I am still thinking so this is not my answer. What annuals have you been buying? A fellow like you could grow them cheaper yourself. I buy plants I could grow myself too but I am more impulsive than you. Annuals bloom their heads off in the heat of summer and many have long bloom times. Most of my perennials bloom and then are done. Some will rebloom if deadheaded. You have shade. I can't at the moment think of a yellow and white theme for most of the summer. I think foliage plants would provide the most attractive display for the longest time. Heucheras are foliage plants not yellow and white and they look better in spring. They are nice attractive plants. July and August are not the best months for them. Sun coleus are annuals in our climate, but I don't buy them every year. You can overwinter them on your basement window sill in plastic tubs and take cuttings in spring. Most bugs don't bother them. Besides needing water they are easy plants. There are some nice yellowish sun coleus but it is not short enough for you. Do you have any luck with hostas? My best ones are in pots and mid summer is not their best time either. I think Sandy has a shade garden so maybe she will think of something. It is not raining here and my plants don't look so good. I am trying to keep the squash bugs from killing my one squash plant that has survived and they are on my cucumber now. I planted too many tomatoes that need water which is in short supply. I hope someone thinks of something to help. We like to hear from you.

Lpink, that is a very nice picture of you. Nice picture of your french toast, too! Glad to hear that you two had a chance to catch up and that Lpink could vent a bit. I've had the "estate plan" conversation with my mom. Thank heavens she is realistic about it all and it wasn't hard. I hope you weren't driving through those horrible storms we had on Sunday. What a mess.

Thank you all. I think I will just be honest and tell her where she's thinking is too far and let's find something closer...so we're not spending hours and hours in the car. Actually, for the last several years DH and I have done road trips with him doing most of the driving, and we are both tired of driving from one place to the next. We're both at the point where we'd rather go to one place for 4-5 days, then 1 or 2 nights in 4 places. If I go out to run errands now, about two hours is my max in and out of the car and walking around stores. Of course part of that could be the heat which won't be a factor next month. Lisa....I never heard of those railroad trips....thanks for the info.

Cathy, we were thinking about you, and agreed that next time we'll try to plan far enough in advance to have you come along, we missed you. Lars, when you do come to Michigan, we'll definitely have to have a get together, either here or in Chicago or SOMEWHERE, we can't let you come this far and not meet everyone! writersblock, the crust is a mixture of a one pound bag offrozen hash brown potatoes, one egg and salt and pepper. I press it into a buttered springform pan, mine is a 9 inch, and then add the filling and bake. My oldest daughter is celiac, so I'm getting better at gluten free cooking, even for other people, LOL. stir_fryi, that's my Grandma's recipe and the trick is to not overbake or they get crisp, like gingersnaps instead of staying chewy. The recipe was been very popular here over the last few years, then kind of dwindled away. Here it is, my favorite cookie since I was a child. Chewy Molasses Cookies (Annie CF) 1 1/2 cups of shortening (I use half and half with butter, but all butter makes them too crispy for my taste) 1 cups granulated sugar 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 eggs 3/4 cup of dark molasses 4 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ginger 1 teaspoon ground cloves Chopped crystalized ginger, optional, to taste. I used about half a cup, finely chopped and wish I'd have used more but I love ginger Coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for rolling Cream the shortening and sugars. Add the molasses and eggs and mix until well blended. Sift the flour (yeah right, I don't, LOL) and measure 4 1/2 cups into a separate bowl. Add the spices, salt, and baking soda and whisk to combine. Turn the mixer to low or stir, and add the flour slowly until well mixed. Stir in the chopped ginger and chill the dough for at least an hour. After the dough has chilled for an hour, roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and roll the balls in the coarse sugar to completely coat. Place the dough balls about an inch apart on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. The cookies will puff up and crack. When the cookies are done the cracks should still look a little wet, but the outside should look dry. They'll "fall" a little as they cool, let them sit a couple of minutes on the sheet before you try to move them to cooling racks. Peppi, we love having Emma and you here, and your Dad too. All I have to do is find a "babysitter" for the dogs, the cows, the horses and the chickens and we'll be right there! (grin) And, as Peppi mentioned, we had beef stew the first night. Maybe not special company food, but something that could sit in the oven and give me some time to visit instead of "hands on". I did use a Porterhouse, a Sirloin and two Rib steaks, so it was kind of special... Annie