I got some rain!!! YEAH!!! Not a ton but enough to make my hostas ALL start poking their noses through! Aside from those...there is a bunch of things all about 1-2" up...name a few..... Astilbe Rudbeckia Lady's Mantle Sedum Assortment of Iris's Tulips - of course Daylilies are not like 6" tall Fern's Liatris A few more but I can't remember! Seems like the SUN part of my perennials are more on the up and up! Even my PARADE rose (a little rose!) that I got last year for my flower boxes was put in the ground and mulched heavy and is already showing green shoots!! I got it for like $5.00 a piece at Walmart...they bloomed little roses/like in a little bush with little dollar coin roses all summer and I thought they would not make it but obviously did!! The Snapdragons I planted last week are doing FABULOUS and so is the morning glory! I am impressed! I live in the Minneapolis area..Hennipen county...can anyone tell me...if I am DARING do you think I can put some cucumbers or squash out there? I started them indoors (I always do!) and theyare like 8" tall (squash-zucchini) and have multiple leaves, and like 5" tall (q-cumber)! They are soooo ready to go out there and keep asking me but I was scared....they will go in in the same area/sort of, as the snapdragons up against the fence/trellis with no wind! Anyone think I can drop them in this week???? Weather looks like 50 will be the night low after Tues.!!!! I am anxiuos I know!!!! Also...can anyone tell me...we are going to move my veggie area to a few NEW raised bed areas....it will be like 12" deep....what do you recommend me using for filler?? I know I need soil, compost manure, and maybe some sand? Anyone know what amounts of each?? Is there a ratio?? Also....I can't use TOP SOIL so should I just bite the bullet and buy all bags of the expensive potting soil for the "soil" part? Thanks much in advance! Becca

Did you photograph the (highly endangered) Red-cockaded Woodpeckers in the Osceola National Forest? At least they are hanging on in Florida public land since the forest service has been managing old Longleaf pine stands, their preferred habitat. Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are on my wish list

I'll play! I began the day by Leaving the Saints and admiring The Last Boyfriend. On my way to work I saw The Devil in White City, and walked by The Crying Tree to avoid Henrietta's War, but I made sure to stop at Tempest's Legacy. In the office, my boss said, Howard's End is on the Landing and sent me to research The Journal of Best Practices. At lunch with The Magician King, I noticed Tempest Rising in The Night Circus greatly enjoying One Dance With A Duke. Then on the journey home , I contemplated A Discovery of Witches because I have A Week to be Wicked and am drawn to The Secret Duke. Settling down for the evening in The Forgotten Garden, I studied The Art of Fielding by The Secret Keeper before saying goodnight to The Hound of the Baskervilles.

I goofed too. I get stains out of clothes by using twice the hydrogen peroxide then Dawn dishwashing soap. It does not bleach out clothes and I treat the affected area, rinse off after letting it sit. Ok, I did a neighbor's shirt and rinsed then put in my fussy front-loading washer. WELL, all I saw is thick bubbles when I checked on it. Aw oh, front loaders use special detergent to keep the suds down. I stopped it and scooped suds out at the time it was NOT rinsing this mass out. I scooped with big bowls and the washer works. This is my confession and hopefully a help to others. I guess I over-did the soap when I pretreated the shirt to get out her spot remover.