Things looking a bit better around here after todays efforts-lawn mowing (which takes about 4 minutes) nice sharp edge to the back yards beds created with my trusty shovel, a bit of watering..lots of flopping going on though-floppy C. moonbeam, floppy Nepeta, floppy Penstemon. Not much that one can do at this stage except a little bit of trimming here and there. Ants breeched the fortress on the hummingbird feeder so I had to re-do the Tanglefoot barrier . Bought garlic marinated olives at the olive bar at Whole Foods and am resisting having olives for dinner.

bug, one wonders what that giant mushroom might go for at the grocery store ! ID on the rose pic ? Love that soft yellow center.

Mary, so did you have a hot dog and a beer at the ballgame ? And sang "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" with gusto ? So nice that you are having a fun visit I imagine school is just round the corner for you, and this is the last hurrah for summer break.

Chelone, I wholeheartedly support your instincts to buy at the smaller nursery though if both are locally owned and operated you can feel good about your choice either way.

Off to move the water one more time-surely is quiet around here today !

Kathy in Napa

Martie-Hope you had a great time with your friend-since-you-were-10 :) That's the friend I go on Princess Weekend with, and we both act like MORONS when we get together and get a couple of glasses of wine in us. Wonderful for your DB to have a creative outlet!

Michelle, I know the next month will fly by for you. ((Michelle))
My DH also gets a little freaked when I divide something, and pitch extras. Obedient plant?? Come on, how many do you really need to save?

Denise, I use an alarm clock..and I seldom have to be anywhere at a certain time. I've found that in the off-season, I'm much better off if I get up at a set time. Otherwise, I'm like a kid on summer vacation, and sleep later and later every day. Then, it's MURDER when it's time to farm again.

Woody, I'd have to go with the vibrating alarm under the pillow..a light would never wake me up unless it was a 400 watt bulb suspended about an inch above my face. I can sleep through just about anything. When DH and I were first married, a sow escaped in the middle of the night, and he was out chasing her around the house and I slept through it all. Pretty amazing, if you knew the colorful dialog that went along with the chase ;)

V-that was me with the bed, and how's this for odd-I never make the bed in the morning, but HAVE to straighten it all up before I get in at night. When I came home from my weekend away, DH had tidied up the bed and had the sheet on sideways. Length-wise it was okay, but I could have never fallen asleep with the stripes going sideways.

To all who couldn't stand a tractor pull: I have not been to one since, and it DID cross my mind that evening that this guy needs to get out more. He had never even been to the MALL. He believes to this day that he married a fairly sophisticated worldly woman, and I see no need to tell him any different, lol!

Chelone, LOL at your first date plan! I like the way you think!

Anita, your summer border is lovely! My 'Fireworks' have been blooming for a while now. It's always seemed to me that they bloom much earlier than they should. Location, maybe? I dunno!
DGS and Tequila are both adorable!

Jerri, how did the "adoptathon" go? The local shelter does that from time to time at a farm supply store here. The two dogs we have seem to be plenty, but I do make a point to take supplies to the shelter from time to time. It angers me to see puppies at the shelter because people don't have their dogs spayed and neutered, and it mostly seems to be large breed dogs.

Bug, Cool mushroom skull! Almost as alien to me as a size 7.5 sandal...don't believe I've seen one of those since I was in the 4th grade ;) I love the soft yellow of that rose..sweet!

We went to see Dark Knight today with the boy, and it was excellent. For sure, needed to be viewed on a big screen. Heath Ledger did a superb job as the Joker. Then we went to eat at the restaurant where DS's GF works. Sweet girl, and I enjoy giving her pointers on how to keep my boy in line. It got to about 90 here today, so sitting in the cool theater and restaurant was just what the doctor ordered. Our plan this evening is to watch another movie DS loaned us, "300". I have no idea what it's about, but since the purchase of the bedroom tv, we can watch it in the only air conditioned room in the house..yay! Plus, I'm getting a pat on the back for the wonderful idea it was to buy the tv in the first place. Sometimes, it's like shootin' fish in a barrel, ya know?
Have a good evening, all!
Brenda

That is some mushroom! I googled "giant round mushroom", and I think I found a link that names what it is.

Mary...sounds like a great time in Toronto. You sure packed in a wide variety of activities in a short time. Memories in the making.

Chelone...I agree with your thought process on choosing a nursery. I have to look up that viburnum, it's one I haven't heard of. I've just started my interest in them, so far I have two small V. dentatum 'Blue Muffin.' They get big fast. The hair cut you described sounds young and hip. Not sure you really want white walls, though. That's bald! Sounds like you want an asymmetric short graduated cut. It's a popular style right now, and always in fashion. I wear a graduated bob, though not asymmetric.

I got a lot of the mulch down, with DH's help, but didn't finish like I wanted to. I kept getting sidetracked by weeding and watering chores. Then the DGS's came over, so I had to quit early.

Have a nice night.

Anita

Mary - it sounds like you all are having a good time in Toronto. Where does Clousseau (sp?) stay when you're away? Sometime you should bring him to meet Misty - then you could drop him off here when you visit Toronto....

A cute couple of pictures from this evening...
Misty meets her match; this kitty has her number!:
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(gb - that's the red Abyssinian cat I was telling you about - the one that 'put the fear of God' into Chelsea the first time they met when it went into that slinky stalking/hunting pose and started towards Chelsea - who wisely decided hiding behind me was the safest place to be!) A closer view of a formidiable kitty:
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Brenda - the 'bed shaker' vibrating alarm doesn't work for me but you'd be surprised how effective a flashing light is at waking you up....

Too pooped to read much but I love that photos! LOL
I got this is an email. It's a little long but I really liked it.
________________________________________________________

Old Age, I decided, is a gift
I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family (OK, so I'd trade some of my family! LOL)for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?
I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60&70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love . I will.
I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set .
They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.
Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver
As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.
So, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)
Jerri

Had to mow more today...starting the whole routine again for the second time since our return.

Giant puffball seems to be it! It is so tempting to pop it, but we have resisted so far.

Red cat is indeed a match for Mysty!

