I always prune my spirea in the spring right after the snow has melted if they need it for size or due to snow damage. I like the texture they give to the garden until they get buried in snow. If you want to have the same coleus next summer, you can take cuttings now and start new plants to keep over the winter as house plants and then take cuttings again in early spring for next summer.

I just got back from Lowes, I went to see if they carried fusion paint. I had the lady check the price of a pot, to see if maybe they were marked down. The price in the store was $26.74, basketweave looking design 18 inches. They had 2 colors, I took both to have her check the price. Sometimes things are on sale, and not marked. The gold one was on sale for $9.74, the blue one rang up $3.74, I bought 12 of the blue ones, for less than $50. Now I do not even need to buy the fusion paint, I can just start potting up those plants. Thank you Jim, I would never have gone today, except for the paint. Barbra

I've been working towards Fall for weeks now. It's too big a job to put it all off to the last minute. Tomato plants have been coming out as they deteriorate. They go to the landfill. Pepper plants this year didn't produce...too wet?...so they've been pulled too except for the one huge Asian pepper plant. Watermelon vines (essentially dead now) need to find their way to the trash. Isn't it true that they shouldn't be composted? I'm still picking green beans (2nd planting) and I've been getting potatoes from my Fall crop for several weeks. In the middle of my vegetable garden I have about 35 amaryllis bulbs. I have started the process of digging them for winter storage. Quite a process for me partially because I keep a label with each individual bulb to document bloom history and color. They get dug, dried in the shed for a few weeks, and then cut off the (drying) leaves and pack for storage in the basement. Each time I move the bulb, the label has to move with it. Once the beans give up or we get a frost (whichever comes first) I'll dig the potatoes, pull the beans, and whatever else is still in the garden and break out the rototiller. For the first time ever, I think I'll plant a cover crop. Bought some annual rye grass seed for this purpose. Anything to watch out for when doing this?

Mara, I agree about the 'river of denial running deep and wide' ... clever phrase. My river has to do with how much I can handle. However, I got the five plumerias de-leafed and up-rooted and the seven bougainvilleas tied up and moved to the green house, also the three ferns. Bob helped by carrying the heavy ones. Also trimmed some leaves from the hanging baskets making them a bit lighter for Bob to handle when he gets a 'round-to-it'. Edit: Bob took down the huge and heavy hanging baskets and hung them in the greenhouse. Sure glad that at least he goes to the gym to stay in shape to do stuff like that ... LOL Now just a couple of small things I can handle and we've got that chore done for the year. I'm sharing your happy thoughts Pam ... :-)