IN: Vanity legacy projects

OUT: National security

I am not sure I would add any NZ products, although possum merino sweaters, mittens, etc. are the best. I would guess they will be buying those products while they are there. I do think a custom credit card would be appreciated. Last time we were there, our excursions were pretty much set before we left the US. I hope they enjoy their trip. It is a magical place, especially when you get away from the big cities, although those are wonderful, too.

Just an fyi, there are tariffs on clothing from NZ, so you will pay more here than they would there. The variety of styles there is better than online here actually.

Thanks for the heads up, Cyn! I havent gotten to the point of ordering but it seemed like there are some NZ companies with US sites? My time has been limited so I'll need to look into it more this weekend. I am only looking at a couple of pairs of socks or mittens so if it is crazy, I'll drop them.

I did order a kiwi wallet that is big enough to hold a credit card and some currency.

Was this written 30 years ago? 70 is the new 60. My mom is in her early 80s and does many of these.

My mother used to make the most marvelous Charlotte Russe pie. I have the recipe somewhere, but have never made it.

ETA: . Most liquor in desserts has no spirits left. That is not accurate. After cooking, up to 95% of the alcohol can remain. Simmering for 2 hours still leaves 10%, so there is a very good reason for someone to decline food cooked with alcohol.

Nothing growing up in the 50’s or 60’s had alcohol in it in the South. probably the 70’s also. I made a fruitcake in the 80’s soaked in rum. I was the only one who ate it.

I have made all kinds of deserts in those trifle bowls, Dad did also. None had any alcohol.

I have made a ‘trifle‘ many times that is much lighter in both texture and calories than any chocolate dessert or heavy pie or tiramisu. It is always gone. I bought a very large &deep acrylic bowl at target for around $5-6 and use it because it is so light and virtually unbreakable.

The only time consuming part is washing the fruit and cutting strawberries and whatever other fruit you might choose to layer.

I have used frozen Sara Lee pound cake but i’ve also used a store-bought angel food cake. Plus i use sugar-free pudding mixed with milk and i add a little vanilla flavoring and low fat cool whip. I’ve tweaked it a bit to get the quantities and flavor profile i like.

if anyone wants the recipe, I’ll post later or tomorrow. i have a lot going on this afternoon and tonight.

Nevertheless, if you can afford it, why not pay $5k ( or whatever) to get on the waiting list so you have the choice? Its kind of like an insurance policy. Maybe you’ll never use it, but irs there if you need it.

Golf

Other people

adsjad ~ Brought the blooms in just 4 hours ago so I will have to watch to see how they last in my vase! The scent is amazing, and still going strong.

Except for my dark pink fairy rose bush, which is still full of new clusters right now (!!! - unusually late in the season!) and some hardy mums, the cimi is the very last thing that blooms every year here. Rather late to break ground in the Massachusetts spring, but it hasn't failed for several decades. Great plant IMO.

You are new to me on the forum -- where are you located?

Indigo Rose ~ I believe mine was/is known as Cimicifuga racemosa species, possibly 'Brunette', altho I no longer recall what I bought so long ago. According to Margaret Roach it does smell delicious, unlike the rest of the types. Margaret has written columns for the NYTimes, several books and has a show & podcast via PBS. She is very knowledgeable with

My apologies for not having the technological capability to post a link -- I am an elderly neophyte when it comes to that sort of talent. I did manage to become familiar with horseless carriages - tho I do not drive them - and I no longer haul the laundry to the creek to scrub, but the workings of most things in this modern world puzzle & defeat me. My brain simply will not function in the direction of technology. Sad, so sad, but I manage to live with the dysfunction. So far! =)

And the flowere are still scenting the whole kitchen this morning. Woo-hoo!

I even like the seedheads.

Like so many birds gathering.

tj

These are lovely, Marie — those pink mums glowing against the red maple leaves are such a cheerful sight for November, and your hellebore foliage looks so fresh. Like cyn, I leave most of my leaves down until spring too; they make such good cover for the beds over winter. After three days of rain everything in my garden looks pretty soggy as well, so I know exactly how you feel!

