I've survived puppy-sitting relatively unscathed. Cooper had only one accident, and it happened a mere two minutes before his owners arrived. Mystic really enjoyed the company, but it was a great opportunity for me to confirm that I'm not ready for a full-time second dog.

I was in a rather foul mood for part of the afternoon, so I took the camera out to find something better to look at. I was intrigued by the spent flower heads of the rosin weed (Silphium integrifolium); they are past bloom but have not set seed as yet. I love the symmetry of the seed heads - oh, for symmetry!

{{gwi:177401}}

Then I experimented with the black and white setting on the camera. This is one of the last white cosmos in the white garden.

{{gwi:177403}}

And I find a little more symmetry here in this Echinacea bud.

{{gwi:177405}}

Well, it just ticked 8:00 and I am going to spend the next hour wrapped up in my book club reading. It's supposed to change my life. You think?

V.

Well Chelone, much to our surprise there was not a pint-size blow up inner tube to be found at any one of the many retail establishments we tried in the greater Palm Springs-Calimesa area. I was a bit surprised by this-PS is a winter resort where pool activities pretty much occur all year round, courtesy of snow birds and plenty of sunshine. Apparently the corporate chain tsars have a hard time with regional/resort town product assortments veering from the norm. We probably could have found something at a locally owned and operated pool shop, but time was not available. This was Mr Bs first visit to a real swimming pool , and we thought a little floaty thing we could pull him around the pool in would be just the ticket. No dice. However, we did find a baby bathing suit, 50% off with floaty stuff sewn right in-the little boy selections were sold out. So, thats what we bought, popped him in it and it worked great . Made him somewhat buoyant in the water when holding him , which was helpful as hes a hefty little dude. Many photos were taken of him in the ensemble to torment him with in his later years.

The sun was out today, but long sleeves were worn for the duration, and fleece was donned for the first time in many months this morning. And in a real indication of falls arrival, the regular baseball season is over (not counting the Tigers and the Twinkies) and playoffs start Wednesday

Time to hit the mess hall

Kathy in Napa

Welcome, Cyn, great to have you .

Kathy, somehow a baby bum is just the cutest thing.

Chelone, it sounds like you are going through some pretty tough days with the loss of your friend and all the memories from THTTF. I like your analogy of "lifes luggage"

I just brought home a little desk with a drop down front that was in my grandparents home then my parents and then spent some time in my dads shed. I love things with family history.

Cindy, I have to clarify, I dont swim daily but try for 3 times a week. Daily would really be impressive though. The pool is near my work and I dont drive there on the weekend and it seems like a few days a week it doesnt work for some reason. I try to walk also, but I cant say I enjoy the exercise but like how I feel when I keep up with it.

V, you are getting some great shots with the new camera. Keep them coming.

Woody, the front garden is looking fabulous. It really has a nice established look to it. I planted a red hardy hibiscus in my front door garden this summer.

I dont plan on a flu shot, Ive never had one.

I spent all day yesterday unpotting containers and taking cuttings and dumping the rest. Im not done either. Last night got to 35 so I covered again. I was shot at the end of the day and didnt do much today.

Night all
Michelle

Good morning

Was that really the weekend that flew by?

Mine turned out to be quite productive though I'm looking forward to the long Columbus weekend for some down time. Deciding that the lights I jerry-rigged in the henhouse were not really suited to outdoor conditions I re-configured the wiring and installed outdoor junction boxes and a heavy duty outdoor timer. I no longer have to jump out of bed at 5.30 AM to turn the lights on and the girls are rewarding my efforts with a steady flow of eggs.

Yesterday I spent most of the day on a garden job. It is much harder to fit outside work in with my new schedule. Next Monday I will install a bulb garden and draw up plans for spring planting and I think I will be wrapped up for the year. On the other hand my own gardens are somewhat wild looking but so full of blooming anemenoes, grasses, cleome, asters and tall nicotiana they still give me great pleasure.

We spent last night with a homage to Jacqueline Du Pres (the brilliant cellist who died from MS) watching first the movie Hilary and Jackie, then an old video I own of Jacqueline Du Pres at the height of her career playing with Itzak Perlman, Pinchas Zuckerman, Barenboim and Zubin Mater. We were all mesmerized. I've linked Jackie below playing "her" piece which nearly always makes me tear up.

Have a great Monday everyone

Mary

Good Monday morning all!

Yet another wet and dreary day up here in the north! I will soon need a scythe to cut the lawns and I don't even want to think about the garden mess right now.

I am trying to put in a half hour each day between rain squalls, and have managed exactly once in the last two weeks. I have resorted to rearranging all the furniture upstairs to keep busy...

DH has me looking at houses in the country. He is bored with this one. Grrrrr....Yesterday we looked at an old house with an inground pool...I reminded him that we already been there done that and if that is what he really wanted we should never have moved in the first place. The evening was decidedly frosty. Inside, I mean.

TCS is doing well. He was camping with the cubs this week-end, in the cold and the rain. He ended up sleeping in the camper as he was weepy for his Nana (me!), and the leaders were thinking of calling us at 10 p.m. to come and get him, but he settled down, had a great time, and earned two badges. He is thrilled with this, and so are we. Chelone mentioned difficult questions from a small boy - well, here's Friday's gem: "Do skunks f*rt?" Grandad's reply. "Well, do you think they'd care?"

My recent bone density test was not as good as I had hoped. No fracture risk yet, but I now have to have another test each year. My mother had severe osteoporosis (sp?) so I am at risk. I guess the wine deck will have to repurposed as the milk deck!

Little else to report from here.

Your home and garden look super, Woody!

V., I must say that two dogs are ten times the work of one, it seems.

Welcome, Cyn. I have two Boston Terrors, I mean Terriers, and they have their own stone runways through the garden. If you can't beat them, join them. Although Chelone advocates beating....

Cute story about Mr. Baby, Kathy. I agree that these photos are cute now, and will be worth a fortune in about twenty years.

You are so resourceful, Mary! I can tell that you folks are really enjoying the chicks!

I am sure I am missing all kinds of things in my quick scan of the recent posts - I'll take some extra time today maybe to really read stuff.

Till then,

Cheers!

Julie

OK, I think I'm caught up on gardens, Fuchsias, chickens, TCS, Mr Baby, dog visitors and much much more. I am miserable without the use of a mouse so this must be short. I have not counted up how many books I have mastered from THE LIST but there are some in every section. I have done MUCH holding of Ivy who is a very happy child. DSIL & Sarah & friend installed a hard wood floor this weekend and I may have before and afters to share after i return. Their friend, a chief (First Nations) has been staying here since I arrived and he's quite the character!)
Later!
'bug

The Salon is under a modicum of control and I've cut out the slipcover and am ready to begin assembling it tonight and Wednesday.

We're going to the fair tomorrow. We haven't been in likely 20 yrs. and I'm looking forward to it! Today would have been my friend's 50th. birthday and the trip to the fair and that milestone have me feeling that most ties with my misspent youth have been cut pretty cleanly. It's a strange feeling. And as far as THTTF goes I've come to the conclusion that I've still regarded it as my parents' home, not mine, and that has made me hestitant and a little uncomfortable going through the contents... but it's all mine now! My brther cracked me up when he came over to check out the driveway repair and remarked, "that's real pride in ownership!". And later, "yup... it's our mess now". And so it is. I think my new found perspective on this issue of ownership is going to make the next steps a good deal easier. If this has yet to happen to you, I warn you! it can indeed be painful and you will likely be surprised by the intensity of the feelings. I know I was blindsided by it.

