# SMELL THE ROSES



## NorthernWinos (Jun 2, 2007)

It's that time of the year....Take some time...come with me and smell the roses...
















That's only the begining...stop back again.......


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## Wade E (Jun 2, 2007)

Ouch, I got pricked by a thorn!


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 2, 2007)

I'm glad that thorns have roses.....


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## Waldo (Jun 3, 2007)

Awesome NW...My Mom just loved roses. Cant see one and not think of her.


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## grapeman (Jun 3, 2007)

Great roses NW, but to be honest, the roses you posted don't have much smell. It's sorta like, well nothing- and now I need to clean the smudges off the monitor!



I bet they smell better on your end out there!


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## scotty (Jun 3, 2007)

Your photos are always a pleasure to view. Thanks


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 3, 2007)

Here's some to cheer your day....











The wild flowers are nice too...








And the Iris'...








Till next time....


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## Wade E (Jun 3, 2007)

Looks like you have found a honeybee in that 1st picture.


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## jsmahoney (Jun 3, 2007)

I love roses, but Daisey's are my favorite! Thanks for sharing the beauty with us.


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## jobe05 (Jun 4, 2007)

NW, someday when you wake up and standing there looking out your window while taking your first sip of coffee and you see a tent set up in your feild out back, DON'T GET THE GUN!!!!!! it's just me! I have moved!


Your place is heaven............


If you need more choke cherries, check these out:


I may get a couple and try them:


http://gurneys.com/product.asp?pn=13146&amp;sid=506257&amp;EID=060407gu&amp;eicioi=292742


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## PolishWineP (Jun 4, 2007)

I wish I had a huge yard so I could plant more of that stuff. But, I'll just have to go out to the country and pick them for free...


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 4, 2007)

Jobe....We have only wild Chokecherries...and it looks like this might be a good year if it continues to rain. I do have some oenamental purple leaved Chokecherry trees that bloomed this year, looks like they set on some fruit too....will be an interesting fall...hope to have lots of fruits to freeze


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 4, 2007)

Left early this morning at day break for a road-trip to the southern part of the state to have lunch with friends and pickup some Ag Chemicals...


The sun was rising as we left...clear and warm..






Came home to find buds had tuned into flowers...












This time of the year you really have to be on your toes...everything grows so fast...you can easily miss a good show...


One of these days I am going to do some serious weeding.


BTW...stopped at my favorite farm store that has a seasonal greenhouse...picked up 2 potted roses for a friends birthday, one for myself and another Gooseberry plant for the Wine Effort.


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## scotty (Jun 5, 2007)

You are going to find more than one tent in your yard


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 5, 2007)

Is it going to turn into another Woodstock????


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## redwineleo (Jun 5, 2007)

I think you need "smellavision" like Emeril on the Food Network TV!


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## grapeman (Jun 5, 2007)

Northern Winos said:


> Is it going to turn into another Woodstock????




Absolutely! My thought when I started seeing all these tents going up all over your yard. Don't forget the porta-potties NW.
You are in charge of the entertainment and we will all bring the drinks. Oh and we can barbeque all the wild game around with veggies and fruit from your yard!


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 5, 2007)

Porta-Potties...on second thought...maybe not. 


As for smell-a-vsion...or smell-a-Net....well, most of the modern roses do not have much if any fragrance...they bred it out of them making them pretty, disease free and cross breeding. 


The old fashioned roses are the ones with the best fragrance. They are thorny, rangy, rougher textured foliage and the plants are not as attractive....but, they are very hardy, the flowers are awesome and worthwhile to grow.*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## jobe05 (Jun 5, 2007)

Northern Winos said:


> Porta-Potties...on second thought...maybe not.




OK...... NO PORTA-POTTIES!!!!!!! 


Lets not ruin this. Here are the rules:


The true name would be "WoodStock NW, 2007"


We'll take the party 2 Fields away from the house (donations needed for the ruined crops in this Field)


The Garden is for meditation purposes only


The use of the garden will cost 1 bottle of wine, send to : Jobe05
NW field
somewhere in
Minn.


The wine of course will go to NW, I'm just getting and taste testing for security reasons


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## Waldo (Jun 5, 2007)

*Can me and Cletus come? I promise we'll be on our best behavior
*


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## jobe05 (Jun 5, 2007)

I think all should be welcomed............


I'll..... um.... even................... you know............


Pass on drinking Cletus's wine.............