Oh my, now the pressure is on! Hahaha! I'm feeling personally responsible for your plants lol!

Those ARE tiny! Can I ask where you got them from? My Mr. Bowling Balls were only about 4-5 inches but then again they are only supposed to get about 2 feet tall. The Berry Poppins should get at least 3-4 feet I believe off the top of my head, so two inches is a teeny-tiny specimen (as my 4-year-old girlies would say lol).

I too am used to starting small. I do mostly mail-order because of time constraints, disappearing nurseries, and the lack of selection at those remaining nurseries and garden centers, plus yes, cost is a big factor. When you can get three of something small instead of one of something big, well then, that's more stuff in your garden. One just has to have patience when one is not wealthy lol.

I will say I was going to be lazy and stay in the house today, but cyn427 you have inspired me to get outside and plant my remaining little shrubs! Thanks for the push!

:)

Dee

Oh, I have ordered several times from Trees.com (recent name change from Fast Growing Trees.com). I was hesitant at first but a few people I know ordered from them and were very happy. So I took a chance and honestly have been pretty happy with everything I've gotten from them. LOL actually I think my little Mr. Bowling Balls were from them!

Hopefully you will have as good luck with them as I have

:)

Dee

Thank you for this thread @porkchop_z5b_MI. I added one Mister and 4 Mrs. this year. I ordered them from Home Depot with shipping direct from the grower and they were big enough to give me confidence in their survival, but not so big as to be daunting when dighing the planting holes. They were pruned back hard for shipping, so no berries this year. I worried that setting Mr. Poppins back more in tge shade might be a problem so I appreciated hearing y’all’s experiences and fell much more vinfident about how I’ve arranged them!

Look for video of her at Monterey Pop singing ball and chain in a pantsuit and stomping her kitten heels (it was the late mid 60s after all), and Mama Cass reacting to her in the audience.

I went to see her with Big Brother and the Holding Company. I had her (first) album (Cheap Thrills?) but gave it away. Then regretted it. There’s only so many things one can hold onto, esp when student.

Summertime (I sing this to myself 🎵”…hush little bAyAby,,, do_n’t you cry.”) (Fish are jumpin’ nd the cotton is high….One of these mornings…🎶

Mercedes Benz

Piece of my Heart

Me and Bobby McGee

▪️Cheap Thrills https://vinyl-records.nl/acid-psych/janis-joplin-big-brother-holding-company-cheap-thrills-germany-vinyl-lp-album.html

Complete Track Listing of: Janis Joplin Cheap Thrills

Side One:

1. Combination of the Two
2. I Need A Man to Love
3. Summertime
4. Piece of my Heart

Side Two:

1. Turtle Blues
2. Oh, Sweet Mary
3. Ball and Chain

Thanks, Pal

Is anyone not a Janis Joplin fan?

Don't answer that. I don't want to know that about you ;-)

Definitely left us too soon as so many greats did (and do).

Wow. Very cool.

Next, now that we have all these name plates made up and want to put stems on them (again, there's more than one way to accomplish this, this is how I do it).

Part 2

Forming and soldering the stem:

I'm using #10 wire bc that's what I have on hand, #12 might work. I've used #8 and #6 for single stems (single stems spin in the wind). But #10, being a double stem is plenty sturdy if one doesn't make them too long.

Below I cut the #10 wire about 17" L. then bend it into a horseshoe, this is probably plenty long bc the plate will end up ~6" off the ground. The prongs to go into the ground an 1-1/2" or maybe 2". So here we have whatever your personal preferences are.

Next clamp the 'U' shaped end in the vice and bend the prongs over ~45d.

With #10 wire this could probably be done using a pliers or vice grips.

Then on your steel stamping block, with a small hammer (1 lb?), flatten the bent part of the round wire so it becomes flat.

A flat surface will be stronger once it's soldered to the plate.

