Late update here, I ordered from Brooks since they had a sale going on...I asked them to delay shipment since we were traveling for the holiday and just looked at my roots today. Holy moly, they have the biggest eyes on any of my orders this year (Fina, Gilbert Wild, Easy to Grow). And I didn't pay any more for them than Fina. I can't wait to see them next year. Now to get them into the ground tomorrow. This is Flame with 15 huge eyes, the next pic is Skylark...the other one I purchased was Cytherea which has 4 big eyes but these two blew me away!

We have a holiday party every year and in the past, it has been earlier in Dec., but this year it's not until the 12th, which is good because our house is a disaster outside, in the midst of a re-siding project! Usually I do like to put up the outside lights and garland the first weekend of Dec., but that will have to wait until probably the 12th... siding job is supposed to be done by then! Today I had to do something so I bought a wreath and a mantel garland from a nursery. This weekend we'll unpack our new fake tree and decorate it. I would love to have a real one but DS2 is allergic. Every year I seem to eliminate a few decorations because I just get tired of them, but I never get tired of my Santa collection. I have about 20 or so different Santas -- some are figurines, some are made out of wood, one is stuffed, etc. Every year I do something different with them. One year I stuffed them all on the mantel. This year they're all going on the shelves in my kitchen. I find that I appreciate them more when they're all together rather than scattered around the house. Lavender, this will make you feel better. I have a collection of plastic Rudolph toys that I display as if they're fancy decorations. I figure Christmas is my excuse to be as tacky as I want to be!

Helooooo friends! Here’s my total failure in air layering: I don’t know why, but all 8 branches failed. I applied rooting hormones on cuts, wrapped them with sphagnum moss and coco coir, I kept media moist with some rooting hormones as well, and.... nothing. Nada. Not even one scrawny root! To stay on a positive note, I’m glad that I didn’t kill those branches. Well, I have to take it back... I killed them other way. When I tried to root them as a cuttings, lol. 90% of those crocked, and a few still hanging in there, but again, no roots or signs of new growth. I’m kinda blaming it on weather, our April and May was cooler than winter! So I’m thinking I should try it again when weather will be warmer. All this torture was done indoors, and I’m thinking of taking my cuttings outside at least during a day. Nights are still 48-51 here. Forgot to mention, some of them in perlite/coir mix, some in perlite. And one in water with root hormone. I did water them tho.... didn’t know till yesterday that cuttings needs to be in dry media. Ugh.... Probably will kill the rest of them soon, lol.

KSWL, way to make me feel guilty. Texanj, thanks. That pool looks wonderful, I don't blame you. My friend/neighbor is a very accomplished landscape designer. She came by yesterday and we agreed on some areas for a little refresh of the property. We have a wonky entrance from our guest parking that she is giving some thought. We have a large bed around our well that is too hodge-podgey. She is also going to tag vegetation around the pond to be pruned and/or removed, but she likes most of it and says it is one reason our pond and our fish are healthy. I have a corner of my property with the most lovely moss growing, and she wants to do something there but we are not sure what. The permitting process for a pool precludes getting one in before the frost, but our guy can accommodate us in April. So we will go forward with permitting and design, and by next April we will have an even better idea about where all of our kids will be and hence our timing, and go from there. Having plans and permits can be a plus even if we did sell and didn't build it.