Author: Brandon Moeller

Filling in the gaps with some new plants

On Saturday, I went to The Home Depot and Enchanted Forest to pick up some plants to put in the spots in the bed extension that were bare, thanks to the failure of some transplants I tried to install right before the 90-degree early May we’ve just experienced.

It’s freakin’ hot here! But, not so much this week. Pretty windy this week, and I had to do some staking, but that’s another topic.

Without further ado, the new arrivals:

This is a Platycodon-Sentimental Blue, that I picked up for less than $2 at Enchanted Forest. It's also known as a "balloon flower." I put it in the middle of my established original bed.
This is a Platycodon-Sentimental Blue, that I picked up for less than $2 at Enchanted Forest. It's also known as a "balloon flower." I put it in the middle of my established original bed.
Here's how I filled in the extended bed where some zinnias and all of the jalapeno transplants I attempted failed. From back to front, from left to right, we've got a cayenne pepper, "long and thin" I think it's called; a Tabasco pepper plant, a pickling cucumber that needs a trellis, a couple of crook-neck squash and a sweet banana pepper plant.
Here's how I filled in the extended bed where some zinnias and all of the jalapeno transplants I attempted failed. From back to front, from left to right, we've got a cayenne pepper, "long and thin" I think it's called; a Tabasco pepper plant, a pickling cucumber that needs a trellis, a couple of crook-neck squash and a sweet banana pepper plant.
The sweet banana pepper plant. Got this one from Home Depot, and it was more expensive than the other plants I got from Enchanted Forest.
The sweet banana pepper plant. Got this one from Home Depot, and it was more expensive than the other plants I got from Enchanted Forest.
The two crook-neck squash plants. Yum.
The two crook-neck squash plants. Yum.
Hot Tabasco pepper plant.
Hot Tabasco pepper plant.
The pickling cucumber plant. Wish I knew exactly what kind it is ... oh, yeah, I do, it was the cheap kind!
The pickling cucumber plant. Wish I knew exactly what kind it is ... oh, yeah, I do, it was the cheap kind!
Cayenne Long Slim plant.
Cayenne Long Slim plant.
"New Look Pink" Pentas, with a "Butterfly Red" Penta in the middle.
"New Look Pink" Pentas, with a "Butterfly Red" Penta in the middle.
These are two evolvulus nuttallianus, otherwise known as "Blue Daze." They're related to Morning Glories, and they're right in front of Kim's Morning Glory trellis, and their flowers also only open during the first part of the day before it gets too hot.
These are two evolvulus nuttallianus, otherwise known as "Blue Daze." They're related to Morning Glories, and they're right in front of Kim's Morning Glory trellis, and their flowers also only open during the first part of the day before it gets too hot.

New kitteh

So we got this cat. Well, Kim got the cat. Well, I was with her. It’s a nice cat. Sleepy. Crazy. But nice. So, of course, there’s a photo album of photos of the cat. Her name is Daphne.

One of the first shots I took of Daphne.
One of the first shots I took of Daphne.
This is her normal spot. She's a consistent cat.
This is her normal spot. She's a consistent cat.

Week Eight

Photos from the eighth week in the garden are up, spanning May 2-8, and have been tagged "Week Eight" in my Gardening 2010, Part Two album in my Picasa Web Albums.

I had to start a new album in Picasa Web Albums, because the maximum number of photos allowed in one album is 1,000 (lame).

On another note, this week I was a little-less obsessive compulsive with the garden photos, and didn’t shoot any all week, instead opting to shoot only on Saturday.

The eighth week of the original bed.
The eighth week of the original bed.
The portulaca are coming in nicely.
The portulaca are coming in nicely.
I shot the Caldwell Pink rose bush from another angle, in an attempt to do it justice.
I shot the Caldwell Pink rose bush from another angle, in an attempt to do it justice.
Some things are looking nice on the porch.
Some things are looking nice on the porch.
The Betty Prior and Kim's yellow rose greet people at the front entrance.
The Betty Prior and Kim's yellow rose greet people at the front entrance.
It's getting too hot in the original bed for the begonias I bought in a 24-pack from Houston Garden Center. So, I pulled two of the best ones out and surrounded the one I left on the porch in this new container that previously held a strawberry, that I planted in the ground. There really is no excuse for the length of that last sentence. And, I added two coleus for good measure.
It's getting too hot in the original bed for the begonias I bought in a 24-pack from Houston Garden Center. So, I pulled two of the best ones out and surrounded the one I left on the porch in this new container that previously held a strawberry, that I planted in the ground. There really is no excuse for the length of that last sentence. And, I added two coleus for good measure.
Here's what I got mom for Mother's Day - a quart Super Petunia from Proven Winners that I've been hearing so much about.
Here's what I got mom for Mother's Day - a quart Super Petunia from Proven Winners that I've been hearing so much about.

This space reserved for doodles. Really?

I saw this in an issue of The Daily Cougar earlier this week.
I saw this in an issue of The Daily Cougar earlier this week.
The issue was full of puzzles and three comics.
The issue was full of puzzles and three comics.
It's The Daily Cougar Finals Edition! Back in the day, we didn't have a Finals Edition - unless I remember wrong - and we would have never filled an issue with only puzzles and comics, even if some say that's the only reason it's read. I guess times change.
It's The Daily Cougar Finals Edition! Back in the day, we didn't have a Finals Edition - unless I remember wrong - and we would have never filled an issue with only puzzles and comics, even if some say that's the only reason it's read. I guess times change.

Five CLASS staff members win UH Staff Excellence Awards

Recently, I wrote an article that was published on the college website and its online newsletter about awards won by five staff members in various departments around the college.

The story I wrote about CLASS staff members winning UH Staff Excellence awards.

Here is an excerpt:

On Wednesday, May 5, the Human Resources Department at the University of Houston surprised the eight recipients of this year’s Staff Excellence Awards and the one recipient of the Charles F. McElhinney Distinguished Service Award, which is the highest award given for exemplary staff contribution to the university.

“I was caught off guard,” Staff Excellence Award winner Pat Sayles said. “The staff in the Dean’s Office knew, but somehow kept it quiet. I didn’t even know I had been nominated.”

Read the rest of the article in the May 2010 issue of Graffit-e.