Looks like I'm not the only one up late...Well, definitely hitting the sack after this! Enjoyed all the thoughts of spring! Everybody's pics were just gorgeous...Katie is a vision under the Magnolia! I know they're messy, but I just love the way the blooms flutter to the ground and lace the lawn...my yes, you *can* do spring! :-) GB those trollius are so luscious and Deanne your pics are stunning, as always! BTW, thanks again for sharing your "Driveway through the Seasons" plan, I really enjoyed it and you are so generous to share that with us, quite an inspiration! Da The Quiet...so good to have you pop in and share your lovely spring pics and Brenda your pic really made me swoon, then again I love bright and such warm colors like those are such a treat when all is in black and white here right now! :-) Oh well, I won't complain, I really *do* love all the season, though winter could be the month of December and that would be just enough for me! :-) Hi Taryn! Thanks for the Patsy Cline song...I *love* that songone of my all time favorites...that's what I call a "belter" and very therapeutic! Have you ever tried singing along with her in your loudest voice? LOL! Boy I belt that one out and by the time Patsy and I are done I feel *so* good...Bessie Smith does that to me too! Nothing like a really good *blue* song to cheer you up!:-) Loved your Bella costumes too! You are the Ebay Queen! Did I tell you I was inspired after V did an Ebay to do my own? You guys may remember that I had a power point system I wanted to sell? It sold with the buy it now price!?! Whoo hoo some unexpected cash flow (pretty pricey item) and it couldn't come at a better time. I am totally psyched! The only thing Taryn, is the guy hasn't left me a feedback yet. What could that mean? Well all and all it was a good experience and if I ever have anything I want to sell again, will definitely try the Ebay route. Still worried about the buyer though...why wouldn't he leave me a feedback? It's been 4 days since he received it and even though it was an expensive item, he really did get a great deal - half of what Paul paid for it last year brand new and it has never been used. Oh well, I'll check again in a few days and see whether he left any feedback. Speaking of the Bella costumes...Martie...I loved your story about buying over the top outfits for your nieceswhat a fun aunt! :-) Marian you were an adorable little girl! :-) And I loved the whole family pic...so sweet! Sorry I haven't been much up to posting. I have been down for a week with the nastiest cold I've ever had and the my sinuses were blocked...yuck! My whole right cheek was swollen for several days, but seems to be going down now. Tonight we went to a Christmas party at a friend and neighbor's. Fun time, fun house. They are really into the retro. The house was a 50's house to begin with and they renovated it back to its original style, pink kitchen walls with turquoise counter tops, even an old gas stove...very fun and brought back many memories of my childhood. Felt a little like the odd man out as everyone there was either an actor/actress or a musician, but they were all very sweet and funny and I had a good time. Santa and Mrs. Claus made an appearance (actually actor friends of theirs who had a gig at a childrens hospital and came directly to the party from the gig). I think I'm almost caught up with the reading and know I will forget to comment on many things that I meant to, but wanted to tell Honey and Michelle how sorry I was to hear about their friends. I hope you are holding up okay Honey, I wish I could say something to comfort you, please know that you and your friend are in my thoughts. Babs I'm so sorry you're family is going through such a rough time right now. It breaks my heart to think of your MIL "as a prisoner in her own home" and know it breaks your family's heart too! Sounds like your little family had a fun craft night! :-) You have a wonderful family and I admire all the special moments you make for your kids! When I look back, I never regret having not washed a floor and I cherish all the special memories I have of simple times spent with my son; coloring, decorating the Christmas tree, baking cookies, working on jigsaw puzzles, reading a bedtime story...some of the sweetest, most profound memories of my life come from those simple moments. All in all it really is a wonderful life. Okay, speaking of a wonderful life...yes, I watched that last week! Okay, so I'm a sucker, but I just *love* that movie...one of my absolute *favorite* Christmas movies. BTW, if any of you know when White Christmas is coming on, will you let me know? Sis and I need to bone up on our "Sisters" actLOL! I just wish dad would be here too to see us perform again. Have to admit, it's very unreal to me when I think about Christmas coming and dad not here with us. But I *do* have so many wonderful memories of him and *if* we are encouraged to perform the sisters act again this year (LOL)I plan to see dad there smiling back at me...in fact, I can see him right now! LOVE YOU DAD! Wanted to tell Lily how much I loved her home..love the candles in the windows...so cozy and comforting! BTW, enjoyed all your kitty and fish pics too! :-) Loved the pic of EP too...what a warm lovely smile and you *are* a vision in purple! Love your gorgeous baskets too and the Hoosier cabinet. I watched The Sound of Music too! :-) Mary & Michelle have been meaning to tell you both for weeks how lovely your rooms turned out. Mary the room looks so warm and inviting...I bet your Mum loved it! Sounds like you're having a crowded, but warm and wonderful holiday season! :-) Michelle I love the colors you picked for your room too...green is my favorite color in the world, but my favorite color combinations are browns with blues, something about those two colors together I find very soothing and natural. Chelone I love your style and your little cockatiel...I've always wanted one. I think they have the sweetest faces! Loved your spring pics too. Do you know the name of that fragrant iris of yours? I am a sucker for fragrance and love irises...what a perfect combination! :-) GB your song is stirring a memory for me. I'm sure that was the song in a movie I saw when I was a kid, cant remember anything about the movie, *except* that song and I remember I just cried when they sang the song...hmmm...wish I could remember what movie that was... Hi Jerri! Hope you had fun at Petsmart today! I wonder if they are doing those pics at our Petsmart...would love to get one of Scout with Santa! :-) Michelle - got such a kick out of your post tonight...I can *hear* the delight in your voice and it brings such a smile to my face to think of the smiles McKenzie brings to yours! She sounds adorable! :-) Ohh...love your frost pics! Oh Deanne...you guys look so cute! Oh, and before I forget - been meaning to post these! Hope you like Dainty Bess, she really is a sweetheart...I just love her coppery filaments and she has fragrance too! :-) Hi T! Hope you're okay? Keep your faith in beautiful things; in the sun when it is hidden, in the Spring when it is gone. - Roy R. Gibson - Oh, and had to share these...Guess I've always had a thing for snowmen... (horrible pic of me, I think I was sick when we took that picture - but the goof that I am, I gave my gloves to the snow man...LOL!) I took a photo of the snowman Paul and I made the other day, but it came out all blurry...think there is something wrong with the camera; it *couldn't* be me...LOL! Hmm, seem to be slipping...not nearly enough smiley faces...so here's a few more for you all... :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) and sweet dreams all! Ei

