well what kind of advice did you want? you don't have to call it a blog, btw. It's just a website really. A website that you're journaling on. So you can call it your website or your journal or whatever. No big deal. I've had a website probably since the 1990's or something, haha... It's definitely evolved over time! I'm reasonably happy with using a customized version of wordpress, but there are many other options. A few bits of advice which you may or may not already know... -- Don't put stuff on the internet that you don't want everyone to know. Some people get a little too personal on their public blogs and that can end up being embarrassing or even dangerous later. -- make sure your images are properly sized for a website. Personally, I would suggest approximately 600 pixel width max on landscape images. no matter what 72 dpi max, that's the most the screen can see. -- if you care about people using your images without your permission, make sure you watermark your images. This can be as small as your URL relatively small, but legible on the image at some point. You can even set up a macro in your image editing program to batch process your images. There's also a wordpress plugin that does it for you :) -- be careful with how many images you put on your page and where. People in webdesign typically encourage your 'content' to start before the scroll cut off of the screen. Ie, you shouldn't really have to scroll your computer to start seeing the meat of your page. So don't make your top title splash image so large that it takes up too much space. Make sure you optimize your images when you save them so they are the smallest amount of kilobytes possible while still looking nice. IN particular, the images that are part of your webdesign and are loaded over and over. -- Make sure any text you use in your buttons or title images are easy to read. The font should be easy to read, and the color should be easy to read on whatever background it's on. If you have a flowery busy photo with your blog title text on top of it like 'Aimee's Garden' or something, make sure the text thickness is bold and the color contrasts with the background. If it still doesn't stand out enough try a drop shadow or drop glow of sorts. -- tagging things effectively can be very useful for you and your readers and help people find your blog. I find it really useful to be able to look back at certain tags to find particular posts to help me evaluate my garden or send a friend to a particular post. -- like others have said, if you're writing for yourself, do what you want (without sharing so much that you jeopardize your privacy...). But if you're writing for others, it's best to keep things relatively short. Use paragraphs. Use bullets when appropriate. Use highlighted larger bold text for separate subject titles. Break things up with images when appropriate. It helps keep people interested. Here is a link that might be useful: Aimee's website

Don's latest update... ----------- Hi all, This crew of hosta fans never ceases to amaze me. Many donations are in at this point, around half what we usually have as a total, and we have yet to hear from many of our long term donors yet. Amazing! We are on track for one of our best auctions ever if things continue in this direction. Some time this coming week look for a link to be posted to get you all to the auction site. I will begin to post announcements and have one for you all to test out your existing user name and password. Forgot? Use the same news item to initiate a new one. You will then be good to go! I look forward to the usual fast paced action and generosity of the bidders that matches the generosity of the donors! Again, help your friends and the society out by relaying this message to any hosta fans that may not be on the mailing list or have not relayed their new email address to me. As usual: 1. I (dabber) enter all items ... attempt to protect donors from numerous unwanted contacts, prevent malicious entries 2. a reserve price is posted as a target or goal ... not required that this be met unless stated in the text of the item, some are suggested to me, some are estimated by me to indicate a minimal goal we would like to meet fundraising 3. closing times are staggered ... allows an individual to bid on as many different items as they wish and time to do so 4. results will be posted as soon as completed and double checked ... aiming for some time Sunday, stay tuned to NEWS ITEMS ... several will continue after the bidding is over 5. corrections, changes, reminders, payment info are all posted (or in process of being posted) under News items (these are ALL none bid items and bids will be trashed at the end, there are no items to be had here - just pictures) 6. payment may again be done on-line ... PLEASE help out by being sure to include the item title AND alias(these are a nightmare to sort out if only your real name and amount are included) 7. make payments within the 10 days ... many reasons (one is personal ... I really do have another life in addition to the auction) 8. estimate 99% of those participating are quite positive and appreciative of the donors and the people involved to put this together (several have input) 9. Bob Axmear has continued to allow us to use his site and lent invaluable assistance ... a HUGE THANKS TO HIM Different: (ONLY ONE this is posted in News items) CHANGE IN ENDING FOR AHS ON-LINE WAS INITIATED IN 2010 and CONTINUES THIS YEAR Each year we try to take what works and improve upon the way the auction performs. The way that items end will change this year. End times will STILL STAGGER as in the past. Past years the items closed the moment that the internal clock hit the posted closing time. This time IS STILL important for you to pay attention to. The time posted initiates a type of "interval timer" that allows bidding to continue until there is a 5 minute lull in the bidding. Once a 5 minute break of no bids occurs, the item will close. There will be no need to "out bid" yourself. Restated, bids will continue until there are NO bids for 5 minutes beginning at the posted closing time. We hope that this will reduce frustration for the new comer and even the playing field for all in terms of technology skills and equipment. Some participants have dial-up service, others vaguely recall how long it takes a screen to refresh especially with a picture included. This is especially true with todays speeds on DSL and CABLE. Thanks, Don Dean Here is a link that might be useful: Contact Don here