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## scotty (Jun 5, 2007)

Northern Winos said:


> Is it going to turn into another Woodstock????




NO NO NO That bunch smoked the flowers. We drink them


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## jobe05 (Jun 5, 2007)

NW did mention the Weeds that are growing in the garden..................


I heard they smoked that at Woodstock...........


I'm a little young to remember woodstock, so my elders will have to chime in.


Can we help NW by smoking her weeds in the garden?


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## Waldo (Jun 5, 2007)

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh Buddyyyyyyyyyy..I wanna hear them colors and see that music


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## JWMINNESOTA (Jun 5, 2007)

Just Dont Drink The Brown Wine!!!!






http://home.att.net/~JohNNY777/humor/Woodstock.htm*Edited by: JWMINNESOTA *


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 5, 2007)

I think I remember...


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 8, 2007)

The roses took a beating from wind and rain storm of the past 2 days, but there are some beauties out there to share with you....














Seems the day isn't complete unless you smell the roses...


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## Waldo (Jun 8, 2007)

Thay are beautiful NW....But you say that they do not have much aroma?


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 8, 2007)

Actually the two ruffled roses in the above photos are Rugosa's...they have rough foliage and are old fashioned roses...they are very fragrant but not as typical rose shapes....


The darker one smells like cloves....the fragrance will fill the room....but they have short stems and don't 'show' as well....I float the flower headsin a bowl....lovely.


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## rgecaprock (Jun 9, 2007)

*NW, I love the old fashiond ones myself. Do you have a constant bouquet on your table. My grandmother did. It is one of my favorite memories...helping her pick roses for the table. *

*Here is all I have to offier this moring. My friend is here for breakfast.*









*And a stapeliad bloom.*


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## Wade E (Jun 9, 2007)

Very nice Ramona, that cactus looking plant looks like an alien.


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## rgecaprock (Jun 9, 2007)

I have one wade, that I hope will bloom that has the stench of a dead animal and is pollinated by flies.....talk about alien...you will see it if it blooms this year. 


Ramona*Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 9, 2007)

Cactus flowers are so delicate...guess like roses...we are glad that thorns have flowers...


Does the squirrel bother your plants???? I get acorns and bird seed buried in all my pots and flower beds...then have oak trees and bunches of sunflowers coming up in everything.


Yes...I have at least one rose on the table all summer.


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## rgecaprock (Jun 9, 2007)

So far they haven't except for one, not so sure it was a squirrel, not too long ago I was storing bags of potting soil in a large pot. Pull out a bag and a big rat jump straight up out of it and ran into the utility closet on the balcony. I put poison out and something ate it....guess I better put out more.....life in the city...I guess



*Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 9, 2007)

YIKES!!!! A RAT!!!!



We've had a couple here, lots of grain around. Where we lived before there was a dump a couple miles away and we had lots of hog and cattle feed and grain around...lots of rats. We had Doberman's and every morning they would be out patrolling around the buildings...they could dig them out of a wood pile...excellent noses for hunting and large enough to dig them out of the ground.


Here mostly my problems are mice and chipmunks....they get in the greenhouse and dig out seeds. They especially like the melon and cucumber seeds...so I started planting those seeds in flats and setting the plantsout...they dug a few plants out the night I set them out into the garden...I have a 'Trap-Line'....6 mouse traps in the greenhouse and 8 out in the garden...I usually have one or two in the morning. Then when the tomatoes and melons get ripe I have more traps in the garden.


Now I have a new 'Trap-Line'...the slugs are eating the strawberries as they ripen...last night I put out plastic jar lids with beer in them at ground level...drownd a few of them


Always something to give you grief.


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## JWMINNESOTA (Jun 9, 2007)

Plastic jar lids with beer in them....Good thing your way up there or you might find a JW drowned in them.


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 9, 2007)

JW...slugs are attracted to beer and will drown in it if they can....


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## Waldo (Jun 9, 2007)

Dang.Did NW justinsinuate thatole JW's a slug?


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 9, 2007)

You just have to give them enough...like giving enough 'rope'.


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 9, 2007)

Flower of the day...the Regal Iris...Like the Daylily...here today, gone tomorrow....




















Nothing beats the Grande Dame...The Rose...


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## JWMINNESOTA (Jun 9, 2007)

Waldo said:


> Dang.Did NW justinsinuate thatole JW's a slug?