OK, the rose is "Crocus Rose". It is best for me in the Fall and develops new reddish foliage then. Before late summer we always seem to have the terrible sawfly caterpillars that munch EVERYTHING on the roses. I also bought a new "own root" 'Golden Wings' this summer. The first one I had was lovely but grafted and the suckers were a terrible problem.

Went to shop for clothes fo0r DH. I really find it pitiful that he can't dress himself at age 67. So we got 3 pair of 619 jeans in size 34-30. Is that so hard to write down and stick in your wallet? Apparently so. Also got another pair of the same shoes he always wears. No brainer. I threw in 3 T shirts. By then he was tired and needed an iced capucino and then home again. I fear I'll be caring for my version of Chelone's Mom one day soon...

Had a nice call from a good friend who just returned from holidays. They visited with DD and family while they were away, missing Skyler but falling in love with Reed. She is a psychologist with the Catholic School Board in Toronto and we had a good long conversation on bullying and a productive chat too on child custody schedules and what works best in her experience.

Finally got around to preparing dinner after 8PM...and that turned out to be a quick mushroom omelet with a fresh salad with toasted pine nuts. Dessert was fresh peaches...with ice cream for DH. No, it wasn't the mushroom from our garden!

Still more weekend left to enjoy!
'bug

Anita, what a nice surprise to see you pop in with your adorable GS and gardens. Nice score at the nursery. You have no idea how foreign hostas are to me. That's one plant that's never crossed my garden threshold...yet.

Woody, that creature looks more tasmanian devil than cat! I'm also wondering what Clousseau is up to while his family frolics.

The mushroom photo looks like it belongs on the front page of the Enquirer with the caption: "Alien Orb Suspected in Disappearance of Canadian Woman, Only Sandal Found."

I'm enjoying the results of the informal alarm clock survey, which seem to confirm it's more a guy thing. If I had to use one, I'd probably prefer the one that rattles the pillow.

Cindy, my sun/shade areas are in transition too. My Paisley abutilon is crisping on the leaf edges. The prime dappled shade real estate is mostly taken already.

Jerri, fingers crossed for your pups.

Martie, your visiting the "Dniece" really makes me hate my name all over again ;)

Chelone, I hear you on the heat of a Paris theater. It's kind of a shock to find out most of Europe lacks AC, at least the hotels and places I visit. (Strangely enough, I found notes just yesterday from an old trip we took in the '90s: "Wallet lifted by gypsies at Eiffel Tower. Mood plummets.") That's amazing that you got the same kind of morose seat mates this time for MFL as you did for The Producers. One of my favorite plant nursery owners has a haircut just like you describe contemplating -- looks smashing on her.

I do make the bed...after a fashion. Nothing military, just kind of throw the covers back in place. Since Marty is often sleeping off night shifts, there's not much point.

Brenda, geek that I am, I saw Dark Knight on the day it opened...AND I intend to see it again at an IMAX theater. I liked the new Woody Allen movie too, tho haven't kept up much with his recent movies -- but this one, filmed in Barcelona with Javier Bardem, what's not to like? And if you like intense, nonstop sword fighting by barely clad men reenacting the Battle of Thermopylae, you'll love 300 ;)

I talked Mitch into renting a telephoto lens from a camera shop in Hollywood for the concert footage tonight, since the stage was changed to make it virtually impossible to get in close. They had to accommodate a 70-piece brass band. The lens was $45 for the day to rent...but required a $3500 refundable deposit against a credit card. Yikes! I'll be pacing until both he and the lens return safe around midnight. I called him to admonish do not go out with pals after show, come straight home, and he just IM'd to say with this lens, he can see the performers' pores.

Viewing has been Helen Mirren's Prime Suspect rented from the library. I told Marty now I know how to be middle-aged after watching Helen...what an impressive woman!

Today was a gorgeous one. DH made some more progress on the front yard by creating a pillar on each side of the new sidewalk. Im planning on adding a large container on top of each. The beans got picked along with a nice sized eggplant, both were consumed for dinner. All the shrubs that were moved got their daily drink. They seem to be doing pretty well for an August move.

Fall plans include moving many things. Ive been making a list.

We got stopped the other night on our way home for a burned out license plate light. I could hear the deputys dog bark. I said to DH now that would be something if he brought the dog to sniff us out. He didnt. I couldnt see him, but when he was finished with business he asked if our car was a diesel and what we got for mileage. When he heard, his reply was "sweet" Hold old do you suppose he was???

Jerri, thanks for the words of wisdom. Exactly how I want to live my life. My BF since I was 10 died 4 years ago from cancer. I think of her often and realize how each day that I live longer than her is really a true gift.

Brenda, I got a good laugh at your description of your DH when you met him. We joke here about being fresh off the farm.

Chelone, I almost sprayed my computer screen when I read about your first date.

Denise, where you live you could get by with an outdoor bathtub. Here in Iowa it would be less practical. LOL on your comment about the alien mushroom. You gals are really cracking me up tonight!

Im an alarm clock user during the week but I actually wake up pretty early on weekends so I probably dont really need it.

Anita, your DGS is absolutely adorable. I think I have that same bench that he is sitting on. I take a picture of my granddaughter on it every year.

bug, I didnt know that mushrooms got that big, but since Anitas link was from Iowa State U I guess we must have them here.

Night all
Michelle

A couple of pictures from last Sunday. As we waited for the "ocean liner" to depart we spent a little time at the amusement park. We did the "free" stuff.

Kenzie checks out the mirrors in the fun house.
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Our little monkey:
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Just a quick drop in. Bella found a new victim to read to today. We're dogsitting my sister's dog, Sophie, for the weekend.

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Eden

A retro evening watching a DVD of Never on Sunday-(1960 or thereabouts?) Im pretty sure the last time I saw it my age had a 1 as the first digit . It holds up pretty well I must say.

Woody, I have always loved Abyssinians, though I am a committed shelter-cat owner at this point. What a photo !

Jerri, what nice sentiments in your post- hope you had some nibbles on the pups?

Im thinking Invasion of The Body Snatchers if that mushroom gets much bigger. Hopefully tommows pic wont feature a billiard tableor was that The Blob ?
Lol Denise, Im seeing the Nat Enquirer featuring our own GB. Hope that lens makes it home safe and sound .

Thats all for me. See yall in the AM for coffee

Kathy in Napa

Happy Birthday Deanne!

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Eden

Very humid this morning. I forgot to close the windows on my car yesterday and the heavy dew has fogged the inside of them. The forecast is for a nice, sunny day so I expect the "overcast" to burn off as it begins to warm up. All my usual morning chores are long since finished and I should probably get moving on the roadside weeding, but I just don't feel like getting out there just yet.

Denise, I cracked right up over the alien kidnapping the Canadian woman, leaving only a sandal behind. I like the way your mind works. :) I also chuckled over the security deposit for the lens and the attendant caveats to "come straight home".

Woody, I love the action shots involving a friendly dog and a kitty who is "just makin' sure" everyone knows where things stand. Pretty cat! I am always amazed at how fearless cats can be. "Posturing" plays such an important role in the lives of animals, and we could take a lesson from them with respect to easily things are settled. I think the vibration under the pillow would be my choice for an alarm clock. I learn the neatest things from you.

I really like the shots of Kenzie, esp. the one with the chimps on the bench, "monkey see, monkey do". And the "ocean liner" thing tickles me, too. When I about 5-6 Dad took me to Boston with him on a Saturday, after he did his paperwork at the office we went to one of the piers and toured a liner, the Christofo Columbo. It was really fun and I remember watching them loose the lines and watching for a long time as it left the harbor, outbound for sea. We always did fun things like that, and I've every confidence Kenzie will remember all these little adventures for the rest of her life. I'm sure you will miss her terribly.

Bellathaball certainly has reading to the dogs down to science now, doesn't she?

I see some faint sunshine over my shoulder, though the sea breeze is clammy and not terribly warm. I finally managed to eliminate the mosquito that has been pestering me since I sat down here. And now I'm hoping for some Idyll diversion to justify postponing the move to the weed field.

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Praise be the orientation to detail exhibited by Eden!

A slice of Idyll summer from my favorite garden:

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And who's that in the background? gotcha!

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May your day be spendid, Deanne. :)

Morning has broken....

It is a humid sticky one again.
I did not make the bed..again. Because of the weather, I rarely do in summer. It is only a sheet anyway, and it must be tucked in at the bottom for me, giving a fair share to each of us. The cats often settle in such a way that I get none.

How can it be Deanne's birthday already? I must put thought into finding an appropriate card for the day.

Michelle, distance grandparenthood is the pits. We'll have to share ideas as time goes on. My mother on the other hand, really liked things that way. There was none of the sticky stuff, no decisions or conflict, just the news and progress on a post card. No, not the style for me. (Do they even make postcards any more?)

OMG! A horrendous panic and noise errupted JUST NOW and my clock and desk papers are everywhere! It seems that Vita was inside two plastic bags (from DH's clothing purchases yesterday) and was entangled in them and raced around frantically to escape. The bags have been recovered, but we have yet to locate the cat.

Later,
'bug

Happy Birthday, Deanne!

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I can't claim credit for this container; it's from the Ball Seed gardens. I wish I had thought to move the stray water bottle before I took the photo.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

V.

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I hope you have a great day!

Some pictures from this morning's walkies...

This is Zoe the young Rottweiler who lives on the street behind us and is one of Misty's big buddies:
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She's a 'cookie monster' and LOVES my homemade dog cookies I always carry with me:

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Misty is a slow eater - Zoe had three cookies before Misty finished one. When Zoe tried to steal Misty's cookie, Misty told her off right smartly! Our nickname for Zoe is 'greedy-guts' :-)
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Thank goodness for the cooldown the rains last night brought. Yesterday was hot and muggy.

Michelle, what great shots of Kenzie. Every moment must seem all the more precious with her now that you know the date they're moving. Are you putting in new front gardens? I'm not exactly clear what your doing?

Denise, wow, that's quite a deposit on the lens. Hope it made it back safe and sound.

No alarm clock here for me. I rarely have to be somewhere in the morning but I've never needed an alarm. I'm always pretty good at knowing what time it is within 10 minutes or so except when I'm working in the garden and then time gets away from me.

I like the bed made and the sheets tucked in. Brad kicks them out at and I have to redo them every morning. He says his feet aren't on hinges.

That's some mushroom Marie.

Anita, your grandson is a cutie! And the puppy too! Thanks for sharing the beautiful garden shots. I went through a phase of hosta collecting a few years ago and have many, well over 100, varieties to show for it crammed into my little garden.

Chelone, I can't wait to take Bella to shows when she gets a little older. We listen to the original cast recording of My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews sometimes.

Brenda, the bedroom tv sounds like it's a hit. Glad Princess Weekend was a success.

Sue, your vacation picture reminded me so much of the view my mom and dad have from their deck. They live on Presque Isle Harbor on Lake Huron and have a large marina just down the way from them so there are always lots of big sailboats sitting out there in the evening and early morning.

I'm off to the nursery to look for a few new miniature plants and then we'll probably spend this afternoon at the park and Bella put in a request yesterday to make a visit to the dairy to see her cows which translates into hot fudge sundaes too. Mine with vanilla ice cream. Hope you all have a great day.

Eden

Yesterday morning was extremely hot and humid, so I spent the morning working on the back yard gardens. Cut back a few things, yanked a few weeds that were trying to hide in the middle of plants and generally primped. Of course, after I wore myself out in the heat, the humidity went poof in mid-afternoon and it turned into a lovely evening. We had a very nice time at a patio party with the group from church.

I finally downloaded the photos from the camera, so I thought I would share a few with you. For starters, I'd love to hear some feedback on this flower:

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It's an unnamed echinacea cultivar being considered for introduction. What do you all think? I should add that, while I snapped a close-up of the bloom, the plant had lots of blooms/buds and sturdy stems.

Here's a Canadian sunrise to enjoy. I'm not sure how I got the camera to take a black & white shot, but it worked well in a very low light situation.

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Here's another Sunrise to enjoy.

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And a very wet Mystic.

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Enjoy your day!

V.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEANNE!!!!!!

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Martie

HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS DEANNE!!!
I hope the sun smiles on you all day.
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Alarm clock set on work days only so today took full advantage and slept in. Ours is a progressive beeper and is so annoying that it does its job well. Without it, I'd be doomed to lateness :-)

V: I like the Echinacea. Height? Looks good and full but flopover is always a concern so hope it is shorter than most? Can we have a naming contest???? Also really like your B&W shot.

Denise - Dniece trip was great and just putting in DN could leave way too many options open. LOL about the aliens. Is the lens really worth that much???? Whew!

Michelle - I love that Kenzie always seems to be in motion. The legs certainly suggest swinging, as it should be.

Eden - If Bella doesn't end up doing something with animals in her later life, I'd be amazed. She is a little beauty! Thanks for remembering Deanne's B-day for the rest of us.

Hoping the traffic slows down for you, Chelone. On the way to Boston yesterday the Mass Pike to/from 495 was horrendous and can only imagine what 95 was like. Will it slow down after Labor Day? Gotta love the flexibility of Viburnum.

Anita - Great finds! We're not Costco members but our neighbors are, so whenever good garden deals are available she lets me know. Very cool Hosta collection. Not enough good spots to do them total justice here, but can't imagine a garden without them.

Mary - Since it was the first family ballgame, you're almost forgiven for cheering for the Jays. LOL Glad you had a good time and I'll bet there's a minor league team nearby to follow when you get the urge.

'bug - As children we were doomed if we popped one of those. "Spores will spread all over the lawn and you won't have any place to play!!!!" Is that really true?? (She asks after all these years. LOL)

Kathy - Anytime you want to mow for more than 3 minutes just pop out to Connecticut :-) Thought of you a lot as we made our way through New York wine country this week, and would really be interested to know how massive acres of grapes are harvested without getting them all squashed. Only experience I have with grapes are wild ones and, well, it's just not the same.

Tobacco harvest is in full swing and the fields across from us are now barren excepting the few plants that stay as a ceremonial "thank you" in the local custom. The hum of tractors and the lilt of voices is reassurance that while time goes on, some things stay the same.

Tried some serious weeding and it's still a bit too soon to be on knees and pulling at the same time. I'm reminding myself that anything is better than it was four years ago so attitude again prevails! LOL

Got a great message from my boss yesterday (Saturday so that no disability provisions about work contact would be crossed) saying "We NEED you back here!!" amongst other chitchat. It might just've been a nice thing to say, but made me feel pretty darn good.

Waving to all....

Martie

Happy Birthday Deanne !!

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Happy birthday, Deanne!

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Hi everyone! Had to download photos from the last couple weeks that were still in my camera in order to find one suitable for the birthday gal. Couldn't make up my mind, but finally decided on some containers in our patio area.

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Happy Birthday Deanne!

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Anemonopsis macrophylla

I just love Birthdays on the Idylls. Good job. :)

I'm supposed to be cleaning the bath. That takes a little working up to on my only day off. Saturdays at PetSmart don't count as a day off.

DH was supposed to help with the house today and just decided he 'had' to go into to work. :(

I had several people wanting the puppies but they were gang type people. It's very hard to adopt out 'bully' breeds to good homes here . It's funny that these babies look tough and are just big couch potatos!

Jerri

A beautiful day here, and Im presently enjoying my lunch break after a quick run to the nursery ( I just CANT buy any more plants.) I had taken down a plant stand from my patio area in the spring to try to reduce clutter there , but today I decided to haul it out again to put at the rear of my begonias. Of course I didnt have enough stuff to fill all the shelves . I went to our little local nursery that grows their own stock and I got these 6 coleus for a buck a piece and the 1g Aloe for 8.50.. Yay ! I finally have a bargain to share on the Idylls !

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Ok, time to move the water and get these guys into pots..

til later..Kathy in Napa

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEANNE!

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From the conservatory at Wave Hill

Oh my goodness! What fun! Thanks so much everyone for all the lovely birthday cards. You are all the best! Im having a wonderful birthday weekend. Yesterday Monique, Les and Sue drove up here to NH to help me celebrate my birthday and we did garden tours with frozen margaritas in hand, then lounged on the patio enjoying Les killer guacamole and Sues lovely shrimp cocktail. (Luke and Rahjii also enjoyed a few shrimp the spoiled brats!) After a leisurely hour or so with the appetizers we had filet mignon with grilled summer squashes, eggplant, new potatoes that had been marinated in garlic and olive oil. Double yum! We moved the party to the lawn in the shade area and let dinner settle before Monique unveiled the crowning glory of the birthday dinner - a fabulous coffee/nut torte with a butter cream frosting that was just to die for. Monique is the best baker I know. The cake was simply wonderful! Monique and Les brought me a box of lovely and unusual plants that I didnt have (can you believe it?) and Sue found a bottle of Dry Creek Fume Blanc that is my very favorite white wine and even brought it to the party chilled. The day and weather but most especially the company could not have been better.

Today I did a lot of puttering about in the gardens and Doug has been working for hours trying to fix my lap top. We thought he had it fixed but it had some type of nasty Trojan virus that wound up hosing the booting up system and hes had to re-format the hard drive and reload all my programs. What a HUGE pain in the neck and the worst of it is I have no idea where the he l I picked it up as Im a fanatic about not downloading stuff off the internet just because of stuff like that. ( Im currently using his lap top to do this post.)

Anyway, back to my lovely weekend, today Doug took me over to Lake Street Gardens in Salem and bought me several cement items (A couple pedestals and a nice large plinth) and also a couple more glazed ceramic pots that were on sale. He so laughed at me when he asked what Id like for my birthday this year and I told him Cement! LOL

Michelle and Eden great pics of Kenzie and Bella. Wouldnt it be fun if the two girls could meet?

Eden, the breynia arrangement is gorgeous. Ive not grown one yet but think I need to find that for next year.

Sue, that banana is going to eat up your garage sometime soon. I love that card, its my favorite view of your gardens.

Chelone, beautiful lotus photos and you captured me in such a normal pose! LOL Camera in front of my face. Nice to see Wendy in the pic too!

V. what a gorgeous container! The container and the arrangement of plants. How large was that sucker? It looks the size of the benches. I really love that Blazing Lime iresine. ~~ Lovely Echinacea. Id be interested to see how it winters over. How fun you get to see new plants before their introduction.

Thanks Martie. Lovely roses! What variety is that?

Woody, what a lovely hydrangea. I love that soft pink edging on those flowers. ~~ The puppies are looking like they are having a great time. You and your cookies must be loved by all the canines in the area.

Anita, I love that hydrangea with the rudbeckia.

Kathy, Love that dahlia! Do you know what the name of it is? I have one that the flowers are the same shape but are yellow with pink edging. ~~ Great score on those plants. Dont you just love end of summer sales?

Denise I absolutely love that urn! What a beauty. Is that in your garden?

Monique, beautiful container grouping, but you know how I love that area in your garden! I really love all that terracotta with the orange plants.

Michelle that fuchsia is gorgeous and so large! Is that one you wintered over? It looks great with that begonia.

Jerri, is that waterlily from IU5? I seem to recall one like that at Wave Hill. Beautiful photo!

Bug, what a beauty! I dont believe Ive heard of that flower before. Do you have photos of the whole plant? Id love to see the entire plant in its setting in the gardens.

Wendy, awww orchids for my birthday? Thanks, how perfect!

OK I've got to give Doug back his lap top. He's been most patient while I've been writing this. I'll try to check in again later. He thinks he might have my computer back up and running sometime this evening.

Thanks again all for the lovely birthday wishes!
Deanne

Good evening... :-)

Just popping in to include my Birthday wishes for Deanne...

Didn't have a garden photo to share, but it looks like you have had some beauties sent your way today, so I will add a bird to the mix and since you've already taken such wonderful photos of backyard birds, I knew it had to be something special...so here is my Birthday offering. Hope you had a wonderful birthday and many more to come!

:-)

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I just love Idyll birthday cards! Each and every one is just beautiful! We're just back from Mexican food. I mostly go for the margaritas. We were supposed to have Bella today but something happened with the power in the area by Megan's work so the restaurant wasn't able to open today. I stopped into the Whole Foods in the same area this morning and it was sad to see all of the refrig/freezer food melting and dripping as they loaded it into carts to dispose of it. So much wasted food!

Deanne, such a bummer about your computer. I wonder what in the world you picked up and where? Lucky you to have Doug to get it back up and running for you. I'm so glad you had a great birthday weekend. You deserve it being the sweet and special person that you are!

Kathy, nice score on the bargain plants. I didn't find anything I was out looking for this morning but did pick up a couple of bargain plants. For $.99 each I picked up a Iresine Blazing Rose and a Blazing Lime just like the one in V's container picture.

Jerri, we have so many people who have those 'bully' dogs in our neighborhood. They seem to view them as a status symbol, not a pet. It's gotten so I think it's too dangerous to take Bella or Bud for a walk. I hope you're able to find good, loving homes for your puppies.

Monique, I wish you'd come back and post some of the other garden pictures you were having a hard time making up your mind about!

Martie, good thoughts for you going back to work tomorrow. It's been great reading all of the long posts you've had time for while you were recouperating.

V, not sure about the echinacea. I'm more inclined to like softer colors. Ive lately become more disillusioned with so many of these new introductions after having quite a few turn out to be a bust in my gardens. I've been alot more choicey this year about what new perennials I've purchased.

Tonight's Mad Men on TV. Anyone else watch it? I'm off for a glass of wine (or two) in the garden before it starts.

Talk to you all tomorrow.

Eden

Pleasant Sunday evening Idylls.. Im engaged in the last of my watering, and making spaghetti sauce. I was enjoying the lovely weather outside but there is a small child having an extremely loud and long temper tantrum on the block behind me and the ambience has effectively been destroyed. So I came in and turned up the stereo to drown him/her out. Hopefully the racket will cease soon.
What nice cards to view today-Jerri is right, Idyll birthdays are the best ! And we havent seen any cool Nat Geographic pics from PM in awhile Mr Peacock is a winner.

Maybe Monique needs to bring one of those cakes to IU6 ? Not sure how it would go with gin and tonic , but Im sure we could scare up some pinot noir.

Martie, the grapes are harvested by hand in some cases and by machine in some of the larger operations. The machines actually go along the rows and shake the fruit off. The hand picking laborers use either ring knives or knives that look like linoleum cutters. Its okay if the fruit gets a little squished its dumped into a giant auger thing a the winery where it is totally squished and the stems and skins are separated. A mechanized version of grape stomping !

V, doggie portraits are fabu, particularly the discreet exposed tongue of Mystic. and I LOVE the Echinecea ! It would look great in my yellow/red area.

Deanne, what a PIA with your laptop- and as always you have your saintly spouse to save the day-hopefully . The Dahlia is China Doll purchased from Swan Island . It was a wonderful performer, but I dug it up and gave it away last winter thinking I would not be here this summer to enjoy it. I was trying to simplify the bed it was in so that it would not look as high maintenance to any potential buyers . Kind of backfired since I now have VBSmy version of a term my DD taught me VBS= Visible Bra Strap , gardeners version is Visible Bare Soil, lol !

Denise what a cool urn in the pic you posted for Deannes B-dayis that yours ? And tell us, did the lens make it home safe and sound ?

Okay, thats enough from me for one day..

Kathy in Napa

Deanne and Nick share the same birthday apparently! So without further adieu:

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We're home safe and sound and the rig is unpacked. Chelone, you'll be happy to know we all buckled and we're smart and try to avoid peak traffic times :)

Lots to share, but for now I am off to tell my sheets how much I missed them :) I pull the coverlet and sheet over the bed each morning to keep the spiders out (LOL, I know it sounds silly, but I had a scorpion in the bed with me in TN once!)....and I don't like the sheet tucked in at the foot of the bed because sometimes the piggies need a little air :)

'night all.

