Ok y'all! So the Photography presentation last Firday night went fine. I had fun doing it. I would say there were only about a dozen ladies there but all seemed to enjoy themselves. After I did my presentation I scrolled through all my 214 (yes, I know--a Lot of photos) and talked just about every one! I'm long winded. BUT, I was in my MOMENT. As I went though I shared with them about the rocks I name. There were a couple that I hadn't officially named and they helped me with another name for one....Penguin Rock. To me it looks like a podium-they showed me a penguin. :-) I think they had fun thinking about it. IT was kind of like we were all laying on the grass looking up to the sky to see what formations the clouds were making! My whole intent was to get people to see the greater beauty and peace in nature all around us--even the small things! It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. I knew I did that for at least two of the ladies there. OK, so the Fair Photos. I went last Sunday there to the Fair. Out of the 9 I entered 1 won 3rd place. The one that won was my poppy photo. It was interesting as I viewed all the photos. A lot were good especially the ones that won. But then sometimes I couldn't figure out what the judges were looking for. I know they want a photo to "pop" and the poppies did in color. They have volunteers there who watch the building and make sure the photos are monitored. I spoke with one of the gals there and it just happened to be Kay Hendrickson, one of our local photographer/artists. She is known for her poppy photos. I think she said they received about 1800 photos this year. So, anyways, just want to say Thank You to all for your encouragement and specific comments. I'm still taking pictures and have some set for next year! :-) Hope all is well in your lives. That loved ones and you are in good health and spirits! Love, Jules

This was originally posted on Craigslist by a vet tech, in december but I thought it would be helpful for your son's dog. I use Ivermectin sheep/cattle wormer on monthly basis. I have read about Ivermectin being used on all the dogs after the hurricane in New Orleans. That was posted on the Heartworms societys website. This maybe an option worth talking over with the vet. Could save you hundreds of dollars. Ivomec http://www.internetvets.com/Articles/ivermectin_dosing.htm http://www.heartwormsociety.org/article.asp?id=11 Ivermectin Ivermectin (Heartgard® & Heartgard® Plus by Merial, Iverhart® Plus & Iverhart MAX by Virbac and Tri-Heart® Plus by Schering-Plough) was the first in this family of drugs to be approved for preventing heartworm infection. An infection with larvae as long as two months prior to the initiation of ivermectin treatment will be blocked from development. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=610 Ivermectin Only? Melarsomine treatment is expensive and often out of reach for rescue groups, shelters, and many individuals. If the dog is stable (Class I) one option is to simply leave the dog on an ivermectin-based preventive. This option has led to a great deal of misconception about the ability of ivermectin to kill adult heartworms. Let us lay the rumors to rest now: Ivermectin does not kill adult heartworms. Ivermectin does shorten the lifespan of adult heartworms. Ivermectin does sterilize adult heartworms. Ivermectin does kill microfilaria (keeping the dog from being a source of contagion) Ivermectin does kill L3 and L4 larvae (preventing new infections). This means that if one opts to treat a heartworm positive dog with an ivermectin heartworm preventive only, one can expect the dog to remain heartworm positive for a good 2 years and the heartworm disease will be progressing during that 2 years. This is not good for the dog but certainly beats getting no treatment of any kind. This approach should only be considered for patients who are Class I and may be able to withstand 2 years of heartworm infection. Now the theory in doing ivomec treatment only is this. Instead of killing the heartworms fast kill them slower. The heartworm treatment that vets use kill the heartworms faster. The dog given the heartworm treatment must remain calm and on a baby aspirin to prevent clots. Why? Because when the heartworms are killed they don't exit the body like roundworms do. The heart worms head for the lungs and this can cause the lungs bronchi to get clogged therefore the dogs can't breath and die. With the ivomec treatment you prevent the larvae from hatching and sterilize the adult heartworms. The life span of a adult heartworm is less than two years. It is cheaper for animal rescue groups to do this instead of the other. Animal rescue groups take in so many animals that cost is always a factor for them and they have to save money if possible. Instead of posting negative posts of what the original person posted about what vets don't want you to know. Maybe you should thank that person for all the rescues they have done. You see they have rescued over 600 dogs in the last 5 years. Not one time have they lost a dog to the ivomec treatment. I know I am a vet tech that works for the groups veterinarian. I have seen the work they have done and all the lives they have saved. The veterinarian I work for is the one who approves of the ivomec treatment as an option. They have spent over $20,000 dollars a year out of their pocket. They do this because they care. Depending on the vet if he/she only cares about money then they won't tell you about this option. Did you know a heartworm positive dog can be given heartguard but not interceptor. Why? Because interceptor will cause a dog to dies if they are heartworm positive becsuse the ingredients in intercept are stronger than ivomec. You can though give a heartworm positive dog Heartguard. Now there are some vets that will dispute this but the makers of heartguard have said that yes you can give a dog heartguard that is heartworm positive. vet clinic

Ianna What do you mean trying to get people into the conversation side Is this another forum. Propagating sure is fun and free for the most part. I have had such a busy week with family this week, not got a darn thing done in the gardens. Weather has been so terrific as well Today is Thursday but to early to get outside, Just after five am and still dark I am going to try mixing a bag of cement. In the wheelbarrow Have the form ready, under a new arbour. Bought some green colouring stuff to mix in with the concrete. Just going to pour a square slab and then push some nice leaves into it for pattern The biggest problem is, as I see it, before having began the work, is lifting the bag of cement Sure is heavy not sure how many pounds the bag is I tried Fuschias at one time and do like them so much Not more than half a dozen at a time Sometimes they do seem to overwinter, indoors but have to survive for me with no care what so ever til spring. My greatest efforts over the past few years has been with Brugmansia. Just love them and the fragrance. I don't know any tips I could give you for Florida, in particular, but I sure would not want to miss, winters down there in all that sunshine. The weather is gorgeous in the winter. Locals just love winters in Florida Not humid, but mostly everyday is sunny Sometimes there is rain. They need the rain and the odd day, even in Fort Myers, where I am, we might get a touch of frost Of course they make a big deal about it, and it is a big deal as there are crops of tomatoes, eggplant etc. upon which many people make their living. We up here in Canada, here about any cold weather in FLorida affecting the oranges, but that most often is not a factor, at least not to great of a factor. Oranges seem to take some cold, unless it is actually the blossom that gets hit. The greatest financial loss , in the ten years I have been down there, comes from frost on tender crops, as mentioned Florida is not a gorgeous place to live, as some spots on this earth are. But you can not beat the sunshine, and often even a little breeze with the day. And for folks like ourselves, you can garden, year round.

Today, its very hard to ignore all the violence that goes on everywhere. I still feel that poor parenting is the main issue. If the parents were allowed to punish their kids like we were punished growing up (in the 50's- and 60's), I think less of these gangs would be doing what they seem to want to do. Even in elementry school the teachers would use the a wooden board rule (paddle) on the the kids behind, or water soaked rattans, if the kids were unruley. I saw both being used, and in those days the kids were not as aggressive and wild. Its peer pressure that gangs enjoy and also some means of sick pleasure that the kids seem to have when carring a gun. I blame a lot of it on drugs, and the ability and ease of getting guns. After President Kennedy was assasinated, there were major plans to stop the sale of hand guns to many people, but that all went away in just a very few years. We do need stricter gun laws, curfews for the kids, and more legal activites that they can get into, besides gangs and trouble. Every day, people are killed by a mindless gun toting nut, and they can be only 11 or 12 years old and carry lethal weapons!