Thanks Veilchen, I can't wait to grow corn. Until it turned considerably cold and windy, I would just stand in the new space and envision all that corn and maybe some melons. Snow is in the forecast for the next 3 days. It doesn't usually snow around here before late December or January. Funny story. Dh and I went into town the other day and I asked if he'd drive thru this older established neighborhood to see if we couldn't snag some leaves. Lo and behold we drove past a house where a couple was out bagging maple leaves. We stopped and I asked if I could have them. They glanced at each other as if to say..."what'd she say?" I spoke up and said I wanted them for my garden. A big smile came over their faces and as they explained how that would save them a trip across town to get rid of them. I got 12 large bags in all but had to make 2 trips. I need a bigger truck:)

Cheribelle, Your assessment of Symphony In Bloom mirrors mine on many levels. This used to be a wonderful garden show. Unfortunately, greed and social snobbery have ruined a good thing. Of course, years ago, this event was held in Rock Island, Illinois in a building right next to the Quad City Botanical Center. Although the facilities had some limitations, the show was wonderful. Then, a split came about and currently, there are two shows (probably one too many). Now, the Symphony In Bloom is held in Iowa and a competing show (being held April 1st, 2nd & 3rd) remains at the original Rock Island site. The Rock Island show is very well managed. I have been asked to speak at both shows in the past and everything about the Rock Island show was professional, accommodating and they showed appreciation. The speaking engagement for Symphony In Bloom was such a frustrating debacle of confusion, excuses and outrageous demands that I will NEVER attempt to work with those people again -- and those comments are pretty mild compared to most of the vendors who you no longer see at that show. I really embrace the concept of Symphony In Bloom and the charitable support that it gives to our local symphony orchestra. There are some dedicated, kind souls who are behind this fund-raiser. Unfortunately, there seems to be a whole herd of high-society twits that have taken over. A show like this is an organizational monster. It demands a lot of hard work by dedicated, focused people. Sadly, far too many of them focused on seeing their name in print because anything to do with hard work was certainly below their station in life. One year, most of the vendors providing the displays got so ticked off at getting their booth rates jacked-up that most of them pulled out. The show started its continuing decline. Although don't know this for a fact, there are strong rumors that this was their last year. Meanwhile, most of those same vendors are showing at the Rock Island event. Gosh ... It seems like I am writing for the National Inquirer! IronBelly

IronBelly: Thanks for your immediate response and the recommended link, which I've already checked out. When I arrive "home" this weekend, (more on that below **) I'll check out the University of Wisconsin and see if I can find out further information on the subject and either obtain a booklet from them or print out the information from the link you provided. A "Rain Garden" sounds like an interesting and worthwhile project. I am not certain that it may be entirely suited for our particular yard, since parts of our yard are rather "wet" during the spring - the moisture does drain slowly - at times. I don't know if it is because the water table is high and/or the ground is made up of heavy clay and/or if there are some minor springs around or a combination of several things. I'll have to ask my wife, Sue, who along with her former husband, bought the house many years ago. Speaking of Jock - time passes by so quickly - it must have been a few decades ago when I met Jock and saw his slide presentation. He showed one photograph of someone's house out on the edge of a city - I think or the country - the owner didn't wish to be a "horticultural drug dealer" any more (my phrase) and/or be over involved in the grass game (fertilizing, watering, grass cutting on end throughout the summer) and so removed the grass, etc. and planted prairie plants and grasses. Rather impressive when it finally came into full maturity. A "Rain Garden" project interests me for another reason. Sue and I have been thinking about putting in a small, hopefully inexpensive, water garden of some sort. Perhaps - a combination of the two might be something worthwhile to explore as a possibility. I'll have to do some extensive "homework" on this idea and see what Sue and I can come up with. As you indicated, the construction of this combined project, etc. or even a stand alone "rain garden" and finding suitable plants, etc. might be a "tall order in reality". I've been up to the Quad Cities a number of times - to visit and photograph the John Deere Headquarters; take a AVA (American Volkssport Association) hike; to check out the library at Augustana College, where I applied for a position shortly after graduation - see below ** - etc. Having been born and bred on the tallgrass prairie, I often miss its openness, but not, necessarily, the heat and humidity of prairie summers. ;>) ** FYI - I am a Librarian (MLIS - Rosary College - now Dominican Unversity, 1994) with the Michigan Department of Corrections and work in the St. Louis/Alma area of Michigan during the week and go home to Manistee during the weekend, holidays, and vacations. Did my undergraduate studies at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. (BA - History/Political Science, 1964). Again, thanks for your quick response and, especially, for your generous comments on my posting regarding the "Pro Gardening Auger System", which I have been using to plant bulbs and a few other plants before winter sets in. One or two folks in the Anitique Roses forum really got their underwear caught up in a bundle over my posting! Kind of surprised me in a way. Oh well. Thanks again and I'll talk with you later. Bill

