so we get that “pass”, shit. But we are not christian, conservative or have children so that gets alot of side eye and comments.
But there are some good back to the earth quiet help each other hippieish people, and stuff that goes on. And the amount of nature to get lost in is out of this world.
I do miss the woods/ocean of W. Washington where I grew up and long to go back there. Def a lot more culturally diverse, and I miss that. Plus at this point I would kill for some good Korean food I didn’t have to try and make myself.
Doing the spring chores, putting in yet another garden (in memory of my favorite dog), and planting the garden pretty much whipped my butt this year. For some reason in my 50’s, while others were downsizing, I thought it would be neat to farm. Now I’m 60 and think I was nuts back then and things haven’t improved at the funny farm. But now I’m able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labor for a few moments a day.
Doesn’t Banjo run off the bunnies? Get him going on that project.
Things are looking up-less than a month until the premiere of BB21!!
Apparently, someone who works for the same company as my son is going to be on BB this summer. He only heard the news second hand and isn’t sure who it is yet, other than he thinks it’s a male. Maybe I can get a little inside scoop on the person, once they know who it is. Can’t wait for BB to start. I missed the first few episodes last year, and by the time I was able to watch I didn’t have a clue who was who and what was going on, so I didn’t watch it. I won’t make that mistake this year.
Oh cool. If this is true then it won’t be an all stars season. Hard to believe BB21 starts is 3 weeks. So excited!
My kids and I are going to the Pride Parade in Tulsa today! I know it’s not gardening and bunnies (which are both amazing), but it’s so nice to get to see my community come together! The Bible Belt isn’t big on being super inclusive, but our pride day really rocks! Also, the flood waters are going down, and there’s no tornadoes in the forecast! So, even if it’s just for now, the world is good!
No tomatoes this year but did put in Kentucky Wonder pole beans, lettuce, carrots, okra, poblanos, and some cosmos with the last of the pink aster seed for bouquets. Still have 20 feet left to deep weed of the pink perennial border. This year’s porch pots are buttermilk pansies with bright orange geraniums, cherry salvia and angelomia. Blinding color but it really works.
We have bunnies too. The funny thing is we have 2 rabbit dogs. Apparently they don’t know it. When they do go outside they just sit on the porch and watch the rabbits. Their faces are like, “Would you look at that”.
I Love that! I have an English Mastiff, sweetest, most oblivious dog ever! Earlier this spring, the mama bunny that lives in the okey pokey grass ran out and ended up running straight under Indy as he searched for that perfect blade of grass to water-he never even saw it!
I have some happy news (kinda for me anyway). For a few years I’ve read about y’all success with tomato plants. So last year I have it a try. Well, in my excitement I didn’t pay attention to the type of tomato plants (2) I bought. I babies these plants, researched growing tomatoes in Colorado and joined a Facebook group for Colorado gardeners. I was successful but…. I was also disappointed. I bought yellow cherry tomatoes. Ah well, now I just waiting to buy my tomato plants for this season. The weather has been unusually cold. The happy news is y’all turned me into a tomato grower AND I’m enjoying myself… so thanks?
I planted tomatoes, peas, carrots and onions with my precious grandsons, ages 5 & 2. Their sense of wonder as they watch the veggies coming up give me all the feels.
My DH finished opening the pool yesterday so our dog Murphy has been swimming himself silly today. So much fun watching him hurl his body full force in to the water to fetch the ball. I’m eating up memory on my phone taking videos. Does Banjo like to swim?
Have a few things planted, my clematis is doing well in the spot I picked by the fence. I’ve tried tomatoes before and never had good luck but I’m giving it another go. I’ll try one plant in a pot on my porch so I can keep a close eye on it.
Hope things start looking better for you real soon TT. Love your site and humor. Peace out!
Hi! I’m in Newport Beach and finches built a nest in a curled leave of the gigantic bird of paradise plant in the front porch area. So I sit outside with Lucky, our big old orange tabby and watch the mom fly back and forth bringing the babies food while I knit and listen to Cubs games. So old school and I love it.
My mom always told me that when I plant a garden I need to also make a rabbit garden. Which was explained to me as a garden to distract the rabbits from eating ur real one. So when I was like 11 I did just that, and the rabbit one looked just as good as the real one bc I wanted them to be happy. Anyway they never came but that’s ok bc I wasn’t disappointed they didn’t come, I was hopeful they would come.
Also, I just thought about it, are rabbits like squirrels in places? Just wild and out n about? That would be so cool! Now I say this bc I don’t have to deal with it, I live in the Bay Area.
Oh shoot! I forgot to mention that growing up I lived in Concord Ca, which is like the desert, temp wise. So probably no rabbits were around.
I went to HS in Concord! I hated the Brown summer hills after the beach and green Pacifica, but came to appreciate it, Ygnaco Valley HS. Our 50th reunion is this year!
