Yesterday I mentioned that I got a little stick of bamboo at the store, and when I got it home, I realized I didn't know how to grow it! Ziggy gave me the scoop on what to do with it--thanks, Ziggy!--but I had already found some stuff online, and most seemed to say to just grow it in water.
I had this crystal votive holder, so I got that cleaned up. Then I went out to the driveway and found some smooth, multi-colored rocks and cleaned those up. I anchored the bamboo in the rocks, added water, and voilà! We'll see how it does. I told Ken it looks like my stick turned green and sprouted a leaf!
A couple of cautions about "lucky bamboo," which is not really bamboo. It is a small shrub that grows as undergrowth in rain forests. Apparently it is poisonous to animals, so be sure to put it in a spot where they can't get it. (Mine is sitting on the baker's rack, which Sheeba doesn't get on.) Also, as Ziggy pointed out, this is not a native plant to the States (it's native to Cameroon), and is horribly invasive here. It should never be planted outside, and kept only as a houseplant.
It's supposed to be extremely easy to grow. Let's see how long it takes me to kill it!
I think I've mentioned our UPS guy before (probably a while ago), about what a nice guy he seems to be, and long-suffering when it comes to delivering our packages. It's actually gotten better for him, because we stopped our wine-of-the-month club shipments, so he's not delivering any huge, heavy packages anymore. Anyhoo, he seems to have gotten to know our cat fairly well. If I'm here, when I answer the door, Sheeba runs right over to check out the UPS guy, and to attempt an escape. Sheeba's perch also sits in front of one of the front windows, and if he's sitting there when you're out on the walkway, he'll sometimes jump at you. The UPS guy told me that the cat about scared him half to death one day, when he walked by the window and THUMP, Sheeba leaped at the window!
Well, yesterday, I was sitting here, and suddenly here came the UPS guy. Sheeba ran over to the window and just put his paws up on the sill to look out. The UPS guy didn't need a signature, so he left the package by the door and walked away before I could even get up and say thank you. As he walked by Sheeba, he kind of waved and tapped the screen to say hi to him! I thought that was so cute and sweet. I'm still smiling about it today. Sometimes it's just the littlest things that make me grin.
And guess what UPS guy delivered? My Amazon shipment--man, they're fast!--consisting of memory cards, and two DVD's: "Casino" and..."Goodfellas"! Woohooo! We started watching "Goodfellas" last night, but Ken started conking out, so we'll continue it soon (maybe tomorrow night). I'll write more about it when we're done with it, but WOW! We're loving it! What a nice surprise to see Lorraine Bracco who played Dr. Melfi in "The Sopranos." We also spotted Michael Imperioli, who played Tony's nephew Christopher--hard to miss that schnozz. And of course, Joe Pesci...oh my God. Does anyone play a crazy little bastard with a Napoleon complex better than Joe Pesci? "I'm funny like a clown? I'm here to amuse you?" Great stuff!
I don't know if anyone remembers a while back when I bought some storage bins, and I cracked up over the warning label on them. Here is the original entry, with the picture at the bottom of the entry.
I have another one that I saw on my bucket of EnchantaCat as I carried it downstairs.
This says to me either "Don't bathe the baby in this bucket," or "Do not allow the baby to drink from this bucket."
Baby looks like a budding ballerina, too, as she stands delicately en pointe.
It's amazing to me that companies have to put these kinds of warnings on products. Some are genuinely hilarious, and the little pictures just add to my amusement. I seem to recall Cousin Shane and I laughing over a warning that one of us saw in a hair dryer's user's manual: Do Not Use While Sleeping. Huh?
I suppose it's all part of the increasing litigiousness of the country. When a woman can successfully sue McDonald's because the dork spilled hot coffee on her crotch, I guess anything is possible! I'm a big fan of the "I found a finger/mouse/cockroach/rat head in my food!" bunch. They seem to get especially creative, devising some fairly ingenious schemes to make it appear as if said foreign object actually originated in their food. Too bad they don't apply some of that ingenuity to legitimate efforts, such as oh, I don't know, going to school, getting a job...the boring stuff like that.
Years ago, I actually DID have an experience like that. It was at a hamburger chain restaurant, and I'm pretty sure it was in Texas. Or maybe it was Georgia. Anyhoo, I loved their "charco-broiled" burgers, and when I got about halfway through my cheeseburger, I felt something kind of stringy. I opened up the burger, and saw a large patch of cow fur laying atop my beef patty. It even had the black and white pattern you see on cows.