Meet the Family


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## rgecaprock (Jun 9, 2007)

*NW. I love Irises. I love the ones that grow close to the water..can't think of the name. Here is a pic*






*The ones in the vase.....Your flowers are so beautiful!!!!**Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## Waldo (Jun 10, 2007)

Nice flowers Ramona but .....I'm personally more interested in , "Whats in the bucket"



*Edited by: Waldo *


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## scotty (Jun 10, 2007)

Waldo said:


> Nice flowers Ramona but .....I'm personally more interested in , "Whats in the bucket"




Boy do I miss a lot


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 11, 2007)

Today the beauties enjoyed a hot dry day.. 






The Canadian Bred Roses....


Morden Blush..






Champlain...a tiny bush that winter killed to the ground..giving you all it's got...






Cuthbert Grant...






Hope for Hummanity...bred to commemorate the Canadian Red Cross...










Then the old fashioned roses.....very fragrant Hansa...






An unknown rose from an old neighbor lady who got it from her Dad's garden...most fragrant...






And lastly...a rare beauty...a wild white rose we dug from the ditch...the little bees find it most appealing....






Till next time...remember to take time to smell the roses....







*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 12, 2007)

The Queenfor the day is the Peony....


They can really put on a nice show...and their fragrance can fill the yard.











They come in many different colors and sizes...























The blossoms are fragile and heavy...tomorrows wind and rain will shatter the ones in bloom...


Another beauty you have to enjoy for the day.....


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## rgecaprock (Jun 12, 2007)

NW,
They areall beautiful.....especially the white peonys.


Ramona


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 12, 2007)

Ramona....You asked about an Iris in your photo...











The closest thing I have is the Siberian Iris...








I love the Peonies...but their beauty is so fleeting...if you pick them and bring them in they smell wonderful and may drop their petals the next day....Beautiful non the less.

*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Waldo (Jun 12, 2007)

God's handiwork is all around us and it is awesome !!!


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 17, 2007)

The roses have taken a beating from the recent heavy rains....over 7 inches since Wednesday..6.47" came in 36 hours..


The petals have been beaten off the big shrub rugosa rose...






The climbers are doing well...






And the little bushes are blooming their hearts out...will get beaten by heavy rains later tonight...






The late blooming Peonies are doing well, but won't look like this after tonights rains...









The other flowers are thriving form all the moisture...









The pond is full....the burn piles are floating and a big willow that was gracefully leaning over the pond, fell over....






Life goes on....


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## Wade E (Jun 17, 2007)

OOps, sorry, I guess I dont know my own strength when you asked for rain. It try to chill it out!


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 21, 2007)

SUMMER!!!!!....Natures way of saying..... 


"Let's Party"




























*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Bert (Jun 21, 2007)

Northern; it all looks so great....I really would like to see it in person.....maybe we could get togather before harvest starts...I'll even bring PWP with....looks so great, you are doing a great job.


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 22, 2007)

Bert &amp; PWP......Roses should still be blooming ....some things look better in photos.


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## rgecaprock (Jun 22, 2007)

NW,


I look forward everyday to checking this post to see your pictures!!


Just want you to know!!! Ramona


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## grapeman (Jun 22, 2007)

NW when are you going to start posting your pictures with SmellItNet.com? All you need is the camera with the little sniffer , sort of like the little microphone on the phones now. The scent is transmitted to digital, sent through the SmellItNet interface using the standard internet. Uses basically the same technology as Vonage. On the receiving end it is transmitted back fom digital to the scent emitter. Works great as there is 100 percent accuracy guaranteed. Only takes a few minutes to sign up. Just go to imgullybull.com and sign up.


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 22, 2007)

Appleman....Wonldn't that be nice!!!!


Ramona....glad you enjoy the photos...I send some via Email to some special folks who need cheering almost everyday.


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## peterCooper (Jun 22, 2007)

Northern,

I'd be very afraid of SmellItNet.com.

Imagine some of the cabbage wines, beet and wierd green stuff that I found in the yard wines etc that we see on this forum, coming through with that kind of technology!!!

And what would happen if you were browsing the forum and the boss walked in . He He.


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## scotty (Jun 22, 2007)

I get email notifications about posts being made on finevinewines. ----I race to open and read them. IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING INTERESTING


*YEESH!!!!!!!!!! SMELTIVISION



*


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## OilnH2O (Jun 22, 2007)

NW -- I love those climbers -- do you prune them back in the fall? Ours aren't nearly that high or profuse yet.

