An unapologetic plant geek shares advice and opinions on gardening, the contrived and the natural landscape, as well as occasional topics from the other side of the gate.

May 27, 2011

Once You Hit Puberty It Is Too Late

Mrs. G.
(photo irrelevant of post, but irrelevance is the theme today)

Since I have been blogging I have gotten my fair share of spam comments.  Many of them are links to discount Viagra sources, Chinese investment offers or Nigerian people in desperate need to give me money.  My favorite's are those from people who pretend to be interested in what I have written, but manage to work in a totally irrelevant, but self-serving web link.  Most do not make it past my filter and they get trashed pretty quickly.  However, this week I got a comment I just have to share with the rest of you (as written).  This comment was left on one of my earlier post from 2008 about Vitex agnus-castus, which according to blogger stats is my most read post having over 2600 page views, more than four times as many as the next nearest post.  I will just let the comment speak for itself, and if any of you can figure it out let me know.  I am too busy wasting my time "Hiking", working, etc...  to make sense of it.

The gods tempt people for which they are most weak. Artificial Intelligence will create desire in people's minds for the following sins:::
1. Alcohol
2. Drugs
3. Preditory "earning"
4. Homosexuality
5. Gambling
6. Something for nothing/irresponsibility (xtianity)
7. Polygamy/superiority over women/misogyny (Islam)
Much like the other prophets Mohhamed (polygamy/superiority over women/misogyny) and Jesus (forgiveness/savior), the gods use me for temptation as well. In today's modern society they feel people are most weak for popular culture/sensationalism, and the clues date back to WorldWarII and Unit731:TSUSHOGO.

It has been discussed that, similar to the Matrix concept, the gods will offer a REAL "Second Coming of Christ", while the "fake" Second Coming will come at the end and follow New Testiment scripture and their xtian positioning. I may be that real Second Coming.

What I teach is the god's true way. It is what is expected of people, and only those who follow this truth will be eligible to ascend into heaven as children in a future life. They offered this event because the masses have just enough time to work on and fix their relationship with the gods and ascend, to move and grow past Planet Earth, before the obligatory xtian "consolation prize" of "1000 years with Jesus on Earth" begins.

Your job as a future mother is to learn the god's ways and to help your child understand despite the negative reinforcement and conditioning of today's society. Without consciousous parents the child will have no hope, and may even exaserbate their disfavor by becoming corrupted in today's environment.

Your ultimate goal is to fix your relationship wiith the gods and move on. You don't want to be comfortable here, and the changes in Western society in the last 100 years has achieved just that.

1000 years with Jesus is the consolation prize. Don't be deceived into thinking that is the goal.

The Prince of Darkness, battling the gods over the souls of the Damned.

It is the gods who have created this environment and led people into Damnation with temptation. The god's positioning proves they work to prevent people's understanding.

How often is xtian dogma wrong? Expect it is about the Lucifer issue as well.

The fallen god, fighting for justice for the disfavored, banished to Earth as the fallen angel?

I believe much as the Noah's Flood event, the end of the world will be initiated by revelry among the people. It will be positioned to be sanctioned by the gods and led for "1000 years with Jesus on Earth".

In light of modern developments this can entail many pleasures:::Medicine "cures" aging, the "manufacture" of incredible beauty via cloning as sex slaves, free (synthetic) cocaine, etc.

Somewhere during the 1000 years the party will start to "die off", literally. Only those who maintain chaste, pure lifestyles will survive the 1000 years. They will be the candidates used to (re)colonize (the next) Planet Earth, condemned to relive the misery experienced by the peasantry during Planet Earth's history.

If this concept of Lucifer is true another role of this individual may be to initiate disfavor and temptation among this new poulation, the proverbial "apple" of this Garden of Eden. A crucial element in the history of any planet, he begins the process of deterioration and decay that leads civilizations to where Planet Earth remains today.

1000 years with Jesus is the consolation prize. Don't be deceived into thinking that is the goal.
Only children go to heaven. By the time you hit puberty it is too late. This is charecteristic of the gods:::Once you realize what you have lost it is too late.