My 14 year old Siamese cat still chases the little gecko lizards up trees, chases the stray cats if they come too close to out courtyard and every once in a while, will hop the fence to eat the wild pesticide free grass. I swear, I love that little knucklehead with everything I got! I don’t do plants cause Ms Dingbat tried to eat anything leafy. LOL
My Siamese is curled up on my lap!
Our area is a suburb, but we right now are swarming with raccoons and opossums. My uncle tried to kill one the other day, and the stupid thing came back to life and dug out of its grave. We believe in the resurrection. ??
My husband has trained a chipmunk to sit on his shoulder and eat peanuts.
My Dad used to have a squirrel he had trained to do the same thing!
I have pumpkins, peppers (6 varieties) zucchini, cherries, tomatillos, pluots, heirlooms, beef steaks, romaine and lots of herbs. They’re flourishing. I LOVE my little flower bed garden! I have oodles of pretty flowers too!
My happy news is that I finally hit my goal weight and am having a glutinous cheat weekend. Bad news is that I’m bloated and a little uncomfortable… but I’ve only got 24 more hours so I’m making them count ?
Congratulations on meeting your goal! I have been fighting the battle of the bulge and unfortunately its winning because there is just so much good food out there.
Thanks! Getting back in my “under the bed pants” has been super rewarding. I actually really like that my hubby gives me the look again! Made the last year worth it!
Awww, sweet, congratulations!
Wow! Good for you. So rewarding to fit in the “under-the-bed, I-WILL-get there” pants!
I have refocused my home improvement efforts from yard work towards internal improvment. This year I had a brother man install hard wood floors in my kitchen, dinnette, upstairs hallway and stairs. The installer gave me an excellent deal on the work. He is a professional installer but he only charged $1700 for all that work. The stairs alone should have cost that. The deal was I had to get all the materials myself.
The upstairs is a beautiful white bamboo flooring, the stairs are oak. The kitchen is pickled pine. It had a weathered beach feel. It all looked so good that it made the walls look shabby. So I spent Memorial Day weekend painting my foyer pale gray blueish color because a grey entrance is good Feng Shui for travel and attracting helpful people. As I get older I realize investing in your well being also includes your surroundings. When your home gives you positive vibes it feeds your spirit.
My son, he’s 8, just finished his best flag football season to date. My husband passed unexpectedly 2 yrs ago, so these victories mean so much more because I am doing this solo…I taught him to throw a spiral, I talk football with him nonstop, I take him to games…extremely proud mama bear over here!!
My middle child, she is 5, is getting ready for her second ballet recital. She is the sweetest little thing in her ballet leotard, loves to dance around, and rarely is there a song that she doesn’t try to sing along to.
My youngest, she is 2, is rowdy, hilarious, and embodies joy.
They love each other fiercely and I am teaching them to be ride or die for one another(I don’t say that phrase because then I will have to define it, only to witness them teach the phrase to other children…like the time I explained to my son what the bail bond billboard meant, only to have see him explain it to some little girl at Marshall’s while her mother gave me a shocked look-ha!)
That made me laugh and cry at the same time. Blessings for your sweet family.
Finally finding my feet after losing mom a few years ago and I couldn’t feel more optimistic. The creative energy is a raging river. Have put distance between myself and the emotional vampires, narcissists and timesucks in my life.
Life is good. And Wanda Sykes is good for what ails ya.
Thanks for being a constant, TT. We’re invested in your continued success.
Something happy….
I’m sitting home in my favorite pj’s, have my favorite candles lit, while watching a movie, eating Jamaican food and sipping on some booze. And, I pulled out some decorative paper napkins that make me smile. Don’t ask how napkins can make me smile – they just do. Plus, the house is stone silent. I’m in heaven. All I need is to see a rabbit outside my door to make this night complete!
We all need to focus on happy in this crazy world. Thanks for the post TT!
I officially signed up for the digital Weight Watcher’s plan today! I thought about doing it a couple of weeks ago on my birthday, but per usual, procrastinated! When I realized one entire day every meal was “on the go” fast food type of stuff, I decided to join on the first day of June. Half way through the year, its right after my birthday… seemed like a great time to do it!
I did ok today! I slept in major, so no breakfast. Tried almond milk instead of real milk at Starbucks (won’t do that again), resisted movie popcorn when offered to me at the theater today! The only bad thing was a bad side ache that I think was from all the zero point fruit I ate (snuck in two cups of grapes at the theater, after snacking on an apple earlier). Oh, I don’t like dried chickpeas, unfortunately. At least the ones I bought. maybe more spice is needed.
Oh, I was NOT going to see Aladdin because I thought I would hate Will Smith for not being Robin Williams.
