It sounds like you have your hands full there, Berrytea4me. I entered a show for the first time last year and only took two scapes. I was very nervous about it all (seems silly now). On the drive there (about an hour and a half), I accidentally knocked one of them with my hand (trying to save it when I stopped suddenly...I did it more harm than if I had left it alone!)....I heard a petal crack.... After I arrived, I thought I would just attend the show and now bring in my poor scapes. I happened to see Michael Miller (I'll name drop here because this is a good thing) and he told me to let him see my scapes. I did and he told me to enter them....well, even the damaged one managed a red ribbon...I got a purple and a blue for the other! Imagine, I wasn't going to even enter them! I would have liked to have tried again this year, but we were gone the weekend both shows (two clubs) were held. Groom as carefully as you can and just enjoy yourself...it's for fun, right? I think the serious types (Did you see the last Journal?) go out in the wee hours of the morning and cup scapes carefully chosen the night before. Btw, thanks for your comments on the color/camera thread. I found them most helpful and interesting. I will have to learn a bit more and then I am going to try to implement your suggestions for adjusting. Good luck at the show!

When I was a kid, my mother's long lost cousin decided to visit in the middle of the kitchen renovation. When I say the middle, I mean the part where there really isn't a kitchen and the fridge is in the dining room and you're cooking on a plug-in burner in the den. Mom served up one of her signature breakfasts on the porch. Eggs, bacon, muffins, fresh peaches and cream, juice, the whole deal, all on the family china that their mutual great-aunt hand-painted during the Depression. All mom did was unearth the china and clean the porch, realizing pretty early on it was the only thing that could be cleaned. I think she made my brother and me take baths too. Her cousin commented she had the most lovely old Southern porch for breakfasts. Of course, I'm not sure we let her in the house to use the bathroom.... I distinctly recall explaining to one of her kids that it was much more fun to pee in the bushes out back, like camping. Mama could clean me up, but she couldn't quite tame me.

bmock, Actually, it came in one of those hydro container things (yuck!). I came home and immediately put it in something else. Inna, Thank you *blushes* This time last year, I didn't have any houseplants. I tried my hand at growing some and thought it'd never be successful. After a couple of plant stands and figuring out which part of our apartment serves the best location for plants, I've got quite the circle of plant friends. :) Planto

That reminds me of myself when I'm trying to open one of those Tear here to open packages. I always have to end up using the scissors. That gave me a good laugh. Thanks. Sue