Well, like everyone else, I've been wading through the new online Hosta Journal and I'm still trying to formulate a final opinion of it. I'll be the first one to say that I'd rather have a paper copy- bound and full of wonderful color photos- that I can just pull off my shelf and flip through in the evening on those long winter nights. Or grab on my way out the door to read over and over again on my breaktime at work. But at the same time, I understand the realities of dwindling membership along with the increasing costs of printing and mailing paper copies throughout the year. Like they say, money doesn't grow on trees (or in our hosta gardens, either!). Probably like you, I was quite skeptical of the value and usability of an online magazine when I first heard about it several months ago. I couldn't see how it would be nearly as good as a printed copy. And I thought that any benefits of an online Journal would be minimal compared with a hard copy in my hand. My first impression of the online Journal was very positive soon after it was posted earlier this week. First of all, it was easily accessible. Secondly, it was formatted exactly like my printed Journal, which I found quite helpful. Thirdly, it was chuck full of MANY great articles and good photos. Fourthly, it was easy to use and I could enlarge the photos for better viewing, with the click of my mouse. Fifthly, it was very professional looking, just like the printed version. And fifthly, I haven't lost it yet, whereas my paper copies are usually left all over the house- on my desk, the magazine rack, and under the bed after I'm done reading in the evening. I know where to find the online Journal. Like you, I'm gradually making my way through all of the articles in the online Journal. There's definately way too much good information to just plop down and read all the way through in one sitting. I scoured around and found some of my old Journals, and saw that the printed Journals have about 82-84 pages of material. With the new online Journal, I've tallied up all the articles and discovered that there's a whopping total of 203 pages!!! (See the tally sheet below.) If there's any criticism, it's that the new online Journal is a bit overwhelming! But that's a good criticism, as I appreciate being overwhelmed with hosta material like this! The more great photos of gardens and hostas I can browse, the better! I found there's stuff in the online Journal for everyone- amateur and professional alike. Some of it is very practical, some of it scientific/technical. Overall, my current opinion is that the online Journal is wonderful and the multitude of volunteers who've dedicated so much time and work to bring all of us such a great resource have done an outstanding job! A big "thank you" to all who were involved! A couple of questions I have are: Will each edition of the online Journal remain on the AHS website indefinately, for future reference? If I let my AHS membership lapse or expire, will I lose my ability to access the online Journals which I've paid for when my membership was current? Just curious how it will work in the future. And now, back to the online Journal. Happy reading! How long is the new online Journal? Front Cover- 1 page Contents- 3 pages About the New Online Journal- 3 pages Notes From the Editors- 4 pages President's Message- 2 pages Letters from Readers- 1 page Divisions- 3 pages This and That: 2010- 6 pages Standout Hostas- 3 pages Holistic Hosta Gardening- 3 pages Hot Hostas- 2 pages Focused on Hostas- 3 pages Preparing for a Convention Tour in My Garden- 4 pages Handling a Poorly Rooted Division- 3 pages A Southern Blight Strategy- 3 pages 2010 Alex J. Summers Distinguished Merit Award- 6 pages 2010 Eunice Fisher Distinguished Hybridizer Merit Award- 4 pages 2010 Benedict Garden Performance Program- 1 page Other 2010 American Hosta Society Awards- 2 pages The Traver Garden- A Treasure in those Wolcott Hills- 3 pages What's a Mini Hosta? Update, Critique & Where to Next?- 5 pages Building a Permanent Raised Bed- 4 pages A Hosta of a Different Color- 4 pages Reflections on the AHS Alex J. Summers Award- 5 pages Reprint of 1982 Summers Award Speech- 4 pages Report on the HVX Research Program- 4 pages Harold McDonell: A New Facet Revealed- 4 pages What's New at Q and Z? - An Interview with Mark Zilis- 5 pages Fall Slug Control- 3 pages Centerfold- 2 pages 2010 National Convention, Bloomington MN- 61 pages! Winter Scientific- 3 pages Hosta College- 4 pages First Look 10- 4 pages Midwest Regional- 2 pages Dixie Regional- 2 pages Our Next Convention Hosts- 4 pages Is Your Membership Current?- 2 pages Conventions, CONVENTIONS, Conventions- 2 pages AHS Online Auction 2011 - Rally 'Round!- 2 pages Call for Nominations for Summers and Fisher Awards- 4 pages Where are the Guest Plants?- 3 pages AHS Announcements- 2 pages Board of Directors- 3 pages Our Advertisers- 5 pages Back Cover- 1 page ________________________ Grand Total - 203 pages!!!

Here goes: In the Country Garden & Gifts: Peppermint Ice Glory Hallelujah Lakeside Prophcy Fullfilled Lots of Heuchera (and friends), plus a few other oddities Naylor Creek: Captain's Adventure Copa Cabana Foxfire Palm Sunday Gentle Giant Irish Luck Lime Smoothie LS Paisley Print Magic Fire Paradise Glory Regal Supreme Ripple Effect Secret Ambition War Paint Hallsons: Jaz Radiant Star Emerald Ruff Cut Roy Klehm Warwick Comet Bix Blues Katie Q Rascal Jim's: Regalia Grand Tiara The Shining Spinning Wheel Christmas Candy LS Dividing Line (OS) Glenbrook: LS Cindy Cee Joshua's Banner Emeraled Scepter Gay Search Heuchera Kassandra I've limited myself to about 50 hostas this year. These that I've ordered, plus another 11 or so that I am getting from a local vendor, 2 from another local vendor, 1 from a third local vendor, that leaves me only 2 more I can add... unless spring planting shows me that I have room for more!