WOI has over 22 scapes and is over maxed on its buds. Sometimes the over amount of buds hampers WOI blooms from opening fully. But it is still a gorgeous cultivar. Yes, we have deer. We have temporary fencing surrounding most of the garden areas but if they really wanted to come and take a taste, they could easily jump the fencing. We have alot of open fields so perhaps they have enough to eat...for now. The turtle is still here this morning so we think we may have to get the tractor with the bucket and scoop it up and put in down by the stream. I read on the internet how dangerous they can be if they are threatened so I have no desire to lose my fingers and those claws don't look too inviting either. I have 6 Lambertson's still here. 2 will bloom for the first time this year(WASHED WATERCOLOR,AWESOME APPLIQUE) after 3 seasons. I don't even know if the cultivars are what they are suppose to be. 3 others bloomed magnificently last year(CAVE CREEK CANYON, CANYON COLORS,MESOZOIC MUNCH) after 2 seasons here and increased nicely and then this spring I could already see issues with those 3 struggling. I'm wondering if they lack the stamina to have alot of blooms one season and then come back and do it all over again the next season. The last one is BLUE-EYED BUTTERFLY which does great here. It just started blooming today. PURPLE CROWNED FAIRY died first season, got a replacement and that one died also. I'm not going for a 3rd time. Julia

Shee, I have found that my kids really like the music and movement with mobiles. We've had the same Tiny Love mobile for the last 10 years, and all 5 kids have loved it! In fact, when I want to put the baby down upstairs, that is one of the only times I use the crib. The mobile keeps 'em happy for a little bit! However, it looks like they no longer make the one we got in 2002 and the new version is not as nice, so maybe there is something better. I am not sure why so many of them do NOT have high contrast (ours does). Weird. My friend gave us a mobile for the car seat (Take-Along by Tiny Love). Not something I would have bought, but my 10 week old is entranced by it. If she is fussy when I get her in the seat, the music and movement makes her stop! I was amazed watching her today, with her watching the mobile. This may be something you put on your registry if you are doing that. Not a need, but it's nice. Here is a link that might be useful: Mobile

It's too small for me to tell, but picture by Ilona Wellmann looks very similar. Here is a link that might be useful: Photo of three trees

Claire, It was lovely here today as well, up into the mid-50's. I went for a walk near one of the oxbow ponds and although the water still had ice on about half of the surface, the birds were enjoying the entire area. Ravens and gulls walking on the ice, geese, ducks, and 2 kinds of mergansers in the water, and chickadees and a mockingbird in the shrubs on the margins. There was also an eagle overhead, but I didn't have a camera with me. Do you put the lawn dragon in the same spot each season or does he migrate around a bit? Jane, your chipmunk looks about set to pop with all that seed in his cheeks. I love the kestrel photos. Kestrels are another favorite bird of mine; they are quite common in Ohio, and their rarity here was one disappointment when I moved to New England. I love the feather patterns for both sexes, and also like watching them fly - they can hover to look for potential prey.