I've been raising Pipevine Swallowtails but don't have as many as I usually do. So far we've released 23 and have at least a dozen chrysalide left and some cats are still eating. The butterflies are probably done laying for the year. I see Spicebush Swallowtails flying around just like other years, but alas, I never find any cats on the spicebushes. I still have the male Monarch here but no female. So it's probably a bust for this year. I'm still trying to keep the aphids in check though. They are really bad this year! I just brought 8 Giant Swallowtail cats in off of the gas plants. It's a far cry from the 21 eggs that my son and I had counted on the plants about a week ago. I'd have brought the eggs in if I wouldn't have such bad luck with them dying as tiny cats. I haven't seen any Red Admirals this year and no Common Buckeyes. Like you, Angie, I have a plethora of Silver-spotted Skippers this year. I'd say that it's the most common butterfly that I have here every year, but this year there are just tons of them. At any one time, I could probably count about two dozen nectaring on one of the butterfly bushes. I also noticed today that they also like the ironweed. They've always like the Verbena bonariensis, as do many other butterflies. I just planted some crepe myrtle bushes in the yard last year that I had started from seed (daughter got seeds from ebay for me), so I can hardly wait to see if the butterflies will like those blooms. I don't know how many years it takes them to bloom, but right now they're less than a foot tall, so it will probably be quite some time until the butterflies can sample their wares. Cathy

Took awhile to get our first bid on the drainage work. Waaaaaay too much, so we are back to square one but still needing to get the work done (by another company obviously). We actually got parts of two pallets of sod. Not much to look at right now, but if it takes it will be about 150 square feet less that we'll have to eventually buy. If it doesn't take, it was at least free. Since we're in a "lull" right now--no drainage work, too late to plant new trees/shrubs, ivy still awaiting removal, stumps ground and chips distributed or hauled away--we're planning to have the lot surveyed and have started to power wash various of the concrete surfaces. Here's the driveway after an hour or so of work this morning before it started raining. This may be the last time we clean it. It's the original pour from 1965, and is starting to badly show its age. (Portion nearer the street not yet cleaned). Having checked on what it would cost to either rent a washer or have it done, we decided to buy our own. It will pay for itself shortly (we also have 5 vehicles that need washing not infrequently--that's anywhere from $6 to $22 each depending on where we took them). We weren't too impressed with the job the washer was doing until we figured out that we hadn't turned on the pump and were cleaning only with the water pressure from the hose. After turning it on it was a different story entirely!!!

I live in Athens-Clarke County and have been faithfully following the water schedule that I was sent and even double-checked with the little public utilities newsletter ACC sends out every now & then. This came last week and the water schedule was the same: odd numbered addresses on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday. Even numbered addresses Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday with NO watering on Friday or from 10 AM to 6 PM on anyday. I don't get our local paper so that was what I thought was my reliable source. But I was getting strange looks from some of my newest neighbors when they were walking their dog and I was watering at 7:30/8PM. So I guess I shouldn't have been that surprised when I went to the ACC public utilities website (to double check that the garbage/recycling didn't come on Memorial Day, but would come on Tuesday) and learned that they've changed it to no watering except from midnight to 8 AM! ARgh! I do understand the water restrictions but now I'm supposed to water at night in the dark or get up early enough to be done by 8 AM? Wonderful.

Good Morning. Besh - sorry about your friend. I had an immediate member of my family attempt suicide and it was a very traumatic experience. I can relate to your friend and his family. Very deep issues. Suzanne - Your night out to the theatre and dinner sounds like my kind of night. Where is BJ, I haven't read a post from her. I pretty much caught up from my mia months. QOD: We will have a low key Thanksgiving. My DH's mother and sister are visiting us now since Wednesday and they leave the day prior to Thanksgiving, so we have been having special dinners and going out to eat quite a bit. So I may just make soup and salad for Thanksgiving dinner -- hahahahhahaha. I made a turkey breast yesterday and it was YUMMERS. I hear them in the kitchen now making a italian cookie/biscuit my MIL used to make my husband when he was younger. Oh such happiness -- brings a tear to my eye. GMWAS (Gag me with a spoon). (wink wink) I know my DH is enjoying every minute of it. We drove to he east coast of Florida on thursday and went to a Bloomingdales. I love it. We do not have any here on the west coast(at least that I know of). So my husband bought me a Dooney and Burke purse (which he did a year ago this time when they came down for a visit) So you can bet your bottom dollar that I am hoping this is a yearly thing. Patti - my parents also celebrated their 50th anniversary last month. My husband and I threw them a party at a party center in Ohio (where I am from)and had 130 people there with a band. It was quite a challenge organizing it from Florida. Plus my mom gave her input too.....so... I took a lot of deep breaths and went forward the entire time. I had a blast. A good time was had by all and it was worth all the effort and aggravation just to see how happy it made my parents. We even had my cousin who is an Catholic Deacon renew their vows. Not a dry eye in the joint at that point. Man this is a long post. I better save some for tomorrow. Take care everyone..... Lynn