Cinders and Centipede Grass

[Kelena]

Sometimes in real estate listings, I see "red cinders already down!" as if this were something extra-special. On one occasion I saw something called "centipede grass". Why are red cinders and centipede grass so special?

[waynesb]

Cinders down would (I believe) be equivalent to "gravel driveway installed".

Don't know about the centipede grass. Maybe it's to do with the conspiracy centipedes and spiders have to drive away newcomers?

[Kelena]

My nightmare: I wake up thirsty, get a glass, go to the sink, turn on the tap and water and a frog come pouring out. In horror, I drop the glass, shattering it. Looking up through the kitchen window, I see a red wall of molten flame heading my way. I reach for my jeans and pull them on. As I do, a burning sensation comes from my inner thigh. I pull my jeans down -- pausing to remember why I like me -- only to see a giant welt, and a half-crushed centipede. I run, with one pant leg on toward the door, only to get stung in the cheek by the biggest spider I have ever seen, who has cast his web across my door.

There, that should keep prices low until I get there.

[Carolann R]

Well it nearly did it for me, Glen! And we have a home to go to! Thanks for all the fears one could have in lump sum LOL!

Carrie

"To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater." Bono
http://www.hellophoenix.com/art/dreamhawaii.Cfm

[toucano]

Let me put your fear of centipedes to rest (or at least reduce them a tad bit). I had an encounter with one. On my shoulder-blade. It apparently crawled up the back of my T-shirt without my knowing it. I didn't see it even after the sting. But those who saw the marks said it was a rather big one. The pain was never intense. I continued to work the rest of the day moving big rocks. The pain was about like a dull toothache that I only noticed from time to time. I did take a Tylenol that night and that is very rare for me. The next day I did not feel anything. I was far from the worst or most painful thing I have ever felt.

The moral for me is:
1. don't go barefoot inside or outside,
2. wear gloves working in the garden/outside,
3. look before you grab something to lift it

As I type, I am sporting a really interesting cut in the middle of my forehead where a fishing bobber hit me with enough force to break a hole in the bobber. Not to sound macho, but it never hurt. I was amazed. Luckily my blood coagulates very quickly. Walking back to the car I did get a lot of questions from people we passed like: "Are you O.K.????" and "What happened to you!". All I could say was "Never pull on a 20# test line that is snagged because it may snap and the bobber just may come flying back and smack you in your noggin'."

The moral for me is:
1. Never pull on a 20# test line that is snagged because it may snap and the bobber just may come flying back and smack you in your noggin'."

I'm just hoping there isn't a permanent scar. My fishing buddy thought it looked kind of cool - like the imprint of a small kiss. It ought to be a great conversation piece if it does. And no, I'm not taking any Tylenol for this.

If I had time, I'd tell you about putting a 1 3/4" finishing nail thru my... never mind... I need to go admire my latest wound.

Ho hum... just anothe day in Paradise.

.

[Carolann R]

Don't go barefoot INSIDE?! Are they THAT prevalent?

Carrie

"To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater." Bono
http://www.hellophoenix.com/art/dreamhawaii.Cfm

[Carolann R]

Oh MAN. I can only think of one thing that I'm scared of about Island living...you guessed it. We're getting chickens! I'll have 'em vocally altered if I have to LOL!


Is there some kind of a barrier you can spray outside the house? We just had the house tented last month. That should help, right?


Carrie

"To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater." Bono
http://www.hellophoenix.com/art/dreamhawaii.Cfm

[JerryCarr]

To answer the second part of Glen's question, centipede grass is a turf grass that spreads by sending creeping, thickly bladed runners out from the original plantings. It is great if you want a lawn, and it does seem to grow well in the local cinder soil. Fortunately, the only resemblance to the noxious pest is its creeping growth habit.

Aloha,
Jerry

[Kelena]

That solves it Jerry, thanks. I honestly thought that it was a super-sharp bladed type of grass that centipedes could not crawl over --like diatamaceous earth for snails. Still learnin' here.

[mella l]

http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/turf/public...shore.html

The grass I dream of planting is called seashore paspalum. It is very fine low growing almost like golfing greens quality. Sometimes it is available on island. Take a look at the last paragraph on this site and it compares to centipede grass for the tropics. Good growing.

mella l