HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Getting an early start on this as it is another work weekend and I may not have two brain cells available to rub together hard enough to enable me to type later on!!

I cleaned the front part of my house - finally - you know, those rooms that people can see when they come in the front door! And I did get back out in the garden and got a little more planting done. John has finally given in and enlisted my aid (why do men wait 'til the last minute?) in finding a Mother's Day gift for his Mom, so we will be going shopping this afternoon. I really shouldn't say that about men as my Mother's Day flowers go to the cemetary and I haven't gotten them arranged yet - bad...bad kid!

While we're out shopping, I guess I'll go to the lumberyard and pick up the lattice that I was supposed to go get last week so we can get that darn grape arbor in the air sometime soon! I also need some bolts for the grape arbor, more PVC pipe to expand the chicken pen, chicken feed, and a new handle for my spading fork - see, I told you I was working too hard; plumb wore out the handle on my fork!! Might as well pick up the groceries for the week while we're at it. Living out in the country sure teaches you a lot, doesn't it? It teaches you to always have plenty of food on hand, and to make your own when possible and improvise if needs be since town is way too far away to just run in for one ingredient or a quick burger. Ditto on teaching you to plan ahead and group your chores together to avoid multiple trips. Not to mention the added benefit of cramming all of your "people contact" in a short time period so you can go home and recover from it! Hmmm - now if I can just grab the truck and head to the lumberyard while he drives the car on home...I'm sure I can drive slow enough that he'll have all those groceries put away by the time I get home!! (That'll happen - sure it will!)

Well, I'm going to grab my alarm clock and head for the garden again. Got to take the clock to make sure I meet the man in town when he gets off work - does anyone else lose track of time in the garden?!

Sure hope everyone has a great week!

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001

Answers

Just about to go out and work in the garden myself Polly, and yes, I really lose time out there. Peas are up, we need rain really bad so I need to water today. Strawberries are in full bloom and it is time for me to put in the seed crops. Just got MORE TOMATO SEED from Kim, now I am really going to take it from the husband about the many different kinds of THE SAME THING, as he calls it, that I plant. Some people don't quite get the multiple varieties thing.

Just wanted to also thank you Polly for your post at the freedom forum. I was thinking of responding to greg as well and was glad that you did it for me. Warped humor??? I just call it liking to have fun. My personal take on the political thing is that the more serious you take yourself, the less likely you are to have a humorous bent. Life is far too short, when you get to be my age, to be spending too much time watching for black helicopters and FBI agents behind trees. I absolutely love my life here on the old homestead and intend to enjoy every minute of it that I can. Blessings to all and Happy Mother's day to all the mothers and to Kirk also who had to be both. (it was a real tear jerker for me kirk the father's day that I got cards from all my adult children thanking me for the years I was father and mother both)

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001

Wow Diane you are so sweet!!! Thank you....Kirk

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001

Happy Mothers Day to all concerned!!!! Up early and ready to go to work at the agency job and got canceled. Will enjoy the day w/ the Queen and kids instead. Hope you all have a good week.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Happy Mother's Day! (and to those of us who aren't mothers, maybe we could have a Mothers of Invention Day!)

Anyway, the day is starting out in a rather interesting way....very drizzly but not too cold. I was out cutting rhodies and azaleas for a bouquet for the altar at church this morning, when I heard kids screaming from a house below us (this is at 7 a.m.) I then heard the weirdest cat noise...really loud and not at all like a kitty...I thought what the heck kind of cat would make that nasty noise? Then I heard the guy yelling to the kids to "get the horses" and it occured to me that (doh!) it was a cougar in the woods! So I whistled all my stock up to the top of the fields (they come to my whistle) penned up the ewes in the ewe barn and enticed the boys up with some hay...got my cats back into their kennel (except for one, who is always elusive and usually heads into the woods in the other direction anyway.) Mr. S. asked me if I wanted a rifle! Sheesh. I couldn't hit anything with one...give me the 12 gauge! Anyway, went back to doing the arrangement (on the front porch) and darned if a tree limb from one of the HUGE maples across the road didn't decide to come crashing down, sounding like a gunshot when it cracked. I then went over and pulled most of it off the road (largest diameter was about 8-9" so not that heavy.) Enough weird noises and stuff for the day.