Dave


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 22, 2007)

Oil...I don't prune them...they manage to winter over very nicely, very little or nodie-back, they are 3 years old now, grow like crazy.
They are a Canadian Variety called William Baffin...they don't really climb...you have to tie them up.


BTW...in a cold climate...NEVER prune your roses in the fall...it might encourage some growth that would be tender and not tough enough to winter over....Prune them in the spring.


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 27, 2007)

The roses are recovering form being beaten by the winds, tattered by heavy rains and baked in the sweltering heat...





















The heat has temporarily past and everything is breathing a sigh of relief....will be in the 90's again by Sunday and the heat will be turned back on.....meanwhile a nice break.


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## OilnH2O (Jun 27, 2007)

NW -- are you doing any pruning through the summer -- as you might thin leggy plants, or get some for a vase, etc.?

We have one really leggy bushy rose this year that, for some reason, has yet to have one blossom -- we were wondering if pruning would stimulate it in some manner.


Dave


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 28, 2007)

I prune in the spring, just the dead canes and do a bit of shaping, after that I pretty much leave them alone, unless there are some damaged canes or just to maintain shape. 


I don't fertilize except in the spring, thoyou could till early summer, don't fertilize too late into the year as it will produce new growth that will be too tender to winter over.


As for dead-heading the spent flowers, I don't...too lazy and other things to do....if some do produce rose hips, then I like to have as many on the plant as possible for winter interest. Most will repeat bloom without dead-heading. If you dead-head, do not do it after mid-summer as it too will produce new tender growth that won't harden-off in time for winter and will weaken the plant for winter survival.


Your rose may not bloom because it isn't getting enough sun. It may be leggy because it is the type of rose, it may be considered a climber and needs to be staked. I have a rose that is very leggy and does not make an attractive bush, but has a very fragrant flower.


Some roses only bloom once a year, in the spring....does that bush usually bloom by now???

*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## rgecaprock (Jun 28, 2007)

I can just smell those roses, NW have you ever made wine with them.? I made an apricot rose (1 gallon) and it was very nice. Certain flowers I think really add something. I want to try honeysuckle some day.


Beautiful and thank you for sharing your pictures.


Ramona


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 28, 2007)

I have thought of making rose hip wine, but most of these roses don't set and hips...maybe someday I might do something with the petals...seem they fall while I am off doing something else....Most of these roses have none or very little fragrance...the old time ones are very fragrant and do set rose hips.


So many options as to what to make wine with. So far my harvests are not as abundant as wanted, but probably all I need.....there is always the struggle between wanting more and getting whatyou actually need. 


Have you been harvesting any of the fruits you see growing on your boulevards in the city???


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## swillologist (Jun 28, 2007)

We have a lot of multi-floral rose around here. There are a bunch of hips on those things. Just wondering if you could make wine out of those?


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## NorthernWinos (Jun 29, 2007)

Apparently you can...


http://www.brewerylane.com/wine/recipes/rosehip_wine.html


http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques46.asp


http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/butler95.html


http://www.honeycreek.us/recipes/rose_hip.htm


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## rgecaprock (Jun 29, 2007)

I have been keeping my eye on the elderberries along the road to work but these darn city folks cut down the whole bush. I was disappointed.


Then my friend couldn't pick the muscadines for me so I didn't get to have a chance at those either.


I'll have to check out one of the big stores here in town that have all kinds of unusual fruits and see what they have.


Ramona


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## swillologist (Jun 29, 2007)

Thanks nw. The picture about half way down on the backwoods home site looks just like what we have here. My neighbor came by last week and he has lost some of his sheepin his timber. He was bloody from his shoulder to the tips of his fingers. He had been looking for them in the rose bushes he has back on his place. I will have to check with him to see if he has sprayed them. If not does anyone want some rose hip? LOL


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 7, 2007)

Roses are coming and going...as well as all the other pretty things....








Kind of sad...the iris, peonies and others are gone for another year...summer is slipping by...









Other lovely things bloom and are gone...time passing away.


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## rgecaprock (Jul 8, 2007)

NW,


I love your garden. Do you have solar lighting there? I'm trying to see everything. Could you take some pictures closer and tell me what all you have planted there. I see hollyhocks, clematis.... How far is it from your house? You must spend alot of time there wandering around the paths.


