[Mintjulep]

BF,
Which company did you actually use to plant your tree. They sound very knowledgeable, and since I am so totally ignorant about palm trees, I need all the help and information I can get.

Also,,, Walmart has exercise balls,,, in the sporting goods section...

[Boomer]

MJ and BF,

I am starting to get really jealous because I absolutely love to plant things and I am sitting here (on the exercise ball) and I am looking out at dirty snow. Actually, reading about your palm trees makes me feel better. We gotta get down there.

Re. the size of my exercise ball: I don't exactly know. It is blown up to the height of a chair seat and still has good give and bounce to it. It is made of pretty thick material so it's not like I am trying to sit on a balloon or something. I have had this thing for so long that I think it only cost $20, but I cannot remember where I got it. If only I had been using it for all this time.......

Also, it you check back in this thread, you will see a post from Another Linda about a guy in her office who uses one. Maybe she can get more information from him.

Gosh, I am starting to feel like a good example or something. I guess I had better stick with this exercise ball/desk chair thing in case I ever get to actually meet some of you. After running my mouth (typing fingers) on Girl Talk about my dye job and my exercise ball, I had better stay on top of both of them.

[Mintjulep]

Boomer,
As I'm sitting here reading your post, I have color on my hair and a cucumber mask on my face.
(Hope no one knocks on my door)...

But alas,,, my exercise ball is in NC... and I'm starting to get a hankerin' for that thing.
I'll have to get my Mr. M to bring it when he comes.

[Boomer]

MJ,

I hope you don't have cucumber slices on your eyes like I have seen in those spa pictures in magazines. Who knows what you might type.

I have spent so much time on the computer this winter that I am actually alarmed, and then this site keeps telling me the time and number of posts which adds to my angst.

Actually, I pretend that the time ticking off up there in the left side corner is not real time because I leave the computer on sometimes and actually step away...yeah, uh huh, that's my story and I am stickin' to it.

Actually, I am going to leave the house today. It is supposed to snow again tomorrow. Where I live, people overreact to snow. They all run to the grocery store screaming, "White Death! White Death!" I finally noticed a correlation between grocery store commercials and weather reports on local television channels. I am not going anywhere near a grocery store today.

When we added Queen Palms we went to R&K Farms nursery which is 3 miles South of the Villages on Hwy 441 with phone number 787-2488. They have a sale usually twice a year--when you buy it from them they plant the tree. They have a ad now in the Home and Garden section which comes with the paper on Sat. Priced $200 each planted or 3 for $550.00 We did this last winter~~~~~bought one Queen Palm and a beautiful Robellini. I was very impressed with them.Quite a experience to watch them move the plants over the gate with a end loader. We live in a CYV.so the back area is hard to bring in the plants. They are all doing well and there was not any damage from the frost. Covered the Robellini with plant blanket, real blanket and a light for heat.
We are now in the process of finishing the back with Fairfield Farms the first part of March. We bought a waterfall on sale in Mount Dora which is almost the height of the wall. I wanted a break from the plain wall. Added some plants around this which was lovely until the frost. They will come back I guess but cannot prune until March. Wanted the grass removed and the cost of all rock was really high, concrete patio even worse, mulch the yard was out of question for us and even had a estimate for a putting green. Nothing worked and we did not want to do the lawn service again as just could not depend on them. After looking at several Garden books we came up with the idea of a dry river bed extending from the rock waterfall. Sounds strange, uh? This way we have rock, boulders, mulch gardens with flowering plants and we will use GROUND COVERS for the green element combined with the plants. Had three estimates -one came up with $2000 more without the dry river stream, another was over $1000 more but just did not feel comforable with the nursery. Fairfield was within our budget for landscaping. :#1:Our designer is excited over this project and will be here most of the day. I will post pictures when this is completed if we can handle that again.This may not turn out but we will give it a try. It will give us a combination of everything. :hot:
The membership of the Wellness Center is expensive--$149 for a single for 3 mo. If you use everything it may not be pricey.Very much like a Golds Gym. They have a 1 mo. for $55.00 so give it a try. I and my husband like just doing the classes with a trainer and around 25 people. They have spinning,Butts and Gutts, Golf conditioning, water exercise, Pilates, Zumba, etc. Worth going over and picking up their information. Cost of these classes run from $45.00 to $65.00 for a month. Depends if you go twice or three times a week. Twice a week was all I needed to ache. Also have Massage sessions. We bought here about a year age and are seasonal so have only taken the Golf one. Ask the desk clerk about which one ball to sit on as usually you roll around on it in all different positions. I think it would be problem to not fall off of the ball as they are large. They love to give tours of the facility and there is no charge.They are really busy and makes you feel like you are out of it if you are not sweating!

