Norma: That's ok. Bunnygirl: Lol, that is my knee. Yes, I did notice the leaves are growing really tight too. They must love the light, and not the snow of course. Josh: Of course you know I am cheating, right? Come in about a month or two, yours should start doing a heck of lot better in the color department! Look forward to that. Thanks;-) Linda: Hello Linda? Are you getting buried anytime soon again? We had our turn last night! Some places here had Hurricane force winds which peaked at 90 miles per hour with 3 inches of snow falling an hour all night..Oh, what a miserably cold winter so far:-( The colors do certainly pick you us which leads to, Marquest: I am happy that I could do that for you. I hope all is ok. It has been a while since I have seen you around! We will always be here to lift you up with everyone's amazing plants all times of the year. Have you seen Tom's thread about flowers this time of year? Very nice! YW Marquest. Cheers everyone. i hope yours start coloring up soon. If Pug wasn't so busy, I bet she would post a few of her beauties..

Hi Marti! Here's the views of the brick planter you asked for. This is the side facing the house with the overhanging Youpon holly that you viewed before. There was grass right up to the house before we built the planter ... This is the other end of the same walkway ... And this is the frontside ... Incidentally, I had miniature roses planted around the perimeter in the beginning, but after several years they began to decline, plus the deer discovered them. When I tried to dig around them I could hardly get a shovel in the soil. The roots of our front yard Cedar elm tree had discovered the rich moist soil and invaded the bed. However, the plumbagos planted in the middle of the bed were florishing so since I valued the tree I let the plumbagos have it and they do great -- tree roots and all. I just reread your message and you wanted to see it at a distance. I went back out and took this picture .... Hope these help you for planning purposes and decisions.

Great thread! I am thankful that I still have both of my parents, and the are for the most part, in decent health. Yes, DF has suffered some cardiac problems as he has aged which have slowed a man who lived to coach softball. First with co-workers and until the most recent problem, a senior softball league. He now goes occasionally to watch, but despite the cardiologist leaving it up to him as to whether to participate, he has chosen not to play. He has his routine that starts at 4 a.m. Works out at home each morning after he has breakfast and reads his newspaper. Very good from a mental standpoint, loves to talk current events, history, politics, etc. He also opens and closes the pool each summer and tends a rather significant amount of tomato plants. DF still does his own lawn and home maintenance as he always has. My DM is in seemingly very good health for her age. With the exception of problematic arthritis and sciatica which have caused her to lessen her spring/fall "housecleaning" regimen. I always thought that whole exercise to be nuts, personally, but that's how things were done in her family for generations. A total tear apart every room twice a year for a "deep" cleaning. While she still attempts to do it, I usually will set aside a couple of days each spring and fall to give her a hand with things that she cannot physically do. lol DM still gets together with her high school girlfriends once a month either for lunch or dinner. When I compare her to her friends, only one other of her friends is in as good of shape as DM. The others aren't concerned with keeping themselves up to date with regard to their attire or hair. My DM would die before she would put on a pair of elastic wasted polyester pants. No offense to anyone here who may enjoy those. DM just doesn't. She hasn't ever been one to drive on major highways, so the fact that she continues not to do so, is nothing new. I make a point of getting her out for clothes and holiday shopping when I am able to tolerate a trip to the mall. DM and I go to the same hair salon. I am sure her highlights and reverse color hide the small amount of grey that she has. Together with keeping up with current short hair styles she looks much younger than her actual age. DM dresses everyday, Pal your mentioning your mom and her shoes - just in case, definitely made me smile. My parents keep a theatre package, attending 6 or so shows per season. Go out for dinner at least once a week. Also, they cook and eat well. They love to take advantage of the senior bus trips available to them in our area. One thing that I've noticed is that my DF seems more hesitant about long distance driving, thus enjoying the bus trips. It is hard for me to pinpoint an age at which I see them. Perhaps it is because I see them so often, at least twice a week. I pop in to take a new dish I've tried or drop off some fresh produce from the farmstand. Really, I don't need much of a reason to visit, I just enjoy doing so, and it allows me to keep an eye on them. Have to say that I have enjoyed reading everyone's stories about their parents. Also, this particular thread has accentuated my good fortune in still having my parents as they are in their early 80's. So, if I had to put an age that I visualize them, I guess I would have to put it at between 55-60. Funny because I am now 50!

I had to get creative to find a U in my pics. So I call this "uninvited dinner guests". The cats are the uninvited. That wheelbarrow full was how much I fed the raccoons every night.