Good idea, Marcia. I would love to see everyone else's sunrise/sunset pictures. Tomorrow in Brandon, it is suppose to be 22C (almost warm enough to start suntanning again). I suppose that means that it will be in the low 20's for you on Monday or Tuesday then, right? My son is coming back from University in Winnipeg to Brandon to play football at 3pm tomorrow and I will be out there watching him play instead of puttering in the garden. Brenda

Snow last week. Indian Summer this week, next week... who knows in Amarillo?!

Donna - of Kitchen Table fame, It is extremely difficult to lose one's mate. Your usual friends will want you to get on with your life - they won't want to hear your stories (more than) half a dozen times. Some years ago, after my wife's departure, I attended a group of Parents Without Partners. It was a fairly new group, and we became great friends, though we were very different people. Many of us felt that we had instant acceptance, there - as everyone else knew what we were going through. After a while, everyone went their own way - but some years later, when we attended one another's funerals, etc., and if we had a get together, or just met one of the others during normal living, there was a big smile and a handshake, often a hug, exchanged - we'd gone through hell together. My ex- died last summer, as a matter of fact - after 33 years apart and only minimal commuication. Our young uns are clearing out the house that was home to them for a number of years, though not recently (the youngest hit the big 40 last fall). Do you know whether there are any groups for recently bereaved persons in your area? You might find some companionship and empathetic people there. The ones who have lost a loved one recently will have an open wound, so to speak, as you do. The ones whose bereavement took place longer ago can still understand your pain. Maybe ask in local churches, synagogues, mosques, comunity agencies, health-related agencies. Or, perhaps some funeral homes, etc. whether there may be such groups - and where to find them. If not, some of those agencies may know of people who might like to consider joining such a group, and some of them might be interested in facilitating such a group's formation. Doing such inquiries would get you busy doing something worthwhile, also. As I said once to someone, "You feel as though someone just cut your leg off". That person looked at me and asked how I knew. I replied that I'd been there. Feel free to come back and share with us, Donna. Quite a number of people at the Kitchen Table forum ask for one another's help and there is a great spirit of fellowship and concern expressed, by many, there. One of my best friends died a few weeks ago and the family asked me to officiate at the funeral. I've visited with them several times, since. His wife is beginning to become used to her being independent, now. Quite a number of bereavement counsellors advise people recently bereaved to try to avoid making major decisions for a time - for often, after life settles down some and they feel somewhat more back to normal, they may regret them. Good wishes for the days ahead. ole joyful P.S. I think that my email address is available - send me a message if you feel so inclined. o j

Thank you Debra, Nancy, Nancy, Maryl and Sherry. Regarding the deer, we have two dogs, but they are only outside when I am and they go out on tie outs. There are way too many critters around they might chase after, plus there are coyotes around and I sure wouldn't want anything to happen to my pups. So, the deer are accustomed to the dogs being out and near the house, but it doesn't keep the deer away when the dogs aren't out there. There used to be a lot more deer, but since the coyotes have been in the area for the past couple of years, there don't seem to be as many deer. Maryl, Ashwood Still Night grows well here... it's supposed to be a rebloomer, but I don't think it has rebloomed for me. It is a nice dark purple. I think I've had it since 2012, it is a pretty big clump now and needs to be divided. The flowers are one of the purples that can take on a grayish/frosted look on cold mornings. The flowers seem to hold up well in the heat and hold their color pretty well here, but I don't think we get as much heat or for as long as you do. Here is a pic from yesterday of one of the scapes on the outside of the clump.