The No News is No News Purgatory Thread, Vol. 7

Morning, purgs! Wrote not a word this weekend, which was pretty much the opposite of my Evil Plan, but oh well. Did finish power-washing the house, weeded and turned the raised beds (and ow, I'd managed to forget how hard that kind of work is on the shoulders), and on a whim bought a pair of clippers and decided to do Her Dogginess' annual hair cut myself.

...Yeah. Somebody smack me upside the head the next time I think that's a good idea, please.

Poor Dogginess. A collective 6 hours of chasing her around the deck, holding her still by wrapping both my legs around her, and getting untold amounts of wiry winter coat clippings up my nose, in my eyes and mouth, and under every item of clothing later, she is happier, but looks like she had an epic battle to the deathl with a weed whacker.

Lesson learned.

Seconding Clovia's analysis of the dangers of the uniboob sports bra. Not. Fun. Also, when their powers are combined, they somehow manage to exert about 2.5x the gravitational pull that either of them does alone. Like Captain Planet, only not so much with the saving the world from evil tycoons out to ruin the ecosystem.

Cricket! ~*flying tacklehug*~

{{{Clovia}}}

{{{Ink}}}

Add me to the rejection pile today. No from Str@ng3 Ch3m, alas. I'm not sure what it says that it doesn't even faze me to get that email anymore.

(((Sunna))) I'm glad you're unfazed, but it makes me sad.

Lily Juglone is a chemical substance in all walnut trees' barks, roots, leaves, nut husks and shells, and wood. Most walnuts don't produce enough to do any damage. Black walnut trees (black walnuts being native to North America also and grow EVERYWHERE in Kansas City) on the other hand are massive produces of this chemical. This chemical is a natural herbicide to a lot of plant families, but not all. There are certain ornamental plants it will kill, but it also kills anything in the nightshade family. This being tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc. I had tons of very old black walnut trees removed from my property when I first moved in, actually I bartered them and they got turned into lumber. Well another problem is either side of my property is also full of black walnut trees. So in the fall when the leaves end up in my yard it releases the chemical into my soil.

SO I'm going to build 24" raised beds with plastic underneath them and a cover for the top in the fall to plant my tomatoes in.

The amazing chemical warfare of plants.

((Sunna)))

our garden is not fruit/veg oriented, except for some herbs and a couple of tomatoes and raspberries, many, many raspberries. I've let them run wild and we should have tons of them this year, even sharing with the birds. I'm going to order some syrup bottles because we're going to have to make a lot of raspberry syrup, which sadly I don't let myself eat often. I do let myself drink gin and tonics made from raspberry gin though. I need to think of something else to make from them. We don't eat much jelly or jam so that doesn't seem worth the effort.

I planted lots of California poppy seeds but none have come up. I know we don't really have the right conditions here but we did manage to grow some a few years ago. Love, love poppies, even those not of the poppy family that just resemble them.

(((Clovia))) (((Sunna))) (((Dragonstar))) (((Cricket))) (((Parametric))) There's something so messed up about publishing right now. It's like a door has slammed shut. What does it take to get through to an agent these days? I'm really mystified.

I love Siberian irises, Caleb! So graceful. I just wish they bloomed for longer but that's part of their beauty.

Amarie, I'm always trying California poppies because they look so gorgeous in the seed catalogs, but no luck so far. I have a few that managed to come up in some deck boxes this year so we'll see if they bloom! I'm not sure I've ever seen an actual California poppy growing around here, so the odds of them thriving are poor. When it comes to annuals, I find that it's best to just going with the boring ones I see growing everywhere because those are the ones that grow here.

My parents' property has a lot of black walnuts. They have a row of hydrangeas like stair steps -- the ones closest to a black walnut struggle pathetically while the other end of the row is lush.

Mornin', Purgies!!! Man, what a rainstorm in NYC this morning!

{{{Clovia}}}

{{{Ink}}}

{{{Cricket}}}

{{{Dragon}}}

{{{Para}}}

{{{Ink}}}

Lily Thank you. No need to be sorry. I'll just adapt to what nature has placed around me. Oh also to help break up your heavy clay, I live in a river valley and my soil is extremely heavy in clay, you may try tilling in cotton burr compost. It's a little more expensive then peat but it will provide more nutrients and break up clay more efficiently. Also a poor man's way in breaking up clay is to work copious amounts of straw into the soil.

Kellion I have a soft spot for all types of irises. I plan on planting dutch, bearded, siberian, german, japanese and any other variety I can find. I've got a LOT of space up there by the road and I'm tired of mowing it.

SteveCordero said:

Mornin', Purgies!!! Man, what a rainstorm in NYC this morning!

{{{Clovia}}}

{{{Ink}}}

{{{Cricket}}}

{{{Dragon}}}

{{{Para}}}

{{{Ink}}}

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Going back to read why now, but offering my hugs as well.

My garden is usually so much fun, but this year we have plans for much of the blooming time (I lean toward spring/early summer flowers) so I'm a little sad. I'll probably do tomatoes in pots, and I've already got lettuce and radishes coming up. I might do carrots as well. I have bearded irises that my grandmother had at her house -- when we sold it I dug them up, and now they always make me think of her.