I bought a bunch of plants at our church bazaar yesterday! Always such a good bargain. I worked out in the "yard" (where I'm trying to build a flower border) until 9 p.m., finally giving up because I would have needed a head lamp to continue.

Buying sweet seed corn today after church. Then over to Mom's for a barbecue. She's feeling pretty good....drove herself to the hairdressers on Friday (priorities!!)

Anyway, hope the cougar keeps moving on....Have a good day!

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Sheepish,

David and I were just commenting we hadn't heard much from you lately. Glad all is well and that your mom is doing well. The way I figure it is that mothers day is for everyone who mothers. That includes most of us at one time or another (and some of us a lot of the time!).

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Hi Kim,

I've just been WAAAAYYYYYYYYY-busy just like everyone else, I guess. Work, family, too much stuff at church (it's seasonal), gardening, critters...you know!!! I had my 49th birthday yesterday, too. I am going through some changes (no not the *M* one yet!) but really am antsy about my current lifestyle and having to work off-farm, etc. I am going to spend some serious down time doing some reflecting this week. I hope I get time! LOL! Seriously, nearing the mid-century milestone is interesting. (And I already have long blonde hair and wear a lot of silver jewelry...the female equivalent of bald guys driving red convertibles for their mid-life crises!) Okay, enough!

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Sheepish: My birthday (42nd) was yesterday as well. Pretty cool. Here is a strange fact. If you have 25 people in a room, there is a 50% chance that 2 folks will have the same birthday.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Belated birthday to you sheepish and Chris... may many blessings rain on you this coming year... and may it be filled with good health, love and peace...

A wonderful Mother's Day to you all, including any Mr. Mom's we might have out there!!!

My tomatoes in the house are screaming to go out... however, I have found if I follow the moon signs... I have better and healthier luck... it is quite cool out there yet... walking barefoot in the garden is too cold for me...

did plant the onions and carrots last week... I'm not a fan of peas tho I eat them... canned...

since the weather has been cool... frost two nights ago yet... it will not bother me so much following the moon signs as the above ground veggies need to be planted towards the end of the month...

does anyone else use milk jugs to protect their young plants?

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Been gardening myself today for just a few hours, though. Peas are up here also, but I have to water regularly because of lack of rain. Planted cabbage, broccoli and Brussell sprout seedlings, then planted the first batch of bush beans (purple pod). Will put in green and yellow beans next month. Hubby and I went to church this morning....first time in over 25 yrs. My granddaughter was baptised and we are the Godparents. Surprised myself, but I actually enjoyed the service. Guess it's because I'm getting older!!! Finally found my Mallard duck's nest! She had 14 eggs very hidden, I might add. I took 10 for my incubator and left the rest for her. Probably will give away any that hatch for me, but I just enjoy watching them! Happy Birthday to Sheepish and Chris! I hit the mid-century milestone last Jan. and don't feel any different. And don't worry, Sheepish, the "M" changes are not that bad!! I gave up on the jewelry thing many years ago (impractical for my lifestyle), but I still have the long blonde hair...and please...no Blonde jokes!!!! Happy Mother's Day!

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Happy Mother's Day to ya! We've had a good one here. Nice weather, just a little on the cool side. I've gotten spoiled already as we have had the most delightful temps for at least a month. Since it's mother's day I got 2 more creatures to mother. I picked up a pair of silkies at the flea market from a little girl that shows them and was accumulating too many. It was so hard for her to let them go. I told her I understood how hard it was for her and that they would be pets and we would take real good care of them. And that we would even keep their names the same! I know they aren't real practical but I figure that sometimes you gotta have some things that are purely for enjoyment. The rooster is so sweet. His sweetie is a little flighty but nice. My kids just love them. They were very surprised I got them.

