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Friday’s Weekend Column
What To Plant? by James Glaser
It is going to be hard this year figuring out what to plant. Up North I had all the room I wanted, and if I needed more all I would have to do is start a new garden. Down here in Tallahassee I am renting a house, and have very limited garden space, plus I really have no idea of what plants grow best here. Last night I was at a green house looking for pansies as I had a small long planter, and I thought that pansies would look good in it placed along the walk. Come to find out that people down here are taking their pansies out about now, because the heat gets to them. I started thinking about which flowers worked best up North directly out in the sun. I came up with cosmos, impatiens, petunias, and zinnias. Then I remembered how nice some ornamental peppers looked, and even some of the hot red peppers. Pepper plants have that nice dark green foliage, too. I have this wood walkway up to the front door that is about 35 feet long with the house on one side and a tree filled yard on the other. So I'm thinking a long thin row of color along that walk. Right now I have the tomatoes in big pots against the house and with this hot humid weather the last week, they almost doubled in size. You know this renting isn't too bad. No yard work and no maintenance. All in all, I think it is cheaper to rent than buy. Of course I am still making house payments up North, so this fall I am going to have to do something about renting my house out. As far as I know, the new studio space is a go, and I'll be able to start moving in on the 2nd of April. Not having power any more in my current shop, working with just hand tools the last few weeks was fun—for about two days. I refinished the two dressers I bought at the storage auction, and that took over a week doing everything by hand. With power tools I would have had them both done in three days, and would have worked on other things too. I plan on spending a whole month getting the studio set up before I start working every day. I need a clean show space, a clean finish space, and then a work area. I have all the tools I need, but like any guy, I'll always be getting some sort of new tool to try out. Also I'm going to need a big sign in front and one out on the main street. One thing nice about a cell phone, you don't have to order phone service, and change your number on cards or signs. Right now Tallahassee is the perfect weather. A few afternoons were plenty hot, but every morning is nice and cool. I just hope the hot weather stays away until after I get everything moved. I still have that worried feeling, and I will keep that until I can put a lock on that new studio knowing that it is a done deal.
He didn't want to talk about the war or what happened to him, so we talked about women, old cars, school, and the price of real estate around here. We laughed a lot and I hope he got something out of our conversation, just two vets shooting the breeze. The young man has a good attitude, and he knows that he has a hard row to hoe, but I think he is on the right track. I know he taught me something about being thankful for what we have. |
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