Sue,

Despite my harping about the weather, there was actually two days in a row (Tuesday-Wednesday) without rain or snow, and we saw the SUN. I worked like a demon cutting back dead, rotting vegetation, doing my best to net the shebunkins (fish) out of the water garden, and noticed despite the early killing freezes there was still a lot of shabby beauty in my gardens. Asters still blooming, daylily foliage a bright gold, hardy geraniums turning purple and yellow and orange, sugar maples with the last of the leaves fluttering in the wind and despite the odds, my large Japanese maple (which shouldn't be here at all) with flaming scarlet color, so beautiful that I took the long way around repeatedly while doing my chores just so I could feast my eyes on it.

On a practical level, I am mulching my seedling trees and first-year semi-hardy perennials, dividing and replanting lily bulbs, placing pot shards over plants like lewisias and chiastophyllum that are hardy but can't take winter wet, determining what the great seeds I have traded for need to germinate, updating my trade list, housebreaking my puppy, trying to keep up my diet and exercise regimen...

Hope springs eternal.

Kate

Hi Sue,
We have been very busy at work, lots of overtime and out of town trips which is good because we need the money. I have just finished getting 1200 packs of seed ready for an offer I'll be posting soon on the Seed Exchange. I'm planning on going to the P.O. Saturday to discuss postal rates. I'm not really looking forward to that. I might take my home made template just in case!
jim_6b

It's nice to hear that you got a couple of nice days Kate, to get so much done. Isn't having a new puppy about like having a 2 year old? You can't turn your back on them, and they need and want entertained whenever they aren't sleeping. My pup is about 7 months old now, and can now be outside with the big girls (furbabies) and they keep her entertained.

Jim, I wish you luck at the PO Saturday. I hate to see you have to ask for more postage than what it should be and have the USPS steal yet more $$ from seed traders and collectors. I went to town today, but missed getting there early enough to talk to my Post Master. I was going to ask if he would mail you one of the templates so you could take it in with you.

When you go tomorrow, would you mind asking for one of your own, since they are 'supposed' to provide them free of charge. If they refuse, or give you some lip, I'll just mention it to my Postmaster and see if he can maybe get you fixed up.

hmmm...When you are there talking to them, why not have them sign a piece of paper stating what the cost would be to mail a bubble, 6' X 9", less than 1 OZ, flexible, contents evenly distributed and not shifting? Just mention that you want it for your records, and once you get it in hand, tell them you also wanted to send it on the Post Master General as proof that they did not know what the correct charges are.

If you have problems, please post here, or drop me an email. I'm wondering if TN is under the same Consumer Affairs Manager (in Louisville) as what IN is. There are 8 of them, so they must have to cover numerous states.

Good Luck!

Sue...quittin b4 she starts twitchin

Dog paddling...Rain-Rain-Rain and More Rain!Cleared off last evening and unless weatherman is lying...suppose to have clear weather for 3-5 days(depending on what channel I watch at any given time)...but at least it's going to be clear for the Boils and Ghouls T&Ting tonight.

Oh stop it,Sue...your making my brain hurt...LOL Spreadsheets....Lord save me. But it does remind me I need to dig,divide and find places for over grown patches of jonquils(you say daffodils)Jet Fire and Tete(not sure just how to spell that one) and a bunch of farm house jonquils and paperwhites that haven't been dug and divide since I planted them 25-30 years ago...and one wonders why they don't bloom any more...LOL

Lot of mowing,weeding,raking and mulching on the schedule next week.Breaking out the brush killer to dab on vines and trash trees that keep coming back up in my flowerbeds no mater how often I pull them out. Brick path to lay hopefully between now and before real winter weather sets in.

I'm starting Tai Chi classes next week on Mondays and Wednesday and hopefully will have energy for Turbo Jam sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Monday nights Ladies Aux. meeting was cancel...Thank goodness because I have Navtive Plant So. meeting Thursday night then next Wed. other garden club has luncheon then on to cleaning,prepping and sewing seed on our Hwy wildflowers project....don't know how that'll work out for me since all I want to do after a big meal is flop on the couch in front of the boob tube.

My hub's has offered to find me something to do so I won't be wasting those 6-7 hrs I spend at night trying to sleep...isn't he just too sweet?

