Sunshine My Only Sunshine

Finally, I'm being reminded of why I moved to this lovely climate. With this warm weather comes the urge to get out in the yard again, but what can you do? Think about some mixed containers. You don't have to go crazy. Just spice up the joint a bit.

Now remember that Valentine's Day is coming up. Ask that special someone about there favorite color, and incorporate it in your plantings! For those of you with relationships that work on the point system, there is no doubt that you will score big with this extra effort.

Just decide where you'd like the containers, and pay attention to the amount of direct sunlight it would receive. We can recommend some beautiful plants based on your light situation.

No time? Don't worry. We also have fresh Cyclamen blooming now. Put them in a basket, and you've got an instant gift. We can also arrange plants in a larger basket to make a nice gift that can be disassembled and planted outside.

FOUND DOG AT HESTER & ZIPPERER ON WILM. ISLAND

IS THIS YOUR DOG?
CALL: 912-897-5581

AFTER 5:30P.M. 912-220-1855

Red Plastic Not New-But New To Me

Have any of you tried putting red plastic around your tomato plants to increase their yield? I found this study, from 1998, and I'm curious if any of our customers have tried it.

Read about it here.

One Of Our Most Senior Customers Passes

John David Franklin McCall of Wilmington Island passed away yesterday, at the age of 99, according to his obituary found in the Savannah Morning News today. Mr. McCall, as we knew him at the store, was a very sweet man who had a slightly mischievous twinkle in his eye. He'd show up in his big white car,year after year, for collards or seed potatoes, and he always had a gift of some sort.

I visited with Mr. McCall for the last time just the other day. He showed up at the store on one of those cold rainy days when you don't feel like going to the mailbox-let alone to the plant nursery. He wore a hat, as usual, and an off-white jacket. Walking wasn't easy for Mr. McCall. He moved confidently, but slowly, with the help of a cane. On that day he pulled a brightly-colored orange from his pocket and placed it in my hand. He had told us many times of his bumper citrus crops. Mr. McCall loved to talk about citrus.

I handed Mr. McCall a couple copies of Grier's Almanac that he had requested. He awkwardly turned the pages until he found the ad for the Mantis Tiller/Cultivator. "That's the best tiller you could ever buy," he said. "I had mine for years." I'm not sure what made him want to share that with me at that particular time, but I was grateful for the recommendation.

As Mr. McCall turned to leave he turned back and put a hand on my arm. "You're a good girl," he said. "You're a really good girl." It was his emphasis that made that stick in my mind. I wouldn't see him again after that.

I hope that Mr. McCall has found himself at the edge of a huge expanse of freshly-tilled earth. I hope the sun is shining and there is an orange tree blooming nearby sending a sweet fragrance through the air. Finally, I hope there is a bucket of seed potatoes by his side, because it's time to plant again.

February's Happy Hours Sale At Hester & Zipperer

Who Doesn't Love A Good Mystery?
In Las Vegas there is a slot machine that won me over a few years back. It had the normal three spinning slots, but then an extra fourth held the possibility of landing on "mystery nudge". A voice sounding like Vincent Price would even say it like, "Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisteeeeeeery Nuuuuuuuuuudge." Basically-it meant more money.

Hester & Zipperer on Wilmington Island is bringing you a mystery sale item every day during the month of February. From 3 until close one item in the store will be 30% off! It could be anything. Will it be those bushes you want for the back yard? Will it be those clippers that you've wanted?

Come in and find out for yourself and save.

Julie's Question Answered-Inexpensive Raised Beds

Pat Veretto's Frugal Living Blog
Metal Raised Bed
How about a raised bed of itty-bitty greens?

Come in and take a look at our new organic seeds. There are some interesting things that you can get started inside while the weather is still cool.

Inflatable Judy At The Low Country Living Home & Garden Show

Inflatable Judy and I wooped it up with Erica Glasener from HGTV's "A Gardener's Diary".
Erica's blow-up doll didn't make the show, because she had a nasty incident with a Knock Out Rose.



After catching up with Erica, Judy decided she wanted to see what the rest of the show had to offer. This riding lawnmower sure made Judy smile.It's always nice to have a cocktail after mowing the lawn. Judy found a nice Margarita to quench her thirst. Judy also found a nice man to hold her up while she drank them.







We've all been there, right? You have a few too many at a trade show and boom right on the tookus! Judy was so embarrassed, but I tried to console her. "Nobody saw," I said. She knew though. Even in her drunken state, she knew.











I suggested she get some water. You know how drinking cocktails dehydrates the body.

She was feeling a little deflated.

















And, well, after you've had a lot of water, there is nothing better then a toilet with an automatically closing lid.















They couldn't fill it with water, because she would just float out-I mean the hot tub, not the toilet. Actually, it might be a problem in either situation.

Judy is nothing if not a social butterfly. Here she is visiting the Orkin man. Apparently, Judy was one pest that he rather enjoyed. They talked for hours about bugs. Okay, just a few minutes.

Judy has a sweet tooth, so we had to visit the Girl Scout booth and pick up some Thin Mints. This young lady was taken with Judy right away. I think Judy might like to be a den mother some day. The camp fires could be dangerous though.








Judy had a nice chat with the guy from the "Shamwow" booth. His product couldn't be photographed because of some copyright issue. He was more than happy to put his arm around Judy's shoulder though. I wondered if they had met before.


Hope you have enjoyed Judy's trip to the trade show. Judy is available for public speaking engagements and is much less likely to have a panic attack then me.