I'm hoping that next week I'll get some news that a certain litter of New Zealand white rabbits have been born. If all turns out well, they will be my first attempt at meat rabbits. Cross your fingers for me!

The kid's pumpkins have sprouted and all of my planting is growing well (so far). Well I could just ramble on and on if you give me the chance. So I'll stop for now. I really enjoy being here with you all! Everyone have a great week!

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Say Sheepish, I like silver jewelry too, and beads, and I love dangley earrings...and stuff.... ( I know, I'm hopeless.......) never gave it up, cept for my dykey phase in the 70's.

The "M" ain't so bad; least it wasnt for me; I had almost no problems; ain't I special? Don't miss that part of my youth one little bit.

I have long blonde hair too, although thinning. (what's with all the blondes? I thought very few people were truly blonde)......and the funniest things happened recently....

We were at a bowling alley (first time bowling in 5 yrs) and being exhausted after playing a couple of lines, I left to start the car and asked the kids to return our shoes. Suddenly my oldest comes runnin and says the woman at the counter was yellin to the owner that a 'grey haired lady' had left without payin! Well needless to say I was not only mortified but stupified, not to mention INSULTED by the grey reference!! So I marched in there, and it turns out I thought I had paid ahead of time (told you it had been a long time), but turns out I had only paid for the shoe rental.....and I was mortified again!

However, the description of me as grey was more upsetting to me than being accused of larceny.

I went home and examined my hair in the mirror. I put new light bulbs in the bathroom, used a brand new great big ol hand mirror to look behind, combed it every whichaway, and dang it, it always came out the same..........I'M BLONDE DAMMIT!!! what the heck was the matter with that ol homely woman? blind......and the light was bad in there......and anyways, she was so bitter and crabby....who cares.......

So a few weeks later I go for a haircut in a new salon......and the silly young haircutter person refers to my hair as something like " I like the way all the colors are together.......the blonde, the light brown, the GREY!"

I am in shock here.........

It is absolutely amazing how clueless people are out here in the sticks!

So a few weeks later I'm tellin my kids these funny stories, yukkin it up.....and then I casually ask em....."you don't think my hair is grey do you?"

silence..........

they're looking at the floor....

Uh, girls?

Did you hear me, sweeties?

What? You don't mean........

Well, Mom, it's not really GREY you understand, just kinda not , um... really blond anymore...exactly anyway.....

I am devasted here!!

And I am NOT grey.

I finally had to face a very difficult fact I have been avoiding too long.........

My children are color blind.

Its so sad, I know, but I have made appointments (for my girls, and the bowling alley lady) for next week at the optomologist . Wish me well; I know I will always love my children regardless of their afflictions.

Blessings,

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Earthmama I'm very sorry to hear of your children's vision problems. Perhaps Jump Off Joe could donate some money from his foundation to buy them some new glasses!

My hairstyle and color is subject to change at a moments notice. I"ve been everything from Marilyn Monroe platinum blonde to copper red to medium brown and all points in between. Currently it's a dark mahogany red that kind of looks purple under certain light conditions. But my natural hair color is starting to develop these patches that are much lighter than the surrounding strands. I can't be going gray, so I must be going albino! :-)

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

Hey, all you old grey mares(now don't throw THAT at me-it's not nice) My hairdresser calls it highlights.Ain't she sweet? I'm very brunette,so it does show up good.