But the movie was really really cute! My bff LOVED it. But if you are a musical theater geek – some of the singing could be a bit more, theatrical. But the sets and effects and the acting were good.
I’m not doing a porch garden b/c I’ve decided to really clean out every room in the house this summer to get ready to sell. I will be helping my parents with their pots and garden. I’m thinking of planting leeks there.
Thanks for all these posts, y’all. I can’t begin to explain how much I needed these happy posts, xo~tt
Spent most of the weekend spring cleaning ( I know days late & dollars short ) All my summer clothes out all my winter clothes put away. I love cleaning, organising & decorating. I am ready for summer. Pool is open ( since Memorial Day ) so I have a place to perch whilst reading. Prefer the beach ( go once a week every week to Cape Anne Manchester by the sea ) Not teaching SPED for the entire summer . I love my clients yet I need some serious me time. Turning 51 in a few weeks. Aging is not for sissies & this sissy is old. Hope we all have a great summer. Maybe some open forums. I love the open forums where we get to know about each other & forget about the vapid lives & lies of the housewives. Be well , take care of yourselves. xo Marc
I will have a bumper crop of strawberries if the birds and chipmunks behave themselves this year. I also have raspberries and rhubarb. My new favorite feel good shows are Animal Cribs, the Aquarium and The Zoo. Those people are so fun to watch because they are happy, happy, happy!
I went to my great-niece’s t-ball game. It was edge of your seat the whole time as the bases were constantly loaded and everyone was up! Still too cold for lots of veggies here along the coast of Maine. I have put carrot seeds in and also I cut up a potato and planted that as well. Patience is needed for the toms, cuckes, peppers and squashes to go outside. So, I’ll need to find some patience. I’ll be heading to Bed, Bath and Beyond for a couple of counter stools and an order of patience. Maybe a bag of tea light candles will do the trick.
My mother in law gifted us with her worm composting thing when she sold her house. We did not want it. They get all the veggie scraps that normally got tossed. The unit (worms) produces a brown liquid that is gross on every level. Needless to say the good sin wanted to honor mom and started watering potted plants on the porch with the worm juice.
We have a zucchini, eggplant and cherry tomato that have just sprouted up. He also found sports in worm bin and planted them. They grew. No clue what they were.
I’m proud to say that last week my husband harvested 2 potatoes. The pride. Lol he believes he is an urban farmer now. I believe we may starve if its a long winter. Funny shit
Good SON not sin and SPROUTS not sports. Sorry
Worked on rehabbing my 1985cj7 and planted an assload of vegetables. My snowbirds parents are coming for the summer so I will have a permanent gardener lol. Love you Tamara. Thank you for many years of escapism.
I LOVE this! Tomato Talk was always one of my favorites. Kicked my Bravo addiction (except for Southern Charm and Below Deck) so I read the posts but never have anything to contribute. It’s good to be back. My good news – my gardenia and azalea bushes are blooming. Planted mid-September 2017 then we had 7” of snow early-December. They didn’t bloom at all last year. My knock-out rose bushes are doing great too. I envy you all with vegetable gardens but that’s way out of my league. I have a Filipino friend that I don’t get to see very often. When I visit her it’s lumpia and ponsit, when she comes here it’s southern bbq. I don’t have scorpions or rabbits, but I have snakes and spiders. I keep my rubber boots in the garage with gallon Ziploc bags over the tops to keep out the spiders. Tamara, start cooking bacon and Banjo will get over being distant real fast. May we please, please have Open Forum if we all promise to be good and not post doom and gloom?
I foster Italian Greyhounds (adopted six), also adopted an ex racing Greyhound a year and a half ago. Rabbits are their nemesis. We have a wooden fence and attached rabbit fencing inside to keep the rabbits out. Every year, one manages to get in and unfortunately gets killed by the dogs.
My good news is I’m walking at least an hour a day, I have to lose 30 lbs I gained over the past year. It’s been tough getting out of the house, but I am starting to feel guilty if I skip a day. For me, this is a huge win!
OMG, Greyhounds are sooooo sweet! One of my friends adopted one. She owned a shoe shop and she’d bring her to work. She rented from us and normally we didn’t do the dog thing in that building, but sweet Sassy just hung out under the counter unless she heard someone she knew, then she’d come out and lean on us for pets. (She was rather sedate for a greyhound). It always surprises me how incredibly soft she was. What is the difference between Italian and regular Greyhounds?
I had the most delicious sandwich of my life yesterday! ( I am a serious seafood whore from Maryland and I don’t play when it comes to anything seafood!) I now live in the San Francisco Bay area and believe me… it is sometimes hard to get the real deal stuff, except during Dungeness crab season. I drove to the beach yesterday, 1.5 hour drive, to look for whales, but too foggy. I went by myself, due to boyfriend in Chicago on business, and had an AWESOME day! Made new friends at Duarte’s Tavern in Pescadero, CA. They tried to buy me shots, but I couldn’t because of long drive home. Sucked down some beers and then had THE SANDWICH! I am serious! Still craving it today! 2 thin calamari steaks, very lightly flash grilled, with toasted sourdough, and shredded crispy lettuce. Homemade tartar, on the side. Recommended by my local drinkin’ friends! Fact: Always listen to the locals!