Ramona


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 8, 2007)

This bed is along the driveway...a long way from the house. 
The lady who lived here before had a small bed out there...I made it a little bigger before we moved here and would come up every week to mow the lawn and would bring some plants from our old place...the bed kept getting bigger....it was suppose to be a butterfly garden and turned out to be just perennials and wild flowers.


This garden has seen prettier days, some good stuff has died and some other stuff has to be removed because it is taking over. In front of the Hollyhocks is a wild blue Lady Bells that spreads and has to be contained...in front of it is May Night Salvia and inferno of it is a Loosestrife. There are a lot of Daylillies and Iris....Behind the Clematis is a white Veronica...also have a wild white Veronica called Culvers Root...some of the wild flowers live well in flower beds...others take over...I am battling a yellow flower out there called Jerusalem Artichoke...looks good in the wild, but not in a flower bed....as well I thought Goldenrod would be good for the butterflies...trying to get rid of it.


On the yellow side of the garden...




A Yellow Foxglove, Day Lilly, a wild Butter &amp; Eggs, yellow Loosestrife...and others that have come and gone already.
Many flowers havelived and are gone from that bed....some I have just given up on trying to grow. try to have something blooming at all times...but some times are pretty barren....It is an effort to get water out there, so they have to be tough.
Will Post more photos as stuff blooms...if it looks good...I am not real happy with that be right now...the dog dug a hole out there and ruined many things...



*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 8, 2007)

Sunday's Posies, to cheer you.....


Wild Blanket Flower..






Gallardia....






Prairie Coneflower...






Front...Pink and Blue Veronica, Silver Mound, wild Purple Loosestrife..






Monarch on Purple Loosestrife...






Enjoy!!!


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## grapeman (Jul 8, 2007)

The wild purple loosetrife makes a very striking flower, but being non-native here in NY it became an invasive species. It took over basically all the wetlands and peat bog areas since there was nothing to keep it in check. When my brother was at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge they introduces a predatory beetle to feed on it to help get it in check. 


Anybody interested here is a link to apress release at the time.


http://www.news.cornell.edu/chronicle/97/7.24.97/loosestrife.html


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 8, 2007)

Wild Purple Loosestrife is also invasive here in MN, being as I am not near water I grow it...I'm just an outlaw!!!! 


I also grow the tame Purple/Pink one sold in greenhouses called Lythrum..[Lythrim]..a bit more floriforous...




As well as the yellow, white and other colors...
Alexander's...





*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Waldo (Jul 9, 2007)

All very beautiful NW. Definately a nice place to sit in the cool of the evening and watch the stars battle the sun for dominance of the skies above. A nice glass of homeade wine would probably enhance that experience somewhat.


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## rgecaprock (Jul 10, 2007)

We have had so much rain and dampness that mushrooms are popping up all over. They have their own beauty.


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## swillologist (Jul 10, 2007)

Yes they do Ramona . Here is what we have blooming right now. 




I can't really take credit for these. A couple of plants were here when we moved in and they have took over the corner by themselves.


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## scotty (Jul 10, 2007)

Where we live, there is so much insectaside sprayibg that i dont dare to pick them. I loved to pick wild mushrooms and cook them. 
Long Island NY was bad 20 years back also. 
Times change.
I imagine in your area the wild mushrooms are still good to eat.




rgecaprock said:


> We have had so much rain and dampness that mushrooms are popping up all over. They have their own beauty.


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 10, 2007)

Swill...nice Philox...mine aren't near open yet. I love them, they seem to always have Hummingbird Moths on them and look forward to them every year...thanks for sharing...


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## swillologist (Jul 10, 2007)

Hummingbird mothssure have a hayday with them. It helps that the hostas are blomming also.


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 10, 2007)

rgecaprock said:


> We have had so much rain and dampness that mushrooms are popping up all over. They have their own beauty.




Interesting color on that one Ramona...would you dare eat it.


Up here people pick Morel Mushrooms as well as others...where we use to live there was always people in our woods picking mushrooms...we were too busy to join in...then we started using the woods for pasture and no one went in there anymore....Guess you have to know what your after.


We went to a pot luck dinner party once and a guy brought mushrooms someone had given him...no one ate any..including the person who brought the dish....


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## rgecaprock (Jul 10, 2007)

NW.
That would be pretty scary if the guy who brought the dish wouldn't eat it.


