SPAM ON MY BLOG!

GAHD lately there is SO much spamming in the comments here on Fuzzy Foliage lately... Thankfully most of it is automatically removed by Blogger. But it's just annoying, 'cos I get all excited thinking someone actually commented on a post--But nope, it's just a thinly-veiled guise to post about Viagra or some such nonsense.

Side-question for the actual readers: Y U NO COMMENT MUCH!?

So anyhooz, I've decided to take drastic measures here in an effort to make myself feel like I'm in control. I'mna post my OWN Spam on my OWN blog. 

BEHOLD!

I love it best with eggs.
But honestly there's no wrong way to eat it.

Happy Friday everyone! :-)

Tell Me, Who Are You?

'Cos I really wanna know!

As usual, my micro sinnies are putting on a flower show (I swear it's like they never stop) BUT... I I've got a little case of "whoooo are you?" going on around here! Anyone wanna play CSI: Gesneriads? Click pics to biggerize!

I have this one labeled as Wood Nymph. Gorgeous and has 6 flowers open right now: 

YOW! That is one gorgeous little container, is it not?
Of course there's never a show to enter when I have something this nice.

But guess what? I've got another container of Wood Nymph that I am pretty sure came from a different source, and there's one flower on it right now which it's much different:

And this isn't one of my weird sport things, the ones in this container always bloom this way.

When I did some googling, the one with bigger/darker flowers looks like maybe Razzmatazz or Carefree Regina? And Wood Nymph (for the most part) looked more like that one in the 2nd pic. I never got around to buying either Razzmatazz or Carefree Regina, but could it be one of those and was just labeled wrong? Anyone know? HALP PLZ!!

And here's one last pic where you can see them near each other and how obviously they aren't the same plant, whoooooever they are!!

If anyone knows, shout out the answer!

I love my micro Siningias, and I wanna keep them labeled properly!

Groomed, Repotted, Marathoned, & Domed!

Meant to post this yesterday but was busy with my real job. Got all my new plants fixed up 2 nights ago! (Click pics to biggerize!)

Ta-daaa don't they look perfect? Now to keep them that way..
(Note, I left one bloomstalk on Lovestruck 'cos I just wanna see the flower--it WILL come off as soon as it opens!)

Domed!

Oh and here's a little "Sunday Funny" for ya... I made this for the LLG Facebook page and honestly, I'm quite proud of my work:

Let there be LEAVES!

African Violet Collection 2.0 / Adventures in Dolgeville

Time to start over! No more crying over spilled pollen! Get it? Thrips joke. It MITE not be funny... Ok, anyone know a good Mealy joke so I can complete the holy trifecta? 

Anyhooz, where's the best place to get a new collection? Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses in Dolgeville NY of course! Especially considering the 25% off coupon happening this week! (tomorrow's the last day, GET THERE!)

Yeeeeeeeaaaah!!! 

Ok so starting with the BEST THING FIRST: Here's my new box of awesomeness! A baker's dozen of new pretties. Now listen up all you excitable shopaholics, I purposefully did not go buckwild and grab a TON, because I think it's better if I keep it to just a few. That way maybe, JUST MAYBE, I can really focus and finally grow an actual SHOWPLANT worth a damn.

Let go of the past, here is the FUTURE! 

Here's a list of what I got (click on any that are linked to order your own--Continental US orders get 15% off this month by entering code AUGUST during checkout at LyndonLyon.com!):

MINIS:
Li'l Ballerina (One of my all-time FAVES, had to replace)
Ness' Tiny Flame (Had it before, needed it again)
Roller Rink (have wanted this one forever!)

SEMIS:
Lyon's June Bug (June Bug one of my nicknames, so it was a must)
Pixie Storm (never had this but decided to give it a shot)
Indigo Doll (I have a daughter named Indigo, so duh, obvies I needed that!)
Lexi (she was the last of the "old collection" that I tossed reluctantly!)
Pixie Redhead (Had that before, needed it again!)
Winter Love (I love WINTER it's my fave season, so it just seems right)

"WEED":
Episcia 'Cleopatra' (the leaves are just too pretty to resist.. Had it before, needed it back)

STANDARDS--YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT!
Inner Strength (We ALL need that, who knew it came in plant form?)
Lovestruck (just WOW this is one vibrant flower)
Sweet Affair (Winner of 2nd best new cultivar at the 2013 AVSA convention!)
Ok now let me be perfectly clear: Those 3 frighten me! Paul made me go way outta my comfort zone when he pushed a STANDARD at me. But then I thought well if one is good, three is better so... OMG THREE NEW STANDARDS jumped into my box!

Pics of my new pretties!!