Well, ol' Beth didn't feel quite hungry enough to eat the rest of that burger. However, I didn't make a fuss or throw a coniption fit, I just deposited my burger into the nearest trashcan, left the establishment, and never ate there again. I'm still not sure I would, and this happened years ago. I really didn't want to talk about it with anyone...it was just so disgusting, and I just wanted it to go away. I didn't want to be offered a new burger, because I had somehow managed to lose my appetite.
I guess I missed my opportunity, didn't I? I could have sued them and gotten a chunk o' change for "pain and suffering" or "mental anguish." But it didn't cause me any harm physically, I wasn't traumatized mentally, and I didn't suffer any negative after-effects. I just chose not to frequent that establishment ever again. Why would I file such a dishonest claim?
10 comments:
Oh did I ever love The Sopranos. I missed the first two seasons, but A and E play the old episodes daily here at 2pm so I get to watch them. Not in order of course, but it's really cool to see how much they all changed over the years. Paulie Walnuts got more grey hair, Tony got fat and a few other observances that I've made. The last episdoe Junior Soprano was still the boss and that was so wierd! I only remember Tony being boss.
Anyway, that bamboo is beautiful, and they are very easy to grow so I think your safe and wont kill it. Just make sure you keep it watered!
Lovish!
Connie
Those are beautiful plants and there's a million (ok, not quite a million) ways to grow them. It's called a ribbon dracaena and look for the nodes on the side of the stalk. Every node represents a new growth. you can get a stalk that's ten inches high and cut (on a bias) above each node and make a new plant. They'll grow in water or just stick them in the ground.
As to toxins, both the dracaena and dieffenbachia (dumb cane) are both dangerous, not only to animals, but to humans as well. The leaves produce a toxin that, if ingested, causes the throat to swell and possible asphyxiation. It's a good idea to wash your hands after handling the plant.
Jimmy
As crazy as it sounds(& it always does to anyone who notices it & asks), the doctor who was vaccinating me as a baby pet my face(needle in hand) when I began to cry & accidently vaccinated me on my cheek. It looked terrible at first, but is barely visible, only to close friends & bfs so far,now. The doctor was inconsolable, more so than my mom
;0. My parents didn't sue, they actually felt badly for the doctor; he cried. When I was a teen I went to work for him. He got my Mom's chart(he was an ob-gyn & they gave the baby vacs then) before I came in the first day & read it. The first thing he said to me was: My, you look different. The second: Most people would have sued me but your parents weren't like that.
~Mary
Once I was getting ready for work, this was before they had straightening irons, and I was using a curling iron to straighten my hair. I was just getting started with the bangs and I lost my grip. The curling iron fell out of my hand and hit my eyelid and bounced right into my eye. I had a burn on my eyeball. Well after the E.R. visit where they told me I may not regain full vision of that eye as it was burned quite badly ( my eye is perfectly fine today!) I laughed and thought they really need one of those warnings on curling irons. Guess what, they have them now. I suppose I was not the only idiot who burned my eyeball with one of those things!
Not only was it one of the dumbest things I have ever done, I must say, it was more painful (to me) than natural childbirth.
Laura
yuck. Cow hair and it was still white and black? Thank God you did not get sick. I bet you do not kill that bamboo plant. I hope you two enjoy the movies you got!
XO
You did exactly what you needed to do for your bamboo. It should grow well for you and as long as you water it, it should grow well for you. Sorry to dash all of your thoughts about its impending demise, but it should be around for a while.
Well, that explains why we never have any beef <LOL>
I say, four months before "bamby" bites the dust :o)
I like your idea of using a votive candle holder as a pot for your bamboo. That is really pretty! Love the Sheeba/UPS driver story!
Lori
I have a bamboo pot that Ken got me several years ago. The stalks were wired together in a bunch and I have left them that way. Mine has grown to be about a couple of feet tall. I have tried to take pictures of it but they never turn out good. Guess what I really need is some poster board set behind it for a good background. I have it in a short blue antique looking pot that has short legs using the rocks like you have. Maybe one day a pic for you. I like the simplicity of the way yours look. Helen
OH NO !! We have two of these plants at work, and we planted them in soil !
I've killed them and they don't know it yet !
Well, one of the supervisors helped, so I've got a acomplise!
You got Goodfella's !!! Woohoo.....i'm coming over to watch it you will LOVE it.
Great gangsta movie.
Ellen
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