Good afternoon all, Well I went on a plant shopping expedition yesterday and came home with some nice phlox and one Ajuga Black Scallop. I went looking for some nice dahlias but didnt find anything I liked. My dahlias in the mailbox garden this year are so ho hum and not doing much of anything. Quite the disappointment, in fact all the dahlias just didnt do well this year. I think the spring was just too wet and cold. Oh yes, I forgot, I also bought this tiny monarda Petit Wonder that is supposed to stay a foot to 18" tall. I removed a couple of the dahlias in the front bed next to the steps and planted it there. I hope it does well there. So has anyone else had a bad year for powdery mildew? My east border is just a mess and even the peonies are getting mildew there. Ive never seen it so bad. Im going to pull out all the phlox from that bed as it has always been a problem and Im sick of dealing with it. V. Ooooo nooooo. Bummer about those delays. What a mess. I sure hope that clears out and turns out to be not as bad as expected. ~~ Yes, it is truly a huge bummer that I couldnt get a more reasonable airfare so I could zip in for Sunday but I guess it just wasnt meant to be this year. Waaaaahhhhhhh ~~ That is great news about the weather forecast. You all are going to have a ball! T. wow, you could wind up being a grandma again while the IU3 is happening! ~~ I remember the terrible twos well but with my DD the threes were worse. ~~ I cant believe the best price you could get on a ticket was $777, mine was $450, and that was Southwest. Jeesh! ~~ Bummer about the raspberries. Babs, thanks for the information about the red pepper wax. I think Im going to give that a try. I do have leaves getting shredded to bits so Ive got to try something of I wont have any coleus left. The Sedona in particular are getting ruined this year. Sue, not buy any plants? Ive only seen that happen once. ~~ LOL about your plan about having Tom come up to take care of Doug. That also wouldnt have worked because I dont think Tom would have been willing to water my containers here then zip down to Hartford to do yours. Eileen, thank you for sharing that story. You brought tears to my eyes and again made me stop to count my blessings. Love the quotes as well. ~~ I have no doubt that we will meet in person sometime, just not this weekend. Eden, whats up with you? Hope all is well there. Drema, everyone is talking about your coleus pic and Im really bummed because I cant see it! I have Bipolar this year also but it just hasnt done well for me for some reason. Im going to keep checking so I can hopefully see your pics. OK Ive got to get to the gym. Im way late today but I wanted to get all my new plants in the ground and then of course had to water and deadhead and that takes forever during daylily season. So, SAFE TRAVELS to everyone. Have a WONDERFUL time. Im going to really miss being with you all. Have a great day, Deanne

Thank you Helen and Becca. The adult Cecropias only live a few days. I put mine outside the next night in a mesh hamper and it attracted a couple males. It's a shame they don't fly around in the day time. They're kinda pretty. Someone in another forum commented that they wanted to do their living room in those colors. : ) Black Swallowtails do eat rue Helen. Giant Swallowtails do too but they look different, like bird poop sort of. Becca - Welcome! Please stick around.

We have a large black kitty who loves to perch over corners like that, too. Although, usually, that's not a "hit" pose, he often is purring and wants interaction. Lower-third of tail twitching: apparently means "I'm interested and engaged"--he does this all the time. Lying on back with paws up in the air: AAAAHHH, relaxed The "stare-down": I want to be fed. Pawing at DH while on the recliner, or pulling on my clothes at the counter: I want to be fed. Tapping my head in the middle of the night: wake up--I want company/I want to be fed

I married a butcher/meat cutter. I am a very clean cook, but I also am a cat lover. I could not believe my spouse when we married to his objection to cats, and it all came down to the counter issue in a nutshell. He is an animal lover, and we've been married over a quarter of a century now, and he also loves the cats. I don't voluntarily let my cats on or near the counters or tables, but I have to laugh because I've done the squirt gun routine for years, but I also know that they find their way there when I'm not about, and occasionallly 'forget' to jump down and hide when I come into the kitchen. My beloved little siamese/tabby mix was particulary fond of my advent wreath and would curl up inside the ring of it, with candles and bulbs all around her. She was an inside only kitty, and I suppose it reminded her of the great outdoors with the scent. I have to admit, that neither I nor my husband removed her from her throne. As for people who do not 'like' cats, I don't trust them because I suspicion they are likely control freaks who can't abide animals who don't drool and slather at them in worship and who can't respect personal space, mine or my cat's. LOL. Cat haters will also be quite open about your animals with a look of distaste on their faces and a smirk. Anyone who can sit in your house and rag on your beloved cat would just as easily tell you your kids are ugly and they don't like them either. ;-) As the old saying goes "love me, love my cat(s)" However, I do respect people with cat allergies. I warn them beforehand and we often visit in our gazebo, instead...or at least I keep the kitties in another part of the house, so they're not jumped on or smooched. BTW, as for clean counters, I just 'assume' a cat has been on mine, whether I see them do it or not. I use a cutting board I keep put away, and I also bleach/sanitise my counters before I cook. I have a picture somewhere of my siamese on my puter counter with her head submerged in my mug, drinking my iced tea. I tried not to think about that, says the lady who keeps her cups of tea parked all over the house.