It's been busy here! My bins are nearly full. I get a very satisfying stretching of the back muscles when it's time to turn 'em lol. This past week has added the following: few large bags of Starbucks UCG kitchen scraps from work, home, and coworker's bird cage linings some baby mice found in the basement grass clippings, weeds, and garden trimmings ~8 gals. mixed UCG and fruit pieces from local coffee/smoothie shop shredded packing paper (which was very theraputic btw) fries of unknown age, various paper products, and old sodas from cleaning the cars TP rolls, PT rolls, and pizza boards all shredded to satisfaction leftover cherries, potatoes, apples, and celery not to mention the stripped bare bones from a Wing Ding (kinda like a Hot Wings cook-off w/o a winner but with plenty of beer) recycled beer from above Wing Ding lol Next week I'll be getting 2 truckloads of yard trimmings from a neighbor! Even after it's all shredded I think it might be time to start a new pile :)

Hi Nicole! I am not sure if it's Kenmuir Quarry or the Red Rocks amphitheater. Last week, as I was driving south to Conifer, I passed a sign that said 'Red Rocks'. Looked to the right and was able to see some red rock formations similar to Garden of the Gods. But i couldn't see any farther, so I am not sure what I saw there. I didn't even know it was on the way to Conifer either. Is that the sign for the Amphiteater or the quarry? Sounds like a fun place to visit! :)

I was really late this year, don't think I realized just how late it was. I don't even have all my Christmas cards made out and sent. Took Lauren to the mall this weekend (twice) we gave up on even trying Saturday as it was jammed packed all around the mall area and no parking anywhere. Went back earlier on Sunday and had no problems. Got her some clothes that I just let her pick out. I gave up trying to find something that fit her and then wrapping them up, only for them to not fit. Most of what I got was on-line but I waited till nearly the last minute and most of it is shipping right at the last minute. I did manage to find a little kitchenette for a child we're buying for at work, stupid me saw an ad in the paper early last week. I waited till the end of the week to go looking for it at Wal-Mart, of course, it was no where in sight and now can't even find it on-line, so Saturday I bought another one on-line. Expected to arrive between the 18th and 22nd and guess what? It showed up tonight! Wow, I'm impressed. Bought a Christmas tree at Amazon the same night and wasn't expecting to be able to put it up this year, but it came yesterday. Talk about fast. It's beautiful too. So glad I don't have to prop up my old tree with magazines anymore. lol. The stuff is now trickling in the mail and I have to start wrapping before I go to work on Friday...I know they kids will be snooping.

I had a very productive Mothers Day. It doesn't quite look that way, but its progress. When my adult children asked what I would like to do/receive/go out, I chose the best option for me. I said, "Let's BBQ and all work in the yard". That's exactly what we did. With four young men digging holes,( two sons, one SIL, and one "like a son to me"),I couldn't keep up with the planting, and I'm a bit particular about it. I rather do most of that myself when I can. One son knows what he's doing, and is allowed to plant once I have handed him a 5 gallon bucket of "a little of this and a little of that" to mix with my native clay soil into the hole. My 29-year-old daughter, (bossy little thing) kept the boys on track and put some organization to my tremendous pot ghetto. It is now reduced in numbers, as well. She cleared out a huge area of invasive bellflower punctata, although I know it will be back soon. Mine isn't even pretty. It has grayish blooms that are not attractive and they regularly take over the strawberry patch. I curse the day I purchased the stuff! Darcy Bussell was at last freed from her tangle of sweet peas, and is looking relieved. My DD did yank an entire cane off at the ground level, in the process, but I doubt Darcy will mind. Not much slows her down. That one cane provided 11 buds and blooms for the vase. My Ageratum Corymbosum has been planted into an afternoon shade position, and I hope it fairs better than the first one. I so want to grow this dark leaved beauty, yet my first specimen declined rapidly upon arrival and I don't know why. I am really hoping this one does well. Mini Rose "Diamond Eyes " went into the ground near the perennial Ageratum, as it tolerates a bit of shade and is also so very dark flowered. Impatiens sodenii 'Flash' (perennial for me) and Impatiens gandulifera candida(reseeding annual), went in there as well. These are both giant, 4' tall and wide plants. I have some empty holes, complete with gopher cages, ready to receive Iochroma cyanea 'Mr Plum' , Campanula vidalii (Azorina vidalii),and some other smaller plants. The edge of this area is reserved for my "someday dream Rose", "Annie Laurie McDowell". The plan is for this shaded corner to contain both dark and light contrasting plants. A new venture for me, as I normally stick to pastels. Marlorena, I have two verbascum 'Violetta' that need to go into the ground ASAP. I grew them from seed(somehow lost the third) . Just how tall are they for you? It will be great to know you're experience before siting them. I know our climates are quite different, but still I somehow envisioned 2-3 foot spires in front of my purple hollyhocks, perhaps not? Thanks, Lisa