P

Hi Sue,
I posted a message to you on your 'beautiful autumn day' thread..don't know if you got an E on it or not...

yesterday, I chopped leaves and cleaned some of my Mom's garden beds...the volunteer Rudbeckia Triloba plants are trying to take over! I cut down the hibiscus stalks and picked up a ton of 'sticks' from the big trees -due to lots of wind yesterday. Rained last night, but if it dries off enough, I need to chop my leaves today ...

still have lots of clean up to do...and, bring in my Christmas Cactus plants- and plant a couple of things-
my list is pretty long! LOL

I collected a few seeds, and have a ton from last year-
I plan to offer them at winter sowing first- they all w/s very well! I am going to be looking for some tomato seeds -I want a large pink tomato to try- and I want to grow some 'shell out beans' -hoping to find the seeds on exchange...

I have my first grandbaby -born Sept 4th - spending time with him watching him change and grow- we think he is beautiful (of course!) Got another great nephew coming very soon- 2 babies for Christmas this year...what FUN!!

my Mom is doing pretty good..took a fall a month ago, but no broken bones- she turned 88 this month...

life is good!
best wishes
Happy Halloween!
Linda (by the airport)

Hey you guys!! Howareya? Been busy with my job at the library and not doing so much trading as I used to. I was thinking about YOU, Sue, because my boss was stressing out about the "pink" daffodils they ordered and being worried about them being too pink. I think the pink is kinda like "blue" flowers and that they will most likely be pretty much orange with some peachy pinky tints. She still worried tho, in your experience, sue, are there any REAL pink daffodils?

dorisl,
I ordered "pink" daffs years ago. The best they done is peach...or maybe watered down apricot is better description.

Still trying to work in the yard but keep getting distracted but I did manage to totaly clean out a 20-25x4 ft. bed that runs along the drive(gave all the plants to friends w/ new house and 2 acres yard to do)then replanted it in a kitchen door garden.Season's ending for veg.seed sewing for us but I still was able to sew a pretty good size patch of turnips and the rest I did in 3 kinds of spinach,2 kinds of radishes and Autumn King carrots.

Yesterday,went with garden club to lunch at local mexican rest. then we went to clean,weedwhack,rake and sew wildflower seed on a 1000sq.ft area along main hwy into town. Tough to do after big lunch and all I wanted to do was go take a nap...LOL

Peggy

OOPS...got behind on this thread.

Peggy,
I am still working on my spreadsheets and making labels in preparation to then plant, plant, plant without having to stop and make more labels. I have targeted Thanksgiving for having all bulbs, or nearly all the important bulbs planted. I'm not as concerned about the few NO ID daffs I have and the 250 or so specie tulips and muscari. I can sneak them in easily anywhere anytime before a good ground freeze.
You wear me out with everything you have going so many evenings? Has all of the exercising given you more energy?

Linda,
Congratulations on your very first grand baby. I'm sure he caused a lot of excitement for everyone and hope he is doing great.
Sorry to hear of your Mom's fall, but glad it was nothing serious. Possibly it served as a good warning to try and be very careful. She sure seems to be doing well for her age and please tell her I am looking forward to her making it to the next swap...hear?

Doris,
I'm sure the daffs your boss got will not to too pink. I'm going to guess that they were likely ordered from Breck's. If so, their pics are touched up and are not a good depiction of their true colors.

Here is Breck's Pink Collection (not!)

Here are some pics that better show their true colors
Chromacolor at Daffseek
Romance at Daffseek
Pink Charm at Daffseek

In attending some local Daffodil Shows, I did see many daffs that had a very pretty pink color to them...a true soft pink, nothing peachy about it. Another thing too, is that a daffs color changes as the bloom matures. A bloom that emerges as a yellowy peach can turn its true color of being more pink as it matures.

The pic below is Salome on the left and Mrs. R. O. Backhouse on the right.
{{gwi:32496}}

The pic below was taken one day later (and some blooms were added), but you can seed how they have 'pinked up' a good bit. Neither are ones I would call one of the truer pinks though compared to what I have seen at shows.
{{gwi:32498}}

Peggy, your garden club lunch and then work sounds like a lot of fun. I hope it does well and you get us some pics next year.

Sue...off to hopefully finish up pretty well on labels today.

When this thread was posted I was on bed rest with H1N1.