[Mintjulep]

TFT,
Thanx for the palm info. Will check out the R&K Nursery. I guess there's no special time of the year that's better to plant them, since it's always warm here.
I think we have a Robellini right in front of our porch. 3 stalks, not real tall, and neighbors told me it's sensitive to cold snaps. I got scratched up trimming it tho, big stickers near the base.
I didn't know palms had those huge thorns til I found it out the hard way.
But I want 1 or 2 Queens (I think). And would like a lime tree (for my margaritas).

Your yard and landscaping sounds beautiful!!! I'm jealous... :joke:

[another Linda]

Hi sistahs! I'm traveling now (yep, on our way to TV) so haven't had a chance to talk to young man I work with who always sits on an exercise ball. What I can tell you is that he does decathlons (or whatever the extreme endurance race is). He uses the ball to keep his torso toned even when he is working away at the computer. He's a real fanatic so I never realized this was something us "normal" people could do. When we get to TV I'll call him and ask other questions about size, etc. Can't imagine myself with a toned torso!

[Barefoot]

Time for Tee .. your landscaping sounds amazing and creative. Way beyond me.

Mintjulep .. you have a robellini, I love those trees. But I'm way too lazy to get one and have to cover it. Last hard frost my Banana tree and Hibiscus bush were damaged. I cut them back too early. Now they're saying a frost expected for Wednesday night. Ah, Florida tropical landscaping isn't as easy as it sounds.

OK, so today in TV we just had a tornado watch and high winds! Our new Queen Palm is now lying in the driveway. Fireboy (who loves the palm) is highly agitated and has left to drive to the nursery to try to get it replanted. They said it didn't need to be staked, it is at least 20 feet tall and has a huge root ball. Obviously they were wrong!! Oh, it also took out our front pole light when it crashed down. Guess now we'll see if dealing with a "reputable" company really does pay off.

Fireboy (aka "he who refuses to retire") is leaving tomorrow early morning to return to Canada to .. yes, fight fires! So I guess the Queen Palm fiasco is now my responsibility. Since I'm also getting 11 tons of river rock delivered next Tuesday, it is shaping up to be a fairly stressful time.

Regardless
I'm still loving it in the Villages
BF

[chelsea24]

Hi BF, our landscaper did stake our queen palms and told us to leave them that way for at least a month. Sorry you didn't bring it up before I would have told you that. He did come out once already to straighten one after a wind storm and we've only had our landscapping finished for about 3 weeks.

TFT: I'm glad I read your post, I didn't even know they made plant covers. Duh! I have two Robellini's in the back and I know I have to cover them with something during a frost. But you covered them with a plant cover, blanket and a light also??? What kind of light? Also, I'm just supposing I can get the plant covers at Home Depot or Loews? I also have 2 Hawaiian Ty Sisters near my front door. I was told these needed to be covered during the frost also. Do you know anything about them??? Thanks.

