Author Topic: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.  (Read 12240 times)

Pizzabrewer

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Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« on: April 02, 2017, 07:42:56 PM »
I can't even get upset this time. Every month it seems some random expense happens that leaves me scratching my head. At least they are small (under $50). But, a gazing ball?  Never heard of such a thing before today. Now we have one.

scottish

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2017, 08:04:05 PM »
Ooh, I like this one.   But how can I show up the neighbours if they're so inexpensive???


Kimera757

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2017, 08:04:28 PM »
I am confused. You didn't need one, so why did you buy one?

Pizzabrewer

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2017, 08:05:26 PM »
I am confused. You didn't need one, so why did you buy one?

Um. I didn't. My better half did.

checkedoutat39

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2017, 11:25:22 PM »
You mean those shiny spheres people put on pedestals in their yards? Those always struck me as... tacky.

partgypsy

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2017, 01:49:29 PM »
Well on my to buy list is to get a new bird bath. I have a concrete one, and the dish part no longer holds water for long : (. About as useful as a gazing ball but I do like looking at the birds.

Pizzabrewer

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2017, 01:56:15 PM »
You mean those shiny spheres people put on pedestals in their yards? Those always struck me as... tacky.

I can't disagree.  But I love my wife and if she wants it, I ain't arguing. 

Clean Shaven

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2017, 02:10:34 PM »
Can you see Mordor through it?


zolotiyeruki

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2017, 03:13:41 PM »
Can you see Mordor through it?


If someone starts selling ones that look like that, then maybe I can see the appeal :P

ltt

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2017, 07:58:08 PM »
I bought a gazing ball for around $13 or so---I just couldn't stomach paying around $35 that they wanted at the landscape store.   There is some interesting history about gazing balls on the HGTV website.

JLee

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2017, 09:32:35 PM »
I...did not know this was a thing.

rothnroll

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2017, 09:42:27 PM »
confused... ball gazer?

farfromfire

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2017, 03:36:19 AM »
I...did not know this was a thing.
Same here. Looks tackier than a garden gnome.

ducky19

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2017, 06:09:16 AM »
I...did not know this was a thing.
Same here. Looks tackier than a garden gnome.

Whoah!!!! What's your beef with garden gnomes?!?!?

farfromfire

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2017, 06:20:04 AM »
I...did not know this was a thing.
Same here. Looks tackier than a garden gnome.

Whoah!!!! What's your beef with garden gnomes?!?!?

I once tripped over one

Dicey

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #15 on: April 04, 2017, 07:14:29 AM »
I...did not know this was a thing.
Same here. Looks tackier than a garden gnome.

Whoah!!!! What's your beef with garden gnomes?!?!?

I once tripped over one
It probably wasn't an accident...

I'm a red panda

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #16 on: April 04, 2017, 07:53:09 AM »
We have one. I feel guilty of the cost, but I got it from a gift certificate.  It makes me smile when I see it in the garden, because I think of the neighbors who gave me the garden center certificate when we lost our son.  I like when the light hits it and I think of him and their kindness.

We also bought 4 trees and some flowers.  The dogs have mostly killed the flowers.  Word is still out on whether the trees survived their first winter.

MsSindy

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #17 on: April 04, 2017, 08:17:00 AM »
Ha, ha, these things are in about half the gardens around my neighborhood.  We always thought they looked tacky and joke about them.... but then I do have a frog statue..... so there's that.

farfromfire

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #18 on: April 04, 2017, 12:29:33 PM »
I...did not know this was a thing.
Same here. Looks tackier than a garden gnome.

Whoah!!!! What's your beef with garden gnomes?!?!?

I once tripped over one
It probably wasn't an accident...
I knew he did it on purpose! :(

Capsu78

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #19 on: April 04, 2017, 03:26:28 PM »
Guilty of having 4...one for the front (garage sale on that one), one for the back and 2 that top off the posts of the pergola I designed.

Cali Nonya

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #20 on: April 05, 2017, 08:40:49 AM »
But for how long must one gaze at a gazing ball for it to qualify as "gazing" and not just a yard ornament?

Capsu78

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #21 on: April 05, 2017, 11:18:56 AM »
I warn my grandchildren not to touch the purple reflective one because there is an alternate universe inside it where the sky is purple and if they touch it, they will be sucked into it... and I don't know if getting out will be as easy...  they usually run off to DW to see if it's true.   When they come back and tell me it's untrue, I tell them to at least say hello to my "other grandchildren they have never met" if they go through to the purple side.

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #22 on: April 05, 2017, 11:28:51 AM »
But for how long must one gaze at a gazing ball for it to qualify as "gazing" and not just a yard ornament?

It depends on whether you're wearing a wizard hat. If you've got a wizard hat it's a gazing ball automatically. Otherwise you have to stare at it until you're convinced you can see a vertical cat's eye pupil and hear voices from Mordor.

ambimammular

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #23 on: April 05, 2017, 08:02:23 PM »
I warn my grandchildren not to touch the purple reflective one because there is an alternate universe inside it where the sky is purple and if they touch it, they will be sucked into it... and I don't know if getting out will be as easy...  they usually run off to DW to see if it's true.   When they come back and tell me it's untrue, I tell them to at least say hello to my "other grandchildren they have never met" if they go through to the purple side.

