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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 117 Entries.
Saturday, May 5 View Page
Been a while, but I’m still growing orange. May you all find a little paradise in your garden this year.
 
Tuesday, May 15 View Page
M-I-C-K-E-Y...
 
Wednesday, May 16 View Page
M-O-U-S-E...
 
Wednesday, May 16 View Page
All checked in and ready for an amazing summer of heat, humidity, and some of the most amazing Horticulture this great country has to offer. Good luck to all on a personal best this year, a HDA to those who chase them, and a bit of relaxation to those who are on a break like myself. See you this fall at the scales!
 
Sunday, May 20 View Page
Just a warning, no pumpkins to come this year, but I will have some amazing horticultural updates, so if you like plants in general, stay tuned!
 
Sunday, May 20 View Page
I got my ears yesterday!
 
Sunday, May 20 View Page
Shortly after, I got to meet the creator.
 
Sunday, May 20 View Page
Since then, the magic hasn’t stopped!
 
Sunday, May 20 View Page
From the front gate...
 
Sunday, May 20 View Page
To the middle...
 
Sunday, May 20 View Page
And the back...
 
Sunday, May 20 View Page
My cheeks are hurting from smiling so hard. My first day of work is tomorrow, but somehow it feels like I’m just starting a 12 week vacation. It truly is a horticultural heaven here!
 
Tuesday, May 22 View Page
For you orchid fans out there... few hundred of em strapped to some palm trees.
 
Tuesday, May 22 View Page
And it’s been a bit wet, but otherwise nice weather here so far.
 
Friday, May 25 View Page
Pretty much been the story since I’ve been here. I’m told it’ll dry out sooner or later. The lightning and flash thunderstorms come out of nowhere here, but it does cool things off a bit. Still working on getting rid of my winter skin.
 
Sunday, May 27 View Page
Saw the tree of life yesterday. It was pretty amazing despite not being an actual tree. We do like things super sized around here. The bug life show inside the tree was pretty immersive as well.
 
Sunday, May 27 View Page
As I’m a week into work here, I realize this is more like a vacation album than a Horticultural guide, but to be honest they’re pretty restrictive about what we’re allowed to take pictures of. Lots of cool behind the scenes stuff, but we have to keep pictures to things that are “show ready” so perhaps I’ll have to catch people up when I see you this fall at the scales.
 
Saturday, June 2 View Page
Ok Henry, this one is for you bud! Plants are about 4 feet tall, super loaded with red hot death...
 
Saturday, June 2 View Page
Saw some artichokes blooming the other day, first time for me. Electric color on them and quite the contrast in texture compared to the fruit itself, super soft and silky. Would like to be able to grow these at home.
 
Monday, June 4 View Page
Put a few miles on the articulating hedge trimmers today...
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
Trimming...
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
Little break for some much needed giant veggie contact :)
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
Little break for some fun...
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
Went to do some zip lining
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
This is what I look like at 100 feet off the ground
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
Taking the first giant leap
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
And after the first big adrenaline rush!
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
Even met the boss :)
 
Wednesday, June 20 View Page
We’re missing a thunderbolt! The weather is getting... better :)
 
Friday, June 22 View Page
Went back to get a couple pics of the first big changeout we worked on from the flower festival
 
Friday, June 22 View Page
6,000 bedding plants in 2 hours... used to think I worked hard in the garden until I came here :)
 
Friday, June 22 View Page
Don’t worry Bart, still collecting data, even while on vacation. This is my average day.... slacked off a little at happy hour today though.
 
Friday, June 22 View Page
 
Saturday, June 23 View Page
Have a lucky day today! :)
 
Sunday, June 24 View Page
Gas station mango... it MAY have looked tasty if it didn’t come with a warning, lol.
 
Sunday, June 24 View Page
Went for some thrill rides yesterday. They have some good horticulture as well.
 
Sunday, June 24 View Page
Tried to get the hippo in the background but she wouldn’t cooperate
 
Sunday, June 24 View Page
Punk-in.... the middle :)
 
Monday, June 25 View Page
Somebody’s about to drink around the world...
 