[Mintjulep]

Mr. M had a dinner party tonite for 6 in NC. He made lamb, broccoli casserole, potatoes and salad.
Of course I'm here in TV whining to myself as I stayed in because of the weather.
Part of our furniture is here in TV, and most of the rest has been sold, except the recliner, tv, bed and a table with 2 chairs.
I can't imagine that he would have dinner guests with hardly any place for them to sit.
I told him maybe he could consider using my exercise ball that is there as a seat for someone.
(Boomer,, another use for it!)
But he thought that a silly idea. Instead he ask his guests to bring their own chair.
His email invitation to them said, Anyone up for an adventurous gourmet meal, please show up and BYOC (bring your own chair).
I think he's having too much fun without me as everyone has called to tell me what a wonderful time they're all having.
He's planning a few more dinners as he trying to use up all the meat in the freezer before the house sells.
I'm gonna rethink how I do parties from now on and start taking some lessons from him.
I never knew he was so creative...


BF- My jaw dropped when I read about your tree. Hope it all turns out OK...
When I get one, I'll be sure and have it staked...

I bought the frost covers at Porters Nursery. They usually have a large ad in the Home and Garden section on Sat. with their sales. We used a extra blanket for extra protection since we had them from moving. The light came out of our home from the bedroom.It did the trick as the winds were really terrible and everything else really got the frost. We watched our beautiful Starburst tree lose all of its leaves. We are moving it to a protected area next week. Looks really dead so hope the leaves will appear again. Nursery said that it will so it is a waiting time . Next door neighbor had several palms, etc. planted right before the frost and he bought cheap lights at Wallmart. Try calling Fairfield Farms as that is close or give Lowe,s a buzz. Yes, you have to cover your other plants and still may not do any good. They do come back I am told because ours were covered and sad to say it did not help. Lots to learn!
Sorry Barefoot about your Palm. We have to take friends to the airport tomorrow morning and my husband can help you later on in the day if you have any problems with your nursery replanting your tree. That was a shock I am sure!

[samhass]

I have robellinis and had Queens planted over them for protection. They've been fine through two frosts.

[Barefoot]

I got my frost covers at Fairfield Farms on 301 north of 466. Walmart was sold out.
I was supposed to wait until mid March to cut back my Hibscus and Banana Tree, and I jumped the gun. So I will need to cover them tonight for sure.

I'll be wearing my down parka to the dog park today!

TTT, thanks for the offer of help, I really appreciate it. The landscaper says he'll come tomorrow and replant it .. I'm more worried about getting our light post replaced.

But it is still paradise living in TV! :bigthumbsup:

[Boomer]

Hi Girls,

I thought I would check in to see how you are doing in follow up to the previous posts in this thread re. the exercise ball.

I am sitting here on my exercise ball/desk chair and I gotta tellya - I love this thing. I have not quite mastered the Figure 8 yet, but I am working on it. I am right here in the kitchen so I can even keep an eye on my pot of chili while I type away, pontificating, elaborating, and then doing a jaunty little sideways scoot over to the stove to give the chili a stir.

And if somebody like Muncle, for instance, writes something really funny, you can bounce a little while you laugh, adding some extra fun.

So if you have not joined me yet in this wonderful form of exercise that comes with the added bonus of assuaging your guilt over spending so much time on a computer, what are you waiting for?

Boomer

[nONIE]

Originally Posted by Boomer BeBack

Hi Girls,

I thought I would check in to see how you are doing in follow up to the previous posts in this thread re. the exercise ball.

I am sitting here on my exercise ball/desk chair and I gotta tellya - I love this thing. I have not quite mastered the Figure 8 yet, but I am working on it. I am right here in the kitchen so I can even keep an eye on my pot of chili while I type away, pontificating, elaborating, and then doing a jaunty little sideways scoot over to the stove to give the chili a stir.

And if somebody like Muncle, for instance, writes something really funny, you can bounce a little while you laugh, adding some extra fun.

So if you have not joined me yet in this wonderful form of exercise that comes with the added bonus of assuaging your guilt over spending so much time on a computer, what are you waiting for?

Boomer

Boomer, The visual of you stirring your pot of chili, while typing and lauging at jokes has really got me cracking up, but I have a rather naive question..... What is the benefit of this, where does the actual exercise come in??? I only used the exercise ball once, so have not had too much experience with it and truly thought I was going to kill myself on it.

Seriously, where are you feeling the benefit of this exercise? :dontknow: