March, 2015 in like a Polar Bear!

It's good that his doctor is going to have it all checked out.

My neighbor had had her afib problem for a long time before they finally gave her a pacemaker. She was forever going to the hospital to have it shocked back in rhythm. What ever her daughter had done was a surgical procedure. It was an inherited problem and I think because she was so young they did something as a preventive measure.

Praying his procedure goes great tomorrow! Please keep us posted. Glad to hear he is getting the leg checked out as well.

I know you are ready for things to calm down!

Praying for you and Jerry from here, too, Sandra. I had to have my pacemaker replaced last year, too. They kept the leads and just put in the new battery pack. I requested no anesthesia so they just gave me an injection of 2% Lidocaine to numb the immediate area where the pacemaker is and I felt nothing but was totally awake during the whole procedure which took about 15 minutes. Normally they do put you to sleep with a light anesthesia and then you have to wait a couple hours until you are awake enough before they let you leave the hospital . I left the hospital within 30 minutes after they finished the procedure and Al took me lunch! LOL Of course, Mrs. Mills is in her 80's, isn't she? So she might prefer to be sedated but you may want to tell her that not being sedated might be an option, depending on her doctor being okay with that for her. It's an individual preference and most folks don't even know that they don't have to be sedated for that particular procedure. I recently had a colonoscopy without sedation, too. It was uncomfortable but not painful. I just personally hate that feeling of being so groggy after anesthesia. I also like to know what is going on with my body so if I have a choice, I choose not to be sedated. Major surgery, of course, is a different matter.

I think Spring has finally decided to show up here in the Missouri Ozarks. I went out yesterday and surveyed my flower beds. I was delighted to discover that several plants are pushing green shoots up out of the ground and my hellebores are actually blooming!

Good luck, Sandra! Praying everything goes well for Jerry's Mom and for Jerry too. And of course Cayla is always on my mind. You've certainly had more than your share of things going on with health concerns, but the Man up there knows how much you all can handle.

Pretty hellebores, Marilyn! I've got a pretty yard right now too with all the hellebores and daffodils blooming. My tulip tree is even in bloom, and I really thought the hard freeze and ice had nipped the blooms for sure a few weeks back.

We went up to Murfreesboro on Saturday to have lunch with one of Earl's oldest and dearest friends and his wife. Mike had a stroke about a year ago and is in assisted living. Amy and Mike used to visit us pretty frequently. They live just northeast of Nashville so we meet about halfway for lunch on occasion on the weekends when she gets him out of 'jail'. I really feel for them as he was so outgoing and vibrant (she is too), but now is mostly in a wheelchair with limited walking ability, and no use of his right hand. He can feed himself with his left but of course needs help doing almost everything. They may move to NC to be closer to her sister so she can help out. Amy is pretty sure she can get a job in Charlotte and I know she hates to pack up and move again (they just moved to Nashville about 5 years ago) but probably necessary for her peace of mind in this case.

My hellebores have just gone crazy. I must have the perfect conditions for them. The first picture is of a group of babies I transplanted just a couple of years ago. They took right off after I transplanted them and now they are speading everywhere. The second photo is of my original plant I planted around 14 years ago. I have divided it several times. I have several other clumps of them around the yard and they all do equally as well. I have some darker colors and some that are doubles. Just didn't photograph them. I'll try to dig some babies and take to Kathy Ann's in May.

Elaine my tulip magnolia is loaded with buds and a lot of them are starting to open. I'm hoping this will be a year I get to enjoy it. So often just about the time they start to open we get a freeze!

This message was edited Mar 23, 2015 3:05 PM

Sandra I hope everything went well with Jerry today! I'm sure you will let us know something soon.

