Just learned that on this day in the early '40s, Virginia Woolfe decided to go for a one way swim in a river near her home. Tough to swim with a rock in the pocket of your fur coat. You know, I was thinking that perhaps Michelle would be working in her 'rents' house! I think that's such a generous thing for you and your siblings to do for them. Mum was steadfast in her refusal to allow my brother or me to do anything... now we don't have to "get permission". You are going to be all tuckered out when it's all finished. Hard enough to do it on your own, but to have to orchestrate the efforts of several people will probably present untold challenges too. I hope there will be "befores" and "afters". ;) Better eat your Wheaties. I do not have any Peruvian Daffodils here. I chuckled at that story, Marian. I concur with Saucy about the amount of time I'm "behind", too. I immediately noticed the difference between the yellows of Forsythia (For Cynthia) and the Clove Currant, though I have to say nothing says "spring" to me more than good ol' Forysthia (and those electric blue tarps that cover everything!). Doesn't it do your heart glad to look out your windows and see evidence of the new season everywhere? I'm still satisfying myself with a piddly patch of snowdrops and a couple of pools of crocus. Very sorry to learn about your friend's death; saying farewell is never easy, is it? Still, though, I've come to view death differently in the past few years, more like the period at the end of a sentance. Sometimes an "end" is needed to bring fuller meaning to what came before. I heard red-winged blackbirds the other day, too! I have an area on the border of the south lawn that I think is screaming for a nice shrub border. I always think of Saucy when I see Viburnums and I shall add Marian and Kathy to that list now, too. So much to do and so little time... getting the suckering growth out is going to be a challenge since the lawn area stays soggy and getting a tractor in will be tricky. Rex and I noticed that the flattened squirrel he enjoyed the other day was missing yesterday when we passed by. Evidently the night shift was scrupulous in its clean-up efforts. I don't know why I think things like that are interesting, but I do. Yes Woody, I too admire the pragmatic way you strive to bring joy and vitality to a life that's required "reworking". It's probably that aspect of our human condition that I most admire, actually. Your approach to your landscape design course is a perfect example as is the way you've addressed safety issues in the kitchen. Never say die 'n' all that jazz. I hope the plans for Randy's retirement come to comfortable fruition; and present economic conditions turn around, though I'm not holding my breath on that count. I spent a lovely evening in the Salon, warmed by a nice fire in the stove. It was peaceful (no background coughing or complaining) and I listened to an old favorite, "Breezin'" by George Benson, a CD my brother burned for me last weekend. I particularly like the cut "Affirmation" (Jose Feliciano composition). I came in and with renewed zeal began Googling for adjustable H legs on casters AGAIN. I found some great work benches that were very expensive, not what I wanted, but again no source for independent components for "build your own" work tables. I find the whole exercise terribly frustrating and basically a colossal waste of time when I come up empty handed. I'll try again today, but limit the time I devote to it. I REALLY need to get some stuff set up and ready to go in the Salon; I want to do some fun stuff! I have prices coming early next week for the shower base and the countertop and will compare them to on-line sources. If the prices are not terrifically disparate I always prefer to "shop local". It's important to consider the hidden costs of "shopping price", lost local tax revenue, etc.. I know many at the lumberyard well and they've helped me greatly over the years. I've narrowed the choice of sinks down to 2 or 3, and have to zero in on a faucet, a mixing valve and shower head, shower seat, and grab bars. Once that's done I'll contact my brother and we'll begin the demolition phase, starting with the sink area. If we progress incrementally we should be inconvenienced minimally though for a longer period of time. Tiling is going to occupy a good deal of fiddly time, I fear. 'bug, I'm glad that there is some hopeful news on the Skyler front. This is not the time to be faced with such foolish and selfish worries. What is up with people who delight in destroying the joy and excitement people feel as a new baby's arrival draws near? EX must be one miserable excuse for a human life form!

I too tried to grow Anemone coronaria in my garden in England. They would usually grow and flower well the first year, then disappear altogether. Here they grow during winter, which is rainy, chilly, but not frosty. In the summer, they disappear underground and get baked by the sun. There is no rain here at all between May and September. If you can give them similar conditions in a pot Campanula and Cath, it should work. I only moved to this house in 2008 and didn't even start on the garden until 2009. This will be my fourth summer. Because of the long growing season here, everything looks established very quickly. My plants and my husband in autumn 2008. First little border planted 2009. Same border later the same summer. Things just grow quickly here!!! Those are lovely photos of Orange Smith Jeri. Gorgeous nuances of colour. Daisy

I HATE, HATE, HATE Barberry! I ripped out all the Barberry the former, desperate homeowners ever planted here. What is considered deer resistant will vary depending on where you are, in colder zones, they will eat more plants that would otherwise be avoided further south. I use the following plants successfully here in Zone 7B NJ to avoid the deer. 1.) Cherry Laurel "Schipkaensis": it's highly poisonous, and they know it! It's the cyanide! Don't worry, it won't kill Bambi, they are smarter than people and won't think of eating it..., but if you have kids..., who knows. It grows FAST and forms an impenetrable hedge from the ground on up. 2.) Holly, they ignore my spiny hollies (Nellie Stevens, Chinese Holly)..., they will munch on Japanese Holly if stressed by deep snow..., they may munch on blue hollies. 3.) Osmathus heterophyllus 'goshki' (False Holly)..., it's very prickly 4.) They seem to ignore Rhododendrons 5.) They will not eat any bamboo (clumping or running) but love to make their dens under the cover of bamboo. 6.) And finally, it may not work in New England, but they don't eat Magnolia grandiflora (Southern Magnolia)..., but LOVE to rut them in the Autumn. P.S., I have more DEER neighbors than human neighbors, and I JUS' LOVE IT!

Nearly a month later and all the hydrangeas are in bloom. I'm going to experiment with drying them (I've been successful before) & dying a few to achieve the purple-blue color dd loves. I'll know in a month or two if I've been successful, plenty of time to make other plans. I was not planing on doing all the tables and arrangements myself, though there will only be about 12 tables. If I could slip a few narcissis and (with some luck) very early tulips in the arrangements...and perhaps a single hydrangea I'd be very happy. I don't think the financial savings would be significant but the pleasure would be. She loves the color of the blue twist and shout hydrangea, but I have absolutely no idea how it dries. I have 4 mature annabelles, so lots of mopheads to experiment with...also limelight (floppy) a few paniculatas that might work. There is a local florist who is willing to work with clients who want to use flowers from their own gardens. Thanks for your ideas.