From Gardenias to Brisket

My gardenia bushes are enferma (sick) from either too much water, or not enough, and possibly soil that was not amended enough to mix up the clay.  As a result, they have dropped some of their leaves and the leaves have turned that sickly yellow color.  I can't stand by and do nothing so I headed to the nursery, leaves in hand, for a diagnosis.  For the yellow leaves we need to give them some iron--done--and figure out how much water they are getting and probably cut it back.  But what we really need to do once they are dormant, is dig them up, amend the soil more, and replant those babies.  Oh, yuck.  It seems that they can be dry on the top and even several inches down, but go down a foot, and they may be sitting in clay, with soaking wet roots.  I got the guy at the Nursery to tell Fred the bad news on my phone because otherwise, he'd think I was just over dramatizing.....  like I ever do that. 

And something is eating my sweet potato vine on the front porch, again.  The minute it gets all fat and fluffy, something finds it and the salad bar is "OPEN" for business.  I'm not sure what to spray it with but I'd like to do something organic so my geckos don't take a hit from the chemicals. I love those little guys.

And lastly, the brisket report:  I ended up doing a little of this and a little of that.  Inside in the oven, but with the Pecan Rub I'd gotten to use with my EGG and had never used before.  The meat was perfect but the Pecan Rub didn't blow my socks off.  Good....just not mind blowing.  I still prefer Grub Rub and my other seasonings.  I called Brian and told him if he was hungry, we had fresh, hot, sliced brisket and to come on over if he wanted dinner.  He said he was really tired--- but he'd be right over.  I'm going to fix him a little brisket stash and throw it in the freezer.  Then he can just pull it out as he leaves for work and it'll be thawed by the time he gets home for dinner.  He may be almost 29 but he's still my baby boy...I cain't hep' it.