I'm so excited! I found someone to do the repair work I need done on the brick and stones in my back yard. A section of a brick walkway needs to be taken up and relaid. Tree roots are part of the problem but the main problem was lots of large pine limbs falling and kicking brick up a couple of years ago when we had that huge snow and ice. I also have a lot of stone that needs to be leveled. The guys that are going to do it are firefighters that have a landscape business for their days off. I'm really funny about who I allow in my back yard. These guys have been doing some landscape work at a house up the street and I was really impressed with a bed they made that is outlined in stacked stone with several really large accent stones in the bed. They are going to take up all the stone leading from my back gate to a big pine tree and put a new bed of sand and rock down and relay the stone. They are also going to take up some flagstone close to the house that tree roots have popped up and level it back out in addition redo a big section of my brick walkway. It's going to take 2 men 3 days to do it. They are not going to be able to start until the 28th of April but now I can concentrate on getting my beds cleaned up and other stuff. I'll be so glad to get the back back yard back in shape. Last year it was major repairs and a new filter system on the koi pond - now when I get the brick and stone redone it should be in good shape for a while. Seems there is always something!

Man, I wish I could find someone to help me with some projects that would actually do GOOD work! You are fortunate Charlotte to have found someone you can trust and that do good work.

Has anyone heard from Sandra regarding Jerry? I thought for sure she would have posted something by now.

Sounds great Charlotte. Glad you found someone to do the work. Moving and re-setting the brick walkway and flagstone is a lot of work. Hope you'll post photos when they are done. Like you said, now you can concentrate on the other stuff and get it done before they do their work and you'll be ready for summer!

Boy spring is here for sure other than the pecan trees. I am so ready!!! I'm glad you were able to find someone to do repairs Charlotte. That has been a problem down here. In fact, the tenants have been so destructive that I've had it with my mobile home park and offered it to the lady that bought my other park. We'll see if we can get close on figures.

I'm off to see what I can do in the back yard!!!

There are people out there. The problem is finding them! Richard was always really good at finding people to do things. Some of them I don't know where he found them. One time we had an older man that had some health problems and his doctor had told him he had to do some exercise. He didn't like doing regular exercise and he decided to do yard work for people instead. He did some major pruning in my back yard one summer. I always depended on him to find people but now that he can't I'm getting better at finding them myself. I found a new furniture moving guy for my booths. The one I had been using turned the business over to his nephew and he wasn't doing as good a job. The new guy is actually much cheaper and does a really good job. I found a good gutter cleaner last year. Will be calling him again soon. I have someone that lives less than a mile away and goes to my church that will do repair work on my sprinkler system and other small repairs that I need. He retired from ATT (early retirement) and now flips houses and does remodeling with his brother. Genna he had looked at the house Alex bought but was one of the ones that had passed on it.

Hi, Terry! I will certainly give you a holler! We ate at the City Cafe. Didn't know a thing about restaurants in the area, but looked online and it was a good meat-and-three place.

City Cafe is a good pick if you like meat 'n threes. Others include Miller's in Christiana, Bell Buckle Cafe, Puckett's in Nashville, and of course, the world-famous Loveless Cafe. (I do love meat 'n threes, as you can see!)

Depending on what you're looking for, I can probably point you to something that will fill the bill. Not to mention, getting to meet a fellow DGer is always a treat :-)

We frequently ride the motorcycle up to Bell Buckle and eat there! And ice cream at the hardware store afterward of course! We love that little hole in the wall. Our friends live in Gallatin so we were trying to avoid Nashville on this trip, but I would love to go to Puckett's or Loveless when we're back in Nashville next month. We'll suggest that to them as we plan to meet then. I'm not sure where Christiana is, but will put that on the list. Thanks!

The original Puckett's is in Leiper's Fork, which is a VERY scenic drive, and a fun place to kick around, plus you avoid the Nashville traffic and parking issues. (They're also opening one in Chattanooga, much to our UT-Chattanooga student's delight.)

Christiana is between Murfreesboro and Bell Buckle on Hwy. 231 S, so it should fit right in with your route :-)

We're bracing for a (hopefully) last bit of winter fury from nature over the next few days. Then I hope it's on to a gradual warmup and the start of the 2015 gardening season.

Jerry made it fine yesterday, I thought I did post here, guess I was more tired than I realized !
Have been dragging all day, but we have a weather system coming through so will blame it on that !

