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Nineties here, but not uncomfortable today because of the winds. The leaves on the trees aren't happy though and are already dropping. One of the late spring blooming shrubs bloomed a few days but has already stopped because of the heat.

Guess I'm glad I didn't get a Spring garden in because the plants would either now be drying out or bolting.

I'm thinking next year I might plan to create more pea an bean tents and plant bolting crops under the tent to help protect them from the sun.
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Celsius.
38.33° CELSIUS.
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The garden cozy temperate climate is 101° tonight-too hot to go outside. But don't worry-convert that to celcius and it is much lower!
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When the wind rustles through the bamboo across the back block wall, it makes enough noise, so no chimes in my design, please.
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Cwillie, That sounds so great, and almost doable. We just passed up a nice green rug for $20 at lows, we have shade cloth (gray) for the shade, and there is so much wind and so strong it has blown over and ripped to shreds any canopy or umbrella we have ever tried outside. I am going to keep thinking, because we need the shade to protect the rug-when we buy it-from bird (crow) poo. So we have two chairs, and a planter box. I like those yard decor that light up at night shaped like butterflies, there is cement, rocks are on the side yard. Soon.....
Nice visual, thanks.
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You have my creative juices flowing, to a gardener a pile of rocks and a drought just represent a new challenge. Your post had me contemplating the essential elements of a comforting backyard retreat. Shade, either natural or created, comfortable seating, privacy, clement temperatures and gentle breezes would be nice if it can be arranged. The gentle tinkle of wind chimes or trickling water from one of those little tabletop or patio fountains. Rearrange those rocks into a pleasing architectural feature, think of the patterns raked into the gravel in Japanese gardens. A few well placed potted plants, drought tolerant natives scattered about....
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Oh, there is a garden out there? Must have mistaken my new landscaping for a pile of rocks. (said sarcastically) But grateful for the bouganvillia, the cape honeysuckle, the green of succulents, etc. The one rose bush appears to have blight (brown/orange burnt looking leaves). Trimming it again?
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My dry stream started with a trench I had dug this spring because I was POed that it is always soggy by my shed door. The land naturally slopes to the back yard so I started digging to see if I could get the wet area to drain (and I like playing in the mud lol). So what to do with a trench in the yard? Why, fill it with rocks and make it into a garden feature of course! It is a work in progress, but it is looking pretty good I think.
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CWillie, I love dry stream beds. Did you excavate to lower the area, then fill it with rocks? Are there plantings in it as well? Too bad we can't post photos here. I'd love to see your new bed.

If we didn't live so far away, you could have some of my ostrich ferns. They grow easily, multiply easily and are beautiful. Some volunteered next to the garage, where they're in sun, which isn't the best location as they're shade lovers.

Despite periodic location, more still sprout. I suspect they grew wild in that area before this house was built.

They are stunning in August though as they begin turning color earlier than their friends in the shade. As they lose vigor, their fractal balance and shapes are more apparent. They'll turn a golden to rusty brown but some fronds will remain green. Just lovely - I peek out the window several times a day because they're just so pretty at that time of the year.



One limitation is that they don't do well with cut bouquets. I used to add them to flowers to create a green contrast, but they just never held up even if cut, put in water and kept in water until mixed with flowers.