Lars..that is where my clients lived for a while with their daughter who is an actress..they visited her frequently..I have seen many photographs.. I hope you are going to the Artist's tour.. I have seen your brother's work in a post you made and I loved it.. We have our own little one..But unlike Venice..we get smaller crowds..and our real estate is actually affordable. Our climate does not compare:) I know.. I really don't travel a lot.. but who knows what the future holds...You always look like a good time is had by all at the get togethers. And our dollar is on the upswing. I remember over 30 yrs ago..our dollar was at par..then worth a touch more..then downhill from there on..until recently.. Cross border shoppers are flocking to the States again.. I have always enjoyed that. Here is a clipping from our local paper this week.. Artists welcome Studio Tour's return Now in its third year, The Hudson and Region Studio Tour is back again this fall after two very successful seasons. Last year, over 1100 visitors came from 40 different communities to check out our local talent. This year's tour will include 16 artists/artisans, ten of who are returning from last year. Six new artists include two sculptors, two mixed media artists and a bird carver. The Tour will be held September 23-24th and, again this year, admission is free. Other mediums include photography, ceramics, quilting, stained glass, painting, paper-making, telescope carving and jewelry design. Here is a quick first peek at the artists in this year's tour: Ian Coristine's aerial photography has been featured in publications including Gourmet, Canadian Geographic and France's Le Figaro. His first book, "The 1000 Islands" is a multi-year bestseller. His second book, "Water, Wind and Sky" was released last year. Heather Dubreuil is a quilter who works with both original and traditional designs. Heather has produced award winning quilts, wall hangings and pillows in her sun-filled studio overlooking Lake of Two Mountains. Heather favors rich, saturated colors in her "country style" pieces and in her contemporary batik works. André Floyd, ceramic artist and potter, creates decorative tableware using hand-thrown porcelain featuring glaze paintings of picturesque moments of Canadiana. Gérard (Gerry) Fuentes is a bird carver who started out by carving ducks and then discovered raptors. This new passion brought immediate results in prizes at all levels, including first prize at the Quebec Championship in 2005. This year Gerry took blue-ribbon honours at the World Bird Carving Championships. Gerry also gives carving courses in his studio in St Lazare. Normand Fullum is an award-winning telescope maker who has carved scopes from rosewood, birch wood and cherry wood. His artistic carving style ranges from Victorian to Shaker to Modern. Joanne Kielo is a paper artist who explores the potential of flax (linen) in her handmade paper art. She grows her own flax and operates her papermaking studio "The Barn" in Hudson. She will begin exhibiting her work this month in Ottawa in a show entitled Subtle Body Revisited. Rosalie Levi's sculptures and jewellery reflect the spirit and energy within the form, with fluid and sensual lines. They are cast in bronze, silver, resin or ciment fondu. Her works have been exhibited in galleries in Montreal and Toronto. John Marok is an artist who adapts and develops each visual act of motifs, themes, rebuses and symbols toward a sense of wholeness. The print media he employs are woodcuts, serigraphy and intaglio using papers from European and Oriental sources. Joanna Olson creates paintings using water media and oil, traditional and experimental as well as handcrafted jewelry. Using a torch and glass rods from Venice, she designs and creates glass beads and pairs them with handmade sterling silver components, freshwater pearls and semi-precious stones. Denise Paquette is a colorist for whom nothing exists but her concentration on the application of colors when she is at work in her studio. She takes the lead when beginning her painting but soon the paint, paper and water have their say and give her something excitingly unexpected. Sylvia Portner has a pottery studio making wheel, thrown and hand-built stoneware in blue and earth-tone glazes. Her work is oven, microwave and dishwasher safe. Adèle Reeves is a sculptor who celebrates the symbiotic relationship of humans and the natural world through ceramic sculpture, big, small and wearable. Suzanne Reid's prints have been exhibited extensively since 1970. Her prints are renowned in Canada as well as abroad by the originality of her woodcut using a reduction method technique. She has been represented in prestigious public and private collections in Canada and abroad. Monique Verdier is an intuitive artist/artisan using mixed media in her studio in response to her environment. Monique will show you how the combination of canvas, paper, watercolor, acrylic, collage and stamping can produce images either realistic or abstract with rich surfaces and surprising complexity. Her garden art is original and charming. Solange Villeneuve is a painter whose work has a bright and luminous style and is superimposed with linear graphics. She has had her work exhibited in Quebec, France and the USA. Her paintings come from the heart and all who have seen them experience a renewed interest in the arts. Shernya Vininsky derives her inspiration for her paintings and stained-glass works from nature, whether it's horses, birds, flowers or panoramic landscapes. With 16 artists to visit this year, there is sure to be something to please all art lovers. Keep an eye open for more information about the tour in upcoming issues. The organizers, Al and Georgia Jared and John and Betty Marok will once again soon have their website up and running. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joanna Olsen is one of my favorite artists:) And Mrs.Villeneuve is my daughter's friends mom.. Mrs.Dubreuil is one of our physician's wives..It's a small town what can I say?:) There are similarities..all through the world aren't there!