And she and I were ROTFLOAO over my and her tales of premenopausal experiences.I just started in JAN. and she is well on the way.It is NOT a walk in the park,for some of us!!!!! Her husband was there and asked us what was so funny.We told him and he said."Oh,my..she really did have a time of it...I never knew what or who to expect when I'd get home." That pretty much summed it up. Another thread will need to be started.I had no idea!Found out I need to drink sage tea,not use it on my hair to cover grey.:o)

And diane,you had to go and make me look,didn't you?I've been staying out of 'Freedom' so I didn't get called a spy, but you forced me to go there. Polly covered it well.

We've been in the garden planting.It rain hard a few nights ago and the temps are cooler,so it gave us a window of oportunity to get some transplants planted in between droughts. Down to vine crops,native grasses and a few more of my assorted flowers,and the pots,still needing put in the ground.

Irises are blooming.I have an old purple one from my mother that I love.Up the road a woman have abt a half acre of them just blooming away.It's so pleasant to pass by and see that field full of smiles.

Gotta run.Talk to you all later.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

Thanks for the kind wishes and also the belly laughs!! Well, my hair was blonde until I hit about high school and then took a turn toward a more mousey color...so I like to help it along by having highlights put into it. It brightens up my face (really!) and it does blend some of the grey (although I don't have too much except for one obvious streak next to my forehead which I've had for a long time and I think looks pretty cool.)

I take a lot of my jewelry off for doing chores, but it goes right back on again. The only thing that sort of drives me nuts is using the keyboard with a lot of bracelets on...then it gets a little noisy!

Happy Birthday Chris, too!

Raining here this morning...

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

You guys think you have it bad with greying hair. I've not only got greying hair (since about 16 years old), but it's thinning at an ever accelerating rate! And, to add insult to injury, the hair that I've lost on my head seems to be sprouting out of my nose and ears! Not a pretty site...

At the rate I'm going, I should soon be able to comb the ear hair and nose hair over the balding spot on my head and no one will be the wiser.

Speaking of bald spots... we managed to get some of the vegetable garden planted and all of the strawberries planted yesterday but in the process I got a nasty sunburn on my forehead and the balding spot on the top of my head. It feels like I stuck the top of my head in a blast furnace. I guess now would be a good time to go out and buy a straw hat - kinda like closing the barn door after the horses get out... :-/

BTW, Happy Birthday to sheepish and Chris! I didn't realize that I hung out with a bunch of old fogeys (I'll be a young and spry 36 in July). But I guess I better watch how I treat you all as my parents DID teach me to respect my elders. LOL! (ducking and running)

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

Hey Jim -Nick started going bald in his 30's then it stopped when he met me. I think going fishing is the cure.

Remember to take care of any sweet tooth,too.

Just some suggestions.

My hair,by the way is really thick. I'm totally convinced the fishing cure is the way to go.Can't hurt.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

Sharon,

I beginning to think that you think fishing is the cure for everything! I fish quite a bit now but if I take your advice I'll be doing it 24/7. :-D

But you're right, it certainly won't hurt - and Ruth likes to fish, too, so that helps... it would be boring to always fish alone. (grin)

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

It isn't the cure for everything? Shoot,Nick told me it was! Did he lie to me? I just can imagine that he would.

Well,you do have to find time to garden too,you know. Maybe read once in a while. That's about it,tho! Oh yeah,eat,I guess.

And fishing alone will do in a pinch,but it's really much better to have a good fishin' buddy!

How is it we always get talking about fishing?

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

Funny, isn't it, Sharon, how the topic of conversation got turned around!? Although, my husband and I can't wait to get out on the boat and follow the flounder and stripers!! But I'm curious as to what "ROTFLOAO" means, Sharon? These computer terms still throw me off!! And, by the way, Jim, we ARE your elders, so....watch it :)!!! But I'd sure like to see a picture of your ear/nose hair style printed here in a few years!!!! Anybody else curious??

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

In this case "rolling on the floor laughing 'our' a**** off". It is usually a singular 'my'.Look here acronyms for more.

Good fishing to you.;o)

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

Thank you, Sharon! Maybe if I'd studied it more I would have gotten it...(no, I doubt it!). Guess I'll be spending lots more time at that web site...studying!!!

