Hello everyone and thank you for all your prayers and well wishes. I know that prayer works because Lee is still alive when doctors thought he would not make it past Christmas last year. Well he is still with us and is still cantankerous which lets me know that he is still alive and kicking. He does spend more and more time in bed and tomorrow we will learn what the Doppler of his neck and echo shows so that we know more where we stand. He still has the idea that he will get better though the doctors and I know otherwise. He has been made aware of everything but due to the bleed on his brain before I met him he does not have good short term memory so he forgets. I think it is this belief that keeps him going. Thank you for being dear friends and caring about him. As for me, well diabetic complications have set in with a vengeance along with the strangest rash and itch that anyone could ever have. The itch has been diagnosed as a honest to good allergy to heat. I am on antihistamines and prednisone at the moment (the prednisone is what makes my blood sugar so crazy). The itch has been so bad that I am taking 100 mg of vistaril and sleeping for 30 minutes and being up for an hour before dosing off once again. I spend a lot of the evening hours outside observing, feeling and losing myself in the night. I have developed kidney issues along with the retinopathy and neuropathy. I saw a new endocrinologist yesterday and she is running tons of test to see what else is happening in my body. Prednisone usually causes you to gain weight but I lost 28 pounds in a week and am still losing. The weight lose is good but not in this manner. Missing the amount of work I have this month is also wearing on us as it is my income that keeps us fed and pays a lot of the bills. Oh well, God always provides and I place my trust in him. For those who know a little about my new business adventure I will now give an update and fill you all in on some of the details. The man with whom I entered into the endeavor is not the type of person I wish to do business with so we have split. He is the type who is get it done yesterday and because of that he has made a lot of errors and created some bad first impressions. The up side of all of this is that I have discovered that I can run my own business and my other partner from the first business has joined with me. I am the detail person who does all the marketing research and all the background data that needs to be done before you run gun ho into business. I know what areas are saturated around the Orlando area and where there are areas that need filling. I also am bringing a new item to our business in that I will be combining my writing skills along with photography and desktop publication. I am finalizing our business plan and beginning the process of seeking funding etc. Please pray for our business. If you need a photographer or party planner let us know. We are cheap at the moment. My garden is suffering because I can not go outside at the moment but for very short periods. I have been working a little at night but because there is still evidence that the cobra is still in the area I am not willing to do a lot of work in areas that are not that well lit. I am starting tons of new seeds in preparation for Kates trade and fall gardening. My beefsteak tomato continues to grow and produce the most wonderfully flavored maters. I am saving seeds. Once again, thank you for being here and for all your prayers. I keep all of you in my prayers each night and if there is ever anything in particular that you would like prayer for please do not hesitate to let me know and I will pray for your particular issues. Love you guys, Linda

Ok, I cut half the lawn over the weekend, and did some low energy maintainance. The couple of hummers left working the yard didn't seem to complain. At this time of year mornings are spent counting neotropical migrants anyway at our local migrant trap. The major garden work is done for the moment, and the birds are heading south. Has anyone else detected what I call the late summer recovery? All the salvias have shaken their August blues, the early and mid summer perennials have been cut down, and things like asters and other fall flowers have swelled to replace them. It looks so fresh out there. Knowing that this bit of beauty is going to be shortlived only adds to the experience. Finally, to be somewhat on topic. Pineapple and Mexican Bush Sages are beginning to grow flower stalks - no sign of progress on Mexican Salvia Limelight - just one hummer in the garden this morning.

60 here this morning at 8:30 am, and headed for a high of 69, here on the Keweenaw peninsula. It's been topping off in the mid 70s this week and that's about average for June and July here, although we do get a few days in the 80s and occasionally one that even tops 90. You can't beat U.P. weather in the summer! It's gorgeous!

It started out cold and sunny but towards evening it kid of clouded up and warmed up too. I walked the Mall today and then also ran some errands. Didn't do much else except cook dinner. It was a quiet day. Next week I am booked solid all week with all kinds of activities. This was a nice break this week! Joann