No make-up, ever, hubby likes the dark blue eyeliner I used to wear (I wore it right on the inside of my lower eye, don't see many people doing that any more) he keeps buying them for me, bet I have 20 or so brand new ones thrown in my medicene cabinet. My things are, coloring my hair, you never know what color my hair is going to be, bad thing is it takes 3 boxes to get the job done (hubby likes it long and straight, he isn't too picky on the color but blonde is his favorite) and my earrings, I love to wear earrings! I have 3 piercings on the lower lobe and two all the way at the top, my goal was to have them running all the way around, but those cartilage piercings hurt so I stopped at two. I love rings but haven't really spent any money on any nice rings other then my wedding set. Janice I had a really bad father too:( he was a Marine (for 4 years, let it go to his head let me tell you) but he treated us all like we were his recruits. I would never make my 10 year old carry a 50 lb feed bag up and down the hill just cause he was sure we had done something to deserve it, and we had to do it, I watched him beat my older brother on the back of the legs with a pipe because he fell down and tore a bag. that is just the tip of the iceburg with that man. Only good thing I can say about it was I was lifting 140lbs and squatting 210 in highschool. kids pretty much left me alone and they didn't pick on my friends either (this school has some really mean kids in it)

Jo, the Mister Watson as a young hosta looks a bit like my Faithful Heart, which will stay in the small size. I got mine last year, and it is a beauty, hope it spreads more this year. Golden yellow surrounded by a fairly nice green border. Here it is last August Faithful Heart June Fever in May 2013 Fantasy Island next to Faithful Heart in June Jade Stone, a big ole fragrant new last year, in mid-August Hot Green Chilies another big ole fragrant peeking out from beneath the rain-wet bananas Heart And Soul, a sport of Vanilla Cream, and then Derriere sported from H&S--which looks like a big dude, but it is definitely NOT. Summer Music is an awesome hosta, sport of ShadeMaster and it wants morning sun, so it says. Here it is in May, then in August, holding its own as a standout among a lot of hosta where it gets some late afternoon sun too...in zone 9a! Dick Ward...did I do him already? cannot say enough good about this guy, had him since May 2011, my very first hosta order, always impressive. Hope he leaps this year. Paradise Island Justine in August Tick Tock and First Mate together in the pink boat in August, where they got a lot of sun, shaded barely by a potted palm Paradise Power sort of reminds me of On Stage in June, but not later in August On Stage, a knock-out in June Saint Paul leaf shot I omit my shots of Guacamole, Holy Mole, Emerald Charger, and other fragrant hosta with green margins since they appear in so many postings I make. Whew, am I done? yes.....

Oh definitely gold fever is catching. My understanding of sun exposure is more advensuresome than it was when I first brought hosta to my garden. I do not know it all, but I sure know a bit more now than I did then. I winced with ever burnt leaf in the beginning, whereas now I can accept it and keep them in the sun. It seems to be a matter of acclimation. The first leaves burn, then the second flush comes on beneath them and they are hardier, more durable. Not only fragrants have a second flush, but just about everything does. I have not determined if a big second flush slows down emerging flower scapes or not. However, with this thread I hoped folks could show how they learned to deal with a special or favorite hosta which needed tweaking to get happy, or how the gardener learned what the hosta wanted through trial and error. I expect that would be the case with Great Expectations--which I'm not about to grow here in my zone. I cannot grow Dream Queen, gave up on it for the time being. Like Lucy in Peanuts, don't give me ups and downs, "all I want is UPS and UPS."

'Mister Watson', pic taken July 5th. I understand you perfectly, Mocc. I will get a 'Smooth Sailing', while you acquire a 'Mister Watson' at our earliest convenience. I've heard of a great place called Harbor Lane that may have both of these guys in stock. I'll shoot the proprieter an e-mail and find out for sure, but the selection there is quite nice, from what I've seen of the outgoing stock. Very competetive prices also, so I'm told. I'll have to order more than one plant though. I'll peruse their available fragrant stock when I get the opportunity. Well, good show, Mocc... pip-pip, wot-wot and other British-sounding noises! My dear woman, I bid you good evening, as I must retire for the night. Holes to be dug and hostas to stomp into those holes tomorrow. Stimulates their roots, you know. ; P Cheerio, Don B.