Hey fellow Floridians...

[ginger2778]

Sugar drop doesn't mind the heat too much.

[ginger2778]

JimmyT okra with 2 forming and a blossom about to open. Its only 5 days for this variety from blosdom to harvest. By day seven the pods are getting tough and woody.

[ginger2778]

Mammoth and Cinnamon Basil in a group pot.

[kayrobbins]

It all looks good. I am glad to see what the Sugar Drop looks like since this fall will be my first time growing it. I pulled out all my tomatoes except for one. I am so tired of the squirrels eating them and they did not look good with this heat.

[Barb_FL]

Everything looks good, Marsha. The sugar drop is amazing.

I ate our first pineapple today. It was a different variety. The top had blown off my neighbors pineapple, so I planted it; They said it was Hawaiian,
and they got it from a yard sale. I have a hard time believing that they could get it out of Hawaii and Dole doesn't export their pineapples out of Hawaii.
Anyway, it was much lightere inside not yellow at all, but definitely ripe. The plant itself had about 6 suckers which I usually just had 1 or 2 before.

Update: had my stitches removed on Friday and then went to therapy afterwards. During therapy I felt so sick (faint not puke) /weak that I had to lay down.

The stretches I have to do hurt so much. I have to do them 4 times a day. I handled the pain from the surgery and wrist more that I can handle this. Maybe I'm a wimp. I only took Tylenol a couple times after surgery - last time was Sunday but I'm considering taking it for therapy.

At least without the stitches, I can sweat so started taken down a bunch of tomato plants where they had no chance of making a tomato. Also, resuming the soil solarizing.

Yesterday we finally got some afternoon rains; I think this is what has been missing and cooling things off.

[ginger2778]

Kay- the sugardrop leaves do seem stunted and punished by the heat, but it is still making fruit. Anyway, the plant itself looks so much better in the fall.

Barb- physical therapy is a drag, but kerp strething because you dont pwant the scar tisdue to form too tightly or you wont have good function. I bet I am telling you what you already know, right? So glad your stitches are out.
Our pineapples are grown from the tops of Doles we bought. They are much smaller, but I can't get over the flavor of them when allowed to ripen on the plant.

Ginny- we all have been thinking of you, you have been in my thoughts several times a day. How did the surgery go? Are you on your way to your husband's job yet. Please let us know how you are.

[Barb_FL]

Marsha, My originals came from the grocery store too - probably Dole. The first time a plant make a pineapple they are smaller, but the next ones will come from a sucker attached to the original plant and will be larger and quicker to make fruit. If you get multiple suckers from a plant, you can split them for additional plants, just leave one sucker on the plant because that is what will make a new bigger pineapple. I haven't bought a pineapple for years now, and the crop just keeps growing.

Ginny - please check in when you have time.

[Fiishergurl]

Hi Everyone,

So, my mom has stage 3 or stage 4 breast cancer (haven't gotten the pathology back yet to know for sure which). We found out on Monday the 15th that she needed surgery, she had surgery on Friday the 19th and during surgery they also removed her lymph nodes as it had spread. We go on Tuesday for the pathology report and will find out what type of chemo she will have and how aggressive the cancer is. The crazy thing is she had a hardening of some skin on her left breast starting 18 months ago. Every 6 months she had a mammogram and the radiologist said it was nothing to be concerned about. This last time (a few weeks ago) when she went again, they said it was still nothing but they would send her to have it biopsied just to be sure. The surgeon that did the biopsy took one look at her (before he even biopsied it) and said oh that's got to be removed. And now we find out it is cancer that has already spread. But you can't change the past so we are just being positive and doing what we can. Going to get a second opinion once we get the pathology results.

My husband has already gone to Kansas without me and I am staying with my mom for a couple of weeks and then my sister that lives in OKC will come in for a few weeks because I have to go do a computer install in San Diego for 3 weeks. So I have given all my plants to my other sister since I won't be anywhere long enough to take care of them.

I've been reading the posts, it's just been a little crazy around here so I haven't posted as much.

