Jerri... those are amazing photos. Thanks. How is everything in OKC..? Here in the hills everything is so quiet. We were a very busy and involved family during the 70's and 80's... 'traveled a lot during the late 80's and 90's decided by 2000 enough was enough of that.. had a lot of 'house company' anyway... It's good to get out of our own space once in a while, however comforting it might be. There are no malls nearer than 70 miles. Nice to have our space, woods, and gardens to get out and move about. Good to read that there are still talented women who sew, garden, do things with children, have challnging employment, and take care of pets. In 1976 a friend taught me how to make ornaments from egg shells. Have been doing it ever since. The shells have to be strong and I prefer goose eggs if I can get them. Have about 6 new ones on the tree this year and still have a few unfinished. Have decided we all have enough of them now. I tried to get some pictures but it might be next Christmas before I share them. Have a big bag of unused yarn and need to do something with it this winter. Have enough of everything and too much of some things. Been giving away things that have gone unused for too long. Sylvia, fun to see your space. Partner's Grandmother, Aunts, and Mom all lived in houses filled with antiques. We kept some of the special things to pass on to the family. Still have some of it including a bushel size basket my maternal grandfather made in 1933. All of the family has something special from the past. We have note books stuffed full of pictures. Glimpses of history are interesting .. the trains, memories of the first time we heard a 'sonic boom'. Now we watch how many jet streams are in the sky at a given time from different directions, wondering who is up there and where they are going and why. However, here , they are up so high we don't hear the noise we had to endure in our previous environment. I'd rather stay away from Air Ports and busy roads. Marie, will you be flying into Tulsa International in April? There are some pretty gardens in Tulsa and Ponca City. I suppose you are more familiar with the Bartlesville area that we are. We've passed thru there a few times. Never have gone to Woolarc but have heard it is a beautiful area. How long do you plan to be in Oklahoma? Sometimes such events are good when we are seeking closure and getting on with the next phase of living. It is a 'shocker' to realize when the time comes that we are 'the elders'.. thinking of all. EP

Sammy I was actually thinking the praying mantis. You can get praying mantis egg sacks. Each comes with 200 eggs. And because praying mantises can't fly they stay in your garden. The downside is that I fear they will snatch ladybugs and the bees, but the sad part is that all the bees, even the native ones have been missing since mid-July. The only ladybug I saw was in May. All I get are these nasty flies, thrips and the cucumber beetles visiting. All a sad reminder how important it is to protect our bees from Sevin. Anyway I think a praying mantis would be terrific in my situation. Hopefully the birds won't find the mantis but I think 200 eggs and its camouflage are good odds for it. I am lucky in that my flowers still look very pretty and I only get a few sprinkling of holes in some. But one never knows with insects and fungus, sometimes they just suddenly infest out-of-the-blue. I am sure the praying mantis will be very happy with the thrips and the houseflies that keep visiting my fragrant roses (ugggh, shudder!). Flies are another one of my most hated insects because they're filthy scavengers, which is why I always curb my dog. I hate! flies and that's my ultimate prissiness speaking.

If only my garden look HALF as tidy right now! Please consider posting the same views when the roses are doing their thing, okay? A bit off-topic here, but I am intrigued by the lovely photo of 'Gruss an Aachen' you posted on the "Show Off Your White Roses" thread, and your comment that you must not have the "pinkish" one. Does your plant consistently produce roses that are that white? Do you remember where you got it? I have several GaA plants, plus the climbing version. All of them produce flowers with varying degrees of pink, but never ones that are as white as the photo you posted. I wonder if you have the very rare, 'Weiss Gruss an Aachen'. As far as I know, Cliff Orent (EuroDesert) was the first to import that GaA sport into the US, but I don't know if he propagated and sold any.

Sweet, good to know this exists and that people know how to read!!!