I laughed at the story of the "float coat" for Mr. Coliform, Kathy. Wouldn't you think a savvy manager would be on top of stocking such simple items readily needed by visitors to a resort community? Go figure. And isn't that bum shot of him just purely representative of how little kids manoever themselves? Too funny.

Good to know that TCS overcame his homesickness and toughed it out to make it through the night. :) Good for him! and you. I have lingering fears of osteoporosis, too, Julie. I watched what it did to my mother (of whom I nearly a carbon copy). Gulp.

I will make an effort to check out the poultry, Mary. As I recall, there were always some really cool looking rigs in that exhibition hall. :)

Well, I suppose I'd best get out to the Salon and put in a few more hours to get things nearer completion on the slipcover front.

Today was one of those Mondays that are best when they are behind you. The boss started out the morning by blowing up his Outlook data file. And it was a scramble to get September closed, but I mostly got it all done. And I was home in time to take a nice walk with Mystic. I took the camera along and got a photo of the near-complete deer condo.

{{gwi:177408}}

On the path, I spotted what I thought was a very cool rock. Since it wasn't too big, I decided to pick it up and carry it back to the house. You should have seen me jump when I touched it - it was a mushroom! It wasn't that I thought it was icky, but I wasn't expecting to feel something soft under my fingers.

{{gwi:177409}}

And here's today's prairie plant seed head. This is round-headed bush clover, Lespedeza capitata.

{{gwi:177410}}

I need to get another hour's reading in on my book club book or I won't have it finished by Thursday! TTFN,

V.

Love your house and gardens, woody. Yes, the pups are great. Very amusing most of the time. They are loving the cool weather and have much more energy than in the summer-no small feat. I have plans for paths for them Julie-hope I can train them to use them. Not hopeful, mostly b/c of me-they are smart enough to learn, but my follow-through is pretty weak. I will work on posting pics next week when I am on vacation-after cleaning out the garage and after planting all those new things that need to be dug in before it gets cold here.

V, your b/w photo is amazing. Absolutely professional! I'll bet it would win if you entered it in a photo contest-really! Very funny about the mushroom!

dd-cute bum shot. Definitely useful for blackmail in later years. teehee.

Packing activities are underway here, and remembering Brendas snafu, I have already stowed the USB connector. The long johns and winter jammies are being laundered , and on review of the amenities of my cottage I have noted that there is a CD player so a few jazz and classical selections are in the tote with the camera , extra battery, and plenty of reading material.

V, I think you and I were simul-posting last night, want to say how great your photos are. I like to mess around with b&w too, but I have always manipulated the image after the fact in Picassa. I love the seedheads of the rosin weed, a plant I have never seen..

So Mary, are we to add electrical installations to your list of skills ? That is one area I stay away from, although I have installed a low-voltage outdoor lighting system (which is in dire need of a re-do by the way) I confess I hire out all electrical tasks. Thank you for the cello link. Wonderful stuff.

Hi bug !

Oddly Chelone, I find that I am often in that same position when getting up from sitting on the ground.Thank god there has been no one lurking with a camera. Full circle.

Ok, stuff to do..waves to all.

Kathy in Napa

Good morning...

It's cool here this morning! Time to break out the hot socks and flannel pjs. We are doing okay around here. DH is still plugging away trying to get back his stamina, but is still on half days at the office. I am trying to get into the garden as much as possible. I posted to Freecycle to give away a few shrubs & perennials and someone showed up to dig them out and off they went. Worked out great! We have a couple who clean our house every two weeks and I was able to arrange for the husband to come and work in the garden with me and he is scheduled to come today. I'm trying to get ready for the spring as much as possible and I have a few unfinished projects going on. We had to cancel our trip to see DS when DH went into the hospital but he called over the weekend and has worked it out to come see us next week, so I am excited! We haven't seen him or Noodles since March. And that's all the news that's fit to print. :-)

DH gets a flu shot every year because of his asthma. We asked about the H1N1 shot and apparently the first arrivals here are going to small children and emergency personnel. We are not thinking of getting it at this point though. I never get a shot. I react badly to lots of medicines etc, that most people don't, so I avoid it.

Cyn, isn't that nice that you live fairly close to Cindy. I am very sorry to hear you have bamboo. I hope you can figure a way to get rid of it. What a lot of work. ....Have you seen the movie 'A Dog Year' with Jeff Bridges? He receives a border collie who is out of control. Pretty funny. It was on TV a few weeks ago.

Kathy, is your back better? How old is Mr Baby now? Is he walking and talking yet? He's looking pretty mobile in that photo.

V....the spent flower of the Silphium is as pretty as some blooming flowers! Have you been deadheading your echinacea? Mine have stopped flowering. What is your new camera again? ...The deer condo is a more enclosed than I was imagining it. Looks great!

Woody....Border Collies are one of your favorite dogs? That must be a long list of favorites. Is there a dog you've ever met that you didn't like? [g] Your front bed is looking great! I can't wait to see what it looks like next year.

Chelone.... We haven't been to the Fair in at least 10 years. DD is going with friends next weekend and really looks forward to it. I miss seeing the draft horses and the other livestock exhibits. ....I was thinking of you as I was contemplating buying a new iron. I imagine you use an ironing board a lot? Do you have a recommendation for a good iron? Also, do you have a lot of padding on your ironing board?

Michelle...I can't believe you have kept up your swimming all summer! You should be very proud of yourself! I have always enjoyed exercise, but getting to a pool and all the rigamarole of the locker room is the part that is a real chore, to me. I am hoping to increase my walking this fall and we just bought a mini trampoline that I wanted to try. Not sure I still have the balance, but we'll soon find out. [g]

Sun is out and it looks like it's shaping up to be a nice day. Rain tomorrow, maybe. Have a won-der-ful day! :-)

Good morning

Kathy - as high schoolers here are often asked to bring in baby photos I'm glad to see Mr Baby will have a suitable arsenal from which to draw.

V- the deer condo is mighty fine and I'm loving your photos. My DH is a big fan of B&W and will enjoy the cosmos.

Cyn - looking forward to seeing some pictures from you.

Chelone - you write so eloquently and expressively about the loss of your friend and THTTF. There are times when I find just putting thoughts to paper (or keyboard) can be very healing. I hope in some way it is the same for you. I'm looking forward to hearing reorts back from the chicken enclosure!

GB - glad you are having some wonderful grandma time. Happy babies are the best! Having said that, mine were both colicky and screamers and there were times I thought I would loose my mind. But both have developed into the happiest, cheerful teenagers you could wish for.

I'm just off to check the henhouse. Here is a picture of Red Betty. All the eggs are named after her, whoever laid them, I think because she is everyone's favorite. We often ask "are there any Betty eggs?" or "lets have a Betty egg for a snack".
{{gwi:177411}}

Betty used to be the biggest, but now the peeps have grown up we realize she is quite modest in size. Once the boss lady, she has handed over the crown to Henny Penny who is almost twice her size, but remains second in the pecking order. Fortunately each of the girls has a best friend so harmony ensues.

Mary

Good morning all,

Well yesterday I made my first real push to getting these containers put to bed for winter. Twenty pots done, 150, or so, to go.LOL I finally took most of the cuttings I want so Im ruthlessly tossing beautiful containers of coleus while they are still looking great but all it will take is a date with some frost and its done anyway. The ten day forecast here still shows no nights below 37 so we might just have more time but that could change in a second.

Has anyone ever divided a Sanseveira cylindrica? I seem to recall that Michelle did that at one time. How did you manage it? I had to do mine as it split the pot it was in and had five pups. The original plant is looking a bit worn because something chewed on it when I first put it out this year so I was planning on ditching it but the pups are attached by a half inch rhizome and I think Id better leave them attached. A couple of the pups broke off their runners and I potted them up separately. Hopefully theyll root.

Welcome Cynthia! Im looking forward to getting to know you. Sounds like you have the potential for some fabulous shade gardens.

Cindy, if I was in your position of spending that much time on the metro Id get a flu shot too. Im still thinking about it but I only have limited exposure to the public normally, especially in the winter. ~~ LOL about bottling the feeding regimen. I just give the pots Osmocote in spring when planting up then in about three to four weeks start a weekly liquid feed. I think a big part of it is the attention to watering.

Chelone, I agree with Kathy that the hardy Hibiscus would be terrific along your road.

Woody, RE Brugs, I already have mine in pots as big as they are going to get so in the fall I use a root saw to cut the plants out of the pots about six inches from the outer edge of the pots so it reduces the diameter of the root ball by a foot more or less. I put the root ball in a plastic garbage bag and snug it up and tie it up to the trunk of the brug. Prior to taking it out of the pot I cut the plant down to four to five feet or so and strip off all the leaves. Leave the plant in the garage until December or so when the temps in there will start falling below 40 then bring them down to the basement storage area. I bring them up and put them in the garage in April or so leaving the root balls in the garbage bags but start watering them when I bring them up(poke holes in the bags) After danger of frost is past repot them in their containers with fresh compost. ~~ I lol about Randy liking red, Doug does too! ~~ Love the photos of your new beds.They are lovely!!!

V, Im really enjoying your photos! ~~ Love that deer blind.

Michelle, I love those little antique desks with the drop front. I have one of those too. ~~ I lol over "Trips your Trigger" Ive never heard that before and it tickled me. Im a soup girl as well. Love this time of year when the temps cool and I can start making soups and chilis again. I make a dish with stewed tomatoes and lean pork where I simmer the pork chops in stewed tomatoes until its tender and can be pulled apart then add a can of turnip greens. Shred the pork then serve over brown rice. Doug loves it.

Mary, I dont know how you do all you do! Managing your own gardens and planning and implementing others gardens, two active children, pets, chickens, How is Clousseau btw? Your own music and running a household. Wonder Woman! ~~ Loved the Cello link. She was brilliant.

Julie, your DH is talking about moving after youve just gotten this place the way you want it????? Grrrrr.

Kathy, when are you leaving and where are you going? I completely missed that.

Saucy, whats up?

Denise, I enjoy any and all pics of your creative gardens whether or not Ive seen the views before. ~~ Love the Thomas Chambers paintings.

OK must run and get to work. Lots to accomplish today. Have a terrific day all.

Deanne

Just a quick hello to you dear friends!

Sunday a friend who is a Buddhist nun in Tibet came by for a visit. Interesting!

I've been cooking and washing dishes- non stop it seems. Tonight I get to babysit while DD goes to class. Ivy will be furious that I can't feed her. :(

Brenda, we watched a movie last night that you should share with your daughter: Away We Go! Lots of laughs after a slowish beginning. (John Krasinski & Maya Rudolph)

Does anyone know why DD's ficus tree is now producing sap from its leaves? It appears healthy to me otherwise. Yesterday I repotted two of her indoor plants and brought in her rosemary too. Her pineapple lily that she tossed outside last year, thinking it dead, is now gorgeous and has seven blooms!

OK, time to get things going here and then off to the chiropractor for DD's back. DSIL is off to Calgary for a few days. Carrying babies on your hip is dangerous stuff!

Enjoy your day!!!
'bug

gb - was her fiscus tree outside for the summer? Ours always do the drip sap bit for a week or two after coming back indoors. It seems to relate to adjusting to humidity and temperature changes. Keeping them well watered seems to help as the dryer they are, the more the sap drips. It's definitely some sort of stress response.

Deanne - thanks for the brug info. It sounds like a lot of work - another strike against keeping them! Last year I just had Randy put them in the basement in late October before frost and let them dry out and lose their leaves. I gave them a bit of water once a month through the winter. They started to put out new leaves in late January and I then started watering twice a month. Maybe - if we keep them! - I'll do the same this year but root prune and repot them in early January...?

PM2 - About the only dog I've met and didn't like was the beagle that attacked and bit Misty! :-) But I am partial to certain breeds(Liam is a Border Collie so that contributes to my affection for Border Collies...) As a general rule, I like big, hairy beasts like Phoebe and Copper over the short-haired breeds - but I'm not too picky... if it's canine, odds are good we'll get along well together...!

Kathy - I enjoyed the Mr. Baby bathing suit pictures and story!

Julie - we got a chuckle from TCS's skunk question and grandad's response :- )

Things are on hold here until Oct 29th when we see the new neurosurgeon - always a difficult decision whether to wait for the in-demand top ranked surgeon or go with an earlier appointment with someone less experienced. We choose to wait but it's a bit nerve-wracking. So I'm trying to pretend everything is back to normal for this month.

Just a quick note to Deanne, I did divide my Sanseveira cylindrica. I was fairly brutal with it. They seem to root effortlessly.

Later
Michelle

Thanks Michelle, that's good to know as I was pretty brutal as well but there is no way around it with those huge rhizomes.

Woody, you could try just leaving them in their existing pots if you don't want them to get any larger. I have one white one that has been in the same pot for three years I just throw it in the garage and then the basement after pruning it back to four feet or so. It still looked great this year and bloomed earlier than any of the others so you could try just maintaining the status quo.

Deanne

Hi everyone. It's a raining grey morning here so the colors outside are starting to intensify. No frost yet but predicted by the week end. I took coleus cuttings yesterday. I want to get some of my angelwing begonias in since they can be pricey to replace and they give so much color all summer. Don't know what else I will try to save. I really don't care for taking care of plants in the house.
I've been trying to read along but haven't had much to say. I have stopped tearing up on a daily basis but not up to par yet.
I have been walking daily with the dogs. They downright beg to go and I enjoy it so much anyway. I always want to take to the woods and fields this time of year. I do wish DH could walk more than a block without his hip giving out so we could do some serious hiking.
V, that is an awesome deer condo. I am seeing quite a few tracks on my walks. Could you please post the link to your blog again so I can mark it?

Woody, the wait for your appointment must be nerve wracking. Wishing you the best.

We are awaiting test results for DH's glucose tolerance test.

I realy really need to clean house but have no desire to do so. Hey here comes the sun, no reason to stay indoors now. Right?

Welcome Cyn.

I'll be back later. Norma

I'm waiting for clarification on the address for today's job since the one given makes no sense to me or mapquest. The low, slanty light of fall constantly snags my attention, but I'm making headway with the massive pile of tree cuttings and prunings in the southeast corner of the backyahd. We have no green waste recycling so it will be trashed -- a big reason I put off dealing with it until it's now almost fence high. Grace the smoke tree needs constant limbing up during the growing season, and the creeping fig on the back wall does its part to contribute to the pile, not to mention the wisteria coming from the neighbor, etc, etc. Grace really would be suitable for the dictionary entry under "hybrid vigor." Big plans in the offing for this little corner -- a place to possibly hide garden bins and stuff and possibly a compost pile, tho may be too shady. And still more brick path is being disassembled. The main dry-laid brick path that ran behind the big bed had the mid section removed starting last year, and now more this year to enlarge the bed, so now there's piles of bricks that might be suitable for enclosing the compost area. The path was more for the boys to run through, but it's mainly me and the plants back here now ;) Stepping stones for access will suffice. Lots of work but I'm glad to have it and will try to make it last for a month or so rather than rush through as I usually do. No need to hurry now that winter's here.

Woody, how beautiful your home looks. Waiting for the more experienced surgeon does sound prudent, but nervewracking...

Deanne, the detailed brug report was great and gives me the idea to root prune my big salvias while in the pot -- I like the way you think!

V, I posted on your blog re the silphium photo -- love it! Linked below is Noel Kingsbury's blog about his recent garden tour near your haunts.

Michelle, what trips your trigger caught my ear too. Nice score on the rolltop desk.

Lots more to comment on, skunks and little boys, the pecking order of Red Betty, but time to get crackin'.

A burst of magenta from a salvia bought as San Carlos Festival but is probably La Trinidad, if you follow this sort of stuff ;)

{{gwi:177413}}

I love the glorious photos from V - you're becoming quite accomplished - I laughed over the 'shroom -- I've seen some amazing ones myself this year - including in my containers, of all places....

Was a downer of a day yesterday - the firm has announced voluntary buyout program to support staff and if enuf folks dont opt out with it, it's gonna be the ax type (involuntary) one after that.... oct. 23 is the deadline -- not something I contemplate as the job situation out there is just not healthy... but I fear having my head on the platter too - one just never knows these days. I've heard rumors of a very hefty 30% reduction they're looking to incur - which is steep. The "big boss" says if I were to go, he'd have to consider closing up shop, which is nice of him to say, but I know he'd manage without me. Im glad I held off on buying a new fence or paint jobs for the house this fall -- gotta keep that emergency fund pumped out for now for sure!

Deanne -- I wondered about your sans - I noticed it in the one recent shot and thought how huge it had gotten - extremely tall -- neat that you're going to have several now. I've had a few agaves kicking off a few pups; but I only took a couple as I still am concerned about overwintering all...

I look forward to seeing color from kathy's beach getaway -- cute story about Mr. B's suit & future torture photos, LOL.

Cyn - welcome again -- neat that you're in Alexandria and even neater that you're a special ed teacher -- I know tough times in the school system these days, but what a wonderful career that must be - I think that's similar to what Mary was doing...

Mary -- pretty photo of Betty, even if she's not La Prima -- Im glad those "girls" just all "get along"...

Temps here too are supposed to stay even and there's sun today - it's making me long for a day off to garden and clean up - Im pondering next Monday but wonder if I shouldnt stick to "Ms. Attendance" for the present til the turmoil at awfice shakes out...

Woody, glad to hear when you're next med date is -- I agree with all the raves all have said about your front yard and the new border - they look just lovely together -- I hope they give you some comfort to enjoy and divert you for the time being.

Ok, back to clockin...

-cindy

Well Cindy , Im so sorry to hear of the turmoil at the awfice.. not much help for morale is it ? The last 2 years at my company have surely been challenging and just plain sad when you see people youve worked with for years being let go in wave after wave of cutbacks. We all hope that this winter will be the bottom rung on the ladder of the downturn-we would be thrilled with flat business levels. I hope that your period of uncertainty is brief.

Deanne, in a fit of jealousy after Sues seashore vaca in August I decided to book one of my own . Im staying in an oceanfront B&B on the coast , just for a few nights but I am so looking forward to it ! This will serve 2 purposes , one of which involves reconnaissance for possible IU7 gardens , the other of which is solitude, decompression and the all important photo-taking .Reports to the Idylls on the road are to be expected-I never go anywhere anymore that doesnt have wireless internet , lol. Im working a short day tomorrow and hitting the road after lunch.

Hi Norma, sorry to hear that you are still feeling blue ..nothing is more curative than a walk in the woods is there ? Especially at this beautiful time of year. I will be driving through the Redwood forest tomorrow and if time permits I hope to pull off and take a few photos to share.

V, I must say I had no idea that the Villa la Venison was to be so cottage-y ! What a great getaway spot .

Woody, good vibes out your way , in hopes that the top-ranked guy will be worth the wait , and that you pass these next few weeks in relative comfort more distracting outings may be needed !

Good score there PM on the hubby of the house-cleaner. It will probably well worth the fee to get stuff cleaned up to your specifications before winter sets in. Thanks, my back is better I took it very easy for a few days, as I wanted nothing to jeopardize my trip to the coast. Mr Baby is about 1-1/2 he does walk , and he does talk however most of it is gibberish ! DD seems to know what hes talking about so I guess that is the important feature of his chit-chat .

Denise, here to tell you that sun is not a requirement of a compost pile- 50% green, 50 % brown and it cooks itself . A Salvia photo thread might be worthwhile here , provided I can get back from the coast before frost strikes them down.

All for me here, got to get back to the packing.

Waves

Kathy in Napa

Kathy - How wonderful to hear Idylling will be part of your decompression and solitude on vacation. We can all look forward to it!

Denise - as a huge fan of Salvias I love your photo and hope to see more.

Norma - glad to hear you are enjoying your walks.

Today we have leaden skys, driving rain and gale force winds predicted for later. It's the sort of day that makes you want to crawl back into bed and read all day. I'm so immersed in Alice Hoffman's The Storey Sisters I've been racing to finish up whatever I'm doing and hiding myself away to read. I was reading till 1.30 AM last night, when common sense reminded me that to be up at 5.30 AM and function through the day I should turn off the lights. Today could be a long one, but one of the benefits of menopause appears to be managing with far less sleep than I ever thought possible. Or is that just aging in general?

Mary

Temps in the 50's for the rest of the week, but the high crazy winds are behind us, at least. The gardens are well watered, and I've started my fall cleanup. I'm not convinced if garden cleanups are better in the fall or the spring, but it seems that no matter how much work I do now, there's still a ton left to do in the spring. My main objective is to rid the garden of any disease or bad-insect laden debris.

No flu shots for me. I've never had one, and I don't think I've ever had the flu, at least not that I remember.

PM2...so glad your DH is on the mend and is able to slowly get back into his work routine. He'll be back in full swing in no time at this rate.

Woody, your front borders are looking so great! Everything is filling in as planned. I remembered that you had a heptacodium in there somewhere, and was hoping for a closeup photo. I think only you, bug, and I (of the Idylls) have one. I moved one of mine this year to more sun and am hoping I got enough roots. Glad to see you are doing well.