Make sure that you clean and shine up the brass or copper with a wire brush or sandpaper.

I use a wire wheel on the grinder to do that and it must be done for solder to stick and bond properly.

I won't give a full on class on how to solder but you'll need solder and soldering paste.

I'm not pushing any particular brand but I got these from the local hardware store. Lead Free.

FYI:

To make it easier and more reliable, you 'Tin' the parts to be soldered separately.

Smear the flat surface with a coating of soldering paste (flux).

Heat the stem and apply solder.

The stem is now properly 'Tinned'.

Same for the plate.

Apply flux, heat with the torch and apply a thin layer of solder (I got mine on a little thick but that's okay). The plate is being held in a vice.

Note the little 'arrow' at the top end of the centerline. I haven't soldered a plate on upside down since I've been putting the little arrow pointing to the top.

Then with the plate still being held in the vice, place the flattened, tinned end of the stem onto the area of the plate that's been tinned, and heat both until the solder melts and it all flows together into one pool.

Remove heat and try not to move the stem until you see the shiny, silvery, liquid pool of solder turns dull grey (then you can let the stem go and it will stay put). It takes about 20-30 seconds for the solder to cool after heat is removed.

Everything stays very hot and if one has a tray of water handy, just place it into the water and it will be cooled instantly. Wear a glove while holding the stem and we already talked about wearing safety glasses.

Done! :-)

<continued>

This section isn't necessary if you can find sheet material for tags, available at a reasonable price.

Brass or copper sheets in the thickness of 0.050" or 0.060" would be ideal and if you find a place that also cuts to the sizes needed, that's about half the work done right there.

There's a metal and scrap yard in town here but the variety they have is so limited and variable, I'd have to be checking with them almost every day to find a batch of the right stuff that goes through and even then I'd have to cut to size, which would be nearly as much work as what I'm doing now, and necessity is the mother of invention.

Part 3

Using copper pipe to make Tag material:

Copper pipe or tubing comes in a variety of thickness and temper. Some is very soft and others can be quite stiffly tempered.

The larger diameter pipes tend to be thicker material and when your purchase those, they tip the scales more per square inch of plate, so ~1" dia. tube, that's thinner in thickness will produce more plates for the buck than a 3" dia. pipe that's 2-3 times as thick.

Personally, I examine what they have when I'm there and generally just buy whatever's available at the time. ;-)

I cut a length of pipe according to how long of a tag I'm targeting. And cut it a little long (1/16"?) so there's a little material that can be removed to finish the edges on the sander without shortening the finalized tag.

I cut this one a little over 4.25" long, one of the longer tags that I make. Then clamped it in the vice, and cut longways down the length of the tube with a hack saw. If the pipe has a seam, you might want to cut as close to the seam as possible, to have a chance to get rid of it.

This particular pipe is thin and was made with a stiff temper. When I finished the cut, there was enough tension built into it that it popped apart nearly 1/8" (which is the right direction). ;-)

I've had them do the opposite and pinch the saw blade.

I used this soft ended hammer to drive the pipe onto the end of the anvil, as far as it would go, so that it spread the pipe open.

Hammer onto both ends for widest spread.

With a wider opening, I could force the pipe onto the side edge of the anvil.

Then hammer along that side, flattening it. Then flip it around and do the opposite side (This all feels much more pleasant if you have a heavy work glove to wear). :-)

With both sides flattened it forms a 'U' shaped channel.

This made the opening wide enough, I could force it down, over the top of the anvil.

Then hammered the rounded center of the pipe down, flattening it.

Note: You won't flatten this with just a few whacks, what you try to do is distribute the hammering evenly, hitting in different areas. This unfolds it and reduces dents and creases.

Even the stiffer types of copper are quite malleable, so take your time.

So now we have a 4.25" x 3.25" piece of material that will turn into 3, 1"x 4.24" plates.

Not perfectly flat yet but you did it with a hammer and that's okay, it's much easier to finish flattening, once tags are cut to size and we'll explain that further down.

