Peoples is just sooooo busy now, Gandle. I remember reading your thread when I came in for lunch and I know my lunchtime browsing was short and sweet, especially over two holidays famous for flower sales. I cleaned my PC screen tonight, as there were actually streaks of catsup running down it. I thought I needed my eyes checked but I can see fine now. LOL. My daughter and I did our grave decorating on Sunday. I had thirteen pots of flowers tucked in the back of the jeep and there were two huge fresh floral arrangements. I went with my parents when they, and eventually I, moved back to our home and I was passed the baton to upkeep the graves. My daughter goes with me now, so that some day she can be the keeper of the family keys. Of course, each grave we stop at, I tell a story from our family history. She is antsing at me to get it down on paper. Well, it is, in eight volumes of notebooks, and stacks of documents. I want to compile it, but I just don't know where to start. It would look like "War and Peace". The last grave we decorated was my third great grandfather Timith McGee. I replaced his headstone several years ago with a Civil War style stone because the original one placed had become illegible. He was on a forced March in winter, and the troops had no tents and very little gear. He contracted pneumonia, and those who sickened and fell were left laying in the snow. He was found by Morgan's Raiders, a Confederate band who made it all the way to Ohio and taken prisoner and sent to a Prison Camp. What sounded like the worst possible fate, probably saved his life. He was eventually traded in a prisoner exchange, and came home to resume his life as a miner. His lungs were shot, and the poor man dragged himself to the mines accompanied by two of his very young sons to eke out enough living to feed his family. He didn't live very long thereafter and I have copies of the letters his wife wrote pleading for a pension to survive. Some of his friends sent along letters of confirmation about his illnesses contracted in the line of duty and they said he was a giant of a man, and strong as an ox and nobody could beat him in a fight. The ironic thing is, I found his old land deeds on a plat and he and other members of his family owned farms in the area of my son's farm. I need to check the exact locations by section numbers, but I suspect my son's farm is the same land his 4th g'grandfather once farmed. Not passed down through family, but obtained through circumstance......or was it? Then I became a little melancholy because one always assumes they'll be remembered by the generations following them. It's a rare person indeed who can even name all of his/her great grandparents. That's way too soon to be forgotten.

The zinnias are still blooming their heads off along with LF's knockout rose. Just beautiful. The hostas have turned yellow and withered, along with the Amsonia. I am sad to know I won't see them next season. That Amsonia, the Thalictrum, a clematis 'Belle Woking' (I have only seen one bloom on it ever), and the sedums came from Shelbyville, three homes and as many counties ago. They won't move this time. The new cherry tree is happy in its new home and changed colors. The leaves are now falling off. The Euonymous and a crepe myrtle and red leafed. LF and I were headed off to work/school one day last week, when he said "What are these?!" And I said "What?" He said, "Bumps on my arms." "Um? Those are goose bumps." You're 10 and never had goose bumps? was my thought. Boy, I thought I lay off if being overprotective, but sheesh, it's obvious I haven't! It was about 50 degrees and inbetweenish weather. It's hard to figure out of one should wear layers and remove them or just change clothes. We've done both. Saturday morning he started out in jeans and a long sleeved sweater, but by midday he was in shorts and short sleeves, begging to sit outside on a deck for lunch. And comfortable both times. Shrug? The other day I decided I would replace one bad habit with one good habit. Instead of treating myself to dinner (money I don't have, eating calories I don't need), I would instead, work out, an aerobics, a disc I have used many times. I was winded 5 or so minutes into the warmup. Ugh. I told myself keep going, move what you can move. About 30 minutes into it, I realized my arms and legs weren't moving, just my hands and my knees. I was laughing so hard because I was realy really sure my arms and legs were moving and that I was doing well keeping up. My hands looked like a T-rex's, only inches from short bent stubs. I laughed so hard, I couldn't move any more. I just folded over and rolled around on the couch laughing at the way I must've looked. Laughing is good for exercising many things.

This was my first year winter sowing. I love it. Planting when there is snow on the ground gave me such a happy feeling of hope for spring instead of dread at how long winter would last. I am disappointed that the black eyed susan's didn't germinate but I have some from plants I dug up from an abandoned garden last summer. My grandson accidently kicked over the container that had my Marguerite daisies and I have no germination of them. Not many columbines but a few....that's good. And my pratense geraniums didn't germinate. But oh my goodness I have hundreds of snapdragons, agastache, foxgloves (dwarf red and foxy) alyssums, and tons more. I can't name them all. I lost the names of three jugs but as they have germinated I have figured them out (thanks for the help with that). I am having trouble finding the time to plant things out but I'm in Maine and I still have cool spring weather to deal with so all will be fine there. My husband works as the head mechanic in a garage so I was able to get as many windshield washer jugs as I could ever want which were really great as I didn't have many milk jugs. I learned that it is not necessary (and somewhat foolish) to plant every seed in every package about halfway through planting. Last weekend I was able to take seedlings to my daughters in NH and CT which made them both happy and made me glad I had so many to share. This has been a wonderful and happy experience for me and I intend to continue for as long as I garden. Thank you, Trudi and all of you for sharing all of your knowledge and experience. And yes....I am still planting seeds. Tomorrow I am going to plant pink for get me nots that I found at wally world. ;*) Bonny

Chris, thanks for the offer to share. However, at this time, it is just an idea. I am thinking about what I will do and won't actually work on it until fall. Too hot now. We reached 100 yesterday and probably will again today. Nancy, I like OUR FRIEND TOM WILSON and it reminds me of some of the Wilson introductions also, especially CONNIE BURTON. Laurel, my gardening journey has been circuitous. When I was very young, I liked flowers and had a few simple things. I then lived in an apartment for many years and did no gardening. Took up photography as a hobby and flowers were some of my favorite subjects. Planted some flowers, mainly roses, but a few other things such as daylilies and irises, at my parents home, so it would be convenient to photograph them. This rekindled my interest in gardening. When I retired, I built a home in the country, with lots of space. Had visions of all types of flowers. Planted trees and larger things first. Just after getting to the point of planting flowers and planting about 50 daylilies, I ran across a discussion on the internet, regarding hybridizing. I decided to try it and got a little carried away. After getting rid of lots and lots of daylilies when I had daylily rust, I am now building up again. I am just thinking it might be nice to have a small area with several clumps of the same daylily, rather than mostly the one, I have for hybridizing. GG, I don't envision any fantastic color matching. However, I expect some like FOOLED ME, will not be in that garden. I like FM, but think it a bit bold for what I have in mind. Royce