Dot`sThoughts

Moss is becoming a problem with all this wet weather.
I noticed some growing a few years ago under the trees in my empty lot. Well, it`s not really empty as there are trees, bushes, wild rose bushes, and things like that. Then with the ground not drying our so fast, there is also some moss growing. Every year I dig it up and think I have gotten it all, and the next year I still find more. Might be blowing from over the back fence.
Well, yesterday when my youngest son stopped by, I decided to give him some more indoor plants to take home. I went out to the garage for fresh soil to replant them and on the way from the garage to the back porch, I happened to look at the back of the house. There on the cement blocks was all that green mossy junk growing. Boy, did this ever grow fast. There was none there last week when I washed down the outside of the back windows. And here it was covering the bottom three rows of blocks.
I decided to try to remove it fast before the rain started again. So, first my son the power spray, no luck. Then I got out the wide putty tool and scraped it off the blocks and then used a stiff brush to really clean the blocks. Then my son rewashed it clean. If it starts coming back again, I might try using the momument cleaner on the cement blocks. I am glad it hasn`t crawled thru to the cellar side of the blocks.

Finally finished that job and did get the plants transplanted. One was the tall tree like wood vine . I can`t think of the name right now. The original plant was given to my Mother over 20 yrs ago. When it got too large for her house and looked like it was starting to die, I brought it home and cut it down and restarted 2 nice plants from it. I gave the nicest shaped one to my Mother and kept the other one. Well, one of my brothers was living with my mother at the time and I think he either kept it over watered, or over fertilized, because within a few months he had it dying while mine was growing great. I tried to give mine to my mother, but she insisted I keep it. So, I started another one for her from a clipping off mine. It grew a few years, but died shortly after we lost Mother. So, I wonder if my bro just didn`t care for that plant. He slowly got rid of all the plants, so guess he lost interest in them. I have cut mine down a few times over the years. Last year it was so tall that I had to add a hook in the ceiling to hold the weight upward . Tying it to the wood supports wasn`t working any more. So, I decided to cut it all back down again and restart a smaller one. What I gave my son was a clipping that I had re-started a while ago. Already mine is almost 4 feet tall, growing much to fast. Hope my son`s grows a bit slower. Ha-Ha. He says everything is growing good in his back window where it gets the sun. It`s good to hear his excitement when he talks about how well his plants are growing.

Then I also had more tomato plants and I wasn`t sure where to put them, so I sent him home with 2 of the tomato plants. This is his first year to be interested in house plants. He told me that his aloe plants were getting so large and growing in all directions. Sounds like they need separating and re-planting already.
I ran out to pick some of the lettuce before the rain starts again. Bought everything for a tossed salad except the lettuce. Then it has rained everyday, so didn`t want to run in the rain to pick any lettuce. Weatherman says rain again this afternoon, but might be nice tomorrow. Sure hope it is nice Saturday when we hold the large family picnic as we usually have over 100 attending. Last year I think we had around 149. I rushed to Hannaford to buy things to make both my Mother`s baked rice and my cousin`s step-mothers Mexican (Pineapple fruit cake. These are two thing everyone always looks forward to. In my family, I am the only one who learned to make the rice the way my Mother did, so for the last 10 yrs ( this will make 11th yr since my Mother passed away) everyone has expected me to make her rice for the picnics. Takes hours to do her way and sure heats up the house. My cousin`s mom was put into a nursing home about 2 yrs ago, and the one thing I missed last year was her cake, so I have decided to make it myself this year. Glad she gave me her recipe a few years ago. Every year, as soon as she saw me, she would tell me I better hurry and get some of her cake before the others eat it all. She knew I liked it. It is rich, so one small piece is plenty for me. And my mother`s rice, I wasn`t having good luck making it taste like hers. So, one time I told her to let me know the next time she was making it so I could learn her secrets. Well, one day she called me and down I went. Then she had everything sitting on the table waiting and she had me make it with her watching and guiding and behold, it did taste like hers. First it takes hours of cooking the rice on the stove, then after adding everything, It takes another hour and a half or so to bake it just right. My oldest bro always looks for me to bring it and they all still tell me it tastes like Moms. Hope it turns out as good this year. A lot of work, but I hate to disappoint anyone. Don`t mind the work, just the hot house.