Kathy, have a great time on the shore. It sounds divine at this time of the year to get away and decompress. Can't believe the cold temps you've gotten in your area. Didn't think it ever got that cold there. Mr. Baby will offer big bucks for that pink bum shot in 20 years. LOL.

Norma and chelone, Hugs are being sent your way. No words, just hugs.

I'm enjoying every single photo on this thread. Stunning!

V, I love the deer condo. Will you be using it personally, or is it just for DH? I love your blog by the way, but I have to go back in the thread and find it again. This time I'll bookmark it.

Had a busy weekend with an overnighter that included all four grandkids. Then had Antonio for the usual Tues. stint, and today...I'm looking forward to going to work. LOL. Kids are wonderful, but they do take every ounce out of you.

Waving to all,
Anita

It's been pouring here this morning, off and on. I love the sound of it. Especially since it rained so little in July, August and September.

I have a request. Are you all ready for spring? I wondered if anyone has time to post spring photos? I was hoping to think through how I can improve my spring garden, so I thought of all of you. :-) I know you all have more mature spring displays than mine. I wondered if you could share a photo or two of your very favorite spring display? What do you think is your most successful spring planting that you really look forward to seeing every year? I thought that might help, while there is still time to order bulbs and maybe a few end of the year sales on perennials. I have a number of spring bulbs and spring perennials that I like, I just haven't put them together to really stand out yet. They are more or less scattered here and there.

Kathy, I had forgotten the gibberish stage. lol My favorite age for talking is three. They say the funniest things at that age and always asking why. I recorded our kids during breakfast one morning and sent an audio tape to the grandparents one year. We still have it and the kids love to listen to it. ..... Your trip sounds so wonderful, I bet you are excited this morning. Looking forward to photos.

Also sorry to hear of job woes Cindy. Very stressful to have to worry about that. I hope the decisions are made quickly so all can stop worrying.

Love that Salvia, Denise and I would look forward to a Salvia thread. ..... I have a compost bin under the canopy of a Maple Tree. It does fine. I don't know if it breaks down a little slower or not, because I don't turn it and it takes at least a year anyway, but it works fine and it uses up space that was difficult to plant anyway.

Norma, you've had a lot of rain this year, haven't you? Your garden must be loving it. I'm sorry to hear that your DH is not able to go hiking. Has he ever considered having his hip replaced? I hear of people doing it, but if it were me, I am not sure how I would feel about it. I hope you can find a way to go hiking anyway. What about one of your kids? I bet you could talk them into one afternoon of it. :-)

Woody...We also love the large brute type of dogs with the long fur. Although just about every time but one, we've brought home a short haired dog. [g] The shedding and slobering of some of the larger dogs has always held us back. DS is bringing his Noodles to visit next week and we have just heard that he is seeing someone now, who has a Great Dane. lol I will be interested to hear how that works out. They do have a 'dog park' near them, which I know he has taken the dog to before. He is also using rollerblades to take his Noodles for a walk. The dog has a lot of energy and has stopped chewing up the house, since he has started this. Every once in awhile, I have a few brief thoughts of getting another dog, but it never develops into serious consideration. One of these days! :-)

I thought this was such a cheerful photo and have no idea why it felt like a fall photo. :-)

{{gwi:177415}}

At sunrise the balloons take flight over the Cappodocian moonscape. Photo and caption by Patrick Saunders

We've missed you Anita, but I can see you have been very busy! [g] Just think how those grandchildren keep you young though. :-) DH is starting to look like his old self the last two days. He's getting there.

Rather a boring day a work, so I'm sneaking in a post. I agree with Anita; it's nice to have those crazy winds past us, and I'm sorry for those of you east of here who will bear the brunt over the next few days. No damage here, but driving to a meeting in the country last ngiht was interesting.

pm, glad to hear your DH is perking up. Here's a spring shot for you of a combo I really enjoyed:

{{gwi:159545}}

The shrub is a Mt. Airy Fothergilla, with Artemisia s. 'Nana' and an unknown white tulip.

Anther combo:

{{gwi:156969}}

This is Phlox stolonifera, Phlox subulata and Mertensia virginica. Ignore that yellow thing, okay? There's also some foliage from Alchemilla mollis in the photo.

Yes, the deer condo is quite the glorified tree house. The beauty of it is that deer season is only two weekends every late fall, and DH and I can use it any other time we want. I'm planning to spend a little time there this weekend with my camera, my journal and some wine or hot chocolate. It won't quite be a week on the seashore, but it still will be a nice getaway.

Kathy, I hope you have a great trip. Sounds like it should be a nice getaway. Decompression is a great thing.

Cindy, sorry to hear of the turmoil at the office. That's such a stressful situation to be in. Thinking of you and keeping my fingers crossed!

Denise, thanks for the Noel Kingsbury link. It's funny, but when I took that photo I was reminded of the cover photo on a book that he did with Piet Oudolf. And now I see that his blog uses the same layout as mine! I wonder exactly where they were visiting in those photos; for a little fun look at this photo and then the first photo on his blog. Very similar landscapes!

{{gwi:177418}}

Mary, when you finish tell me how you enjoyed The Storey Sisters. I'm a big Alice Hoffman fan.

Woody, I'm thinking of you as well. Your garden improvements this year have been lovely.

For those who asked, I've reposted the blog link below. Thanks!!!!

V.

PM2...One of my favorite spring bloomers is 'Little Lanterns' columbine. It's small, but really packs a colorful punch at the front of the border. Pretty close to it, and blooming around the same time is bleeding heart, another spring favorite. The colors don't really blend that well, but a tree separates them.
{{gwi:158432}}
Bleeding heart:
{{gwi:158431}}

V- love your blog; i was unsuccessful in commenting there -- the techno challenged person that I am... I love your photos so far and thoughtful prose. Good luck!

PM -- I commend you in thinking ahead already to planning and plotting for spring - you certainly are organized! Im thinking leaf raking and "the slow descent into winter" and you're thinking Spring, LOL... I do wish I could be a bear and hibernate til then...

It is however a lovely 70ish sunny day and one could envision it being an Indian Summer --

Mary, you certainly are amazingly busy 'tween your garden jobs and parenting, etc. You have so much energy, it's amazing!

Anita -- sounds like you've been a busy GM - I never seem to get enuf cleaning done in autumn either; I think part of it is that I have more energy and excitement in the Spring - in the autumn I feel in more of a "caretaker" mood - putting things to sleep....

I look forward to seeing Kathy's beach posts and musings... hope you have great weather for it!

--cindy

Has anyone looked at their house on Google Earth street view lately? It is now available for our area and I just checked it out... The quality of this picture is bad because I printed it and scanned it at less than good quality and also shrunk it, but we were very surprised at the detail!
{{gwi:177421}}

Very pretty spring combos!

V...I may break down and order some tulips this year. I haven't bought one in about 25 years. [g] I do have a similar Artemesia, 'Silver Mound' I think. And I have the Phloxes and one lonely mertensia with some Tiarella. I'm sure I have some of those yellow thingys too. [g]

Anita, very pretty columbine and covered with blooms. What is that on either side, campanula of some kind? I wonder how it would look with the white bleeding heart? I just bought two of those last spring and I hope they come back next year.

