Meet the Owners :-)

Introducing the new owners of our their house  :-) 

Good luck to Heather and Ira - I hope you have a wonderful transition and lots of bbq's under "Mr Oak".  He has been good to us - here is the big hint:  enjoy his shade often.  

Of course there are few things I forgot to tell you, or wanted to do, but didn't have time:

*Mr Oak loves his Bayer Caterpiller medicine.  He needs it poured around his feet right away.  You will need to purchase 2 bottles of it at Wal-Mart or Home Depot.  Indeed it is expensive, but it saves you the heartbreak of a caterpillar stung child - and lots crocodile tears.  Who can put a price on that?  Look for his medicine in this bottle:  Bayer Caterpillar Insecticide

*The satsuma tree by the back fence was planted in October 1993.  It was given to us by a very dear friend and was one of the hardest things for me to leave behind.  In October and November, expect the largest landfall of some of the best satsumas around - and be sure to give all you can away, because you cannot possibly eat all that it gives you.  Hint:  Cut the satsuma just above the fruit - do not tear it away.  That is the clue to having tons of fruits every year.  Oh, and they are best eaten when clipped and immediately taken to the swing and shared with kids while chatting and laughing about the silly squirrels looking at you.

*The magnolia tree was planted in May 1994 - it was just a wee little baby then, about 4 feet high and only a sprig.

*In the deep of the summer, you must go outside (back or front yard) at 11pm and close your eyes.  That sweet smell surrounding you is the night blooming jasmine - our favorite summer time smell  :-)  Don't cut that icky looking bush down by the banana tree - that is the one making that beautiful scent.  Night Blooming Jasmine 

*By the shop, on the wood fence you will see an ugly dead vine.  Go ahead and pull it away, it has seeded and will sprout right out soon.  Watch for some frilly green spouts - definitely not grass and has a pretty feathery frill about it.  I promise you will know it is important when you see it.   Let it climb on the fence if you desire - it makes a beautiful backdrop.  It gets very dense and the hummingbirds love it.  However, it is a good thing, not to let it grow anywhere else, it is indeed invasive but beautiful.  Red Cypress Vine

*The Crepe Myrtle by the front fence (near the telephone pole) is beautiful, but it needs to be sprayed for powdery mildew several times. I noticed this a few years ago, but have not lived there long enough to eradicate it.  Once you get that under control, it will be beautiful again  :-)  

What To Do For Powdery Mildew

*Also, the hibiscus in the middle of the front of the house by they water faucet?  It froze back - I would certainly trim it before it starts growing again - will make it much easier to deal with.  Cut it about a foot up from ground level - don't worry, it will come back, and when it does, you must trim it to keep it from growing under the eaves - it just might lift the roof it grows so fast  ;-)

*The gardenia bush next to the 'yellow' bedroom cannot be trimmed in the spring - you will trim all its blooms if you do.  It will be full of blooms in May.  Oh the sweet fragrance  :-)

*The Louisiana Iris by the shop needed to be thinned.  I usually pull out the iris within a foot of the shop (between shop and iris) for drainage.  I then leave the next foot of iris, then I pull out anything beyond that foot on the yard side.  I get milk boxes at the store, trim the leaves off about 6" up and load the boxes up.   Then I put them by the street then post on KQKI Trading Post that they are there - and if they are gone, we have no more left.  They disappear within an hour.  Be prepared to do this once a year - right after they bloom which will be soon.

*If you put out hummingbird feeders and keep them full, you will have an amazing array of humming birds.  They are very territorial and while you sit out under Mr Oak, you will get to enjoy them bickering among themselves and staking out a place in Mr Oak to 'guard' their food source.  Very entertaining...

*If you purchase these corn logs for the squirrels and put it on their feeder (behind the seed feeder) you will get to enjoy a pileated woodpecker partaking it his treat as well.  We have had the wood pecker side by side with the squirrels eating at the same time - while we sat on the swing watching  :-)  Here are the Corn Logs

*Mr Oak drops his branches occasionally, however, we thought he did it so we had plenty of wood for the chiminea.  Don't forget to keep it handy - you will love the marshmallow roasts.  Oh!  The top comes off of the chiminea for the roasts! 

*Mrs Francis across the street needs a friend.  Please say hi to her occasionally and take her a seed or bulb when you have an extra.  I promise her yard will not disappoint you - you will get to enjoy her blooms as well has her old crusty sense of humor.  She is a doll.   She will even help you out when you need advice on flowers.  Give her a hug for us, please?

*Last but not least, if a silly little calico cat or tall strangly old beagle looking dog come by for a visit and act like they live there, can you call Steph?  Both mysteriously went missing over the years and we kept hoping for a random return.  Yep, I know it is a long shot, but we love them and if you don't mind, we will keep on hoping... 

One more thing, if we ever get back to the states and you still have a few of these things, do you mind if I get clippings or seeds?  Oh, don't think I expect you to keep them, indeed I do not - it is your place now!  But IF you chose to keep them, I would love to have startings off of them someday.

If you need to know anything at all, you know how to reach us.  I am sure there are some things that we forgot to tell you, but just let us know and we will help out in any way.

Good luck and may God Bless you.  You are such a sweet couple.  We are glad you got the ol' place - makes us look forward to new beginnings for us.  We are comfortable with leaving this one behind now.

Now go on!  Put your name on it - it is all yours now!    :-)