OMG. That sounds amazing.
Yup, locals know. I went to Vegas with a friend for her daughter’s dance competition. I’ve been to Vegas before, but not with kiddos. The friend needed to go to the Apple store to have her phone looked at. The young woman who helped us was super nice, so I happen to ask her for food recommendations. Told her we were willing to hop a taxi even. She told us of a place that was right there in the mall (told us not to let that deter us) – I wish I could remember the name. It isn’t there anymore and I don’t know if they moved. It was amazing food! (Sandwiches, salads, etc.) We were all sharing bites because we were declaring that OUR dish was the best.
If you like that I think you would like dehydrated squid. They sell them in Asian markets generally two or more to a package. I know this is going to sound odd but it’s the way to do it. Pull them out and put them over an open flame until the edges start to blacken a little, not much just a little. You’ll smell when it’s ready, then tear them into pieces and eat with your favorite beer. DeeeLish.
I had my first Duarte shit yesterday! It was a shit of Duarte artichoke soup. I broke keto for ONE day at a farewell party. The soup was worth it.
SHOT. Not shit.
Sorry TT I don’t have a garden. However, I just got done volunteering at my local animal shelter. Got to walk some super adorable Boo Boos (Dogs). They all say Hi Banjo and TT❤❤❤❤
I bought a brand new van on Friday, first vehicle I’ve owned that I’m the first owner!
I’ve had a lot of deleted things going on, so that’s a highlight for me. Also we are finally getting sunshine and springtime weather, so that helps.
I’m ready for 2020 however, this year has not been kind so far, maybe it will turn around..we’re only halfway through the year.
Yay first time van owner! Lets go kidnap TT and Banjo and make ’em watch the sunsets in our neighborhoods.
For those of you who plant cosmos, have you ever noticed that bumblebees sleep inside them? At dusk, the petals curl up just a little, and the bumblebees will crawl just inside that curl and sleep. It is adorable. I plant cosmos every year just for the bumblebees.
OMG! I spent 30 minutes today trying to get a good photo of an “old-school” black and yellow bumblebee in a friend’s garden. I haven’t seen one here in Sac yet. I will plant cosmos just for bumblebee beds. The gentle giants deserve the best beds.
I have a question for you all. Should I binge watch RHO Dallas? I think I watched first season but it was so long ago I would probably start at the beginning. Do you guys like it? Please advise. Thanks.
I started reading again!!! I love to read but it’s been too long since I made time for it. Have finished Becoming, Michelle Obama; The Matriarch, Susan Page; A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles. Just starting Furious Hours, Casey Cep.
I love reading, it has a way of righting my ship when I feel off. I have been on Karin Slaughter kick, I read Pretty Girls and enjoyed her writing so much that I am working through her other work.
I am going to try and make my own sunscreen from different body butters, oils and zinc oxide. We will see what happens.
“Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme”
Fly Boy & I had our first anniversary recently, & though the flu then & the storms next week have postponed our celebration, we are still planning to celebrate the beginning of our second year together by spending a day boat shopping. Both experienced water folks, we have decided to spend the final segment of our lives living at least half the time on a boat. (Used) yacht shopping is great fun (except for male brokers intent on incorrectly mansplaining onboard features to me). I’ve long thought a primary key in life happiness is always having something to which one can look forward, & it is fun at our ages to still make exciting plans for the future.
Now that school is out we were able to corral three of the great-granddaughters for a Japanese steakhouse dinner with us last night. It is such a delight for us both to catch up on the lives of these oh-so active girls! The eldest has managed to skip her sophomore year of college, & just returned from a Study Abroad journey to Norway & Sweden, where she learned about agricultural tourism (her majors are Business & Agriculture). Great-granddaughter #2, is now a high school senior & recently achieved her CNA. She’s heading back to Annapolis Naval Academy Saturday for her 3rd summer in the hopes of eventually returning in 2020 as a pre-med Midshipman. Third in line great-granddaughter will be spending her summer in a series of camps, mostly sports-oriented, & is set to begin Middle School in the Fall. Another tall one in the making (5’9″ so far at the age of 11), she is the spitting image of her late red-haired mom. I’ve loved their grandmother & moms, but this 3rd generation of offspring pleasures us beyond belief. I’ve an overabundance of blessings, including a dear husband who recently called me a “hot mama.” What a lovely opportunity & time to focus on the good things in my life–thanks Tamara!