Drought stress may have contributed to the problem, but I doubt it was the cause. Rudbeckias are subject to a number of fungal problems that result in dried and dead foliage with Septoria leaf spot leading the way. Stress of any kind will make plants more prone to any disease and insect issues (somewhat similar to humans with compromised immune systems). In your location, I'd expect your typical summer humidity encouraging the problem perhaps augmented by overhead watering. Good air circulation is a must and reducing any possible stress factors, like providing regular, deep irrigation with a soaker hose through any dry periods. Rudbeckias are also susceptible to Verticillium wilt, but this is a soil-borne fungus that affects the root system and there's not much you can do to prevent it. If the plants are still alive (VW is fatal), then good garden sanitation and proper care is the only control short of using fungicides. Remove and destroy any foliage and cut back the dried stems. Apply a light mulch to smother any overwintering fungal spores. Next season, make sure the plants have good air circulation, avoid overhead watering and don't allow the soil to dry out excessively.

Khalid: I agree on that. I quit my job as a computer-programmer to stay home and take care of my family ... best choice ever ! I treasure every minute with my kid, since the day she was born. Lots of people advance professionally but don't take the time to mature spiritually or emotionally. Good choices guide us toward the right path which leads to heaven & eternal life. One of the book I read was a comparative study between Western vs. Eastern on marriage. The West focuses on "Love as a feeling", people get married out of "romantic-love", or "being in love", then divorce when the feeling is gone !! In contrast, Eastern countries get married on "choice", the parents choose the mate for one's son or daughter. Psychologists did a survey: those who were pre-arranged to be married end up happier and stay with each other MORE SO than those got married through feelings of "being-in-love". Why? Because they form good habits of choosing love everyday, rather than do things only when they feel like it. The minute they don't feel attracted to their spouse, they find someone else. When people base things on "feelings", they become fickle, unstable, weaker, and betray each other. Only in my 50's that I realize love is a choice, rather than a feeling. I was in "mutual-in-love" relationships when I was young .. it lasted 1 year the max, typical of "in-love" relationship ... like sweet frosting on a cake, but the cake crumbles. Love is a choice builds a solid cake, and the frosting is a by-product of the loving actions. It's stronger than "love as feelings" because the commitment lasts forever. An excerpt from below link on making choices to love our spouse better: "Love is a choice, not a feeling or an emotion. It’s a decision you make every day of your life. Even when your mate doesn’t take out the trash, or spends too much time at the mall, or when poor financial decisions set you back—you can still decide to love. Love is for better or worse. And when you choose not to love, you’ve given up and given in." http://tinybuddha.com/blog/love-is-a-choice-30-ways-to-love-in-action/ The Bible, and what Jesus taught also point to Love as a choice, rather than a feeling. “just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love.” (John 15:9) John 13:34-35 “I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” John 15:12-13 “My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends.” Luke 6:27-28 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. Deuteronomy 30:19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! http://www.redeemingmarriages.com/love-is-more-than-a-feeling-its-also-a-choice/

MizLizzie....Macy's, Martha Stewart Whim collection. Not the highest quality, but they were on sale for almost 50% off. They are fun. I do not expect them to last very long, but not a big deal...our son loved picking them out for our bed!

I have no idea if I am a better person. I have tried to take this strange time and improve some of my skills, piano, for example. I have had a hard time staying in shape and laying off the carbs, so I have gained 10 pounds, ugh. As for the philosophical question that arose, I find expressions like, What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger, offensive in light of a person's actual suffering. They seem dismissive. That said, suffering is a part of life and the ability to overcome such obstacles is absolutely necessary in order to thrive, otherwise, one setback costs you the whole game. That is no way to live. Here is a link and an excerpt from a story about one of my husband's classmates who suffered a devastating physical loss and yet he overcame and went into a demanding career, which can be quite physically demanding. From NPR: My guest BJ Miller is a hospice and palliative care doctor who got into this work because he came close to death when he was a sophomore at Princeton University. It was late one night. He was out with friends, and as they crossed the railroad track, he climbed on top of a two-car commuter train parked for the night and was immediately electrocuted by 11,000 volts. The damage resulted in the loss of both legs below the knees and half of an arm. MILLER: Well, if you could see me now, Terry, you'd see a smile on my face, I mean, in part because it's just - I feel like I'm describing, like, an exciting movie. And then you realize, oh, you're the character in that movie. And then, you know, if I'm honest, there's a little bit of pride. Like, hey; I went through something. I survived something extremely intense and blah, blah, blah. I mean, there's - so there's pride in retrospect. There's, you know, tons - and this is actually one of the things that's taken years to really come to terms with - is how grateful I am to Pete, to Jonathan, to Tommy, to the nurses, to my - I mean, on and on. We can talk about that. Take - it's taken me years to let the full load of gratitude in. And that's been an interesting journey because that required me realizing how dependent on others I had become, and I - and that was hard information to let in. https://www.npr.org/transcripts/784401787