Susan, according to what I can find on the internet they are called strawberry geraniums, strawberry begonias, or Mother of Thousands. http://home.att.net/~larvalbugrex/begonias.html I have always called them begonias because that is what they look like to me. They are certainly perennial in my beds. In fact they are very tough. There were growing on the north side of my house when I moved in and I moved some to the east side, which is the bed in the picture. I had some very young hostas growing there and needed ground cover until the hosta grew a little. We have had to dig up part of that bed several times because of a construction project and once for a water leak, but they just keep coming back. The name is interesting because they are neither a begonia, geranium, or a strawberry, but their growth habit is much like a strawberry. They send out runners, and make new plants and they grow very shallow. I need to go try and rescue some more of them, I guess, because I mow them down in one area every year. The blooms will last 3 or 4 weeks, then I will deadhead them. They are still a pretty plant because the foliage is so unusual. My peppers are looking OK, but some are still very small. Since I was carting those green pots back and forth to keep them warm, I just left some in cups so I could bring in a tray of cups rather than many more pots. I counted them yesterday, and I still have 8 more to pot up. That was to be my morning project if it didn't rain. I woke up to the rain this morning, but I think it has passed and our weather is supposed to clear today. It is a strange gardening year as I only planted my yardlong beans yesterday, but have tomato plants blooming. I think it is obvious that my container plants are going to be better than my garden plants. I am not the gardener that some of you are. I do fine with my vegtables but my flower beds are not that great. As soon as the construction is completed (if ever) I am going to work on the ornamentals. I have some clematis and a hybiscus waiting to go in the ground and plan to buy some additional scrubs. Just trying to do a few things to make our little old lake house look better. I would like some blooming plants that would attract the butterflies, but I want them to grow 5-10 feet tall. A lady offered me some red cannas yesterday and I am going to go get some of them. She said they were giants with a red bloom, so I am anxious to have a few. They had beautiful maroon foliage. I only have green ones, so I appreciated her offer. This lady has to use a walker to get around, but has a beautiful yard and garden. She was weeding a flower bed when I arrived there, but holding onto a pole. She had big wide rows between her veggies and told me this is because she puts down a mat and crawls so she can weed her garden. I guess gardeners will do most anything to garden.

Trin, Sending good thoughts and prayers for her. I went through the lumpectomy and radiation 6 1/2 years ago, so I hope that she will be as fortunate. The one thing that helped me was following the diet they gave me after the surgery. It said to have lots of good quality protein - eggs, chicken, turkey. I can't remember what else. The diet helped me heal quickly. I'm sure that they will give her good advice. Another thing that helped me is that I started swimming when the surgeon said I could. Swimming slowly helped to stretch the chest and arm muscles.

Maybe it's just because I'm overtired. I think Palimpsest's GFY (all innocence nonwithstanding) is actually better. The more common interpretation might be pleasurable, however anatomically improbable and potentially sinful, if you think about it, assuming the SIL is a grown woman who wouldn't actually end up sullied or ruined by the process. Pal's version carries the lingering, unsaid, clause, "...but I don't." :) I remember when I was a child and there were workman drinking and cursing in the field behind our house. Our beloved housekeeper thought that was very inappropriate behavior to display by a family home, especially within sight and earshot of small children. She'd go on the backstep, where there was a good, direct view of the ne'er-do-wells, and stand squarely with her arms akimbo, announcing in a firm, carrying, no nonsense voice, "Jesus loves you!" I have never heard a more effective nor more strongly uttered curse. With that one innocent phrase, she wrapped them up and sent them on their way. There's power in those words! And a loudly implied, "...but I don't!"

That is very, very beautiful. It touched my heart, and I've never even met Charlotte. She clearly lived every day of her life to its fullest, and showed her loved ones how much she loved them every day.