Yes, I'll never forget her, her name was Lois Raulerson. I grew up in the country, but the school was in a little town about 15 miles away. She lived in town. Later on when I was in Junior high, her husband had to go to a TB sanitarium in Orlando Florida and my sister that was 2 years older than I and I would ride with her some weekends so she wouldn't have to go alone. We had an aunt that worked at the sanitarium. Our aunt had never married. And I got into trouble once trying to tell someone about her. I said she was an Old Maid and tried to correct myself by saying she was just a maid and that still came out all wrong. We would stay with her in the dormitory and she would buy all kinds of candy and junk for us and take us to fancy restaurants. I'll never forget the Duck Inn. I remember we had fried shrimp and Strawberry Shortcake. It was delicious. My sister was Wanda, and I don't think mother ever saw Wizard of Oz as we had no television. I think it's coincedence that we were named for the witches in Oz. But all the way through school I was called Wanda because of my sister. Then after I was out of school and had various jobs, I was still called Wanda by a lot of people that didn't even know I had a sister called Wanda. And to this day I occasionally get called Wanda. Like I said we did not have televisions, telephones or indoor bathrooms. Never had any of these until after I got married. We used to go to town with our mother every Sat. and she would let us go to the movie theatre while she bought groceries. Sometimes we would get to go to the museum while she shopped. My first job was at Woolworths while in high school. I worked behind the counter where records and sewing notions were sold. And sometimes behind the candy counter. When I got into 7th grade we moved into a brand new high school. So a couple of years ago they had a 50 year reunion for all the grades that started school there that year. My Home Economics teacher was there and I was amazed how well she has aged. She still goes to the gym everyday there at the country club where she lives. Her name is Evalena Cates and I loved her. The summer between 11th and 12th grade my parents divorced. I used to dream that if my daddy remarried it would be to her. At the reunion I got to sit down and reminisce with her. She is as sharp as a tack!! Got a kick out of me telling her I used to dream of her as my step-mother. In Biology class my teacher was Mr. Jones. I really liked him and loved Biology. Used to play a game called Zoology, like Bingo. Had cards with definition of biological terms and he would call out the words. First one to get them all won. Of course if you didn't know the meaning of the words it was hard. I won everytime and never had to take any tests. I even liked disecting the bull frog even though I felt bad about killing the frog. And my English teacher was Mr. Emory and I really liked him and did very well in his class. Straight A's. Then there was Miss Robarts for history, American and World and I did well there. Don't even ask me about Math. Don't even remember the teachers names in math classes. It's a good thing I never had to take Algebra, Geometry or any foreign languages back then, I would have flunked out. I remember the Air Force coming out one time and testing us to see what our abilities were. They suggested that I was qualified to be an "Air Traffic Controller."LOL When I graduated I got my first real job at the University of Fla as a filing clerk in the On Campus Housing office. I stayed there a year, got married and then left there to go to work for the telpehone company as a long distance operator. Did that for about 13 years and then worked in the Switch and Data Administration office for another 9 years and left there to go to work with my husband. Been doing that ever since. Glenda

The dark window frames are sucking in air, like a giant hole. They make the house look dead. Paint them white AND change the background AND the color of the front door. As simtrovich says, add more weight to the columns—though they may only look too fragile because they don't contrast with the background. White against a dark background will look heftier. Is there even a column to the far left where there should be one? If you need privacy for the front windows, consider some kind of fence with significant entrance like the example above. (But check with zoning laws.) Your current curtains aren't doing you any favors. This is gonna be a cute house....

Texas rock rose is getting bigger and better every summer, filling up my tiny east-facing front yard when spring turns to summer. I haven't learned yet how much to cut back in winter. One is filling the area around a 6 yr old live oak tree. On the right, the Bougie is just now renewing after a down month, and a sweet potato vine is starting to spread and take over for the next 5 or so months. Two photos an hour apart last Friday morning: On nice days the branches gently sway in the morning breeze. During months with constantly alternating wind direction, many branches split off. But the broken off pieces root easily when planted elsewhere. This small yard may be full of it before long. The backyard potted passionfruit (incarnata) has more Gulf Frit butterflies than in previous years. There's 1 or 2 hanging around all day, and several dozen caterpillars have been seen. I couldn't find any Porterweed plants for sale this year so they have to go farther to find abundant food. In March I divided a 3 yr old tuberose and also purchased some new bulbs. Practically everything sprouted and 4 of them in pots or beds are sending up stems already. Grapes are starting to ripen (5 yr old Concord). This year small spiders moved into several clusters and are damaging some. I'm thinking to spot spray with insecticidal soap (I don't swallow the indigestible Concord skins anyway, just squeeze out the juices and uh, discard). Blackberries finished up last month. The birds left them alone for the most part, maybe because I tied some reflective metallic flash tape around it. I doubt that the tape 'scares' my mockingbirds, but rather signals them it's something near & dear I'm working on. Let's hope that holds up another month during grape harvest. (If only thrips were so considerate, on fragrant cut flowers I want to bring indoors). SunPatiens survived another winter in the ground by covering with 5 gallon buckets during freezes. They stop blooming by mid-summer, but IMO are worth keeping until we get extended drought. It was a mild winter here; many tender perennial types came back earlier & bigger. Even the lawn (Bermuda) didn't go fully straw yellow dormant Jan-March like usual. Didn't see any fireflies this spring. After the late May rain my compost bin is taken over by black soldier fly larva; they're harmless but break down the compost too far & too fast, as I understand it. But can't stop them and will take what I can get. Thanks everyone for all the tips. I'm claiming an E for effort.

I also envy your FB Marketplace, Sueb. That piece looks fabulous. :) (I find Magnaverde's quote terribly sensible which is why I've needed to remind myself of it often. Decorating for the life I wish I had is a recipe for wasted money, a dysfunctional house and a very grumpy significant other. :P First applied this quote to my wardrobe and soon realized the magic behind its profound truth. The point of having clothes I can't wear in real life is now truly lost on me and I now purge our house on a regular basis. Being more mindful with my purchases from the start helps reduce the need to purge but of course, a family's needs evolve. Still, it's a mindset I strive to practice.)