Thanks!

Woody, that is scary! It looks like DH in the driveway. Brother! Am I the only one that is driven crazy by this kind of technological wonder?

Cindy, there is also something to be said for enjoying the moment. [g] It's just that I've been disappointed a few springs already and of course, it's not easy to do anything about it at that point. I refuse to move plants when they are in bloom. I've never been much good at staying one step ahead, but for some dumb reason I keep trying. For one thing, I can't walk and chew gum at the same time. lol But I try to look at it, as I'm 'single minded' and 'methodical'. :-)

pm2

A quick tap at the door to say, Hello!

I stumbled upon the conversations side back in August when doing a search on combinations, Deanne's thread came up and I was wowed by the postings and photos! Kathy mentioned the recent IU6 so I promptly checked out the Idyll title only to find myself feeling intrusive with accompanying visions of the shadowy confines of...lurkerdom!...not for me, uh-uh. However, curiousity brought me back again. And then, yet again.

So many voices, faces and names - all sharing the joys, sorrows, humor, daily antecdotes that make up a tapestry of interesting and multi-talented lives. Photography that make me smile or gasp at the beauty of it! Still...there's that tricky, WALATING and SALATING code to break. But wait! Surely it must be what I do in the gardens, "walking (standing) around looking at things!"

To make this post even more daunting, I seem to have lost the first one and can't remember my other comments other than the fact I've only read 22 of the listed books. Time to hit submit and head back into the garden, nasty weather is coming I'm afraid.

Well, well, well... "Welcome to my parlor", said the spider to the fly. A new fly has blundered into the web, lured by the sheer genious of the daily jibber-jabber... .

Welcome, Candy. We're pretty much just regular, work-a-day slobs with pretty good senses of humor. And we're pretty harmless, fear not. :)

Yes, many faces, many names and the trick is to not be freaked out by any of it. Just start participating and see if it works for you. Remember that even for the old hands any notable absence makes getting back into the routine tough, so being daunted is pretty normal. It keeps us humble. Sort of.

Congratulations and welcome. Tell us something about yourself so we will have a way to get to know you (or ignore you... only kidding!).

Good evening all,

Well the winds were screaming here today with gusts to 45mph. Only a few blow downs but Im happy to report that Dougs clever bolting of cement blocks to the bottoms of the big Brugmansia pots really works! Im very impressed because the CGrimaldi is huge and it always got blown down this time of the year whenever we got any wind. Clever man I married. Speaking of Charles, here is a photo update as of this morning before the wind storm. I counted more than 300 buds on it over the weekend and its starting to put on the grand finale of the season.

{{gwi:149066}}

HI Candy and welcome! Looking forward to learning more about you and your gardens.

Wow Woody! Thats amazing detail for the google earth. A bit 1984ish.

Cindy, so sorry for the upheaval at work. That must be pretty unsettling.

Anita, love that columbine too! Very pretty. So nice to see you.

V, I just adore that Fotherhilla/tulip/artemisa combo!!!! Gorgeous.

Mary, I seem to need more sleep than I did when I was younger. I wish I could function on less.

Kathy, Way cool, the beach vacation thing. Cant wait to see and hear all about it.

Denise thanks for the lovely salvia pic. Its beautiful! ~~ How many salvias do you have in pots? And yes, Kathy is totally correct, compost does not need sun to cook. All my compost bins are in the shade and do just fine.

And another pic from this morning. I just love those Castor Bean leaves dancing above the other foliage. Cool!
{{gwi:177422}}

OK off to fix some dinner. Have a great evening all
Deanne

Today was the last day of our first quarter, so I bid adieu to all our little kiddoes for a little more than two weeks. They will be in school, but I will not! Yippee. The next two days are filled with parent conferences, and then relaxation. Can't wait. Cindy, I do love teaching, but all the regs and paperwork are a bit overwhelming. Also, not crazy about some of the things going on in our school lately. It seems that there is no room left for the art of teaching. Of course, I tend to manage to find ways to work it into my teaching nonetheless.

pm2, I will check out the Jeff Bridges movie. I'll bet it will have my DH guffawing. I love watching funny things with him because he starts out slow and then just gets more and more amused until he is laughing so hard that you can't help but laugh, too! He doesn't normally laugh a lot, so this is something to look forward to watching.

Mary, I really will try to learn to post when I am on vacation, but I will never top your chicken photo-love it!

Thanks for all the new welcomes.

Oh, we are still waiting for rain. The hose has been on all day and the pups are muddy. Lovely...

Well, It hardly gets better than sitting in a comfy cahair, facing the pacific, the good wine, Mozart on the CD player, and the ballgame on the boob tube with the volume off. (no volume needed for the slimy Yankees.)
Just a brief post tonight- with one hastily taken photo, but you get the idea. Tomorrow is Mendo Coast Botanical Garden..many pics there no doubt !

Hey Candy, glad you took the plunge ..two new Idyllers in one week ! Kiss that lurker goodbye and step into the sun ! You get the WALAT and SALAT down and youre in ..Please fill us in on your zone and approximate location ..

Here is where I am {{gwi:177423}}From mendocino oct 2009

Kathy at the Coast

The room comes with a decanter of sherry and nice fuzzy robes.

I went around at lightning speed tonight continuing to de-pot. Nearly all are safely tucked in the basement. They are talking about 25 F for this weekend. Really that is a couple of weeks early. Like Deanne, I threw out wheelbarrows full of wonderful plant material. Its amazing how much growth those little cuttings put on over the summer. Weve been having crummy wet, cold weather lately but today was a perfect fall day. I made the most of it.

Welcome Candy, since you cracked the "code" you are required to stay. What other forums do you hang out on? Your screen name seems familiar.

Kathy, what I wouldnt give to be out of the awffice and doing what you are doing.

Deanne, "Charles" is amazing. Ive never seen a finer specimen. Along with the banana it is quite the statement.
I was wondering which castor bean those are. 'Carmencita' has red seed pods but yours appear purple. The reason I'm wondering is when I was at the MN Landscape Arboretum a couple of weeks ago they had a cool large grouping of one called "Dwarf Purple"

Cindy, what a worry. Fingers crossed that the ax doesnt fall anywhere near you.

V, Im curious how big your mushroom is. The funny thing is I had never seen a big one before and low and behold the next day after you posted your picture I came across one in our grove. It was the size of a volleyball. I immediately knew what is was because of your picture. I had to touch it to be sure though.

Norma, I really should do some extensive house cleaning but like you I just don
t feel like it.

Woody, DH enjoys messing around with Google Earth. Ill have to have him check our place again. Last time it was a very distant shot. It probably still is since we are rural.

A couple of topiary picture for Cindy. They aren't looking all that great right now since its been so cold they are dropping leaves like crazy.
{{gwi:177424}}

{{gwi:177425}}

Michelle

I thought it supremely funny that Chelone, of the regular beatings (a memorable quip!) should answer the door! :-)) We shall see how I do as a fledgling in the Idyll flow and regular postings. At the very least I could drop by like a distant cousin, lol.

Deanne, I'm not sure I'll ever get used to your jaw dropping plants and photography. I can't imagine how you create so many of these pristine container plantings.

