Among Friends

[WaJa61]

Thank you, Selah! I agree with Winona. It will all work out to the good in the end... or rather, the new beginning! I'm glad you found the site and could read about all the various tour packages offered there. I guess the link is forbidden here and I should remove it. Didn’t mean to break the rules! 😦 

My heels do okay in my cushiony shoes while I’m moving about, but they burn and throb when I go to bed. A delayed reaction? I'm an oddball, ya' know. That's just what I’ll do... one foot at a time and get by with crutches. Want to get my planting done first. Waiting on the weather since Mother Nature appears to be in menopause! I'm so glad you didn’t rupture a disk with all that lifting and hauling up and down the stairs! 

Yes, we close down our pool for winter and my sciatica gets so much worse then. A lap pool wouldn’t be too expensive to keep heated. There are solar ones, you know. They cost more upfront, but pay for themselves pretty quickly. Those would require much less propane. As for homeowners... yes, it will increase, but not as much here as having the horses. In VA we have to have a security fence around pools, with gates that self-lock and alarms on any doors leading to it from the house. If someone were to break into it and be injured or drown, while we’re away... we could still be sued. Something to consider if the codes are the same in NC. 

Tell Elk that James and Reuben have already divided the hives ~ oh, and Joseph helped! I think he wants to ride along with us when we bring the bees. He wants to help his grandpa with it, as well as visit with y'all. Estimating weekend of 28-29th, God-wiliing. 

Limes and tangerines, too ~ shut up! 😍 I'd love one (at least) of each, but they all need full sun and my greenhouse is full. Here's the info on the lemon tree: 

Tangy and sour, lemon adds flavor in every cuisine. Learn how to grow a lemon tree in a pot. Growing lemon tree is easy if you follow the requirements given below.

You want to grow lemons but stop because you run out of space or you don’t grow it because you live in a colder region. If this is your plight then growing a lemon tree in a pot is a smart idea. Plant it on a patio, terrace or in indoors and you will be bestowed by its scented flowers and soft yellow citrus fruits. You can grow it in balcony too, Meyer lemon variety is perfect for kitchen and balcony gardens, especially for non-tropical zones.

Lemon Tree Varieties

Growing lemon tree from seed is a bad idea because it can take up to 4 years to produce fruits. Instead, ask in local nurseries for dwarf varieties that do well in containers. Varieties that are most suitable for containers are Improved Meyer, Lisbon Lemon, and Dwarf Eureka. However, a lemon tree doesn’t grow too big, which means you can try to grow any variety in the pot.

*Buy a healthy lemon plant that is at least 3 years old, so that you don’t have to wait for it to start blooming and fruiting.

How to Grow a Lemon Tree in Pot

Choose a pot that is 25% bigger than the root ball of the plant. Clay pot is ideal because unlike plastic it is porous and evaporates water from sides, this helps the lemon tree to grow well as it dislikes being water logged. The quality and type of soil is an important factor too. For growing high yielding plants, use well draining organic potting mix.
*If you’re growing it in small space like a balcony, take care of its spikes, keep the plant in a corner.

Requirements for Growing Lemon Tree in a Pot

Repot your lemon tree in every couple of years or so in the beginning of spring (in tropics winter is the best season). Your pot size should be according to the scale of your tree. Avoid too large or small planters, keep in mind to use a container that is one size bigger than your previously used pot.

*pH level of soil should be around 5.5 to 7 as the plant prefer slightly acidic soil to neutral soil.

Sunlight

All plants in the citrus family love full sun, around 7 to 8 hours of sunlight is essential. If growing indoors use grow light to provide adequate lighting inside.

Watering

The lemon tree requires consistent watering to produce healthy fruits. Giving it too much or too little water can lead to blossom and fruit drop and sometimes plant may die too. Check top 2-inch layer of soil for dryness before watering. On windy and hot days, it requires more frequent watering.

