Blow,blow,blow! Are we having March winds already? It was so noisy last night that I got very little sleep. Tommy went out before I went to bed, and I kept listening for his attempts to get my attention to let him back in. It was 2 AM before the noise I heard was him. The hover on our chimney came lose on one end, a few days ago, and was the big part of the racket. Naturally Nolon is no longer able to tend to such things, so no telling when it can be fixed. Prairiemoon, My DH's health problems are mostly from old age. He is 80! He has had heart problems, but that seems to be okay now. He has a very bad back, and emphysema. He also has frequent memory lapses, and mood swings. I am 74, and have battled the Fibromyalgia Syndrome and osteoarthritis for many years. I am the 'queen of Googling', ( smile) for answers to my health and for the meds that I take. I am only taking 2 prescriptions regularly...my blood pressure med, and a rather strong pain med. I have got it pretty well regulated, along with the OTC meds and supplements that I take. The OTCs are for high cholestral, low potassium, allergies, acid reflux...etc. ( I keep telling my friends that I am a factory reject and need to be recalled! ) LOL I really do not think I am depressed. I don't have those type symptoms. Discouraged often, but not depressed. Beautiful swan pic...:-) Marie, I enjoy all your pics of the new family, and I enjoy your DH's humor...:-) The idea of him bronzed is a hoot! Weird...but funny...lol. I saw a red tailed hawk on my way to town recently, then on a later trip, there is a dead one in the highway! I can't think it was hit by a vehicle, and hate to think someone shot it! What a wonderful thing for you and your DH to do... purchase 'half a house' for the new family. I am thinking you are as thrilled with all the 'newness' as your dear grandson is! How wonderful for all of you. We never know what tomorrow will bring. LOL about the old boyfriend's picture. Mary, I liked your "Holland" story. A lot to think about . I love the 'dragon'. Wish I were ambitious enough to make one! I am glad the missing girls showed up and were okay. And I am espacially glad Annie wasn't with them! LOL, V. I have had dreams of unseen friends also ( but then, you have seen many of 'us', and had the pleasure of having a bunch at your home). I can identify with the tiredness from some dreams, also anger or sadness. I have never been to an Opera. A theatrical group puts on shows in Harrison, but I have never gone. Once several of my aquaintences were acting in one. I almost went...:-) Eden, I never did tell you how happy I am that your mom's tests came out good. I hope she is feeling okay. Michelle...such a handsome family!(Both yours and Ricks.) The newlyweds are 'beautiful'. The groom reminds me so much of a dear friend that is a bank manager in Harrison. His nickname is Cub , and he is like a cuddly bear...(smile). Martie, I guess I am pretty strong, else I wouldn't have made it this far. But then, you know from whence comes my strength. Deanne, I haven't been commenting on all your ezcellent bird pics, but you know I consider you a master at all you do! Cindy, I really do not mind winter, but it has become increasingly a challenge with the wood heat! I do admit long dark days can get to me, but I have pretty much learned to 'tune' them out. Stormy weather, regardless of the type, invigorates me. I agree on your analysis of the 'youthful spirit'( Been there, done that!) ;-) That is strange about the PictureTrail pics. That is what most of us use. T, I love your wintry scene. Honey, I hope your funk is lifting. I hope you saw my answer to your xmas cactus question. Ei, I am still enjoying 'your' orchid's blooms. They are hanging right in there. Norma, has the artic express reached you? You are fortunate that the firewood debris is in your basement. Mine is through the breakfast room and into the livingroom. Our aging stove has taken to down-puffing, and blowing ashes out of the draft door! ( Actually, it is probably not the age of the stove, it is the shortness of the chimney. It needs another joint on top! ) I love the BD pic you posted for Taryn. Where is that? Drema, that is great that your DB is improving. I can hardly imagine the heartaches. It's so good that he is close so you can visit regularly. My old Jade plant surprised me with a few blooms this winter. It had never done that before. Woody, I think I am due for more MRIs . It's been several years, and various new problems have came up that xrays don't cover. I will be thinking of you and yours, and praying that you get a good report. I like the sweater. I hope your DH will at least wear it around home. It doesn't look like a target to me. :-) I hope you find the perfect helper. I made another trip to town today. With the incoming bad weather I needed more stuff than I got yesterday. I think we are pretty well set, regardless of what comes! The wind is still strong, but warmer than yesterday. I wore one of my new flannel-lined jeans. It felt good! Marian

Bee balm has a lot of color variations now.. but it could be a lemon balm or mint, does it have a strong smell? The second one looks like a summer sweet bush... very fragrant flowers as well. You can keep it trimmed if you dont want to move it. The third does look to be an aster or coneflower leaf... guess you will have to post the flowers for us later *wink*. And your peonies are BEAUTIFUL! Hope that helped.

Good for you Julie! One of the former Idyll menbers walked me through posting. She preferred Picture Trail, and it is the one I still use. That is a great pic of your doggy. I look forward to pics of your garden. Marian

Jimmy, my roses are anywhere from 1yr to 18yrs old. The DA's mostly between 1 and 12 tho. I do have some roses still in pots. But the DA's are all in the ground. Harold, I just got my catalog too. I didn't order from them the last couple yrs, so I was surprised to get one. I like that new one YOUNG LYCIDAS. Looks very interesting! Thank you Jim! Masha, you really need SUMMER SONG!! It's a great rose. I love it! Bustopher, SUMMER SONG is a first-season rose for me. It did really well. Rebloomed a couple times, and it grows kinda like a climber (like many of the DA's). I think you'll like it. THE SHEPHERDESS is a couple yrs old, and she's not in a very good location, so she didn't do so hot. I seriously need to add some mulch and stuff to the bed where she's planted. Not many of the roses there do all that great. I got the pneumonia shot several yrs ago. I've had pneumonia a couple other times in my life; first time in junior high and the last time seems like was waaay over 10 yrs ago. I have asthma, so I'm always susceptible to lung infections and pneumonia. This flu I had last week, they say is the Swine Flu. They don't test for it anymore unless you're hospitalized. But it's supposed to be it. I've also had "influenza" a few times in the last 10-15 yrs and never have I had it so bad as this time! The fevers and horrific body aches lasted almost 4 days; with the coughing and congestion still continuing on til now (and into my left lung). It has not been fun! Everybody take care of yourself!! You don't want to get this crap!!