That one was growing in my plants. I certainly don't know enough about them to risk it...you have to know your shrooms!!!!! I just thought it was pretty.


Ramona


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## NorthernWinos (Aug 6, 2007)

Haven't had much time to smell the roses....All the flowers are suffering for too much heat and wind and NO rain... 


Other things are catching my eye and keeping me busy...


Flowering Kale..Just an ornamental






Califlower...almost as pretty as a flower...






Red cabbage....striking looking vegetable...get HUGE






Broccolli...yum!!!






Been busy preserving vegetables....but going to take a break...


Time to go fishing!!!!

*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## JWMINNESOTA (Aug 6, 2007)

Never tried those morels, every spring sure see alot of folks gathering them up like there special.


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## pizzaerick (Aug 7, 2007)

JWMINNESOTA said:


> Never tried those morels, every spring sure see alot of folks gathering them up like there special.



Had some camping this spring. A little butter, a little garlic powder, and heaven!


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## NorthernWinos (Aug 10, 2007)

Despite no rain some of the flowers are showing signs of reblooming...












Some other flowers thrive in the dryness...
Datura...




Yellow Prairie Coneflower...






Life goes on....


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## Wade E (Aug 10, 2007)

Absolutely beautiful!


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## NorthernWinos (Aug 10, 2007)

Summer is still doing 'it's thing'....


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## NorthernWinos (Sep 1, 2007)

Summer is still trying to show off it's colors...


Carefree Sunshine...






Morden Fireglow...






Hope for Humaniy...







J.P.Connell...






Unknown single true red rose...






The fall beauties are trying to steal the show...
Sedum, Autumn Joy...






Flowering Kale..


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## NorthernWinos (Sep 13, 2007)

The summer flowers are giving in and changing to their fall colors.....


The Annabelle Hydrangea is turning back to a green color....they can be brought inside for dried arrangements at this point...[I have some dusty ones around the house from last year could be replaced]








The Pee Gee Hydrangea is turning it's fall pink tones...






The Geraniums always look good...








And, yes...with all the rose hips on the canes and few beauties are still out there...








The plants intended for fall beauty are not disappointing.....the winds is whipping the willows today, they say 29-34MPH gusts....in the distance the soybeans are ripe and drying...this year..."teennie-beanies"...but there are some out there...








So...without my approval the seasons are trying to change...Life remains....Very good!!!!


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## NorthernWinos (Sep 19, 2007)

Every fall I debate whether to dig the Dahlia bulbs again, clean them, store them, drag them out in the spring, divide and plant them again.... 


So, I go out every year at this time before they freeze and mark the colors...admire them again before they die back...and...fall in love with them again....


























My mother always grew Dahlias and tended to them every fall and spring...I guess I am my mother's daughter....I too will once again dig the tubers and store them for another year....they will live again another year.*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## rgecaprock (Sep 19, 2007)

My grandmother always had dahlias. And there was always a bouquet on the table everyday for as long as they lasted.


Thanks for bringing back the memory.


Beautiful, love the first pink one..............Ramona


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## NorthernWinos (Sep 27, 2007)

Fall is struggling to make it's presense....


But things are still "Pretty in Pink"...
































And in purple....























And in white....























And in yellow....























Despite the weathered look...things are still pretty....enjoying it while it lasts.


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## Wade E (Sep 27, 2007)

We are getting leaves all over the yard that are dried up and brown already that have never changed color. I really love to just pack things up and take a long drive and just get lost on the weekends and look at the foliage. Ive probably been right at Applemans and Joans back door a few times and didnt even know it. I dont really see that happening this year. Rich, Joan, is this what you are seeing up there to. I mowed my lawn Wednesday evening and when I got home Thursday it looked like I never touched it, it was covered with leaves already and there are barely any colors.


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## grapeman (Sep 27, 2007)

We are expecting vibrant colors this fall Wade. We have a few maples and they are turning brilliant red. The oaks are late and the leaves hanging on well. Just beginning. Others in varying stages of just beginning here. The Adirondacks in my back dooryard are approaching peak and are excellent viewing. The Green Mountains are almost as far along and very good this year. It's dry right now, but we had a good summer and a bumper nut crop all around. The oaks in the dooryard keep dropping nuts all over the lawn. Head Northwest Young Man! Go to Albany and take the Northway through the Adirondacks up to Plattsburgh. Take the Ferry on Cumberland Head to Grand Isle VT, visit Snow Farm Vineyards in South Hero on the way through the Islands, continue on to 89 or one of the other main roads through VT and take in the Green Mountains also on the way back to CT.


