The Daily Bug

Posted by: palmettobug53, 10:51 PM GMT on May 22, 2013

I discovered a few weeks ago that my century plant ( Agave Americana ) was starting to send up a flower spike.

Despite the name, these plants generally bloom around 20-30 years or so, depending on their growing conditions. I've had mine about 20 years, I suppose. I got a 'pup' from my (then) neighbor across the street.

Frankly, if I'd known more about this plant, I probably wouldn't have done that. It gets BIG. It has needle sharp 2-3 inch spikes at the end of each leaf and rows of shark-like teeth down the leave edges. I have sliced myself open more than once on that thing.

It is not a good plant to have around children and pets. Someone could put an eye out, not to mention cutting themselves. I was a bundle of nerves when the girls next door were toddlers!

You really need a very large yard to plant a century plant. Preferably, you should have a back 40, where you can put it safely away from everyone. Our yard is just too small for this monster.

I've also recently discovered that, when you cut this plant, the fresh sap can give you a rash that is reportedly worse than poison ivy. When I think of the times I've sawed off lower leaves wearing nothing but shorts, tank top and flip flops.... I guess I've just been lucky that I never touched the raw edges.

I always handled everything very gingerly, anyway, so that I wouldn't get cut on the spikes and teeth. Thank God I didn't take a chain saw to it, like one fellow that posted in the forum at Dave's Garden. Sheesh.......

Anyhoo, today when I got home, I spotted the first knob of a branch starting to peep out from behind one of the top 'leaves' on the stalk.

It's starting! It's really starting!

I am not adept with digital cameras, so I am not posting daily or weekly pics. I have been taking some shots about once a week with a little Kodak disposable but I can't post anything until the roll is developed and I get the disk. The blooming process is a loooooong one.

Once the plant blooms, the parent plant dies. It is perpetuated by all the pups that come up around the base. Mine has a TON of pups, all armed to the teeth. The end will be messy and it is going to be a lot of work cutting it all down and grubbing up the pups.

I'm getting rid of it all.

It's been an experience having one. It will be fun watching it bloom. But I don't care to go through it again! Once is enough.

Since it will be a while before I can post any photos of mine, you can peruse the photo journal that Anders Tomlinson posted last year, when his century plant bloomed: Century Spire.

Mine will progress exactly like his did, so you can get the picture. The only difference will be the types of birds. We only have rubythroats here and no orioles. I expect to see plenty of bees.

Updated: 11:17 PM GMT on May 22, 2013

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It's Poetry, Silly!

Posted by: palmettobug53, 9:55 PM GMT on May 01, 2013

If I can't come up with a serious blog entry, it's time to do something silly!

Nothing To Do?

Nothing to do? Nothing to do?
Put some mustard in your shoe,
Fill your pockets full of soot,
Drive a nail into your foot,
Put some sugar in your hair,
Place your toys upon the stair,
Smear some jelly on the latch,
Eat some mud and strike a match,
Draw a picture on the wall,
Roll some marbles down the hall,

Updated: 9:56 PM GMT on May 01, 2013

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Saturday Afternoon at the Westerns

Posted by: palmettobug53, 9:59 PM GMT on April 20, 2013

Hubby can sit in his recliner all day long on Saturdays, watching his Westerns. He watches them all but his favorite is Gunsmoke starring James Arness as U.S. Marshall Matt Dillon.

I've watched my share of them over the years, as well.

When I noticed this morning that AMC was going to 'premier' reruns of Rawhide this afternoon, I started trying to remember all the other Westerns that we've watched.

P.S. It's been fun today watchin...

Updated: 9:47 PM GMT on May 01, 2013

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Good bye, Maudie Frickert!

Posted by: palmettobug53, 7:30 PM GMT on March 16, 2013

I've been trying to come up with an idea for a new thread. Sadly, my allergies have got my brain rather fuzzy and unimaginative. It's simply too hard to think right now.

I'm going to take the easy way out and do an olio.

Though the first definition sounds yummy, I'm sticking with 2a, for the time being. Odds and ends and things that have piqued my interest lately.

OLIO

n. pl. olios
1. A heavily spiced stew of meat...

Updated: 9:58 PM GMT on April 20, 2013

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Women's History Month

Posted by: palmettobug53, 1:13 AM GMT on March 04, 2013

In case you didn't know, March is Women's History Month

Last Sunday, I watched the documentary, "Makers," on PBS. It was quite the trip down memory lane: Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, NOW, feminism, ERA, Roe vs Wade, MS magazine.

After watching the film, I started thinking about how much has changed for women since then and how far we still have to go.

You do see more women in politics, sports and as business owners and CEOs...

Updated: 1:31 AM GMT on March 07, 2013

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About palmettobug53

WU member since Oct. 2005. I enjoy reading, crafts, crosswords, puttering in the yard, old movies and hanging out with my friends on WU.

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USC Sumter Sumter, SC
Elevation:	165 ft
Temperature:	67.4 °F
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Humidity:	78%
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Lake Rabon Laurens, SC
Elevation:	615 ft
Temperature:	60.7 °F
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Updated: 4:05 AM EDT on May 24, 2013 Station History