THE MINIS (Always my favest)

Top: Roller Rink, left: Li'l Ballerina, right: Ness' Tiny Flame

THE SEMIS:
(IMPORTANT: Keep in mind I was grabbing the chimeras from the "super secret employees only" room so they're stock quality (a bit overgrown and crazy, this isn't what you get when you order or shop like a normal customer--but we all know I am not normal!) We kept all the crazy extra leaves on so they'd be nice and cushioned for the 5 hour car ride.)

Top L-R: Pixie Redhead, Lexi, Winter Love
Bottom L-R: Indigo Doll, June Bug, Pixie Storm

WEED:

Episcia 'Cleopatra'

OMG... THE BIG GUYS! 

Top: Lovestruck, left: Sweet Affair, right: Inner Strength
Yeah methinks, I'mna need a lot more than "INNER STRENGTH" to pull of growing BIG plants!

So yup, there's my AWESOME NEW COLLECTION! After my work shift is over today, I guess you all know what I'll be doing--Repotting!


Now for some pics from around LLG:

Our awesome "group employee pic"... Paul Sorano the owner, and me the facebook page admin.
All other employees were too busy actually working and/or too shy to be in a pic. :-p

Stay tuned!
My BFF Shea from Fat Sheamus Productions did some filming to make a little sumpin'-sumpin'!

"KITTEEEHHHHH!!!"
This is Rocky the LLG mascot/viscous guard animal. I always love seeing him!!

Actual photo of me dead and in heaven!

 To see more from the awesome stuff from the greenhouses, be sure to head on over to the facebook page. Some stuff has already been posted, but there's LOTS more to come trust me!

Get Rid Of It!!!

Sorry for not updating much over the summer, I've been busy tossing stuff--Clutter, weight, and sadly PLANTS!

Yep. 

I haven't had a lot to write about because sadly I got a buncha bugs in my collection. There, now you all know my horrible secret. And no, it really doesn't feel any better to finally talk about it.

Thrips, and mealies, and mites, OH MY!

Bad times. And so embarrassing. Srsly, feels shameful. Is this what having an STD feels like? (I don't really wanna know, thanks)

But it kinda all fit in with the state of my life anyhow, there's a definite theme for sure: "Get rid of it!!"

I've been spending the summer cleaning my apartment and losing weight. So now most of my plants got tossed too. Sad, but doesn't it just seem kinda right? 

I'm trying to save a VERY precious few but I dunno... 

Oh, Lexi.... I can't throw you away with that big head of blooms can I?
(Actually yes, she'll be going in the rubbish tomorrow, don't tell her)

The only African violets I really wanna save... Altho I can live without that one in the front/right if I have to.
The other 3, I really don't wanna lose.

The micro sinnies SHOULD be ok since they've been kept in this container by themselves for quite some time.
But I will be keeping an eye on them for sure.

Micro sinnie seeds I started the other day.
They should be fine since they were just seeds and nowhere near the infested stuff.

The GOOD NEWS is that TOMORROW I am going to my favorite place on earth, Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses and buying a new plant collection. The 25% off facebook coupon couldn't have been timed better! :-p

So other stuff I'm getting rid of?

Oh yeah see I am cleaning out my apartment too. 

And as you can see, I've been working really hard on THIS.
Seeing how I looked in convention pictures this year really lit a fire under my azz!

So that's that, thanks for reading. I'm sure there will be some good stuff to post after I get back from Lyon's, so stay tuned! And tap this link to go "Like" the facebook page if you haven't already!

Sound Advice

Sometimes I forget, so I had to make a reminder.

While you're at it, go check out the Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses facebook page!

African Violets in Pop Culture: Comic In Today's Paper!

Special thanks to Joyce Stork for posting this on African violet Nerds, she found it in her Omaha World Herald paper this morning. I am not familiar with the comic or the storyline--but HELLO, AFRICAN VIOLETS! I wonder if this comic runs nationally? I hope so, 'cos any kinda PR for African violets is awesome! Click to enlarge:

Don't be such a bish, Maeve--African violets RULE!

Start planning your ROAD TRIP to Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses!

Exciting news! Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses in Dolgeville, NY is going to have a special promotion for facebook fans!

I imagine the Griswold family woulda loaded up the Truckster with African violets had they skipped Wally World and just visited LLG instead.

25% off for in-greenhouse customers the week of August 18th thru 24th. (excludes chimeras, gift certificates, and supplies) 

WOW WOW WOW! I dunno about you, but I am SO THERE!

You'll need a facebook account, and you'll have to make sure you've "Like"d the Lyndon Lyon Facebook page--Then just go to this link and click "Get Offer". It will then be emailed to you, where you can either print it out or just show the email from your smartphone at the register.

So... Who's going? Comment here on on the facebook page!!