I grow veggies - that's how I got started as a gardener, and I can't imagine summer without a veggie garden. Most years I do some freezing of tomatoes and pesto for the winter. I also put onions and potatoes into the root cellar and grow more garlic than we can eat in a year, even though we use garlic in relatively large quantities. I also grow leeks and have begun experimenting with heavy mulching in the garden in the late fall and then digging them in milder winter weather and early spring. Last winter they wintered well, though the snow was so deep I couldn't dig them until much of the snow melted. This winter I don't know how it will go, since they weren't as heavily mulched and we had some relatively cold weather, 0 degrees, with no snow. Prior to last winter I tried storing them in the cold cellar or the fridge, but it never worked too well. I'll eat most veggies, but my husband is like Dee in that he doesn't like many veggies, and except for onion family vegetables, unfortunately most of what he does like are warm weather veggies like peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes, so they aren't good storage or winter crops. I'd still like to try wintering over root veggies and some greens in a hoop house/cold frame at some point. I have a few blueberry bushes and cranberries, but haven't been successful with strawberries (the chipmunks get them just before they ripen!), so I get them as well as tree fruits from local farmers. Around here it's quite difficult to successfully raise tree fruits like apples or peaches without a heavy duty deer fence and the orchards use IMP to reduce their pesticide use to a minimum while still getting quality fruit, so I'm OK with that. Good resources for those who want to grow winter crops in cold frames or unheated greenhouses are Eliot Coleman's books, such as 'Four Season Harvest' or 'Winter Harvest Manual' which are great as far as when to plant crops for winter harvest, what can be grown successfully, etc. At some point in the future I would like to try this.

Melinda, so sorry to hear about your poor health but I sure hope you are on the mend soon. I am encouraged to see that you feel ok enough to post on GW!! Thoughts of good health are headed your way! Margo, so sorry to hear about your friend Mona being diagnosed with cancer. I hope everything turns out for the best. It's amazing how much things like this impact us all. I'm trying to narrow down choices for the yard sale. It's hard!! Shirley, As requested: my pet robin. As of this week, baby robin has finally become independent. Yesterday was the first day s/he didn't answer me when I called, which means the robin raising was a success!

Our lab loves to eat pine needles. Invariably, at 4 in the morning, he loves to regift them ;-). You know that sound that wakes you up from a deep sleep???? We've had Trupanion since this past April on our 2 dogs - the lab is 7 years old, the shep-x is 12. We had decided to get insurance after our daughter's lab was diagnosed and underwent chemo for lymphoma. Unfortunately, my daughter did not have insurance, and chemo and associated medical tests cost quite a bundle. Our 12 year old dog was diagnosed with diabetes in September and Trupanion covered 90% of our expenses after our deductible was met. We had chosen the $1000 deductible to bring the monthly premiums down to a reasonable number. Trupanion paid off quickly and will continue to cover any meds and other medical expenses for diabetes. NAYY....just a satisfied user. I strongly recommend insurance for our pets these days as more medical procedures, meds and protocols are available for them. It was wonderful to be able to say to all the vet specialists who tended to Katie to do whatever they needed to do to ensure her health. As with all insurance, though, they may not cover a previously existing condition. Helene