Amaryllis Flower or "Horseman's Star"

Amaryllis Flower

Throughout the time we had the garden center, we always sold Amaryllis bulbs. Amaryllis bulbs, when potted in the fall or early winter, will produce spectacular blooms. This year, my mom asked me to buy one for her to give away. When I got to the store they were 3 for something. And since they come in a variety of colours, I bought 3. One for my mom, one we gave away, and one I potted up and grew. Or rather, I watered it and it grew. Bulbs contain all they already need. Just light and water.

So finally after a couple of months, the buds started to show colour. Now they are out in almost full bloom.

btw, Amaryllis is not the true name. They should be called Hippeastrum.
But the real name and what people are familiar with are often two different things.

So for now, we'll enjoy the blooms. After, we'll put the bulb outside, hope that it get enough leaves to produce enough food to store in the next bulb for the next set of flowers.

Posted by Gerry
www.hamilton.turfking.ca

Leap Year

Leap year is this Year. Rosemary's uncle will celebrate his 24th birthday on February 29. He has 4 children and I think 5 grandchildren. He and his wife will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in March this year.

Is Leap Year good or bad? One lady complained "My mothers care home have just sent me a bill for £65.50 for the 29th Feb one off extra day charge due to leap year.
new one on me ?

So if you are paying for something by the day, this year you will have to pay more. If however, you rented your apartment for instance by the month, you essentially get one day free. (at least compared to 2007 and 2009.

Found this article on the leap years and Julian calendars etc. that explains how it was changed, -more than once and also talks about being shortchanged on taxes for http://www.boyet.com/Articles/EnglishTaxYear.html

Also another one on Calendar reform. I always thought the extra day was added because February was a short month. One thing I got between those 2 articles is that in the old calendars the new year started in late March-when spring came. February was at the end of the year. Adding a day at the end of the year seems more plausible than just adding it to the short month, and in the coldest time of the year.

At Turf King we don't sell things by the day or the month, so maybe we are losing out. Maybe we have to re-think that.

Scrap Metal Prices

Our dryer died the other day. "Greg," I said, "Help me get rid of this hunk of steel. It's just getting in the way in the garage. The weatherman says we could get up to 15 cm of snow and it will be easier if we could get the van in the garage."

I told him how I had once taken some scrap metal to the steel recyclers down the road and they had paid me a few dollars. Appliances are what are known as "white goods." I remembered that the price they paid at that time, several years ago was about $35.00 per ton. But that yard was in the other direction where we'd be travelling the next day.

There are a couple places where appliances could be recycled and dropped off for free. Well, let's see. Even if the dryer weighed 200 lbs or a tenth of a ton, that would mean we might get $3.50 for it as scrap.

Well, let's just get it into the back of the van. We moved the seats and heaved the dryer into the back of the van. Clunk, clink, tinkle, tinkle, tinkle. What was that noise?

Guess what fell out of the dyer vent. A toonie, a loonie and a dime. $3.10. "There you go," I said, "There's our scrap payment right there!" The coins were a little dusty and full of dryer lint, but a nice surprise nonetheless.

So we Reduced our junk, Recycled the dryer, and Reused the coins.

In Hamilton, Ontario, White goods can be dropped off at the CRC Community Recycling Centres.

Punxsutawney Phil

Driving in to work this morning, we realized it's the first of February and tomorrow is Grounhog Day. The weatherman (the human one) predicts 15-30 cm of snow today. This snow event started at midnight and is expected to continue throughout the day until midnight.

We spent some time in near Dubois, (Canadians by the way should pronounce this "doo-boys", the French "du- bwa") Pennsylvania last May. Punxsutawney is nearby. We had breakfast in town, then walked and drove around looking for the various Punxsutawney Phil statues located at various places around town.

This one is the bellhop version, just outside the hotel. The groundhogs are imaginatively decorated by local and regional artists, making each a unique work of art. For a complete catalog visit the Phantastic Phils.
Of course this one is extra important in that there is a lovely live person next to the statue.

Now, let's see if tomorrow brings sun, cloud or snow- early spring or more winter??? For lawn people an early spring is a bonus.

See Turf King Hamilton for more about lawns.

Empty Containers & Pita Bread

A few years ago, we were in San Juan Capistrano ago visiting an classmate from Kingsway College Days. While there, Saleem and Phyllis took us to visit the monastery where the swallow return each year. Saleem, a mathematician is originally from Egypt. Phyllis had learned how to make pita bread, and we spent one evening helping and learning. When the dough is placed in the oven, it puffs up like a giant ball. Today, while warming a tortilla in our toaster oven, it also puffed up (although not to a globe-the toaster didn’t have that much room.) Wonder if these breads, or bread-making are similar.

One of the greatest accomplishments in life is the completion of a project, be it big or small. And when it is something that has not progressed for a while.

So for breakfast, a toasted tortilla with the last of the Red Pepper and Peach Chutney that Darrel and Karen brought us from the Horseshoe Valley Trading Company in Craighurst, Ontario. (Ingredients: Sweet and Hot Red Peppers, Peaches, Sugar, Vinegar, Lemon, Ginger, Spices.)

Tastes great and the feeling of accomplishment- the emptying of a container in the fridge.

Old Garden Paths

It's amazing how garden paths can meander through the trees and flowers. Views and perspectives change as you move down the trail. Around the corner, a new vista greets you. As time passes, the garden changes. First there is the seasonal change, winter changes into spring with its many blossoms and blooms. Summer bursts upon you with sudden heat. Then fall slowly creeps up with its colourful array of autumn colours.

Time also move along and the small sapling becomes a stout tree that matures into a giant oak or maple dominating all around it.

Sometimes those paths return to the same place with a different view or at a later time (time of day, time of year, or time)

Crossed paths with Ann Granatier yesterday. Her mother is in the Nursing Home where my wife Rosemary is the administrator. Ann used to work for us at Oriental Garden Gallery-back in the spring time of my life. Was that the late 80’s? Yeah, it was still spring. I think it's still spring! I have always thought I was into spring. ( "spring chicken"-notwithstanding.)

Ann and her husband Bob are into Irises in a big small way. They grow and sell award winning iris varieties. http://www.trailsendiris.com/.

White Christmas

Looks like we are going to have a White Christmas after all. Beautiful snowfall! Light, fluffy flakes on the tree branches creating a winter wonderland.

Merry Christmas to All!