Michelle, I occasionally check out the Cottage Garden, shrub and hosta forums but rarely post. Added a few comments here and there on separate threads in conversations. I'm sure it was an early glass of wine that lured me into posting on an actual Idyll title! Your garden chair makes me want to run out and paint mine tomorrow; it's just the old wood look I love but that splash of color is fantastic.

Kathy, your vista wins hands down - looking forward to the promised pictures.

DH and I reside in zone 5 in the vast midwest. The kids have graduated college and living on their own. Everyone makes it home for the holidays and family gatherings though. My gardens are much smaller in scale and I'm challenged by an odd shaped yard, no doubt the last lot marked off on the block. Five connecting yards, none with a fence, so it's a constant work in progress. The last couple of weeks I gathered up what still looked good into a few fall vignettes to stretch the season. I don't think they'll last much longer so here's a couple of photos before the big chill hits.

{{gwi:177426}}

{{gwi:177427}}

How surprising, not one but two new Idyllers! Welcome, Candy! Glad you decided to take the plunge. It will be nice to get regular weather reports from the midwest. [g] We also have a small garden and we are connected to four other yards as well, only with fences. One fence line is a post and rail, so I have been busy trying to grow a screen. I love your pumpkin colored chrysanthemum with that dark coleus. Very pretty!

Michelle...you must have been going at lightning speed, that was a lot of plant material to get into the house. I'm glad you waited for a nice day to do it. I always kick myself when I wait too long and it's freezing out while we're trying to get everything done. You did a great job on your standards this year! How long have they been growing? I love that painted chair! It is a very pretty shade.

Kathy....that view is really amazing! How did you ever find such a jewel? Looks like perfect weather too. I am imagining waking up to the sounds and smells of the coast. Ahhhh! If that doesn't revive you, I don't know what will...lol.

Cyn...your DH sounds like enjoyable company. 'A Dog Year' is cute but not as sidesplittingly funny as say 'Beethoven' with Charles Grodin and Bonnie Hunt.

Deanne....it was very windy here yesterday too. I hope all 300 of your Brug buds have a chance to open before frost. So, do you do a review at the end of the year and decide what you want to do again and what you want to do differently? ..... That really was a clever idea Doug had. You are very lucky to have him, Deanne! :-)

I followed a link on Comcast yesterday to flu.gov and discovered a map that you can see how much H1N1 flu is floating around. For instance, in our state it is just a 'local' outbreak, but in California, it is now 'widespread'. The link is below.

Almost Friday....it looks like a perfect day shaping up out there.

Good morning

Hi Candy - how nice to have you join us! As you can tell we love seeing each other's gardens and your fall vignettes are very cheery. Do you like chickens LOL!

Woody - the Google Earth technology is both fascinating and scary. I too thought I could identify Randy walking down the driveway, wearing shorts. I hate to think people might have an equally clear view of me skinny dipping in the pool or sunbathing topless in my lime green underwear. Yikes! Big Brother may well be watching.

V - I think some mulled wine would be the perfect drink for your deer condo.

Deanne - how stunning your photos are and how wonderful to go out in such a blaze of glory.

Michelle - those topiarys are still lovely despite the cold.

Today was a grumpy morning. Last night, after driving David to guitar lesson and ensemble and then cooking dinner I was beat. DH had promised to do the dishes but must have forgotten or got too tired. Left over chicken in gravy is not a pretty sight the next morning. I was greeted with David sitting amidst the disaster eating microwaved potatoes, telling me we are out of cereal. Yet there are four, yes four boxes lined up on the shelf. All empty. I informed the children I would only purchase replacements when the old packages had been removed to the recycle, but there would be no special trip. Ack! How long do you have to spell these things out?

Mary

Over and over and over again, Mary. And you have to turn a deaf ear to the whining. My reply to the whining about the lack of clean socks in his sock drawer? "Tough. There were no dirty socks in the hamper when I did laundry." I said nothing about the pile of them in the bathroom that I could have easily picked up and washed. Sorry! not my job to run around cleaning up after someone else's sorry ass. I do my chores reliably and cheerfully, I don't need to shoulder more work, thank you. Hang tough.

The fair was great. But I'm going to say something very politically incorrect. I was appalled by the numbers of grossly obese people I saw. I know obesity is epidemic in this country but because I don't hang out at the "maul" and my friends are not greatly overweight I don't "see it" on a daily basis. But I was shocked; esp. young women (17-30) who were easily 50-100 lbs. overweight. Wow! and it got me thinking about why this is so... . No easy answers, clearly, but we have a huge problem on our hands in this country, IMO. It really shocked me into reality and it freaked me right out, too.

I enjoyed the draft horse show and talked with a delightful man who used to show them. I received a primer on what the judges look for in a hitch that is competing in the ring and I also received some suggestions on good shows in the NE area that also feature the drivers' abilities. I've never had the opportunity to drive and have always wanted to learn. If I ever have a chance to own horses again mine will be versatile, under saddle AND in harness.

Time to head on out to the Salon and put in some time on the red chenille "rockpile".

Good morning all,

Its a lovely sunny day, breezy and perfect for tackling more of the containers. Im hoping to get another 20 or so decanted today. It just kills me this time of the year to chop off hundreds of fuchsia flowers but its time and past time. If Michelle and folks west of here are looking at temps in the 20 and snow that is most probably on its way here.

Mary, I ROTFL over the four empty cereal boxes. Sorry but I thought thats way too funny, but definitely never make a special trip out. The funny part is that they think Wonder Mom should go out and fix their oversight. One breakfast of potatoes is not going to ruin their health. Doug occasionally will yes me to death over some task Ive asked him to do then conveniently ignore it. He goes off to work and I have to look at the mess in the sink all day so of course I clean it up. I think its a guy thing.

PM Im really crossing my fingers with the weather and that brug too. Yes, I do a sort of mental review in the fall of things that worked really well and are worth repeating. And, yes, I know how lucky I am!

Candy, I absolutely LOVE your vignettes! That Ritz cracker can is perfect. You have a wonderful eye for grouping things.

Michelle youve done a fabulous job with those standards!!! They look awesome. I had an accident with my large Malabar standard a couple days ago. The stakes had rotted at the soil level and when I picked it up the trunk cracked off at the soil level. Wicked bummer. Time to start a new one but that was four years old. Love your fence line and that blue chair is marvelous. ~~ Ive no idea which Castor Bean that is. Sorry!

Kathy, Im insanely jealous that you are in Mendocino! Fabu-fabu!!!!! Looking forward to more photos. Its such a great spot!

Cynthia, I dont know how you deal with teaching. We have a couple dear friends who retired as they didnt want to deal with all the paperwork and crapola anymore.

Here are a couple more pics from yesterday.

{{gwi:177430}}

Im so in love with my Saucy leaf casting!
{{gwi:177433}}

Have a great day all
Deanne

Welcome to Candy and Cyn! It's nice to have another midwest native join the Idylls, Candy, so we can commiserate on the fickle weather. Jump right in and yak away. We love photos, as you can tell, and some of the best photographers and gardeners hang out here. :) I like your vignettes, Candy. They are still puttin' on the ritz!

