Morning all, well it is still raining but it looks like we we'll get a reprieve for a couple days and I think I'll be able to work outside this afternoon if we don't get the predicted thunder storms. So very much to do still. I've got the back gardens in pretty good shape but haven't done a bit of work in the front except to do some clean-up. Heather's boyfriend has been working for me a day or so a week and he really can get a lot done in a short period of time. He's gotten the entire back gardens mulched! I edged everything and he traipsed the mulch up, down and around and got it all spread. I cleaned out the borders but he did all the raking and cleanup in the back and behind the pond which is a huge job. Now I need to get to work on the front. The driveway garden needs a ton of work and I've got to replace or change a bunch of plants from the rodent damage. My worst casualty there is the enormous clump of Oriental 'Bergamo' lilies, there were at least two dozen last summer, anyway, they are all GONE! every last one of them. drasty rodents. The good news is that Doug FINALLY listened to me and took Zicam and his cold magically disappeared in three days. This morning he told me to stop gloating, LOL. Saucy, love Ginger, what a cutie. She looks like a sweetie with a bit of mischief in her. LOL about putting bacon in the boy's pockets. Whatever works right? ~~~ We need to touch bases about getting those hosta leaves here. I'd like to get them painted and think about situating them. No need to worry about the stands at this time. WE can do that later. Sounds like you've got a very full plate these days. Bug, the furnace is running here as well. I can't believe I'm wearing a fleece turtleneck with a sweatshirt the end of May. ~~~ LOL, love those buggy Pj's, so cute and that sweater is great! ~~ I'm the same as you with running at half speed when its so gloomy out. Can't wait to see the sun again. ~~ so cool you checked out Neos and vrieseas, they are so cool! Here is a pic of a few of my Neoregelias The coolest thing about these plants is the ease of culture. They don't need to be watered often, almost no feeding. The Vrieseas grow well in filtered light to light shade and the Neos, depending on the variety grow and color up well with a half day of sun. After they bloom the mother plant dies off in a year or so and the plant throws off multiple pups so you now have replacements at no cost and very little effort. Kathy, you are so lucky you dont' have to deal with the woodchucks. They are so terribly destructive. I wouldn't want to deal with banana slugs though. yukko! looking forward to seeing pics of your new hoyas. Julie, yes, we are going to be on the Garden Conservancy's Open Days in July this summer but we were also on a local garden tour last year. Next year I'm taking the year off from tours. Too much work! OKie Dokie, waving hello to one and all, have a great day and lets all hope for some sunshine and warm temps. Deanne

Great picture Harry-----I had my back surgery the morning of Feb 5 and then the big snowstorm came that night----thank goodness most of the nurses were able to come to work the second storm happened while I was staying with my daughter in Lancaster----I was lucky to squeeze between all those storms and make it home on the 15th--- I'm lucky to be home and snowed in and enjoying all the Olympics--- AGAIN--that is a great picture Florence

Here in W. Massachusetts we have had an extremely mild winter. We had a 24" snowfall on Halloween that caused millions of dollars in damages, but since then we had a lite 1/2" on New Years Eve and a couple dustings in January that didn't even completely cover the ground. and they were all melted off within 24hrs. While extended periods of sub zero temps are not uncommon here, this year we have been average daily temps into the upper 40's. Then on Feb 28 it started snowing about 4pm and continued light flurries through this morning, total accumulation about 2", bet here again, this is a good thing....as the old saying goes, March came in like a Lion so its out like a Lamb, but then we are forecasted for rain starting about 4pm today and temps into the low 50's on Saturday. But then we better knock on wood because last year we had basically the same type of weather up till March, then we got not one but two 40" snowfalls within a week and in years past I have seen a 12" snowfall on Labor Day..so we could still have a lot of winter ahead of us. On the other hand, our Mayor just announced this morning that our city has saved over $1 million on the snow removal budget so far this year and if it continues they will be able to use that money to buy some sorely needed new equipment for the fire & road service departments...

Dirty, is there any community veggie gardens near you? Its been years since I was in Gainesville but there used to be a nice one. I go to Ocala and Newberry sometimes but not Gainesville so not sure what's there nowdays. Four are you talking about winter seeds or warmer season seeds? I like to start a lot of my seeds indoors in the lite peat pod greenhouse things, on a heat mat. My heat mat is actually a ZooMed Reptile heat mat that I've had forever, since my dd sold her Kingsnake lol. I just use regular shop lights. Last year I got some l.e.d colored plants lights..I didnt like them because it made everything look brown and I had to turn the lights off to assess my seedlings true color LoL! I dont think my seedlings really did any better with those either. I just keep the shop lights close to the seedlings with chains. Sometimes I soak hard to start seeds in a little H2O2 mixed into warm water to kinda give them a little jumpstart/wake up and kill any fungi that might be on the seeds.