Saucy

Kathy, when I hear babies or puppies crying, I always get into Rear Window mode and suspect something sinister. Today it was a crying puppy next door. All day. I finally peered over the fence (ladder happened to be handy...) and saw the poor little puppy blocked in a small area. Around 5 pm I approached some of the young adults that live there. About that crying puppy...one says We're trying to give it away. I'm thinking hand it over the fence right now. Another pops out and says it's her brother's, everything's cool, nothing to see here, keep moving, etc. I'm on good terms with another brother so will ask him what the heck's up.

Like Michelle, I guffawed at Chelone's pragmatic view of dating. Jeez, did you insist he wear a speedo? ;)

The urn is against the back wall. A friend brought it home to their garden from a construction site but didn't want to lug it to Oregon when they moved to Eugene. Your dahlia photo instigated much reshuffling of pots to get more sun on mine.

The camera made it home safe. I should probably butt out of my kids' lives. Mitch said it wasn't of much use, that he was shooting up performers' nostrils all night, which wasn't helpful when there's 70 people on stage. I asked what would such a lens be good for. Reply: Bird photography in Africa. OK, just tryin' to be useful...And Eden, it was actually worth 6 grand.

Deanne, I had my suspicions about your absence. I got the most awful spyware attack about a year ago. You think you're out of the woods...but you're not. Nasty stuff. Nothing worked until I wiped the hard drive and reloaded everything. I never go online with my work laptop, maybe to check mail but that's it. I thought you had to download something to get infected, but apparently that's not the case anymore as the computer geeks work hard on ways to annoy us.

I'm not sure about V's echinacea. Like Eden's experience, so many of these new varieties have proven worthless. I now have a nice khaki green flwr in Echinacea Green Envy. I'm not sure the breeders should have bothered. And I've been waiting all summer for Gaillardia Amber Wheels to decide to grow. Gaillardias have been foolproof here, always, except for AW. But incorrigible that I am, I've ordered a new coreopsis 'Pale Moon' from a Massachusetts plants breeder Darrell Probst.

I love the spread of the flwrs on Michelle's fuchsia. Mine are kind of all bunched up together, but that one is so elegant. I like birthdays around here too ;)

Kenzie arrived this evening, she will stay here a couple of days and then at my moms for a couple.. Earlier in the day we spent some time shopping. Sams had boxes of alliums and daffodils mixed so a got one of those. I also picked up a cactus and a hellebore Ivory Prince for the bargain price of $2.60. It seems like everyone is picking up plant bargains these days. We searched for pots to go on the pillars but no luck finding just the right thing.

I must say that Ive never enjoyed other adults birthdays as much as I do since joining the Idylls. Im glad your weekend was so special Deanne.

I do have to say that I am pretty proud of that fuchsia. I did over winter it under lights.

Woody, the rottie pictures tugged at my heart. She looks just like the one we lost a number of years ago. Jaden has rottweiler in her but she doesnt have very distinct markings.

DH and I make the bed together every morning.

Eden, Sophie looks like a stuffed animal but how cute that Bella is reading a puppy story to her. We are tearing out the sidewalk, putting in a paver walk that is much wider and curved. Ill have to post a few before and after pictures.

Denise, DH and I wondered too about the Speedo.

I need to get to bed as a day with Kenzie wears me out. We already have plans to make a stepping stone with her hand print, play in her garden, pick vegetables, have a tea party and play with toys. I added a mailbox to her playhouse and tonight I stuck a letter I wrote to her in it and a garden catalog as she likes looking at them.

Michelle

Good morning....

Back from our visit with DS. We had a very nice short but sweet visit. Brought him a supply of organic fruits and foods that are not easy for him to find there, great suggestion. Also a climbing/scratching post for the cats and snacks and toys for all the animals, towels, dishtowels and potholders. Another great suggestion. All were very well appreciated. This was the first time we had seen his cats. A 'friend' gave him a cat not knowing the cat was pregnant. Four kittens later, he is having way too much fun with them to let any of them go. They are adorable of course. Mama cat has been spayed.

He has the sweetest dog and they all manage to coexist fine, but I wonder how much company the cats are for him. They seem to have their own little club and I feel a little sorry for the dog. Five cats in the house seem like a lot of activity to me, but I suppose that is my old age showing. [g] How do you discipline a cat? They seem to be much different than dogs.

Also, have a question about vacuums and pet hair. He has two vacuums and neither of them work well. [g] We picked him up one of those inexpensive Dirt Devil's, but I'm debating whether to have him return it and get him an early Christmas present of a quality vacuum. We haven't had to buy a vacuum in about 40 years. We still are using our first Electrolux. lol Anyone have a good experience with vacuums? We also wondered if some of those manual sweepers were another option. Most of his apartment is carpeted.

Oops! What is it about Idyll 'trends'? They seem to be contagious. No sooner did I sit down to read Idylls and see all the cat/mouse stories, then we found a mouse coming up from the basement and scooting across the kitchen to head for under the refrigerator! How wonderful! And no cats here, due to DH's allergies.

We stopped on the way home at Stockbridge MA and made two brief stops at local nurseries with no special finds to bring home, but interesting to see what is offered in other areas.

Managed to still have enough energy to make a short trip to the local nursery yesterday, which surprised me. Bird seed was on sale 25% off, had to fit that in. Came home with another Penstemon 'Pike's Peak Purple', a Saponaria and a fancy oregano that was flowering, for $10 total. This is the nursery near us that is going out of business in October. They sold their large parcel of land to developers because the owner was getting older and has health problems. Located in a very expensive residential neighborhood in a very expensive town, I can only imagine that was the most advantageous for the owner. They haven't put everything that is left on sale yet, but have been selling some things here and there. They just started selling off their collection of Ceramic houses that they use for Christmas train displays for the holidays. They are originals that are collectable and I couldn't resist bringing two of them home. Adorable...one was called 'Reindeer Barn' and the other 'South Pole Chapel'. :-)

Eden...so sorry to hear your Mom has not been feeling well. I like the alphabet soup theme and the primary colors are usually what they recommend for nurseries, right? I am sure Jen would love to have a quilt your Mom made, as much as your Mom would enjoy making it. Great idea.