Humidity

If you are growing a lemon tree indoors, it requires certain humidity level to thrive, 50% is ideal. You can maintain humidity by placing it on a pebble tray, misting or using a humidifier.

Care for a Lemon Tree in Pot

If you’re growing lemon tree in pot in USDA Zones 8b to 11 you don’t need to care for cold that much, but below these zones, special care is needed in harsh winters. Temperature below 30°F is vulnerable for the lemon tree, except ‘Meyer’ lemon variety that can tolerate some cold till 24°F.

Freezing temperatures succumb these plants to death. Optimum temperature is around 50°F to 82°F (10°C to 28°C). To overwinter it keep your potted plant indoors or in a greenhouse when the temperature falls below 35°F (2°C).

Pruning and Pinching Lemon Tree

Pinching encourages bushier growth, pinch growing tip when a branch is about 5 inches long. Pruning of lemon tree is best carried out when new growth starts (February – March). Be careful before pruning it, only prune diseased or dead branches because lemon stores excess food in its leaves and too much pruning can result in poor fruit crop. Also, keep looking for suckers and prune them immediately if found one.

Fertilizer for Growing Lemon Tree in a Pot

All plants of citrus family are heavy feeders and lemon tree too requires fertilizer to produce fruits and lush foliage. Use special purpose citrus fertilizers for every citrus species plant, if unavailable use slow release fertilizer of NPK 12-6-6.

Look for a fertilizer that contains micronutrients, especially iron, manganese, and zinc. To give boost feed to your lemon tree apply a water soluble fertilizer once in a month in growing season.

Pests and Diseases for Lemon Tree in Pot

Pests like mealy bugs, spider mites, aphids and scales occasionally attract toward it. To get rid of them organically read this article.

Harvesting

Harvesting time depends on the type of variety you are growing and your weather conditions. The citrus fruits stop ripening once they are off the tree. To determine if the fruit is ripened, see if the fruit is heavy, soft and yellow.

Additional tips on Growing Lemon Tree in Pot

* Keep your lemon tree in a less windy spot as it dislikes strong winds.
* If moving indoors for winter or outside for summer, acclimatize it to avoid shock.
* You can also do grafting to get two or more variety from the single tree.

[WaJa61]

Be back later, Snappy to reply to your delightfully newsy post!! Having a quick, light dinner before we leave for the church. 

Love you and your darling Diva Baby to pieces!! 😍 

[Q-Anu]

OMG...... 😝😆😅😂 

Merci beaucoup, Joy! I didn't realize it was a business logo on the cup, since it's such a frequently used French term everywhere now. But yes, voilà! There it is with the scrollwork and all. 

If you're sure Suz' won't mind, I'd really appreciate it. I'm going to send her in exchange this one: 

Has lips to spare!! 😘 With the curved rim to boot. 

Thanks for praying for Marian. Since this is causing a lot of stress for her, with missed time from work, etc......I hope she suffers no setbacks either. They didn't admit her, but did a chest x-ray. She has to take breathing treatments (at home) in addition to the other meds. Her poor chest and ribs are so sore from the coughing. Both boys seem fine so far. They must have inherited their father's strong immune system (God rest his soul) since they so rarely get sick. 

I know y'all (including Agnes) enjoyed the movie. You were wise to take gobs of tissues! 

Good to see you making plans with Selah. Very soon now, we'll all be planning our next KS Fest..... I can't wait! 😍

Sweet dreams to all. 🌠

[WaJa61]

Anu: You darn tooting we will ~ I can’t wait either!! 🤗 I'm praying our Marian recovers fully and will feel up to attending, too. So enjoyed getting to know her and her precious sons at the last one. 

Wasn't a dry eye left in the house following that beautiful movie. What a testimony of the works of grace! I highly recommend it to all. 

Ha!! Suz' will love that cup and get the joke immediately! That is a Mary Kay edition, isn’t it? Did you know that Suz' sold that while helping to pay her way though medical school? That was before she was diagnosed with lupus, but I still have a few of the sealed products in my bathroom closet. Safe to say they are outdated and need to go! 😅 I over ordered in trying to support her venture. 