Now you are faced with a lifetime to work and prepare for your next chance. Too many will waste this time, getting stoned, "Hiking!", working, etc.


Once I can make sense of this, then I turn my attention into figuring out why the #1 referer to my blog is peeingmovies(dot)com.

May 23, 2011

Kimchi and Flemish Bond

Saturday evening my wife and I attended a dinner held for the people of the Virginia Horticultural Foundation at the Weblin House in Virginia Beach (I play a small role in helping the foundation put on the Mid-Atlantic Horticulture Short Course).  The Weblin house was built in the late 1600's and was a working farm until late in the 20th century when it was swallowed by suburbia.  Its current owner and our hostess, Gian Petersen bought the property (along with a few of its original acres) in 1997 when the house was in extreme decline.  Since then a lot of very hard work has pulled the house away from the brink, so perhaps it should be here for a few more centuries. 

Weblin House Doorway

Weblin House

Weblin House Chimney

Magnolia grandiflora

At some point in its history Weblin House became a dairy farm.  Several of the structures that served that purpose still persist, including silos, which now seem out of place in the thick of suburban sprawl. 

Weather Vane

Silo (2)

The cow barn/milking parlor has been converted by by Ms. Petersen into a very unique home surrounded by gardens with a large koi pond right outside the kitchen door.   

Koi

Koi Pond Ledge

Patio Table

Koi Floor

Kitchen

The remaining few acres of the farm are still under cultivation, but are growing crops not likely familiar to first Weblin family.  Ms. Petersen is Korean, and much of what she grows reflects her heritage.  She has allowed other members of the local Korean community to use a portion of the land to grow their preferred varieties of cabbage, greens, peppers, eggplants and other produce.  There were also more than a few Asian persimmon and pear trees, Chinese Dates (Jujubes), figs, pomegranates and many a young ginkgo.  Some of what was grown in the garden was also served at dinner.  We had bok choi, marinated cucumbers, pickled radish, some really good marinated beef, glass noodles, fried rice, sushi rolls, dumplings and of course, kimchi.

Some may think it odd that a Korean woman would be so dedicated to preserving a small piece of early American history, but Ms. Petersen will be the first to tell you that her efforts are an investment for future generations.  I don't think it odd at all, especially when you consider that the first family to occupy this house also came from somewhere else very far away in order to make an investment in the future.

May 15, 2011

Bloom Day - Aloha Means Hello and Goodbye

This past week I had an unexpected and overdue opportunity to get some work done in the garden.  I weeded, pruned, pulled yellowing Narcissus foliage and tired Pansies, but left the Violas which seem unaffected by our warming weather, so far.  I also pulled up all my Brassicas including Red Bor Kale and Giant Red Mustard.  When I began gardening I was told to cut off the flowers on these plants, maybe it was to extend their lives, but in my garden the flowers stay, and when they are spent, the plant comes out.  I must make room for what's to come.

Giant Red Mustard (Brassica juncea var. rugosa)
Brassica juncea var. rugosa

Iris x 'Impersonator'
Iris x 'Impersonator'

Purple Smoke Baptisia (Baptisia 'Purple Smoke')
Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' (2)

Baptisia 'Purple Smoke'

Allium christophii
Allium christophii

May Night Salvia (Salvia x sylvestris 'May Night')
Salvia × sylvestris 'May Night'

French Hollyhock (Malva zebrina)
Malva zebrina 2

Malva zebrina

Rose 'Hot Cocoa'
Rose 'Hot Coccoa'

Rose 'Pat Austin'
Rose 'Pat Austin'

I do not know what species of Sedum this is, but I use it like green mulch.
Sedum

Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa)
Phlomis fruticosa

The Confederate or Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) began blooming here this week, and I am writing this post under the influence of its heavy perfume.
Trachelospermum jasminoides

Trachelospermum jasminoides (2)

This is the first of my Hydrangeas to show any color, I was told it was Penny Mac (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Penny Mac') when it was given to me.
Hydrangea macrophylla

In the picture below are all the plants that have accumulated on my front porch over the past few weeks, waiting for me to get them planted.  Most are in pots or the ground now, and perhaps they will be seen in a future Bloom Day post.  If you would like to see what other people are sharing for this month's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, then you should visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens, after all it is her month.

