Evening all, Well Ive had an incredibly busy., busy, busy three days and Im crashing at the moment. Id love to suck down a couple glasses of wine as I type this but Im not allowed the calories at the moment. (end of that whine) Anyway, Friday I got ready for my weekend seminar. I was supposed to work on it all week long but didnt get myself downstairs until Friday so a very full day crossing my fingers that all the printers and copy machines were going to cooperate so I could get the classroom handouts done. All worked fine, I finished up what needed doing by 6:00PM and was able to help my neighbors three almost adult children. The daughter asked if Id take their portrait (there are three of them)so she could get an 11 x 14 printed up to give their parents for a 25th wedding anniversary present. What great kids! Pic turned out quite nicely. Got to class on Sat and we had four new students to the group I paint with here so now Ive got a steady twelve students instead of eight. The new ladies from VT were fantastic painters and really fun to work with. The Gang has decided they can come back any time. LOL Last night eight of the students came over for a garden tour and dinner so after class I zipped home, washed up the bathrooms and passed the vacuum quickly just got it put away when they showed up. Sent them home around 8:45PM, ran down the street to wish the neighbors a happy anniversary got home, crashed. Got up at 5:30AM spent an hour and a half watering the containers, filled ten orders the students wanted, headed out to class, taught all day, got home did a bit of SALATING, had dinner and now Im fried to a crisp. So the new ladies also decided to sign up for the September three day seminar that my local students wanted scheduled and for which Ive not yet painted the piece. Yikes, worse news, they all bought the trays we are painting in August that I havent painted yet either. Ive got ten signed up for a class that they dont even know what color the piece will be. Too funny and everyone was laughing about it this weekend but Ive seriously got to get some work done in the next couple weeks. Every time I decide that Im really going to quit teaching they come up with another project idea I just have to do for them, find a weekend everyone can come, collect deposit money and say of course you can do this as they hand me the money. Im easy. Anyway Im sure I was the cause of the torrential rains that came through here this afternoon because Id spent an hour and a half watering this morning. Have you ever noticed how that happens and that if you dont water you dont get the expected rain? The tropical plants are loving the humidity and are putting on some lovely growth at the moment and the containers get more filled in every day. LOL Denise and Kathy, I actually have a cool garden apron I modified from a painting apron I had. The apron has criss cross straps that go over the shoulders so none of the weight of the tools is on your neck. I should show it to our seamstresses here as the idyllettes might want one. The pockets on the bottom are like a carpenters apron pockets and go all around the bottom of the apron which wraps around. Then there are various loops for putting trowels and cultivators through so Denises image of me with this massive tool belt isnt too far off. I also do have a very neat roll around cart that holds most tools and I get that out for my all day marathons. I prefer the apron because it has everything I need and I dont have to back track at all to find what I need. The cart is great because I can store my stakes in there too. Brenda great photograph of the crop duster. Ive got to send that one along to Doug. BTW, my watering wand leaks too! What a pain in the a -. Every time I put new washers in it and tighten it up it works for a couple days then if you knock it about it starts leaking again. One of my gardening pet peeves is leaking hose joins and watering wands and sprinklers that dont oscillate as they should. Yes indeed, I miss EP and her insights. Jerri, that solstice ceremony sounds like it was interesting. Great clematis Martie! Love the name. Happy Anniversary to Chelone and Helpmeet! Michelle, that baptisia is gorgeous and especially beautiful with the poppies. I cant get over that you dont have to stake it. ~~ Love that rainbow photo! Kathy, some of those daylilies on that site are unbelievable along with their prices. Mary, sounds like you made out big time at the plant sale. Any photographs would be much appreciated. Sue, youre such a party animal! Snoozing in the daytime, whats next geritol? Te he, giggles. Sorry Im heading off to bed myself as Im going to fall asleep with this computer in my lap if I dont put myself to bed soon. Nite all, Deanne

Ohhhhh, to be out of school!!! I have two weeks yet!! and it has been so darn hot, and we don't have air conditioning in any of the buildings. It was 90 on Friday, even to hot to go outside for recess!!!Can you imagine that!! The kids had to lay under the shade trees to get cooled off. But I do love every single one of your daylilies. Queen of Narnia is a great white one. Hope you can spend more time in your gardens now!!! Cindy

koidom-No-we moved to the house a little over three years ago and the majority of hosta were already here. I've added the light white/cream and green varigated hosta. I went around the yard the other day and counted 80 of the noid # 7. They also planted the ground cover in the back yard. They did a pretty nice job with the ground cover in the there seems to be something different blooming back there constantly. loisf-I smelled #2's blooms yesterday and did not detect any fragrance to them. Thanks for your input, though! I'm going to look those hosta up and read up on them.

Jen, LOL...Funny you said that, ran into the owner this weekend and he asked me what I was doing this summer. I said looking for another job and he said hmmmmm. I told him I needed a career again, not a summer stint. He said well what you doing next weekend and the next and the next. I said hopefully NOT working here..:) Anyways, we had an awesome time this weekend, weather was perfect, we saw 2 blue herons flying on the lake in front of our site, they were around for a while looking for fish. Saw a dead deer on the side of the road driving back, I always hate that. I wish they would at least give them to a shelter for people to eat. Our dog met 2 new friends, someone pulled in from Virginia and had a beautiful Golden and they played for hours. Then we came home and worked in the yard all evening putting down mulch, weeding and planting flowers. My sons girlfreind made a great dinner, it was a good weekend. How was yours? Glad you had a good time on your trip the other week too. Jerry, No sporting goods store for me, no way. I would be their worst employee I'm sure. I work in the medical field and plan on staying there. Hubby can fend for himself. :) Lynda