Monday, June 25 View Page
THIIIIIS GUUUUUUUUUUY! :)
 
Thursday, June 28 View Page
While everyone’s chasing the newest bestest fertilizers out there, I still feel this is the most important input every year... Cheers to doing what you love in life!
 
Friday, June 29 View Page
Giving a horticultural haircut :) Averaged about 20 minutes per plant over a few hours of hand shearing.
 
Saturday, June 30 View Page
Shortly after I saw love in the sky... I saw the Dark Mark! Yin and Yang I suppose. Turns out, it’s the remnants of an early morning space shuttle launch.
 
Saturday, June 30 View Page
 
Monday, July 2 View Page
Went to Universal Studios with Kirsha over the weekend and found me some big orange at Hagrid’s Hut :)
 
Tuesday, July 3 View Page
Who’s ready for America’s Birthday!? :)
 
Wednesday, July 4 View Page
Fireworks are about to be rained out...
 
Friday, July 6 View Page
May all of your trucks feel like this come October! :)
 
Friday, July 6 View Page
Been a long time since I’ve lived with anyone but Kirsha, so here’s my roommate Tony. Mi otro hermano de la otra madre.
 
Friday, July 13 View Page
My new office :)
 
Friday, July 13 View Page
More trimming...
 
Friday, July 13 View Page
More trimming...
 
Friday, July 13 View Page
More magic...
 
Friday, July 13 View Page
More magic :)
 
Wednesday, July 18 View Page
Heh! Protecting the patch even in my absence :)
 
Friday, July 20 View Page
Got to change out “The Watch Band” Mickey head yesterday. View is from the California Grill at the top of the Contemporary Resort. It’s harder than you might think to make perfect circles, but I think we did a pretty good job on it :)
 
Friday, July 20 View Page
Closer look...
 
Sunday, July 29 View Page
Sooo... I figured I’ve been here for ten weeks now and I could go without the sunscreen for a day....
 
Sunday, July 29 View Page
Been trying to have some fun with things so I’ve been practicing a hidden Mickey each day before my shift ends so that the park opens with one.
 
Sunday, July 29 View Page
Some junk ass vines that we’ve been pulling by the truck load out of here turned into something beautiful
 
Sunday, July 29 View Page
At the Contemporary Resort valet desk. Strelitzia reginae and Caladium hortulanum
 
Sunday, July 29 View Page
My friend Alexandria and I learned quickly not to put them in a walkway or they get trampled. We like to find little spots on the props or boulders behind ropes so that they stay a little longer for more to enjoy.
 
Sunday, July 29 View Page
This was on a wall in the cue line for Big Thunder Mountain.
 
Sunday, July 29 View Page
Had a day with the interior plants team.
 
Sunday, July 29 View Page
And I got to re-plant part of the most iconic bed here! Switching from Summer to Fall colors, this is the before pic from Thursday evening.
 
Sunday, July 29 View Page
And the after around 6AM Friday morning, ready for an early open at the park :) I’ll go back in the daytime to get a better picture of the color, plant is dark purple Setcresia.
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
Went and checked out the Serpentarium in St Cloud last weekend with my friend Rachel.
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
Watched them do some venom extractions too! I often think the things I get into for work and play are dangerous, but this is pretty extreme to be doing every day. Feels good to be on this side of the glass!
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
Sister in law is enjoying herself while pet sitting :)
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
I love that you get to see the most random things here... wonder how much it cost just to draw that smiley face?
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
Kirsha brought my sister down to pound out the parks as my internship is coming to an end, so we hopped on the safari and I introduced her to the bosses.
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
This was me a month ago, ready to start my first day at the last park, Magic Kingdom...
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
This was me starting my last day... looking back, I can say with 100 percent certainty, I went the distance with both feet on the gas this summer! The last 12 weeks has done more for my career than I could have ever expected. Wore straight out! :)
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
But then I found a pumpkin! They’re decorating for HALLOWEEN today!!!
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
Lunch party with my group and our friend Chegui. His wife made us some flan :)
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
One last ice cream at costume turn in...
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
And BOOM! I’m out! Kind of a bittersweet end. I don’t want to leave the magic behind, but I am ready to get back home. Next post... after a coffee in my pumpkin patch!
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
Good vibes to all this scale season! See you soon friends!
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
Kirsha wants to remind you to buy those new fancy square straps and practice safe pumpkin hauling :)
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
May your truck feel like this...
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
Taking Entomology this year, been learning bout bugs n’at.
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
Like this Glow Worm...
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
Whuuuuut...
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
Been lumberjacking...
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
Been swamped...
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
Been collecting bugs...
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
Been playing with bugs...
 