Kathy, looks like you're enjoying yourself, and with that view, how can you not? I am getting serious "mendonitis." That's AKA for coast envy. I kid myself that I don't mind Chicago weather, that is, until it gets cold. Then I'm reminded of the beauty of changing seasons, and I'm okay again. All in a day.

I just started reading "The Lovely Bones." Thought I should get it done before the movie comes out. It's slow moving getting into it, but I do like the plot's premise. Who wouldn't want the chance to look down on Earth and see how people react to our departure? Or maybe we can, who here knows?

Mary...The reminders are endless, never-ending, head banging, fruitless, frustrating...shall I go on, or do you get the picture? My youngest is 19 and I still have to remind her how things get done around here. I've only had to clean up after the females, hardly ever the males. That's a switch.

chelone...glad you enjoyed the fair, and that the scenery gave you something to think about. :) It's something that actually scares me from time to time thinking how widespread of a problem it is in this country. I think it relates to our quality of food and all the crappy additives.

I'm going to go now and check out V's garden blog again.

Have a great day all,
Anita

I got out in the garden this morning with the camera for a change. Not much out there looking very good this year. It was windy again, but I tried to get a clear photo of the asters. The blue one has a much more intense color than the photo shows. Neither of them has Powdery Mildew, which makes me happy. I think they need another year before they are the size and fullness I am hoping for. This is the large and medium size in Picasa, I wish they had a size in between.

{{gwi:177436}}

{{gwi:177438}}

{{gwi:177440}}

Cindy, that's awful news to get early in the week, but if anyone is indispensable, you are, and the boss knows it.

The light on the Mendo Coast, the cottage, the cliffs -- the perfect getaway!

Planning for spring is a great way to ignore the onset of winter. I'm digging and planting away myself, potting up seedlings, generally making messes.

Love how fall makes you guys reach for your cameras ;)

I did finally bring home a castor bean plant this fall. I think mine is 'New Zealand Purple.' It's an invasive roadside weed and is perennial here, not an annual, so I've steered clear up til now. We'll see if the multitudes of seedlings I get from it and the bronze fennel are deal breakers, but what substance and body they give to wispy stuff.

I posted a warm welcome last night to Candy, wandered away from the puter before posting and fell into bed around 8ish -- now I see the post evaporated overnight, which also included chatting with Cyn over laughing spouses and how Marty howls, wheezes, becomes utterly breathless over the disco scene in the movie Airplane! Of course I had to check youtube, found the scene, played it, Marty wanders in and looks over my shoulder and does a reprise of his laugh attack, so I had to confess to him he was being callously used for idyll fodder ;)

Mitch's hero Irving Penn has died at a ripe age -- very good obit in the NYT. Also on NPR intermittently yesterday was the winner of the Booker prize Hilary Mantel's book on Thomas Cromwell, Wolf Hall -- sounds right up the alley of idyll Tudor fans.

(A story for Woody about a terrier mix named Jen who runs the fuel dock. I may have posted before about Jen. Countless times Marty has come home to tell me about her shenanigans and his boundless admiration of her. As he pulls up in the pilot boat to the fuel dock, there's Jen patroling the five-fingered dock tirelessly, relentlessly -- I think we can say obsessively, all in the cause of keeping seabirds from landing and pooping on the docks. Jen literally doesn't rest all day. Her predecessor, named Diesel, had no such inclination, amiable enough but not a driven working dog like Jen.

So...we finally got the scoop on what makes Jen tick. Marty found out couple days ago that she was trained by the Air Force to keep runways clear of birds, at the cost of approx 6 grand. Somehow the fuel dock owner got ahold of Jen, and the rest is fuel dock history. Now Marty keeps a little bucket of dog biscuits on the pilot boat and slips a few to the hard-working wonder dog. She'll take the biscuit politely but immediately drops it and races off to catch marauding birds in the act. Not a drop of bird poop has landed on that dock since Jen's arrival. I can't wait to meet her and will bring camera for action photos.)

Off to slave the day away. Waves to all.

Good Afternoon!

I was very impressed by Kathy's view and the chairs on the deck, so thought I'd try to share the deck chairs here today:

{{gwi:177441}}

I'm happy to see our two new arrivals and hope to catch up with everyone's news next week when I return to Ontario.

Woody, it looks like Ms Phoebe may need leg surgery, something DH has been carefully researching during my absence.

Thanks again to all for the nice welcome! And, yes, Mary! lol I love the idea of you having chickens; that certainly caught my eye and I had to go back searching out the beginning of the venture. What fun and how ingenious constructing the henhouse! Please post some updated photos of it and how they do this winter. Im at a loss on the lime green undies but it sounds hilarious; I think you should add a touch of the color to the henhouse as your signature.

Deanne, the photo with the Saucy leaf casting cost me another chunk of time for more container gazing (as a fledgling Im easily distracted and could disappear into old Idyll titles) and then double back for the origins of Saucys creations. What an exquisite piece of art and I truly admire the patience and time spent on such work.

PM, so glad you shared a description of your yard. Im slowly closing out the goldfish bowl effect with shrubs as a fence would give it a jigsaw puzzle piece appearance, plus the cost is far too great. Love to see what plantings youre using for screening and those asters look so fresh!

Hi Anita, yes the season I dread seems to be arriving early this year - Midwest Gray. The rain is here so its Wet/Gray, and we can look forward to Damp/Gray, Lowering Sky/Gray and then Windy/Chill/Gray which about covers the month of November!

OK, time for me to shift into overdrive. With weekend company arriving tomorrow theres much that needs doing.

Deanne, I am thinking of writing a book entitled, Why I Need to Retire...NOW. teehee. BTW, love your plant combinations, especially the first one!

PM2, Amazing shots. That blue aster is SPECTACULAR! I don't think I have enough sun for them. :(

Thanks for the welcome, Anita. It is nice to find such a wonderful bunch of people here! Really, everyone is terrific-give yourselves a pat on the back (teacher comment:))

Cyn

Such great photos (except - I have to diss the one from you 'bug -- eeek, not the scary white stuff - no no no.... major hex signs)... You can tell Im not a mid-westerner...

Michelle - you've done great w/ those coleus topiaries and Im gonna put it on the list for next year's projects....

Welcome to Candy for taking the idyll plunge -- love your imaginative containers - puttin on the ritz, indeed, LOL.

I know Im pushing this idyll over its usual limits but thought I'd throw on my thoughts quickly (what few I retain..)

I LOVE that castor bean shot, Deanne -- it does indeed look like some fancy Inta art object in there - way cool.

Chelone - glad you had a good time at the fair altho I suspect it's one of those places where the cheap eats attracts all too many of us.

Okay, Denise - so Jen the poop deck dog got paid $6K to help the airforce out, LOL? I bet her former owners did not share the fair share of dog biscuits for earning that for him! What a story.... I think I'd like a week or two of her at my place to help clean my patio and discourage 'em from my car too... maybe they could "contract"her out on the weekends from the fuel dock?

Wavin at all; I know I forgot many..
-cindy

Cyn that lilac colored aster is facing East. In the second photo you can see the morning sun hitting it and if you notice the tree branch in the upper right hand corner, that is where the sun will stop shining by late morning. So it doesn't get more than 3-4hrs of sun a day.

Anyone...re the deanneart pot with the payrus, anyone know the other plants in there?