Your Voilà cup is on the way, sweetie. You are adorable and we love you! ❤️

[WaJa61]

Dearest Snappy, I hope this finds you well and having much less pain in your back. Nothing slows us down more than a troubling backache. I can remember as a girl, my daddy used to take Doan's pills for his. I don’t even know if they still make those... hadn’t thought of them for years. They seemed to help him a bit ~ enough to keep going. My MD prescribes Gabapentin for my sciatic nerve pain. I can’t see where it helps much at all during a bad flare up. Maybe it helps to prevent them a bit. These bodies just wear out and we begin to long all the more for our new ones. Suffering is probably good for more things than we can begin to imagine... If given the choice, most of us would probably choose the path of least resistance all the time. That's likely why we're not. I'm glad your DD is doing so well post-surgery and can take you to your appointments. There's more blessed time you can spend together... and you have the big birthday celebration to look forward to!! 🤗 

I can’t help but to laugh at your Diva Baby's antics, and look back on my own DD's earlier days. She is still high-spirited, but yep... had to learn that such drama didn’t win her any favors. Other than from our oldest, James. I believe he would have given her anything  just to silence the screeching and squealing. He's our most quiet, reserved child. Everyone says that though Gracie favors me most, she has a LOT of her aunt's personalty. Maybe it rubbed off on her before Linds' left home.

When is your next GGD due? June, isn’t it? Oh, joy ~ that one may be totally opposite and it will be so cute to watch them interact. My DIL says that she and Caleb (our youngest) wants to have one more before too much longer. I think she hopes for a girl next time, but we get what we're blessed to get! 

It's as though you were there in Israel, since it's just as you say. I understand that much of their economy is based around tourism, and some have gone to great lengths. If we go back, we'll now know which spots to avoid and where to spend more time. Another factor I had to deal with was lugging this camera around through the rough and crowded streets: 

(Really bad pic in my saggy jeans, sorry!) 

I won’t be doing that again, if we return... I had volunteered, since I do this for special events both for the church and in my job, for the resort website. Converts to digital, but the lens is so heavy! 

I should have bought a couple of those designer dresses while there, but you know me... Practical to a fault. I'll need something for hosting, but I can get a whole, cute ensemble here, for what the dress alone - plus shipping it home ~ would have cost me. Maybe next time I'll treat myself to a handbag or something. 

I hope your apricot tree makes a comeback! I do love them... almost as much as muscadines. Do those grow there in CA? I would think most any grape would do good there. They are getting rarer in these parts, but I'm going to try grafting a vine from Selah's property when we go. A neighbor raised them when I was a child and I grew to love them. They aren’t pretty grapes and the skins are tough, but inside... oh, my! A burst of sweetest magic. 

Take good care and be careful getting in and out of bed. We don’t want you falling! 

Much Love Always, 

~ Joy 😍

[agnesann]

Click here for Stevie Wonder's: Superstition

 With Love From Agnes 💗

[agnesann]

Ginger Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry

Ingredients
1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons canola oil (or other high heat oil)
salt
pepper

For the Sauce
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

Instructions
1. Whisk together all ingredients for sauce, set aside.

2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and saute until they have released their water and the pan is dry, 5-10 minutes.  Remove mushrooms from pan.

3. Return pan to heat and add one tablespoon of oil.  Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken from pan.

4. Wipe out pan if needed.  Return pan to heat and add the other tablespoon of oil.  Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened and starting to turn golden.

5. Add the mushrooms and the chicken back to the pan, cook for about 3 minutes, until starting to brown.

6. Add  the asparagus and cook for 1-2 minutes, until turning bright green.

7. Add the sauce and stir until everything is coated and sauce has thickened, about 1 minute.

8. Serve over rice if desired.

[LurkyLoo]

A good Friday to good friends! Have enjoyed your posts so much, after coming in from the heat. Yes, heat now.. never mind about Spring, Summer arrived here today. It's in the 80s, bright sunshine and no breeze at all. Gert and I went grocery shopping after lunch out at the farmer's market where there are several cafes. Glad I had my hair cut, up off my neck where I always tend to sweat. I can’t style it as well as the stylist did, but it's cooler and neater and I’m thankful. 

