Took a break....

Holy crap noodles! I'm back!

OK....I just COULDN'T stay away. The blog thing, it's addicting isn't it? I want to thank everyone who commented on my blog.

And I want to apologize for exploding like that, I have been through worse, much worse, and I don't know why THAT stuff got me so wound up like it did. Things have resolved somewhat and the stress factor has lowered considerably. A break is just what I had needed. Perhaps it was cabin fever? In any case I took the break from blogging and reorganized some things in my life, balanced things out, and made new goals and commitments. Sometimes you just have to take a step back, look at things, and prioritize which is exactly what I did while i was taking my break. So I'm back and I promise not to blow up into a million pieces again. Scout's promise.

There is a lot going on under the grow lights right now so I shall give you a quickie update.

I have an African violet blooming. FINALLY! when the cat ate them I thought there would be no hope of seeing them bloom. The one blooming now has pink pearly flowers that seem to glitter in the light. The cat as of two days ago destroyed my little parlor palms. I tossed them, as they were not doing that well anyway and I needed the space for better plants. It had taken her a while to figure out how to get to them. Freya, the little darling, thinks its all fun and games to terrorize hapless houseplants.

Apple Tree Seedlings---seedling #1 upped and died on me. It gave no reason why. The remaining 5 are doing just fine. Perhaps it just wasn't meant to be.

Cactus seedling--- Growing still, its almost a year old. I am so curious as to what it will turn out to be! You sure need a lot of patience for cactus seeds.

Earth Star bromilliads are enjoying their time in the Ghetto Grow Stand. One is turning the prettiest pink color.

Gloxina Jester Hybrids seedlings are growing very sloooooooowly....They are just getting their true leaves which are hairy.

Hardy Hibiscus 'Lady Baltimore'---Growing like weeds, I must admit I wasn't paying close enough attention to their growth rate and they grew too close to the lights and got 'sun-burned'. I raised the lights and potted them into big peat pots on Friday. I think also I need to start fertilizing these ones and the hostas too.

Hosta seedlings are chugging alone despite an altercation involving the darling Freya where several leaves where destroyed. Tough little seedlings they are. I will pot them into larger peat pots within the next week.

Orchids---Most are doing just fine and showing signs of growth. I need to repot two of them for sure. However one from Waldeath may be doomed, but I think it was on its way down hill when we had bought it on Clarence at Waldeath. It has managed to not only put on no new growth in the roots or stems, but it's also dropped all it's leaves in the last few weeks. It's not rotten or over dry....

Splish Splash Hardy Geranium Seeds, have become seedlings that are growing like weeds. I have already repotted them into larger peat pots. They are the cutest seedlings!

The strawberry begonia is going apes. Its gotten quite a bit bigger and is sending out plantlets left and right.

Venus Fly Trap is taking is dandy old time to bloom....

White Top Pitcher plant seeds are still just seeds......sigh. may be time to try and chill them again.

There are also quite a bit of new things under the lights---

Petunia Limbo Purple hybrid have been planted, they sprouted in 3 days and yesterday they were pricked out to their own peat pellets.

The gold lace primroses that I started in a cool window are under the lights now and are taking a very slow time to grow.

Ice Cream mix hybrid pansies were planted and sprouted in 2 days time! They are getting second leaves already.

Sedum spurium Voodoo was planted and has sprouted well, they will need to be pricked out to their own pots soon. There are so many of them.....

Yesterday I took rose seeds out of the fridge and put the baggy under the lights. Hope for sprouts by a week.

I planted Monarda 'Pandora's Box' mix under the lights in peat pellets yesterday.

I also planted some Johnny Jump-ups under the lights in seedling mix.

Portulaca from a seed trader was sown under lights in seed mix.

Armeria Bee's Hybrids were planted into peat pellets under the lights.

The amaryllis seedpods have dried, I haven't harvested the seeds yet but need to.

OK, maybe that wasn't a quickie, but I have so much more to update on, I think I'll leave that for another day.