Gardenbug....I can completely commiserate with you on attitude adjustments. Also find wanting to control how things work out for the kids always a challenge to 'adjust'. :-) Making the switch from parent of a child to parent of an adult, not an easy one. Sorry to hear of DGS's anxieties preventing him from enjoying being a kid. So painful to watch I am sure. Just not fair that a kid can't be a kid for awhile. Childhood is short enough. Sorry to hear the school decision was not what all of you wanted. Perhaps if the school he will attend does not work out, the decision could be revisited?

Woody...lovely foliage on the 'Fireball' Hibiscus. Like your idea of a mallow bed, especially with the spring bulbs.

Chelone....I can see where THTTF could be painful, but also like a walk back in time and an attachment that could be comforting and might be hard to let go of too. I think it is great that you still have the house and it could become rental income for you and DB. Thanks for the info on the gutters. I hope I can get to making calls soon. Interesting about heat welding seams...who knew? :-)

Denise...I would have the same problem if I had hummingbirds out my window. The cat 'butler' is funny. DS tells us his current problem is the dog evidently eats the cat food and won't eat the dog food.

Kathy....such a nice photo out your back door and Doobie and Ted seem to be enjoying the good life. Your roses are blooming again? Got a chuckle from your solution to staying pet hair free while on the computer. :-)

Marian...a solid maple bed is a real find. Boys don't always see the value of 'furnishings' the same as girls do I think.

I think it is going to take me awhile to catch up and this is too long already....enjoy your Monday!

:-)
pm2

So now guess what????? Yes, indeed, it is V's birthday today. What fun! And apparently Saucy's Nick shares my birthday. Saucy, tell him that he was born on the "Last Day of Pompeii"

Without further ado
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Will be back later to chat a bit.

Deanne

Michelle and Denise, this is New England and the sight of a Speedo is relatively rare and usually means wearer either, A.) really knows how to swim properly and well (I remind you, this is NE and Ian Crocker is not the norm in northern New England), B.) dives (this is NE), or C.) is from Quebec or Europe. ;) On that fateful first date I was charmed by his witty and droll sense of humor and thrilled to find his legs long, athletic, and shapely enough to have fared well in a 16th. century doublet. I was definitely hooked and have remained so for pushin' 25 yrs. now.

One does not "discipline cats", PM. You don't have have since they're already the most perfect creatures on the face of the earth. Peacocks are the most fascinating birds, but they certainly have a disconcerting cry. We have a Kirby vacuum and I hate it. It's heavy and louder than I think it ought to be, it's like dragging around a compact car. But it works very, very well. My brother inherited a Mehle (sp?) when my aunt died and he really likes it. My recommendation for animal hair is a good, "beater bar" on the rug attachment and a smaller version of same for upholstery.

Those are definitely two happy canines, V.. But I've never seen a wet Lab. that wasn't happy, lol! I am not particularly impressed by all the "new and improved" introductions from plant breeders. It seems to me that the more they try the more they fail and they really seems to have focussed on Echinacea recently. That sensibility, coupled with the color (not my favorites) leaves me ambivilent about the Echinacea in question. It will be interesting to see what is decided and how the introduction fares.

Sounds like the chow at Deanne's was pretty good! did the kitties get any filet mignon? Cement for your birthday sounds good to me. I want to see the new additions EMPTY, so I may assess the lines... ;). But no doubt you've already crammed something into them.

Not sure what the weather will bring today, humid again and foggy with a threat of a shower. Yesterday it burned off and left us with a lovely day. I weeded diligently for several hours and dug two holes to receive shrubs. Hole digging on the Compound is frequently an exercise in frustration, requiring the proper mindset to address the many buried rocks and a willingness to shift the hole to one side or the other if you can't dislodge the rock in question. I did get another Vaccinium corymbosum into the ground and took the (Cindy)loppers to the taller of the two we transplanted in the spring. I was gratified to note the extent of new growth from the bases of them and that encouraged me to trim the tops back more aggressively than I otherwise might've.

I should probably get moving and eat something because we're going to try to finish off the remainder of the wood this morning. After that? maybe more weeding or maybe a cruise to the nursery to pick up the Viburnums and MAYBE we'll get them in the ground. A longshot, for sure, but it would really do my heart glad to see something like that happen.

Jerri, I am routinely shocked by how little people consider the emotion well-being for animals. For the first time in years I actually saw a TV ad. to spay/neuter your pets. Evidently, New England has a pretty good record about that stuff (good enough that the shelter import puppies from other regions because they're relatively scarce), but the shelters are awash in cats. I had a surprising encounter with a rather unpleasant woman yesterday. Rex and I were returning from our walk and we walked down the field/parking lot for the church across the street. I was informed it was "church property" and asked if I walked my dog in the new garden/cemetary for cremated remains?? Of course not. I asked if there had been problems with that sort of thing and was icily told I "was the one with the problem". OK. We have a key to the church and the rectory (have for years), and in the nearly 20 yrs. we've lived here no one has ever told us we may not walk the dog over there. Yesterday, in fact, there were two famiilies picnicing with 3 happy dogs between them. Many people enjoy fishing from the rocks and bring their dogs with them. I was stunned and pointedly asked her why she was clearly so angry with me when I had done nothing wrong. She blustered some more and I've decided to discreetly inquire about this with my neighbors and good friends who are members of the congregation.

We had lunch out yesterday and noted with surprise that this was probably the last shot of summer as so many kids go back to school in August now. It will be quieter this week and busy on the weekend and then it will begin to wind down for the season. I'm not ready; i always wish summer would go on longer than it does. It makes me a little bit sad, actually.

I make the bed and I tuck in the sheets. Mum preferred the "cocoon wrap" and I would frequently find her contentedly swaddled in the down comforter when I'd go down in the morning.

Hi Marian.

TTYL.