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

But I'd sure like to see a picture of your ear/nose hair style printed here in a few years!

I'm thinking that you'd probably have to sign some sort of waiver absolving me from any psychological trauma that you might experience from viewing such an abomination.

The waiver should probably also protect me from any damages that might be caused to your computer, too.

With such a litigious society that we live in today you just can't be too careful... ya know? ;-)

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

I think imagining it is psychological trauma enough . . . .

Julie is STILL here with me. Oops, wait, I mean Vinnie . . . Anyway, she TRIED to leave, but the car developed troubles. Tomorrow will be much running around betwixt auto places and shuffling of vehicles and other boring stuff [sigh].

We did get some more plants and got some work done on the garden. I refuse to tell you how many tomatoes I have, even though Vinnie is threatening full disclosure.

Joy aka Guido

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2001

Sheepish, what a day you had! Cougers and falling trees! How interesting!

Chris and Sheepish, Happy Birthday!

Yarrow, It's good to hear that someone else goes barefoot. There was a predicted frost here for two nights in a row but I knew it wasn't gonna because I walked barefoot to the vegetable garden and it wasn't that cold. If it's gonna freeze you can feel it! Yarrow my little Lea will eat your peas for ya, she only likes them standing in the garden and popping them into her mouth, she hates em cooked.

Earthmama, you go me laughing, you talk about all this serious stuff with such a sence of humer! What rude people you live around! I sure can relate. But hey, all you blondes don't know how easy you have it! Now my hair was pretty light when I was younger, but over the last 10 years it's been getting darker and darker, My mother asks me everytime I see her(which is quite often) if I am darkening my hair. Well, I'm not and I think that it is a rather mean joke for nature to be playing on me as on this very dark hair every gray hair stands out in contrast. Sometimes I will be out in the gardens when a lock of my hair falls to my shoulder and how I appreciate the way it glows copper in the sun, because I know that it's color is fleeing! It's so hard to let go.!

Jim , Your too funny, but not all of us women are immune to hairs sprouting in strange places! Once I had a dream that a bunch of weeds were growing from my chin, making a green beard. Oh my Golly!

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2001

Big windstorm expected tonight. Winds are revvin' up pretty good so far (10:34 p.m. as I write.) I made the morning coffee and will put it into the thermos. Hope we don't lose power tonight, but we lost it already for 8+ hours today (with no wind....hmm....think it got sold to California???)

Hope you are all enjoying sunny, spring-like weather. It's cold and raining and nasty here...although my wind chimes are enjoying it...Feng Shui, too...

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

It's sunny here, but HOT. Yesterday made 86F, today "only" 80 -- in May. And it's humid. Yech. I don't like hot weather, and this is hot. I am not acclimated to it yet -- normal high is around 67. Geez!

Got the fence posts installed, except for the one that broke (now I have to cut another)! I'm on lunch break, going back to put up the fence soon. Then I can work on my beds . . . It's supposed to be too cool at this time of the month to plant. Now it's almost too hot to work out there.

I want to do it all perfectly, and so I get all in a dither about what to do. I keep telling myself to relax, that I'm learning and experimenting, but it's an uphill battle!

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

Joy, did you know about the hardware for making braced corners from T- posts? It might just be what you need (I recall you mentioning that the fence was temporary). NASCO stocks them (in Ft. Atkinson). We used them with great success when we lived up there.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

Oops, I guess I wasn't clear. The fencing is going fine (if slowly, since I am doing it on my own and the wire is fighting me a bit). It's the plantings themself that I am obsessing about -- what to plant where, what kind of mulch, etc. And will I have enough room . . . .

However, David, you did inspire me to search for the NASCO website -- thanks. Found it, and I'll have to look at it more closely later. Right now I gotta feed the birds and get back out there to more fencing. Digging tomorrow, I guess.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

Can you quess who I am? he he he

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Hmmm...a mystery to be solve. Anyone recognize the cats? They aren't Jim's.Well,we will just put Guido & Vinny on the case.