Love this, and kind of want it to be turned into a short story.

Mr. Green

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #24 on: April 05, 2017, 09:03:02 PM »
If you have more than one do you say you're going out back to gaze at your balls? Lol

Goldielocks

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #25 on: April 06, 2017, 01:33:27 AM »
I can't even get upset this time. Every month it seems some random expense happens that leaves me scratching my head. At least they are small (under $50). But, a gazing ball?  Never heard of such a thing before today. Now we have one.

What!?  you only bought your first gazing ball this week?

OMG.

Goldielocks

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #26 on: April 06, 2017, 01:36:51 AM »
If you have more than one do you say you're going out back to gaze at your balls? Lol
In OP's case, to gaze at their spouse's balls.

partgypsy

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #27 on: April 06, 2017, 05:15:11 AM »
I warn my grandchildren not to touch the purple reflective one because there is an alternate universe inside it where the sky is purple and if they touch it, they will be sucked into it... and I don't know if getting out will be as easy...  they usually run off to DW to see if it's true.   When they come back and tell me it's untrue, I tell them to at least say hello to my "other grandchildren they have never met" if they go through to the purple side.


LOL

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #28 on: April 06, 2017, 05:20:31 AM »
But for how long must one gaze at a gazing ball for it to qualify as "gazing" and not just a yard ornament?

It depends on whether you're wearing a wizard hat. If you've got a wizard hat it's a gazing ball automatically. Otherwise you have to stare at it until you're convinced you can see a vertical cat's eye pupil and hear voices from Mordor.

I put on my robe and wizard hat

Mr Mark

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #29 on: April 06, 2017, 07:53:48 AM »
You mean those shiny spheres people put on pedestals in their yards? Those always struck me as... tacky.

I can't disagree.  But I love my wife and if she wants it, I ain't arguing.

If $50/month is your "Avoid divorce insurance payment" I'd  say well worth the price.

Cali Nonya

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #30 on: April 06, 2017, 01:22:53 PM »
But for how long must one gaze at a gazing ball for it to qualify as "gazing" and not just a yard ornament?

It depends on whether you're wearing a wizard hat. If you've got a wizard hat it's a gazing ball automatically. Otherwise you have to stare at it until you're convinced you can see a vertical cat's eye pupil and hear voices from Mordor.

I put on my robe and wizard hat

I'm sad, I only have a witch hat.

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #31 on: April 06, 2017, 02:34:50 PM »
But for how long must one gaze at a gazing ball for it to qualify as "gazing" and not just a yard ornament?

It depends on whether you're wearing a wizard hat. If you've got a wizard hat it's a gazing ball automatically. Otherwise you have to stare at it until you're convinced you can see a vertical cat's eye pupil and hear voices from Mordor.

I put on my robe and wizard hat

I'm sad, I only have a witch hat.

If there are balls involved, it becomes an honorary wizard hat.

MrsPete

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #32 on: April 09, 2017, 08:16:38 PM »
Totally serious:  Get a wooden or concrete ball and cover it with pennies (use gorilla glue to attach them).  Set them near your shrubbery and no slugs will come near.  Or if you don't think the penny-covered gazing ball is decorative, just throw a handful of pennies around your shrubs when you plant them.  Same result.  Slugs, after all, are nasty.

farfromfire

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #33 on: April 11, 2017, 03:53:48 AM »
Totally serious:  Get a wooden or concrete ball and cover it with pennies (use gorilla glue to attach them).  Set them near your shrubbery and no slugs will come near.  Or if you don't think the penny-covered gazing ball is decorative, just throw a handful of pennies around your shrubs when you plant them.  Same result.  Slugs, after all, are nasty.
This seems wrong on two levels - copper does not seem to deter slugs, and pennies barely have any copper.
http://www.gardenmyths.com/how-to-get-rid-slugs-with-copper/

Have you seen this work?

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #34 on: April 11, 2017, 07:29:36 AM »
The only reliable way I've found to get rid of slugs and snails is salt.

jinga nation

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #35 on: April 11, 2017, 07:51:27 AM »
<rant>
Who the heck has time to sit and gaze at a stationary ball?
That is so unAmerican on so many levels.
Don't these people have sports to watch, where the ball moves?
Don't they have time to go buy useless stuff online or at the mall, or junk food to consume?
Or drive around aimlessly in their big rigs, or coal roll?
Or buy a house that you can't afford and then spend countless hours cleaning the unused rooms?
Or watch reality TV which is scripted to a T?
Go stare at the moon if you've got time.
Stop buying useless shit when there's planetary objects for gazing.
</rant>

Clean Shaven

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #36 on: April 11, 2017, 07:55:07 AM »
^^^ Baller.

jinga nation

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #37 on: April 11, 2017, 08:00:19 AM »
Clean Shaven puns.

