Linda Erasmus, blushing I was alluding to Ronda's Mountain Laurel, I think it is called--always loved it as well as your Rosette Delizy which doesn't look a thing like mine but quite a bit like "The Rose of Tralee". It is a lucky rose for me too. John please come back and tell me I'm so stinking funney--this is embarrassing, but I never weary of that and I love you dearly as always. Jean kisses to all the pups and how fine to see you cruising the forum once more. You've been missed. Thank you. Melva, just today I was telling your turtle storey and it made me smile just like your post on my bd. Thanks sweetie. Patricia, no shame and no blame. You are a perennial in the ffavorites garden. Thank you for your much treasured friendship. Randy I do love that rose--makes me laugh every time I think of you naming it Norman. I was hoping you'd show up, it wouldn't be my birthday thread without you--despite the advanced hat size with all your kind remarks. Now that Jean, Patricia,you, and Melva have shown up, my birthday is a smashing success. I so appreciate all this love. Right back atcha. la

- Slept in...until the phone rang at 9:00 (I was up half the night going over family law cases in AB on CANLII...DH and I have been fighting to see his kids for 3 years, 2 months, 7 days... :`( - Talked to my SIL for 2 hrs (got talking gardening... ;-) - Thought of Hubby - who's on his way to Texas for work - left three days ago...they're driving the big units down. - Dug out some pots for a girl from Red Deer who would like some plants to start a garden (She's going to relieve me of some forget-me-nots, shastas and a couple Iris roots) - Tried to clean my kitchen, but got distracted by Brayden who kept saying 'Mum!' and then grinning when I looked at him. - Spent a couple hours playing with him...he's so cute!! - Sprayed all my plants with Safer soap - I have an infestation of little black plant flies... :-( - Thought of Hubby some more - what can I say...newlyweds (sort of) ;-) - Started supper - Mmmm...Slow roasted honey garlic chicken wings... - Thought of working on my garden, but it's too windy to dig out the ash from (DH's) burn pit that was in the MIDDLE of the garden. Shauna - sweet peas in hanging baskets - do they grow up the hangers or do they trail over the sides?? Have you tried it before? How do they look...do you put anything else with them?? (Do you have Pics??) - I've got 2 new baskets and have been wondering what to stuff them with. (I also have a fair bit of seed for sweet peas.) Verena (Have to run...Brayden is waking up from his nap...time to go play some more...I mean clean my kitchen... ;-)

LADYBUGS: Y'all, the reason lady bugs seem tardy has a biological basis that makes sense when you think about it, particularly earlier in the season. Mama lady bug does not lay eggs until an adequate food source already exists. Otherwise, she'd lay eggs, the little ones would hatch out, and there wouldn't be enough food for them to survive. If I see aphids at all, and I seldom do, I usually seee them early in the season. Usually, mama lady bug shows up about 5 to 7 days after I notice the aphids and the babies magically appear a few days later. After the baby lady bugs get busy eating, the aphids are gone very quickly. CATALOGS: I agree that those catalogs cause greenhouse madness and I love looking at them. I could look at them endlessly. Today in my mailbox I had catalogs from NE Seed and Seed Savers Exchange. Dawn

Well, yesterday I worked 8 hours of overtime. Busy day. They needed someone today too but there was no way I was going in again. Lauren and I went to Sears this afternoon. We went clothes shopping. I took my Land's End stuff I bought on-line back and bought another cheaper, better looking swimsuit. It was normally $88 and I got it 50% off. It's cute for a big women's sized suit, one piece girrafe print on top and bottom is brown. I love the way it feels too, silky and slimming at the waist. Lauren found two bras that fit her right. Poor kid, she asked me again about breast reduction surgery. Every time we go bra shopping she brings it up. All the cute bras are for smaller chested women. Now I need to go to Wal-Mart or K-mart and pick up a couple pair of pants for my trip and for Alex's graduation. I also need some shoes, only ones I own now are tennis shoes. I have a pair of dress shoes somewhere but I can't find them and the last time I wore them they killed my feet. I want something comfortable and something I can wear after his graduation. I looked in Sears but didn't find anything. Everything scraped the back of my heal. I'm probably the only woman who hates shopping for clothes but I really do hate it. Here is a link that might be useful: plus size swimdress