Speaking of which...you two have stolen our weather and we want it back. The "Kinfolk" are not happy about this.

You know that little "car trouble" you had.That was a warning.

Return the weather,and all will be forgiven.Well,mostly.

We'll be in "touch" "Cornbread" Billy Bob & "Soupbean" Leroy

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Hmm, I've seen that face somewhere....

I would think those fence posts would be a clue....

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

I think the "he he he" is a good clue! Where have I seen that before??!!

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Hi All. Sandy wins! Wins what? Dummy of the week award! And the prize is . . . the opportunity to RE-plant the baby trees that were put in at the wrong spacing. Anti-yay! Too bad yay spelled backward is still yay. Hmmm, rah would be much better. Yeah - Har, Sandy! Har,Har! It's not like these were some annual; these are TREES. Forty One Trees. 41 trees had to be moved because Sandy plugged the wrong number into the equation. Jeez, what a dummy. Well, I'm done now. What a job. Oof. Two hundred twelve planted so far, one hundred ten to go.

Many ticks this year. I have heard that a 'good' tick year will also be a good apple year. May be an old wives' tale, but our trees (and plums, too) are covered with more blooms than I have seen in a long time. I wish there was the equivalent of Frontline for humans, MayBelle can sleep in tick-infested grass and the ticks just fall (or jump) right off her. And whatever the active ingredient is in Frontline, it is probably less harmful than Lyme's disease.

That's all for now. Will check back later. Sandy

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

We're suffering ticks too, earlier than usual. We've heard to use garlic in our dog food. Can't justify the cost of frontline! The dogs still have ticks with the garlic treatment, but maybe there would be more without it. It might work for people too, but those with spouses/partners might want to try it together!

The weather here is incredibly hot and humid. Potato beetles are all over the garden, and it's still a month until summer starts!!! Good news is that we're getting tomato, tomatillo and eggplant blossoms already.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Cats? Are you SURE those aren't tiny Holsteins? ;-)

Soupbean or Cornbread or whoever the heck you are, you may have the hot weather back, as long as it doesn't mean we get COLD. Just normal spring weather will be fine, thank you! Going to be a bit cooler in the week. Maybe the hot will move over to you by then.

Back to work . . . .

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Cats? Are you SURE those aren't tiny Holsteins? ;-)

Hah! An experiment with animal miniaturization gone horribly wrong, eh Joy?

Well, I don't think it's Sharon in that picture but I do think it's someone who lives in the same state as Sharon... first name starts with a "C" and ends with a "Y". Am I right? Do I win the prize? Is it a years supply of Turtle Wax? Or is it A BRAND NEW CAR! (grin)

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Well it definitely is..... not me.I don't have cats,nor do I pick tomatoes.I make Nick do that! It's definitely not Nick,or the person would have nothing on but a skimpy pair of shorts.That's his choice of attire all summer. Besides I'd have no idea how to post a picture here.

I think the tomatoes are the clue.Let see...tomato lover. David! No,Kim? I know, Julie! But Julie doesn't have cats.Hey ,how about Joy in Julie's Garden with her cats? I bet it's Joy.She's acting pretty smug,too.Does she take her cats with when she visits Julie?

Or it could be Polly.She likes tomatoes, has a garden and has lots of cats.Yep,It's Polly.

Or it could be Cindy....Oh,I give up.It's Beyond me.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Howdy Joy & Julie

Thank you for returning our weather.We had four thunderstorms and over an inch of rain.That's more like the weather I've come to know and love.

Please extend my sincere appreciation to your Godfather,for his timely intervention, and to the rest of the Family.

We won't be needing to visit you soon,after all.I'm sure you both can live with that.