New Plants

May 10, 2011

A Day in the Gardens

As I mentioned in my last post, this past Friday was National Public Garden Day, and you could download a voucher that would grant free entry to hundreds of gardens nationwide.  Since my membership has lapsed, I used my voucher to get into the Norfolk Botanical Gardens.  I was not alone - there were many nursing home activity buses, legions of home schoolers, plus regular garden visitors and those who were drawn to the garden's annual plant sale.  Having just bought more plants from work than I should have, and not knowing about the plant sale before I got there - I felt some degree of immunity entering the sales area.  However, my protection was not complete and I came home with a Cuphea 'David Verity' and an Aucuba japonica 'Sulpherea', which looks more like a houseplant than a hardy shrub.  One of the garden's signature plants, Camellia japonica 'Mrs. Lyman Clarke', was in abundance and reasonably priced as well.  This local favorite was first discovered by none other than Mrs. Lyman Clarke at a hardware store.  At the time it was an unnamed seedling, but it has long since proved to be one of the area's best performers.  The coolest thing I saw offered was Yellow Blossom Caladium, which has yellow leaves with bright magenta veining, but at $12 each one did not follow me home.

Plant Sale (3)

The Norfolk Botanical Gardens is one of  23 nationwide AARS (All-America Rose Selection) test gardens, where roses are grown, evaluated and rated, and Norfolk's climate is a good test at how they tolerate heat and humidity.  At the main rose garden none of the plants were having to deal with that yet, and the beds were near their seasonal peak.

Rose Garden

Cherry Sunblaze, Tree-Style
Rose Cherry Sunblaze copy

Eden Climber
Rose Eden Climber

At the Baker Perennial Garden there was much to look at, including Pink Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa)...
Oenothera speciosa (2)

... Phlomis tuberosa fronting Baptisia...
Phlomis tuberosa

... another Baptisia combo, this time 'Purple Smoke'  in front of Weigela florida 'Rubidor'...
Baptisia x 'Purple Smoke' and Weigela florida 'Rubidor'

... and Paeonia 'Myrtle Gentry'.
Paeonia 'Myrtle Gentry'

Elsewhere in the gardens other plants caught my eye like this False Agave (Beschorneria septentrionalis).
 Agave beschornaria septemtrionalis

Variegated Kiwi (Actinidia kolomikta)
Actinidia kolomikta

Hardy Chinese Ground Orchid (Bletilla striata)
Bletilla striata

Azalea season is now over here, but these deciduous members of the family were in full bloom.  I think these are Flame Azaleas (Rhododendron calendulaceum).
Rhododendron calendulaceum - maybe (5)

Speaking of Rhododendrons, I have planted six in my life and killed all six.  As much as my head turns when I see them bloom, I have vowed never to pick one up again.
Rhododendron (2)

Bench

Of all the flowers I saw on Friday, my favorite were the two I saw dancing along the fountain's edge (I am conscientiously trying to include more people in my landscape photos, but without looking like that creepy dude with a camera).
Little Flowers copy

You can see all of my photos from Friday's trip to the gardens here.

May 8, 2011

Moms Love Roses

I want to wish all the mother's out there a happy Mother's Day, and I would like to send each of you an electronic bouquet of roses.  All of these photos were taken on Friday at the Nofolk Botanical Gardens, which I visited on National Public Garden Day (and because of the free admission).  Though there were lots of roses to look at and to photograph, I focused in on the David Austin roses (with apologies to Jo).  It was nice to see the roses before our summer humidity begins messing with the foliage and before an army of Japanese beetles decends upon them.

Golden Celebration
Rose Golden Celebration

Prospero
Rose Prospero

Wild Eve
Rose Wild Eve

Tradescant
Rose Tradescant

Sophy's Rose
Rose Sophy's Rose

Charles Darwin
Rose Charles Darwin

Benjamin Britten
Rose Benjamin Britten

Wife of Bath
Rose Wife of Bath

Blythe Spirit
Rose Blythe Spirit

Tamora
Rose Tamora

There will be more to follow from my trip to the gardens in the next post.