Joy, welcome back, dear! I got the tour link by email and it does work there. Enjoyed reading about all of your group's adventures in Israel! I wish you all the best with the little lemon tree. I have seen them potted on the patio of a restaurant and so wanted to take it home, but they wouldn’t sell it. Now I’d have no room for it. Bought a miniature rose at the farmer's market. Light pink, sterling- so pretty! If it doesn’t do well up here in the apartment, I'll let Gert take it home. She lives in this same community, but in house with her husband and mentally disabled adult son. They have a nice patio and plants do well there. She even raises a few tomatoes in containers. 

Wish you had treated yourself to a pretty dress or bag on your trip. No harm in it once in a while! You do so much for others every single day. Not that you aren’t perfectly lovely-   even in your “saggy jeans.” That's not a bad photo at all! I like the highlights in your hair and mostly.. how comfortable you are in your own skin. No pretenses at all. Will struck gold- queen of hearts when he married you, and I know he knows it. I've been enjoying his funny posts with Owen, Elk and others in the gardening and fishing forums on Delphi! It's rare that he bothers, so it's always a treat for me. Elk is so proud of his bee hive project! I do hope they thrive well there. 

They still do make Doan's pills. I believe they may have been the first OTC NSAIDS. Not everyone can take those, but they are probably as effective, or more so, than many RXs. My new pain pill gives me restless dreams before I wake up 4 hours later exhausted. Not nightmares, just seems to make my mind overactive and I accomplish more work and scurrying about in my short sleep mentally, than in 3 days time! If this side effect doesn’t subside, I'll have to change them again. They do work well against the pain. It's always something! 

Agnes, I love that dancing tot! I assume she is the “13 month old baby that broke the looking glass” in the Superstition song. 😅 Thank you for the giggles! I know a few people here who refuse to go out on the 13th, as though nothing could happen to them at home. I've always liked Stevie's music, including this one, but couldn’t make out all of the words on the radio. Now, with the lyrics in the video I can sing along.. if only in my mind. When Angela was 12 or so, one of her friends had a karaoke machine. Several of them would rehearse and then entertain us with it in costumes. Such fun! I'd love this chicken and asparagus stir fry for dinner. I think they're making meatloaf downstairs.. I’m not in the mood for it- too hot. Going to make myself a turkey sub and stay in this evening. 

Wanted to share with those of you who have STARZ and might be interested in a series called Howard's End. Here is the link to the trailer on YouTube:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M3o4t9ATM6w

I don’t get that channel myself, but Gert does. Enjoyed the pilot episode last night and she said it's still running. 

Anu, I've been praying for Marian to recover. How awful that she caught this right at the end of the flu season. I'm hoping to meet her when the rest of you Kindred Spirits ladies come for your visit soon. Mostly, I wish for her and her little boys to enjoy themselves with you younger ones- so good for them after all they've been through. 

Any news yet, Marcia? I'm waiting with baited breath! Has it finally stopped snowing there? Hope so! 

Snappy, enjoy yourself at the restaurant Sunday! All those birthdays and your GGD is sure to be in the spotlight. 😊 Did they get the photo of you with your walker and her with her buggy? I bet she can say GiGi and will when she's of a mind to. I think you're right about the little time outs if she can understand that yet.. likely so! Angela didn’t scream. She was more a pouter when she didn’t get her way, but my neighbor's girl used to hold her breath and turn blue! That was scary and I had never seen it at the time, as a young mother. I felt inclined as Joy's son James to just give in to her when I babysat her. Of course that's not the answer- that just promotes more of the same. 

Joy, what did you do to break Lindsay of the screeching and squealing when she was very young? 