I use my dads old set of heavy duty tin snips.

Aviation shears might work too bc copper is soft. Brass, not so much.

The three tags turned out to be over 1-1/8" wide so a bonus!

And you can see, they are not flat as we need them to be.

Once the strips for tags are cut, finish flattening them using the same tool we used to flatten the plate, when we were stamping the text. :-)

There you have it, 3 nice flat 'Tags' ready to layout and begin stamping.

And that's the rest of the story.

The End.

Bill, hard to tell from your photo, but make sure the mulch is not touching the trunk of the tree. The root flare should be visible. You probably know that. I will leave this in case someone might not. Around here, most of our neighbors have lawn guys/landscapers who pile the mulch so the trunk looks like a telephone pole coming out of it. Sigh. Their trees will eventually die.

I can remember putting up 'Sun Shades' on mine the first few years I had them. ;-)

Just for what it's worth.

There wasn't too many of these but the Hail Damaged spots on the trunks are encapsulating nicely.

And although many of the leaves have fallen, the rest are showing 'Marcescent' behavior even though we've had 'killing frosts' more than once.

And to further clarify about my methods.

Even though the wood mulch appears right against this trees trunk, the sun scald tube is all the way to the ground, leaving a small air space around the tree.

I do have trees with a thicker bark that the wood mulch does touch the tree (again during winter) but those are another story).

;-)

Thanks so much, Pieter.

Thanks for providing this, Pieter!

Poked around just a bit -- I can't get past the Ms in the variegated list.

Poked around just a bit -- I can't get past the Ms in the variegated list.

Ben, there's a good reason for that: the stand-alone lists haven't been finished as yet. As it says on the landing page, ' The category lists are a work in progress ' and I'll be the first one to admit I've been remiss on getting back to the project. The issue with it not seeming to work at all got me back to it and with ChatGPT's input it's nice to see it functioning again. I'll return to it over the winter months but at present I'm in the middle of a total revamp of the Hosta List website I maintain for Don Rawson, that's a mammoth task but it's going well and should be finished in about a week or so. I'll post when that update is done....

Pieter

I use a #6.

I've used a Felco #2 for years, mostly on my roses, and it's the one I keep reaching for because it fits my hand well and stays sharp with just a quick clean now and then. If your hands run on the smaller side, the #6 is worth a look too — same sturdy build, but a little easier to close. Either way, I'd go for the real thing over a cheap copy; a good pair like that lasts for years.

I'd go for the real thing over a cheap copy; a good pair like that lasts for years.

For sure @asjad492. As I mentioned I did have felcos for several years but I lost them back in 2025; I was sure they would turn up...but alas it hasnt happened :(.

Anything that likes T is suspect and I believe the opposite! I am suprised his pants do not set off smoke alarms.

Cyn427, you are a very kind soul to respond to someone who might not even be around anymore!

4b is way too cold for 'Taurus', FWIW. That much I can say with certainty. It's a better red than 'Nova Zembla', at least, which has a muddy-reddish-pink I abhor. Taurus is a strig hybrid as rhodie breeder say, for R. strigillosum. Of those, I've either tried to grow or encountered, a bunch of them in my travels. 'Malahat' is the purest red of all of them.

I have made mistakes like that in the last few years with recipes I have cooked for decades. Yes, I felt really stooooopid. Sigh.

^^ It was still tasty, just not the texture I like.

Strangely, the latest bag of brown rice I purchased has been incredibly "thirsty". Usually I cook it with one cup of rice to 2 1/4 cups of water, but this latest bag I've been increasing the amount of water with each batch as it has been coming out too crunchy at the end, requiring more water and cooking. Last night I used three cups of water and it absorbed the lot and was pretty much just right.

As the sun changes in the morning, the ”dots” change shape. Sometimes we get the shadow of a leaf in the dot. Yesterday the shapes looked like ducks! We are easily amused here.

I wish gas were only $4.39/gallon here.