Thanks for the hugs, purgs. I really am all right with it, weirdly enough. I think the only good thing (for me) that's come out of the mostly-closed-door policy that seems to apply across the the industry is that I don't feel like rejections are much of a reflection on my book, my writing, or me.

...I'm sure they are, of course (my ego's not quite that impervious ), but for various reasons which may just be wishful thinking, I don't necessarily think this means there's no room in the market for SWORD. Just that I may have to wade out there with my bony elbows and make a space.


My garden this year is going to be... tomatoes. My seedlings are about 2 feet high now, and there are 35 of them. Definitely time to plant, but they're all going to need supports: they're still too viney.

We are hoping to put in some apple trees this year too. Honey crisps would be perfect. Mmn.

Morning everyone.

on the rejection song (((Clovia))) (((Sunna))) (((Dragonstar))) (((Cricket))) (((Para))) and anyone else who needs some. This market just seems to be so damn tough these days.

I have garden envy and I don't even like to garden.

My "It must be Monday" news: So I was all excited about getting a bonus from work and about my bank apparently thinking that yeah, I'm totally a responsible adult (apparently I'm good at faking that one) and upping my credit limited only for my air bag light to come on in my car. And of course I'll have to wait till tomorrow to get it looked at, because my mechanic's booked solid today. Did I mention how I dislike having a car (meaning, at least to me, a huge liability) and how much I miss living in a big city (Berlin, Frankfurt, hey London! London was nice ) where I don't need a car to get around? Meh.

TheCaleb said:

*slinks in flops down*

so. I acquired around $200 worth of siberian irises yesterday for free. Planted along the stretch between my fence and the road. Been planning on planting irises up there anyway, because I hate mowing it, so this jump started that.

All of my tomatoes except for 5 plants died. The juglone content is still too high int he soil. So because of that I'm potting up all my pepper plants that I had not put in the ground yet.

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Oooo!!

Irises, not the dead tomatoes. Just pot the tomatoes in Mir.Gro potting soil and they'll be fine. They do love Miracle Gro.


Funny you guys trying to grow California poppies when they sprout like weeds down here. You see them at random along the freeway. Then if you get out to the hills that have remained untouched, there are fields and fields of them as long as we've had water.

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

phoenix said:

I have bearded irises that my grandmother had at her house -- when we sold it I dug them up, and now they always make me think of her.

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That's awesome. When I next go back to Oklahoma I plan on asking my grandmother if she'll let me dig up samplings of some of her Iris. She lives on 5 acres of property and I know when I lived down there her iris bed was about 8 to 10 feet wide and near 60+ feet long (this coming from her gestimation not mine, my guess would be much larger and more inaccurate). She's been slowly collecting varieties of all kinds since they bought that house, and that was back when my mother was in 5th grade.

SteveCordero said:

Mornin', Purgies!!! Man, what a rainstorm in NYC this morning!

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Did you get caught in the monsoon too? I had to stop at the store and buy new socks just to make it through the work day. Thankful I keep other pair of shoes at work.

dystophil said:

where I don't need a car to get around? Meh.

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I've always wanted to live some place where I didn't need to have a car.

TheCaleb said:

I've always wanted to live some place where I didn't need to have a car.

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I think that was one of my favorite things about living in Frankfurt (and in Berlin for a little while). Well that and I didn't actually have to pay for public transport. Oh the joys of being a student.

That said, I think I shall use said slightly dinged up car now to drive WD's and my favorite coffee shop. Need caffeine to even think about writing this morning. On the upside, I just got off work and I'm looking at a three day "weekend".

Phoenix, I know just what you mean! I have some Oriental lilies that bloom during our end-of-June vacation every year, and it's such a waste! I always miss it.

My garden is in its glories during May and early June summer -- roses and companion plants like perennial geraniums are my favorites. I wouldn't want to be away during rose season -- it would be so sad. I'm not one for cut flowers but I go out everyday and literally smell the roses. My favorite to sniff is Clotilde Soupert but when it's wet I have to open the flowers by hand -- those tiny little petals!

sunna said:

Add me to the rejection pile today. No from Str@ng3 Ch3m, alas. I'm not sure what it says that it doesn't even faze me to get that email anymore.

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I'll join you in the sad corner. I reread my urban fantasy yesterday and loved it. It breaks my heart that nobody wants it. Sniff.

Lots of editing to do today.

As tas walked by "that woman is insane! She's on meth!"

dystophil said:

I think that was one of my favorite things about living in Frankfurt (and in Berlin for a little while). Well that and I didn't actually have to pay for public transport. Oh the joys of being a student.

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So from what I understand here. I need to take up German and be a student in Frankfurt? hhmmm

Never had a car. I used to walk everywhere in Bristol and take the Tube in London. Our little village in Dorset is on the main rail line to London, which means that I can pretty much go anywhere.

{{{Sunna}}}

Snappy said:

Did you get caught in the monsoon too? I had to stop at the store and buy new socks just to make it through the work day. Thankful I keep other pair of shoes at work.

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Yep. I always bring an umbrella, but just wore a spring jacket rather than raincoat because it was only cloudy when I left and NY1 said it was only going to be passing showers. I saw a lot of drenched people out there.

I hate wet socks. Wouldve done the same as you, luckily I have a long stride and can jump the big puddles.

k.Taylor, the photos in that link are glorious. Now I'm determined to buy more seed.

para I envy that so so greatly