I have applied for your show in Plantation, Fl. March26 &27. I have sent in my app. with the show fee but I haven't heard anything in return. I don't know if I have been accepted or not. My question is am I included in your show? I need an answer in order to know if I should make the trip up there or make other plans for that week end. Thank you for your reply. Alex Vitek Vitek woodwork

There's nothing quite as cool-looking(temperaturewise) as BLUE flowers. I grew Phacelia a few years ago, best blue i ever saw, next to cornflowers. The bell-shaped blue flowers with icy-white anthers were beautiful, and stirred up images of cooler weather. They do have a short bloom time, hot weather just about stops the show, cutting back helps somewhat. Give 'em a try, i believe there are 2 or 3 varieties. Good luck, and enjoy.

Orlando has a really nice climate and considering how far away it is from the coast, it has very mild weather. Some areas by the coast (like tampa) which is south of orlando, got the same or cooler weather. I know that the theme parks in orlando (especially universal studios) has lots of tender plants that are growing very well (not sure how they are doing now though). Some of the plants I have seen there are... screw pines (Pandanus utilis) which was pretty tall and quite a few years old Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum wallisii) these were also pretty big and were in full shade Tri-color hibiscus (Talipariti tiliaceum) which was very large and heathy Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, which were large and flowering well, but not as healthy as they could be bromeliads, lots of different types from small airplants on the trees to large ones mounted on the trunk of the palms. Foxtail palms (Wodyetia bifurcata), they were large and healthy at the time and also right by a pond which probably help protect it from a frost And lots of others that I am forgetting too. They all seemed really happy before this freeze but I wonder if they are okay now (or if the park protected them from the freezes). I also think there are coconut palms in Sea World which are still alive (I think) and protected from extreme cold. Good luck!

Nannykins~so, so sorry--brought tears to my eyes. Obviously, your quilt made a big difference in her life --what a tribute to you! I have had the flu for almost 3 weeks now--and I got a flu shot in Oct. I almost never get sick. I took a workshop and I could smell the Vicks from the lady behind me, and everytime she coughed, I imagined fluorescent germy droplets hitting my back ~lol~ now I'm her! This week, I have been trying to per-fect a machine sewn binding using an antique blanket stitch on my machine. I have been reading Sally Collins' book "Borders, Bindings & Edges The Art of Finishing Your Quilt", and I have combined her method and measurements, with a couple techniques from You Tube- Jaybird Quilts & Leah Day and I just completed a French, 1/4" machine sewn binding that is really great. I cut the bias strip at 1.875, stitched to the back, trimmed (again) exactly 1/4" from the stitching, and brought the binding to the front and stitched. The mitered corners are very, very good. I am guessing Sally Collins only hand stitches her bindings on the back :). Her books are very precise and detailed, and I think they are meant for the very serious. I hope to get at least one more quilt binding completed this weekend, but I am doubtful I will get it finished.