For y'all non-Swahili speakers, Jinga = So Stupid that yo momma disowns you.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2017, 08:42:41 AM by jinga nation »

fredbear

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #38 on: April 11, 2017, 06:19:05 PM »
The only reliable way I've found to get rid of slugs and snails is salt.

Ducks, especially fertile ducks that need the calcium from the snail shells to incorporate into the shells of their own eggs, will eat slugs enthusiastically and will eat snails until their bulging crop nearly topples them over.


MrsPete

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #39 on: April 12, 2017, 10:55:33 AM »
This seems wrong on two levels - copper does not seem to deter slugs, and pennies barely have any copper.
http://www.gardenmyths.com/how-to-get-rid-slugs-with-copper/

Have you seen this work?
I used to have trouble with slugs in my hydrageas.  Now I don't.  Do I know conclusively that this solution worked?  No, maybe the slugs found happier hunting grounds on their own, but I do know that I rarely see them anymore. 

The only reliable way I've found to get rid of slugs and snails is salt.
That's just cruel.  I remember my young daughter read somewhere that salt kills slugs, and she wanted to try it ... after some debate, I let her, and her immediate response was, "I wish I had listened.  I wish I hadn't seen that."

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #40 on: April 12, 2017, 11:17:11 AM »
The only reliable way I've found to get rid of slugs and snails is salt.
That's just cruel.  I remember my young daughter read somewhere that salt kills slugs, and she wanted to try it ... after some debate, I let her, and her immediate response was, "I wish I had listened.  I wish I hadn't seen that."

I think it's the violence of gardening that appeals to me. The lizards eat the squash bugs, the ladybugs eat the aphids, the chickens eat the ants and the tomato hornworms, and the black widows eat the roaches. I'm trying to find some wasps to get rid of the peach tree borers. Then of course the peas and pumpkins try to strangle each other. Among the vegetables, the survivors get eaten. By me. I am the apex garden predator.

For the slugs, I don't go hunting them. Instead, I pour a little ring of salt on the ground around what I want to protect, and the slugs go elsewhere. I don't recall having seen any little sluggy bodies around so I don't think they're kamikaze'ing in order to get at the marigolds unless their little buddies are hauling them off for a decent burial.

Mac_MacGyver

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #41 on: April 15, 2017, 06:16:57 AM »
I was hoping for an update on the gazing ball, how many hours a day do you look at it Pizzabrewer?

Pizzabrewer

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #42 on: April 15, 2017, 08:24:59 PM »
The dog takes more interest in it than I do.

Tom Bri

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #43 on: April 15, 2017, 10:24:06 PM »
Belongs in the same yard as the bottle tree. Do you have a big red star on your house?

Just Joe

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #44 on: April 17, 2017, 08:28:37 AM »
You mean a Russian star? The first time I saw one of those I thought - wow - there is a person not afraid to declare that they are communists! (I don't watch much TV so I guess it was part of a home show fad...)

Tom Bri

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #45 on: April 21, 2017, 01:54:29 AM »
You mean a Russian star? The first time I saw one of those I thought - wow - there is a person not afraid to declare that they are communists! (I don't watch much TV so I guess it was part of a home show fad...)

Not sure what they signify. Lots of people around here seem to like them, and hang them on the sides of their homes.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #46 on: April 21, 2017, 07:37:12 AM »
When I goggled Russian star, some of what popped up is what I consider communist imagery, but others were what I associate with Texas Lone Stars or with a Mariners Compass (quilting design).

I'd love a "barn quilt" or metal work mariners compass on my garage, but DH says no.

Pizzabrewer

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #47 on: April 21, 2017, 12:58:59 PM »
You mean a Russian star? The first time I saw one of those I thought - wow - there is a person not afraid to declare that they are communists! (I don't watch much TV so I guess it was part of a home show fad...)

There are a number of houses around here (central NY) with the stars.  Based on the political/demographic makeup of the population I can assure you it is NOT a sign of fealty to Russia or communism!!

BlueHouse

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #48 on: April 21, 2017, 01:27:50 PM »
You mean a Russian star? The first time I saw one of those I thought - wow - there is a person not afraid to declare that they are communists! (I don't watch much TV so I guess it was part of a home show fad...)

Not sure what they signify. Lots of people around here seem to like them, and hang them on the sides of their homes.

Do you mean the joist bolts?  Around here, those stars are put on brick walls to shore up the brick and mortar.  They are screwed into the house's joists. 
http://activerain.com/blogsview/2126096/star-bolts---they-aren-t-just-decoration-

NinjaSalad

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Re: Apparently we needed a gazing ball for the back yard.
« Reply #49 on: April 21, 2017, 02:46:15 PM »
Never had a gazing ball but I lived in apartment once where the landlords decorated the courtyard with old bowling balls. I remember one covered one in pennies and a bowling ball baby (bowling ball with doll head, arms and legs attached).

But my absolute favorite was a clear bowling ball with a plastic snake inside - man, I miss that place!

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!