Oh, I love apricots- especially the preserves on my toast. It's also good in recipes, on chicken or pork. Wish I had one now. I also love plums and most all berries. Will be glad when they come into season. 

My prayers continue for Shirley. If she no longer needs the inhaler, that should be a very good sign! 

Think I’ll get my shower now before dinner and try to get to bed early. Be back again soon, ladies. ❤️❤️❤️

[snappyfrappy]

Hi Selah, nice to hear from you. Yesterday I was thinking how nice a hot tub would be. Ah, it would feel so good on the achy body, but getting out would be a real challenge. It's not going to happen, but you could have a pool.

Our neighbors have one. Don't know how much use it gets now that they are empty nesters, but their boys loved it and had many parties there.

SO grateful your silicone disks are okay. Whew!

Thank you for praying for my sister. As far as I know, she is doing very well. Sees the oncologist on the 20th.

Yesterday she had yet another new baby GGson.

I've never seen that part of her family and she hasn't either, but they did post a picture of her GS and his GS.

Can't think how many she has now.

DD has been cleared to sleep on either side now, so she can use her comfy sleep number bed. Of course that means hearing the Cpap machine and the snoring, but it's worth it. She has healed very well and quickly.

Needs another MRI on her neck where she has odd feelings...oh my.

I could hardly believe that horrible scream that came out of the baby's mouth. Goodness. I looked at her, with that "angelic face" and said hey, girly, that's not nice! Then I remembered that I'm not the mom, or even the grandma.

Hope she doesn't do that at the restaurant, but it wouldn't surprise me. Oh, when the new baby comes, she will have to deal with 'divided" attention...can't imagine how she will act when she sees her mommy holding her little cousin...oh dear. Nothing has been said about calls from the agency, and I think they would tell all about it on the internet were it to happen.

My vision is declining pretty fast. I tried to read the TV guide earlier today, and found it almost impossible even with my glasses.

I'm grateful I can still see, and whatever the Lord decides about the driver's license, is fine. It's perfect, in fact.

Hope to get it for emergencies.

snappy

[snappyfrappy]

Hello, WaJa....you are a "stunner"...I mean that quite literally! I read everyone's posts, and am praying for Marian to recover without being hospitalized...dangerous places.

I know you will enjoy being able to swim again, and feel better for it.

I also remember Doan's pills. Hadn't thought of them in years. Sorry you have sciatic nerve pain. For sure our new bodies will be wonderful, and we long for that day, but I still want to see my new GGdaughter, and spend more time with the "screamer"......oy.

Glad your DD toned it down a bit. I think this little girl will have her nose out of joint when the new baby arrives.

She shrieks now as if she is never noticed. ha..what will she do when the new baby gets attention? I think it will be good for her. The baby is due on June 28, the screamer's birthday is June 29.

Got invitations to GD's baby shower. The theme is "tacos and tutus"...so cute! Well done and being held at my son and DDIL's place, so I think we can go. Next month.

It would be nice to have something that was made in Israel. I have some of the OR Paz and Hagit pieces made there. Love them. You would look lovely in a beautiful dress. But a purse would be good also.

It's too hard for me to walk out on the uneven lawn to go up to the apricot tree, but from inside, I don't see any sign that it's even alive. I hope it is. Today hubby would be 92.

So thankful I had him for 58 years and for our family.

Can't imagine life without them, especially my girls who are always eager to help me in any way.

I've never heard of the grapes you mentioned, which doesn't mean they aren't grown out here. Maybe in Napa Valley where the wineries are. It gets cooler there.

Glad you have the prospect of another grand baby...oh goody. I know my Gs and his wife talked about having another one, before the screamer was born, but I don't know now....but if they do, I hope it's a boy. If so, they are going to give him my maiden name as a first name and of course our surname, so he would be called by both of my names. Not reason enough to have a child, but I'd be thrilled. Of course it could be another girl.

Enjoy your day,

snappy