Thanks so much, Kippy. I look forward to checking these out this weekend. But I'm not so much looking for pink, as apricot, preferably with somewhat flexible stems. Diane and ingrid, Austin touts Evelyn as a 6' climber, and my memory is that several Californians on this forum have claimed 20' long Evelyns. Ingrid, I always check out the photos on HMF, but I never trust that as much as a person-to-person opinion here. Is there an apricotish version of SdlM, or Duchesse de Brabant, or the Tantau rose you just linked on the Austin thread? Also, seeds of the somniferous poppies can be purchased at One Stop Poppy Shoppe and several other smaller seed companies. Burpee has a double peony type called Venus. These poppies are supposed to be out of their element in our climate, but I planted last autumn to take advantage of the cold, and so far all but the darkest color are holding their own and stopping visitors in their tracks. -jannike

Good Morning, All, Linda, you sure know a LOT about plants' biology. I was aware bees pollinated, but not flies. Ironic. Would you happen to know which plants they prefer? Funny you should mention flies. Although it's the wrong time of year, yesterday I spent several hours repotting indoor plants, outside. I lifted three plants off a table, Pachypodiums. Anyway, after lifting the third plant, I found several maggots living underneath, nearest the drainage hole. Yuck..Gross..Disgusting. I wondered why there have been so many flies in the yard. Do you think plants are attracting these creatures? We have Trumpet Vine, 'don't bother buying this plant, it's way too invasive,' which attracts flies. However, I 'assumed' it coincidence. I've been summering indoor plants outside 20+-yrs, but there's never been vast amounts of flies. Ever. Ants, yes, but not flies. I wondered about 'yellow' violets..Same with blues. There are 'true' blue flowers, but most are purple, labeled blue. Very few plants, of all types, have actual blue flowers. I do not consider purple, blue, I get upset when a violet or any other plant is called blue when it's purple. :) Linda, thanks for the url. Guess I copy and paste on browser? For some reason the address didn't show as a clickable link. Thanks, I'll have to check this woman's plants. Some people find sellers in seconds. Wish I knew their secret. lol. Linda, at least you have a family, even if you drive them up the wall talking about plants..Consider youself blessed. Dave...I too have a few, basic Orchids. One Dendrobium blooms 4-5 times a year..Or use to. It's been in the same, wooden basket since 1998. I ordered the next size up, or so I thought. Baskets only come in even sizes..I wanted 5" but no dice. I ordered a 6" and it's huge. 5 young orchids will fit in this pot. lol. Which I might end up doing. We'd best make sure we don't bid against each other. :) Dave, my rating is 361.

Well, I've got the pink fabrics, got the patterns for my pinkwork girls, got the pink embroidery thread I want to use. But.....I'm finishing up a baby quilt gift to mail off, have promised a customer's quilt to be ready in September, and have to finish my Round Robin quilt for the show in late September. So....I may not have my challenge finished in August. But I will show it when done and I might get started on the embroidery this summer. How's that for maybe?

Hey Luvs~ I've missed you too. I am not doing well with my painting. I've been practicing and getting frustrated with the one stroke. I thought it might be my brushes so bought a few of Donna's,nope, still not getting it so I had to give it up for a few days. I think I do need to get some of the Folkart paint. I usually use Delta and I think it may not be thick enough like you said. Plus I need to be less stingy with it. Not used to loading my brush up so much. My composition sucks too. Can't get it to look like it all goes together. I'll keep at it though. I'm just not a natural. ha I got my little Easter sign done, but not happy with it at all. Thought I'd post it, then decided not to. ha I was going to start on my Easter Eggs and then found that I have lost the dumb things. You know I bought them at the TS around Christmas and put them up somewhere and I'll be darned if I can find them anywhere. During the Christmas hooplala who knows what I did with them. Want to get started on DD's box, but she keeps changing her mind on what she wants on it. I still have my snowmen hinged thingy to work on and want to do a 2-sided sign for my SIL which I'll probably work on today, but just getting more aggravated than anything else because nothing is turning out like I want it to. ha Other than my painting frustrations, I had a long lost cousin who came out of the woodwork asking about some family history so I spent a few days looking up stuff for her. We've had a few good days of weather so I did get out in the yard and got a few things done, but can't do much until it gets more consistant. It is dumping snow on us for the next 3 days then will be beautiful again for the weekend. It's looked like a blizzard here most of today. I moved my office around and have been trying to do some early spring cleaning and organizing so that has taken up some of my time. I know what you mean about the patterns and such. I have been going thru things with DD to have her pick something out and most of the books I have are more than one holiday too. And you know I just realized that one of the last books I bought had some pages missing. I'm pretty sure I got it at Michaels, but don't have the reciept anymore. That's annoying, isn't it? Guess I'll have to check those better before I buy them from now on. Anyway, that's my life over here. DH has been working hard on the garage and says he is going to make a workbench for me and my saw so I'm pretty excited about that. I look forward to seeing your ducky trio. :) You are right, they'll look better as a flock.....or what is a group of ducks? A brood? No that's hens. ha Oh, is it a paddle or is that only when they are on the water? Anyway, I'll have to go look that up or it will bug me all day. ha Do you do that too? ha Chat with ya soon. ~Anj