I have an old time tall blue iris that I got from our janitor at the county courthouse. He was thinning and replanting them. I don't know how old they are. They are very prolific and very pretty.

This post has been so fun to read. I am with a few of you who say you don't have hobbies, you have obsessions...definitely describes me. I have so many interests that I can never do all of them so rotate through them (not intentionally, I just get bored and have to move to the next interest frequently). am usually active in 3-4 of them at a time. I have been told more than once that I was born in the wrong century. Some that have always been with me and I regular go back too: Gardening- all of it. I can't remember any time not having some level of garden from the time I was big enough to walk. I love daylilies, roses, iris, herbs, veggies, hybridizing, flowering shrubs, landscaping, annuals, houseplants, native plants. I helped my parents plant & weed their veggie gardens when I was 3 yr old, helped my mom start her tomatoes & squash in the window, and at 15 taught her to enjoy growing flowers instead of only food. I take breaks from it sometimes cutting back to just a few things for several years and then..wham...I'm in it 10 times more than last time. Knitting, crochet, spinning & dying yarns. another one that has been a lifetimer. My mom taught me to knit when I was 4 and grandmother taught me to crochet at 6. I taught myself how to design my own sweaters and eventually took classes to learn how to spin/dye. Garden Photography- another life long love. I picked up my first camera at age 5 and my first picture was of my dog sitting in front of my bed of nasturtiums. I've been published a few times. Most notable the cover of a book about the history of an island my great-grandparents helped to settle. Scrapbooking- this is an on-again-off-again love. Obsessive when its on. Ditto with all kinds of other arts & crafts. Reading- I love historical fiction, especially by Christian authors. I also love "how too" and research subjects- learning is a passion. Church- Well maybe not a hobby but it leads to some. I've been active in my church even preaching a sermon to two and singing on the worship team. Geneology & historical research. This is really my mom's hobby but I'm her chief backup archivist & research assistant. Tech- well I do this for a living but I explore online communities on my own time. Cooking- this is also a necessity because I have children with food allergies. I bake all our breads, make my own mixes, and cook from scratch a lot. I make a lot of my own recipes. I also can & freeze our fruits & veggies. Outdoors- I love camping, fishing, hiking, travel to new places, exploring nature & manmade wonders, native plants. a lot of these are on hietus while the kids get a little bigger and able to join. In years past I was an expert seamstress, marksman on a rifle team, raised rabbits & ducks, and a number of other things that have not lasted the test of time.

Missy after everyone left last night. She looks like I felt. I don't know if you can tell by the picture, but she has her front left paw laying straight back - that white paw is actually her front left leg/paw. lol

This is a list compiled by Shade Tolerant from the forum members contributions of the Ultimate 100 Hostas. There are all price ranges, sizes, colors, etc. But this is "The List" as of December 2005. ******************************************************** Ultimate 100 Hosta List Abba Dabba Do--(Scootersbear) Alex Summers --(Papou) Allegan Fog --(Whirlwind) American Masterpiece --(NeverEnough) Antioch --(Intrepidgardener) Aphrodite --(HostaRed) Aristocrat --(KymmieAnn) August Moon --(Katsu) Black Hills --(Murial) Blue Angel --(Fenceberry) Blue Jay --(Fenceberry) Blue Mammoth --(Katsu) Blue Mouse Ears --(TheCan) Bold Ruffles --(Lavendargrrl) Bright Lights --(GoldfinchTN) Cadillac --(Sweet39) Canadian Shield --(Papou) Carnival --(Penhalion) Chinese Sunrise --(Poppi) Clifford's Comet --(Playinmud) Clifford's Forest Fire --(Limace) Dream Weaver --(Tsbccowboy) El Nino --(Lavendargrrl) First Frost --(Mary52) Fortunei Aureomarginata --(Hostasandharleys) Fragrant Bouquet --(Teresa) Frances Williams --(NewHostaAddict) Galaxy --(Scootersbear) Gin and Tonic --(Shade_tolerant) Gold Regal --(Esox48) Gold Standard --(Paws4pets) Golden Tiara --(GoldfinchTN) Grand Marquee --(Jel48) Great Expectations --(NeverEnough) Guacamole --(Lavendargrrl) Halcyon --(Lavendargrrl) Hidden Cove --(HostaRed) Inniswood --(Brshafer) Jimmy Crack Corn --(Rfgpitt) June --(Walnutgrove) Korean Snow --(Highjack) Krossa Regal --(KatailS) Lake Superior --(Chevy57red) Lakeside Black Satin --(PTMAX) Lakeside Looking Glass --(Katsu) Lakeside Mom --(MaryAnn) lancifolia --(Chocolateis2b8) Leading Lady --(Poppi) Liberty --(Hostarox) Little Sunspot --(Sweet39) Love Pat --(Linda P) Made You Look --(Cindy528) Maui Buttercups --(Poppi) Metallica --(Paws4pets) Mike Shadrack --(Chevy57red) montana Aureomarginata --(Yard Mom) Niagara Falls --(Shade_tolerant) Night Before Christmas --(Scootersbear) Northern Exposure --(MaryAnn) Olive Branch --(Teapotprincess) On Stage --(Highjack) Pandora's Box --(KymmieAnn) Paradigm --(Tsbccowboy) Paul's Glory --(Chocolateis2b8) Pineapple Upside Down Cake --(Walnutgrove) plantaginea --(Hagey) Queen Josephine --(Jel48) Quilting Bee --(Poppi) Rainforest Sunrise --(Fenceberry) Rascal --(Esox48) Regal Splendor --(Caliloo) Remember Me --(KymmieAnn) Revolution --(Caliloo) Rising Sun --(Esox48) Royal Standard --(Lykaon78) Sagae --(Hosta Freak) Sally and Bob --(Scootersbear) September Sun --(Chevy57red) Shade Fanfare --(Chocolateis2b8) sieboldiana Elegans --(Patann) Spilt Milk --(Wsuch) Stained Glass --(Dbowemd) Stephanie Clifton --(Chevy57red) Strip Tease --(Rfgpitt) Sum and Substance --(Fenceberry) Summer Breeze --(Shade_tolerant) Sun Power --(GottaHosta) Thunderbolt --(HostaRed) Torchlight --(Papou) Touch of Class --(Sweet39) Undulata Albomarginata --(GottaHosta) Unforgettable --(Tsbccowboy) ventricosa --(Chocolateis2b8) ventricosa Aureomarginata --(Tsneal) venusta --(Andi_mn) Whirlwind --(Leslie197) William Lachman --(Shade_tolerant) Xanadu Paisley --(Papou) Yellow River --(Sweet39) Zounds--(Mary52)