I also tried drying them once, to use with violets in hand made cards. I don't recall if it was the violets or the ferns, but that effort wasn't very successful.
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i need to stake my tomato plants today but ill put it off as long as i can . i have a week old ear infection that the va gave me antibiotics for just this morning . im working on some rather complicated radial steps for a hot tub out at the farm and id rather rest today than halfass them . masonry lasts a long time -- halfassed masonry unfortunately does too .
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I've been busily decreasing the lawn here ever since I first moved in. First a ramp to the back deck, then a sidewalk to the ramp and a paved are for the trash cans. Next a flower bed alongside the ramp and below the two trees at the back of the property. Then a couple of shrubs, and my Japanese maple in the corner on the other side of the deck. This year it is my dry stream bed garden stretching form the deck and around the garden shed and also expanding the woodland area under the trees at the back.
Yesterday I was out scouting for freebies and came across some ferns (ostrich?) growing in the ditch. People clean out their gardens and just dump the extras by the woods, so I figured since they are not native and growing in the ditch and not private land they were mine... always carry a shovel in the car!
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Not too many lawns left in our neighborhood due to the drought. For greenery, some people bought huge wooden planter boxes and put in trees for green and privacy. That seems to be working well.
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I reported it, lol!!!
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Oh great TROLL ALERT!!
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Ashlynne I am absolutely certain that no inference to you was meant there. I know I go stir crazy when I am cooped up for too long and I am sure that it was meant to show empathy was with your chickens not an attempt at name calling to caregivers. Anyone who has been on the rough end of it re caregiving as most of us have KNOWS without a shadow of a doubt that caregivers are not stupid, far from it, but also knows that we can go a little wild when given freedom. Let me give you an example. My daughter gave me a couple of hours to my self for the first time in years when she took mum out for a morning and lunch. Now I coould have used that time to catch up on sleep, I could have gone for a walk alone (daft as that may sound its not something I ever do nowadays) but what did I do? I stayed in and cleaned the flat, the windows, polished the shower walls etc.....now if that aint stupid I don't know what is but it doesn't mean I am stupid it means that after being cooped up I didn't know how to behave either
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Ash, I too love reading your posts. In fact, I am envious. It is hard work but sounds so peaceful. Sometimes people here write things and do not think about how they might sound. That, unfortunately often happens in forums like this.
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Ashlynne, I've always enjoyed your posts, especially about your life in the country, your garden, your animals, and the way that they help soothe your soul as you recover from the trauma of your mother's attitude.

I wish I could understand what happened here that made you decide to leave, and I wish you would reconsider. I hope I haven't unwittingly made you feel uncomfortable or contributed to your decision to leave.

You've made valuable contributions to this thread. Your experience is very helpful and valuable, as well as diversified.

You've demonstrated how to put trauma behind you and move ahead. And, honestly, I've admired your life - you seem to have so much freedom now, and I thought it was a healing freedom.

Please, please, reconsider leaving.
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Deleted my account. I won't be back.
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...
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Turning the page on this great thread.
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...
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Glad, I especially like the weed, Oxalis, with the tiny yellow flowers, and green leaves that look like four leaf clover. I think they are invasive, but if they spread by themselves, I am liking that.
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Apologizing to GardenArtist for bringing strife to such a beautiful thread.

detaching with love and concern, Ashlynne.
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"Caregivers and chickens can get stupid maybe after being cooped up?". That's not calling me stupid? Not funny.

Neither me or my chickens are "cooped up". My abuser died last fall. With a 4x4 I can go wherever I want whenever I want. So hot today my chickens have a fan on them. None of us i "cooped up".

Country life is not idyllic, it's hard work,. blood, sweat and tears but I wouldn't have it any other way. In my view and experience, get rid of your monsters in any way you can and get a life before the stress kills you.

I'm out of here ... it';s so depressing.
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I reread Send's posts a few times but didn't see anything nasty in what she wrote. I don't really think it's in her nature - unless she's responding to a troll, and then being nasty is justified.
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Ash I also didn;t think Send was being nasty... it's just that sort of a day! I thought she was making a joke.
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Jump to the wrong conclusions? I was cooped up. I was too stupid to realize that I needed to get out of the house.
It was you, Ashlynne, who mentioned maybe your chickens were too stupid to get outside into the run. I was the one identifying with your chickens being cooped up, and it was me who needed to get out of the house today.
I am well aware that you have a great life, by good choices that you have made after your narcissistic mother died. You are to be an example that there is a good life after caregiving.
How did I write in such a way as anyone would misinterpret what I meant?
Very sorry to you, Ashlynne, that what I wrote was so misunderstood.

How can I make this right?

Time for a break when I must start explaining myself.
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Sendme, Excuse me? Are tyu getting dementia? Why are you being nasty? I love my life, Cruella de Villa died months ago and with a 4x4 I can go out whenever I please. Hot today and I have a fan going on the chickens plus they have an open air run. Wanna call me stupid? Why?

When Cruella died, after a lifetime of abuse I vowed I'd never tolerate abuse again,from anyone.
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Capt I'll take some of that mead!!
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Ashlynne-Caregivers and chickens can get stupid maybe after being cooped up?
Reminds me that it is imperative to get out of the house today! Your new life sounds wonderful-there is life after caregiving!
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