Cornbread and Soupbean

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Nope, not me; no Holstein cats in my 40 billion. And I'm not nearly that tall! 'Sides, those look like strawberries to me, not 'maters (seen too dang many of them - too close up, lately). Hmmm...Guido or Vinnie? Look close - any frogs runnin' around there? Maybe Cindy? Or Kim? Or Ruth? Are we agreed that the mystery picker is female?

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

My guess is Cindy from KY! She knows how to post pictures. I've seen some at the picture page. And I think the picture looks a little like her but it's hard to tell because the smiley face is so big. I wonder when the mystery picker will be revealed?

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Hi All. Had a bit of a scare last night. It was the first time in days that we've been able to go way out back. We went for a long walk. Then MayBelle became excited - she had found a 'kitty' to play with. A black and white striped 'kitty'. Tail straight up in the air. "MayBelle! COME RIGHT NOW!!!!!" And she did, thank goodness. We were lucky. I need to find the 'skunk stink remedy' recipe and keep it handy for the day we are not so lucky.

The trilliums are in bloom! Everybody's woods is (are?) georgeously polka dotted with white and pink beauties. Not our woods, though. We had not even one. Poor Sandy. So last year I 'adopted' one (just after dawn on a Sunday morning, wearing dark clothes and carrying a shovel). But, alas! There is no sign of my trillium. :o(

Our two wild apples are covered with HUGE blooms - at least two inches in diameter. These are much bigger flowers than our tame trees. And the cherries are flowering too! Yay! I planted them several years ago and this is the first year they have bloomed. I know we will not get any cherries (well, maybe one) because the deer will eat them all. Or the bears will. Our neighbor has a long row of cherry bushes that often bear huge crops. Two years ago he was harvesting them when he discovered a young black bear was also picking cherries - they had started from opposite ends of the row. When the bear saw Al, he grunted loudly and climbed as fast as he could to the top of the nearest pine tree. The poor thing stayed up there for two days.

Have a wonderful weekend! See you Monday. Sandy

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Sandy

Stolen plants always grow the best.Oh,you already know that!

However, trillium are very difficult to get to successfully transplant as the roots are deep.Wild dug is not recommended bc of the failure rate

But they do grow from seed,abet slowly. Abt.7 years to flower.Plant seed that forms(prob in late June for you) right away in a shady cold frame,and let stratify over winter.Should germinate following spring.

And this is probably more than you want to know.Can't help it.I'm obsessed about wildflowers.

Hope you got your tree seedlings replanted.That's alot of work.Planted plenty.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

OK, I fess up. Jim got me. He must have remembered how skinny I am. And I do need some sun on that face! You guys are funny, you really had me giggling. That was me picking the strawberries the other night, and yes, it's hard with 3 cats helping you. When I'm kneeling over the rows, the cats lay on the back of my legs, kinda like their own little teeter-totter. I have to move up the row on my knees without tumbling any cats off.

How about some Zinna seeds Jim, I don't have any Turtle Wax, my truck has been in primer for 7 years! I have millions of Zinnia seeds from last year, you can see the pics of them on my web page. After planting, they came up like a baby forest. Zinnias are great for atracting the good bugs to your garden cause of the tiny tiny blossems on top of the big blossems.

I had company on and off all day yesterday and then Thunder Boomers all evening, big ones, so I unplugged and de-phoned the PC so's it wouldn't get fried. Quite scary for a bit, but OH how we needed the rain, we got a lot of rain! I am sooooo thankful for the rain. My garden was dusty, and usually in the spring we get rain every 3 or 4 days. It's such a beautiful morning with all the birds singing, now I can plant all my plants today.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001

Cindy,

I really can't take any special credit for deducing who you were in the picture.

All I did was right click on the picture and then clicked on *Properties*. That gave me the URL (solidrockranch) where the picture was coming from. And from that I figured out it was you. It was elementary my dear Watson!

So, I probably can't claim any prize... :-)

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2001