2013 AVSA Survey

Can I ask y'all a personal favor? Please go and fill out this survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8Q2FM3W

And by "y'all" I mean ALLLL of you who are reading here on the Fuzzy Foliage African violet blog.You don't need to be a member of AVSA, they want NON-members' opinions as well!

THANKS!

Adventures in Beaumont!

Ok, I know, I KNOW it's over a month later and I am such a slacker jerk. Let's just say, life back at home is nuttier than a Snickers bar. Back to my crappy apartment, back to work, back to LIFE... Oh and my long lost 18 year old son showed up and is taking up residence in my recliner, so now in addition to everything else I am trying to figure out how to be a mother of an 18 year old. Yikes! ♥

But at long last, here are the pics I got from my adventures in Beaumont, Texas to the AVSA "mothership", and adventures beyond. Gahhhh, looking at these is making me a little sad, can I go back on vacation now please?

We left Austin on my birthday, and drove by Houston. So I snapped this pic from the car.

It's really FLAT in TX which Jenny finds boring, but I liked it because you can see so much pretty sky....

And then, BEAUMONT!!

We dropped Janet Reimer off at her hotel where they had these crazy things

They were so cool!

Then Jenny took me to a convenience store where I saw a partially eaten can of Vienna sausages chillin' by a garbage can.

The next day, we got here! AHHHHH!!!

The front office where Amy works hard all day!

This cool thing is on the wall when you first walk into the building.

The AVSA office plants!

Stairs! And I completely forgot to take pics of the upstairs. I'll have to go back one day, that's all.

Some stuff in one of the front rooms downstairs

I helped Jenny tally the stuff sold at convention. Andrea Worrell's awesome new DVD 'Meet the Commercials' beat out everything else, way to go Andrea!

African Violet Magazine archives!

MORE African Violet Magazine archives!

I helped Amy file the "change of address" forms because it's her least favorite thing ever.  And I'm such a dork I thought it was fun.

I also had my OWN job to do, so I plugged in and took some coach.com chats.

African violets at the Kroger less than a mile from the AVSA office. I just thought it was ironic. I wonder if ANYONE buying these knows that THE AVSA is like, right there down the street. BTW, it's "Kro-grr" not "Kraw-jer". Ha!

Janet worked hard for 3 days on the AVSA archive stuffs.

FINALLY we went to Elena's Mexican restaurant and had my awesome birthday celebration!

Birthday dinner! Yes I ate all of that. And that's why I'm fat.

Amy and I went outside of the restaurant and saw a store next door selling ICKY ICKY FAKE PURSES! Gross, y'all. Just don't. A $10 bag from Wal*Mart is better than a fake. 

My awesome hostess, Jenny Daugereau in her kick-azz backyard garden!

Some REALLY WEIRD bug chillin' at the AVSA office

A lizard chillin' at the AVSA office

OMG! Yes here I am at the AVSA MOTHERSHIP!!! Now you know it had to be HOT AS HADES for me to wear shorts and a T-shirt. I had to throw my "no tattoos showing" rule RIGHT out the window. Yuck!

My membership in the AVSA computer! Hahahaha

My life goal.... one day I WILL have one of these!

Weird albino lizard who dropped his tail chillin' on Jenny's back door.

Um, I thought everything was BIGGER in Texas? So please explain these melons.

Jenny made me chicken and dumplings because I never had it. Good gawd, I want it again right now.

Jenny and I packed up to head to the Gulf of Mexico!

And I saw these weird oil things on the way...

My feets @ The Gulf!

Ok so.... this almost brings a tear to my eye. When I first went into the water, after I got over the initial shock of how warm the water was, I looked up as I started swimming, and I saw 4 pelicans in a row just gliding over the top of a wave. It was just one of those "magical moments" and I never want to forget it. I kept watching them do it for hours, but this was the best pic I could get, which kinda sucks, but at least I can remember it in my head.

Then Jenny took me for lunch at Stingeree.

Gumbo and Gulf shrimp FTW!

I thought I was tough and told Jenny, "Naw I don't need sunscreen." Um... Most of the pics I got of my burn are very NSFW, so I will just show you what my feet looked like and you can imagine the rest.

Jenny cooked this stuff called boudin for me, and it was bliss.

It was REALLY HARD to say goodbye to Jenny and her awesome hubby Kim. Gah, I miss them so bad.

I purposely volunteered to get bumped from my flight on the way home so I could reap the rewards. I walked from my free hotel down to a gas station and saw this ENTIRE SHELF of SPICY snacks and... I almost thought maybe I should never go home. 

I took this pic in the airplane bathroom to make into this funny meme

Booo! Then I was home again in Portland, Maine.

Well that's that! I want to once again give a HUGE THANK YOU to all the people all over the world who contributed for my trip. It was one I will never forget!