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**Happy Birthday Deanne**
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*****Happy Birthday V*****
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Hi everyone

Deanne - it sounds as though you had a fabu-fabu birthday. Hope V's is as much fun. I agree that birthdays around here are real highlights and another great chance to peek and see what is happening in everyone's gardens.

Kathy - I'm afraid I didn't manage a hot dog at the ball game but did sing "Take me out.." with great gusto. By the way, VBS (bra straps in this case) are a very useful way to determine age in women:

4 straps - teen
3 straps - twenties
2 straps - thirties
1 strap - forties
none - 50 or over.

Count me as a rather casual house cleaner but a daily bed-maker. A made-up bed is so much nicer to get into at night and provides a great surface for piling clothes, laundry etc on during the day.

So much else to comment on but I need to make a start on the day. Hope to be back later.

Happy Monday everyone

Mary

Happy Birthday, V!!!!

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Martie

Happy Good New Morning! Rich landed a small deal that will keep him busy for a few weeks. At this point that's far more important than the dollars :-) We're switching around his advertising a bit to see if that helps. In the meantime, we're So Grateful for this opportunity!

Deanne -- The rose is 'Soaring Spirits' and would be reliably hardy in your garden. Great repeater and easily trained to be a climber or spreader. I happen to like the frilly edges -- definitely a "girly" rose :-)

Maybe it's my history as a trialer, or my marketing laden career, but anytime a grower is willing to try something new excites me, V. I really do like the coloration and given that it would be a fall bloomer, a season hybriders have ignored despite the surge in Echinacea varieties IMHO, I think it'll be gobbled up by the market. Still wondering about the height .....

So glad, PM2, that you enjoyed your visit with DS, and I'll let Kyle know that his suggestions were well received. Too bad about not finding some cool plants to bring home, but fun to poke around and get a good stretch, anyway :-)

Realized I never told Anita how darn cute DGS is! Must've been excrutiating for him to sit long enough for the snap. LOL

Oh, Michelle, I can "hear" you missing Kenzie already. What a great agenda for a grandaughter day! Love that you've included catalogs in her mail box. She'll need her own subscription and rather than reading regular books over the phone as many long-distance GM/DGS relationships do, I can just hear you discussing the merits of each plant page by page. "This one would look good next to the gate, Grandma!!" "It'll be here next time you visit, Kenzie." LOL

Mary -- Your bra strap list cracked me up. As an over 50 who is not particularly well endowed, you hit the nail on the head except for work. What is it with multi pop-up collars on one person these days???? LOL

Very suave first date, Chelone! Mine with Rich was on his motorcycle and offered a great reason to see how my arms felt around his waist. We're of the same mind :-).

We make the bed with sheets tucked in but blanket and/or coverlet non-tucked. No reason other than it instantly neatens the room up (visible from the kitchen) so the impact vs. energy expended is worth it.

Good to see so many pop in and am loving the b-day pics.

46 hours until work!! Off to just reeeeeeeeelaaaaaaaaax for the day.

Martie

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This thread is going to be a bear to load but...

Happy birthday, V!

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Me & Newt

Happy Birthday Veronicastrum!

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V....loved that Canadian sunset photo! That container from Ball Seed gardens, well I just love everything about it. Anyone know what the names of the plants are? I think I know the Euphorbia is 'Tasmanian Tiger' and the Elephant Ears but can't identify anything else.

Chelone....so I take it your perfect creatures don't use your furniture or your legs as a scratching post or wake you up in the morning by digging their claws into your head? [g] Thanks for the vacuum recommendations. I hadn't heard of either of those brands. I still have to do a Consumer Reports search.

Michelle...impressive bargain on that Hellebore. Cute idea with the mailbox. I have wanted one in the veggie garden to store hand tools in.

Denise....will we see any more of Mitch's photos? We saw Batman Begins in IMAX and loved it. I am not planning to see Dark Knight, only because I haven't liked the Batman series until Batman Begins and I want to quit while I'm ahead. [g]

Deanne and Sue....those are some amazing banana trees!

I forgot to say, I saw an Agave over the weekend that was $100.00! I was shocked they were so expensive. It wasn't that big. They were 50% off but the stems were slightly damaged.

No alarm clocks necessary here. We wish. [g]

Martie....happy to hear you are heading back to work and that you are feeling well enough to.

Eden...that Bella has a wonderful bedroom. Sophie is very cute and I see tons of books and Curious George is a riot...lol. One lucky little girl!

Michelle...Kenzie on the monkey bench....what a cute photo op. :-) So when do we see photos of the front yard project? Like the sounds of the pillars. Thank you for the offer of Hibiscus Seed...I think I would be getting ahead of myself to start planning starting seed. Seeing lots of non gardening projects in the near future. I think I have to put that one on hold.

Woody...I've never seen a 'real' cat that looked like that! LOL

Gardenbug....there are a lot of great books on how to reduce high blood pressure. I was starting to get it and changed my diet and it is back down to normal. Wish I could remember the book title...I will try to find it if you are interested, but I think there are lots of alternative medicine books on the topic. The naturopath I have seen has also helped my husband lower his cholesterol for the first time in years, and his primary care doc was impressed. We pay the Naturopath out of pocket, so we don't wait for permission from the Primary Care Doc.

Anita your GS is adorable! Tequila is very cute! How old is she/he? What a Hosta Haul..! I love the name Zippity Do Dah!

Brenda...Frozen dinners is a great idea too! We wouldn't have had time to accomplish that but on the plans for the next visit. Meatloaf is DH's fav.

Sue...what a great composition for a photo...I love that row of Adirondack chairs looking out to the water. How do you find these 'cottage' rentals? [g] If I had one wish for where I would want to live it would be on the water...ahhh! Yes, money would be the obstacle for sure.

Kathy nice photo of the vineyards...love the pretty clouds in that second photo.

That's as good a catch up as I can muster. [g] Hello to all I have missed...Marian, Monique, Cindy, Jerri, Saucy, Mary, Wendy....and still wondering where Cynthia and Ei are?

Have to go move the sprinkler. First time using it in over a month...not bad. :-)

pm2