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## rgecaprock (Sep 27, 2007)

Beautiful, NW.......Ramona


Wade and Apple, it is still summer here.....Fall is December, January winter, February ...Spring again!!!


Ramona


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## Wade E (Sep 27, 2007)

Dont even mention nuts Rich!!!! I have 3 big hickory trees in my byard and they are all in the front and we have to strategically park or all we hear is the sound of big nuts bouncing off our cars. My front yard is covered with them and if you tried to mow the lawn with a push mower you would have broken ankles. Last year we hardly had any but this year is the worst in 6. Even the squirrels bailed out as they ere over run by nuts!


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## NorthernWinos (Oct 7, 2007)

Roses are getting replaced with brightly colored plump rose hips...but found a few beauties to bring to the table...








Temperatures to dip into the 30*'s this week...all will change with frost in the future....but it is that time of the year up here on the high plains.


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## rgecaprock (Oct 8, 2007)

NW,
That is a beautiful picture of your sweet roses. It is still very hot here. Can't wait for the day when I can open the windows.


Ramona


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 10, 2007)

Near 50*F today...That folks is a nice day up here on de-tundra in November...kind of a brisk wind tho.


I decided to finish washing the last of the windows...this involved moving the sofa and hanging out the windows...[A nasty job...but someone has to do it]







Much to my surprise when I looked out the window I was greeted with this pleasant sight...








The last rose of summer, high on top of the pegola...My reward for finishing a hateful job....






Life is Good!!!!


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## rgecaprock (Nov 10, 2007)

Nice Shot, NW....Beautiful flower!! *Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## rgecaprock (Nov 10, 2007)

*And summer here...goes...on and on and on !!!*

*Ramona, looking forward to winter



*


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## grapeman (Nov 10, 2007)

So Ramona, do you get like 2 days of winter down there and the rest is summer? Some of the ground here today stayed frozen with a light dusting of snow on it- in the shade. I rough pruned some St. Pepin vines today to get some cuttings for next spring. You can bury them upside down in the ground for storage. I bundled them, got out the shovel and ooooffffff, the ground was rough getting through the first inch(frozen). I put 300 cuttings in a pit today- bit of a start for next spring.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 10, 2007)

WOW...Grapeman...that's an awful lot of cuttings.






Jim finished plowing on Wednesday...he had an inch of frost at the start of that day...now it's going to be 55* tomorrow...warm weather headed your way.


Last day of deer season tomorrow...hope he's not so fussy and gets one more...but we will survive with the meat we have.


How's your hunt going???


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## grapeman (Nov 10, 2007)

NW it's been such a warm autumn in general that the bucks are just starting to come into my area good. Seeing more scrapes every day. I had been watching next to the vineyard, but mostly just see does and small bucks. This AM I decided to take a walk down the trail network we have through the woods on the farm. Buck scrapes everywhere, but very noisy with fosty leaves under foot. I wan't paying close enough attention still hunting along and suddenly there was an 8 point running broadside to me. I shot at it twice, the second shot hitting a small tree right in front of it. I found it's tracks and checked for sign I had hit it or not. Couldn't find a drop of blood at all. I followed it for several hundred yards with no blood, dragging feet or any other sign of it being wounded so I guess I just plain missed it. I'm getting slower than I used to be. I even had the 12 guage shotgun, which I rarely miss with when they are running. My brother was walking in a different spot and watched a 6 point for half an hour while it generally marked it's territory. I went down there this afternoon, but only saw one doe. We still have a month to go with our season.


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## rgecaprock (Nov 10, 2007)

You all up north really have alot to do to get ready for winter. I think it was in the 80's today, right now (dark) 74.


The most I will have to do is possibly bring in my plants for about a month.


I'll be going to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving and to Richmond, Va. the first week of Dec. so I'm hoping to experience some winter...at least some fireplace weather.


Ramona


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 10, 2007)

Come up here in January and you'll experience winter weather....


I have a houseful coming for Thanksgiving...the dis functional neighbors have invited their extended families...then after that we get ready for Christmas and we just wait for the lakes to freeze over....Jan and Feb we fish...so winter can go pretty fast.


I would love to be seeing your beauty berries and butterflies at this time of the year....I would like winter to be shorter...but do enjoy the change of seasons.


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