Barb - hang in there with your wrist... it will get better and be worth the pain of the therapy.

Good luck to everyone with your gardens... :-)

Ginny

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Fiishergurl

Hi Everyone,

So, my mom has stage 3 or stage 4 breast cancer (haven't gotten the pathology back yet to know for sure which). We found out on Monday the 15th that she needed surgery, she had surgery on Friday the 19th and during surgery they also removed her lymph nodes as it had spread. We go on Tuesday for the pathology report and will find out what type of chemo she will have and how aggressive the cancer is. The crazy thing is she had a hardening of some skin on her left breast starting 18 months ago. Every 6 months she had a mammogram and the radiologist said it was nothing to be concerned about. This last time (a few weeks ago) when she went again, they said it was still nothing but they would send her to have it biopsied just to be sure. The surgeon that did the biopsy took one look at her (before he even biopsied it) and said oh that's got to be removed. And now we find out it is cancer that has already spread. But you can't change the past so we are just being positive and doing what we can. Going to get a second opinion once we get the pathology results.

My husband has already gone to Kansas without me and I am staying with my mom for a couple of weeks and then my sister that lives in OKC will come in for a few weeks because I have to go do a computer install in San Diego for 3 weeks. So I have given all my plants to my other sister since I won't be anywhere long enough to take care of them.

I've been reading the posts, it's just been a little crazy around here so I haven't posted as much.

Barb - hang in there with your wrist... it will get better and be worth the pain of the therapy.

Good luck to everyone with your gardens... :-)

Ginny

Ginny, sending lots and lots of hugs. You and your mom continue to be in my thoughts.
{{{{{hugs}}}}}
Thank you for the update, you have bigger fish to fry right now.

[Barb_FL]

Ginny, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. You and your family are in my thoughts; hopefully the report back will be more promising.

[kayrobbins]

Ginny, this is such a tough thing for your mother and you. It is so good that you can be with her and that has to mean so much to her. It is fortunate that your sister can fill in when you do have to be away. I think you are right to get a 2nd opinion when you get the results. Keep up updated when you have time and know we are all sending positive thought to your family.

[kayrobbins]

I was working on the Rocoto peppers yesterday trying to tie up the branches that were almost touching the ground. I found this Saddleback catepillar on one of the leaves. I have only seen these in pictures and have never had one in my garden. I am sure glad I saw it because I have heard their sting is very painful.

Three of the peppers have finally started turning after all thee months. If you remember I tried buzzing the flowers on only one plant to see if I could help it set more peppers and that was a failure. I finally noticed that the one plant I tried has never set a pepper even though it has lots of blooms. All of the other plants do have peppers so I may try the buzz on one of them.

[nancyruhl]

Aw, Ginny, that is tough news. You and your mom and your family are in my prayers. Breast cancer has been so widely studied, that there seem to be better treatment than for some other cancers. Here is hoping for the best possible report and outcome.

[Fiishergurl]

Thank you everyone for the good thoughts, prayers, etc. I do believe positive attitudes go a long way. Look at Valerie Harper's situation. They gave her 3 months to live and it's been 2 years now. Also, fortunately, my sister that I have given all my plants to (she lives in Orlando), has been there along with me for every step so far. She is a rock for me and I am a rock for her. That has helped us stay positive for our mother. She and her husband came and stayed with us at my mom's farm this weekend and we did puzzles and some other fun things.

And then our other sister that is coming in from OKC is the oldest and she will take good care of my mother while I am gone.

I will be living vicariously through all of your pictures of your gardens until I can start another one... :-) So please post a lot! I love all the pictures! Kay, that saddle back catepillar is cool looking but glad you didn't get stung.

Ginny

[Fiishergurl]

Went to City Market Farmers Market in Kansas City this morning. Tgere was one vendor selling Cherokee Purple and Virginia Sweets tomatoes. it was 930 when we were there and the place had opened at 7 am and he said he had a few cases of each and had almost sold out already. If I like the Virginia Sweets I'm going to save some seeds.

Ginny