Thursday, September 27 View Page
And I’m waiting to see what hits the scales this year! Hope everyone thinks I’m just goofing off and resting on my laurels... (Little WV love there with the state shrub) but I got a chip on my shoulder that needs shook off something serious.
 
Monday, October 8 View Page
Altoona was a lot of fun as it always is. Congratulations to Karl Haist who brought this monster!
 
Monday, October 8 View Page
Just what it took to end my off-season! How short they are... sulfur added, cover crop in, ready for seed season!
 
Saturday, October 20 View Page
HAH! Check it out!
 
Saturday, October 20 View Page
Must be something going on in Pittsburgh today...
 
Saturday, October 20 View Page
A little Pittsburgh history lesson :)
 
Saturday, October 20 View Page
Hats off to Dave Stelts for all the work he’s doing to put this event on! Lots of support in the area for this hobby and this is a great way to end the year!
 
Friday, October 26 View Page
Getting the critter numbers down slowly but surely
 
Friday, October 26 View Page
Got a winter compost pile started up
 
Friday, October 26 View Page
Getting some trees planted
 
Friday, November 2 View Page
Built a bigger pile :)
 
Friday, November 2 View Page
Also decided I was going to get a handle on the weed situation here. Things got out of control while I was gone...
 
Friday, November 2 View Page
My front patch which was off-season this year and will also be off next year. No tillage done, September soil test looked pretty good, but I was late to a cover crop due to tiller repair... how easy it is to get behind... everything inside the logs is weed seed germination after taking the patch to the soil with Glyphosate.
 
Friday, November 2 View Page
After one practice round, I found it fairly controllable, though I wouldn’t dream of getting within 3 or 4 feet of any plant I cared about with it. Was able to get past those straw bales without any issue...
 
Friday, November 2 View Page
You can see here two different zones. The lower left L shape has been done twice, while the top right was left for another day to see how effective the re-touch was. The first pass killed most annual weeds, but perennial weeds and thick blankets of annuals needed to be re-flamed. A slight re-passing of the torch is good to get the wilt after the initial pass heats everything up.
 
Friday, November 2 View Page
Whole patch cleaned. Two passes on 2500 sqft, took a little less than 2 hours total and used about 13 pounds of propane. Time to cover the soil for winter. I will note, this thing is super fun to use, but one needs to be most careful when hitting it the second time. I found myself chasing after little flare ups from the dead material of the first pass, so a hose close by is always a great idea just in case.
 
Saturday, November 3 View Page
Saw Bohemian Rhapsody today... great movie! Never expected to run into Freddy at a strongman competition though.
 
Friday, November 16 View Page
First snow of the year...
 
Friday, November 16 View Page
Not too bothered though, seems to be going just fine still.
 
Thursday, November 22 View Page
Happy Thanksgiving everyone:)
 
Monday, December 10 View Page
Looks like Santa comes early when you’re a veteran :)
 
Saturday, December 15 View Page
Since I slacked off this year, the wife and I decided to squeeze in one last trip before pumpkin season starts again.
 
Wednesday, December 19 View Page
What an amazing finish to a wonderful year of horticulture! Yes folks, one stump!
 
Wednesday, December 19 View Page
Stopped by the Charles Schultz museum :)
 
Wednesday, December 19 View Page
Lemons as big as my head out here!
 
Wednesday, December 19 View Page
Foppiano Winery, a charming little 5th generation family run estate.
 
Wednesday, December 19 View Page
Some late season Cabernet left on the vine “just for us” :)
 
Friday, December 21 View Page
Boys... always playing in the dirt...
 
Friday, December 21 View Page
Saw some really cool petrified redwoods
 
Friday, December 21 View Page
:)
 

 

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