My 50-year-old niece is having to undergo six chemotherapy treatments, three weeks apart, following a hysterectomy where the removed cyst had a small malignancy. The doctor wants to be absolutely sure there is nothing else there, and we agree; but she nevertheless has to endure the procedures. She (an English major) is re-reading stacks of Danielle Steel books that she and my sister-in-law traded back and forth, both as mind candy and a way to take her mind off things. And more power to her, of course. In that vein, I am taking her my tapes of As Time Goes By, which she has never watched.

The white spots on the estate plant (just a few of them) are probably a pool chemical, as this bed is located right by the pool. I didn't choose the location, but thought it would get a lot of views. I do hope that the owner will be cautious, since some of the plants (not those pictured here) are quite expensive. We had another night in the forties, with daytime high in the eighties. Bad daylily day.

Thanks for the sunflowers, Lilo. Some of the quotes I like, but I am today not in the mood to get preached to about my eating habits, LOL. Right now I would like a giant piece of Black Forest Cake, really gooey, since everything tastes like aluminum foil in my mouth, thanks to the meds.

the flowers of roses are etheral and ephemeral ... especially ephemeral https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ephemeral+define&t=ffcm&ia=definition in fall.. when temps are barely in the 50s.. a flower.. any kind.. can last a week or two .. or maybe even more... no heat stress.. no water stress... etc .. but in july in most of the US... when temps can hover in the 80s.. 90s.. or higher... and especially in heat or drought stress.. flowers might last only a day or two ... and ti is usually a water issue ... not enough water in the heat of the day harming the ephemeral flower tissue.. and there is nothing you can do about it but water properly .. and fertilizer is surely not an issue at all ... roses need a lot of fert.. but the lack or excess of such.. does not cause a flower petal issue ... one of the reasons..most rose growers end up with hundreds of plants ... is so that if one plant ends up stressed.. for whatever reason.. you got 99 others that are in the process of blooming.. so.. most likely.. your base issue it.. lol.. you need 99 more roses.. and you wouoldnt be worried about this ONE.. lol.. ken