That is good to hear!!!

It is good to hear Sandra.

My tulip magnolia is so pretty today. I'm afraid the bad weather coming through this weekend may end up destroying the blooms so I need to enjoy it while I can. I'm also afraid I may lose one big section of it. The snow storm a couple of years ago caused a big section of the tree to break off. Now a huge limb that was next to the break is showing signs that it is weakening and has cracked and I'm afraid it may end up rotting!

Great news, Sandra! Now go get some rest!

Ours has been pretty too, Charlotte, but they seem like weak trees in a way. I'm always finding a weak limb now and then that I need to trim off. I'm sure this cold front that takes the temps down will do the blooms in.

Pretty hellebores, Charlotte, and the tulip tree, too. Since 2011, my hellebores have been moved from Cabot to Harrison and then when I married Al, they came with me to southern Missouri. I am sure it has taken a while for them to "settle in" and decide they were going to be allowed to stay in one place! LOL I was thrilled to find them blooming.

I've already rejoiced with Sandra about Jerry's good news on another forum but wanted to say it again: Wonderful news!

We had some bad storms all across the OK, AR, so MO area last night as you all may have heard. We didn't have any tornadoes in our immediate area, thank goodness, but we did get 2 inches of rain in a 12 hour period overnight. We also had a lot of wind, thunder and lightning. In anticipation of the storm, I brought in a bouquet of daffodils because I knew they would get beat down. I couldn't bring them all in but I got a pretty good handful. They are so pretty and cheerful. Our temperature today has been 24 degrees cooler than our high of 78 yesterday! I think winter should go away for good and let Spring have a chance!!



This message was edited Mar 26, 2015 6:45 PM

Beautiful flowers .

Jerry is back into A Fib, it only lasted about 24 hours. He went for an EKG this morning, his doc wasn't there and they will call us with an appt to see him. He is getting very depressed.

Tell him not to get too upset. I think it is pretty common to have it reoccur a couple of times. Jim had to have it done twice too.

I got to visit with Genna, Lee & Jesse in person yesterday and hopefully we'll get to meet back up Sat. Genna looks great!!!

Yes, Sandra, Tell Jerry to hang in there.

Jeri, glad you and Genna and Lee and Jess got to visit yesterday. That's so awesome when DG folks get to meet up!

Y'all I just talked to a good friend this morning. She and I met last year when we started the training group for the 10k and it turned out we both worked in this building. We just hit it off even tho she's about 12 or more years younger, divorced, we were about the same pace and would go get an egg sandwich lots of times on Saturday mornings after our runs. She went on to train for a half marathon and ran it this spring. So proud of her! She's facing surgery next week for a tumor on her spine! It's around C-5/C-6 and she had been having pain between her shoulders below this area. Finally one of her former tri coaches (a pediatrician) told her to go see a back specialist at Sports-Med (an orthopedic specialty group) in Huntsville. She got an MRI and they found it, so he's referred her to a neuro-spinal surgeon she really likes. We talked for a good while this morning before we decided we should 'work'. It's really heavy on my mind since she lives alone (her boys are nearby but are busy with school and work), so her pediatrician friend will be the one acting on her behalf with the surgeon. I'm so glad she called me, as I'll be on her e-mail list of people who will get news and can help her with meals, etc. She won't have to wear a neck brace but will be in intensive care for a couple of days and then a regular room. Then all she can do is walk for several more days and through the summer. No jogging, biking, etc for quite a while, and she did love to bike. I just pray the tumor is benign and that she will be ok. She's faced some other health problems in the past but overcome them and she's such a fun, sweet, and pleasant person to be around. Y'all please say a prayer tonight for sweet Kate and next Thursday too while she's undergoing surgery.

Elaine that just makes me want to go jump out of an airplane while I can still climb into it. LOL!!! I'm sure sorry to hear about your friend. But no kidding on not putting off living life.

Sandra that was actually 3 times counting the time I shocked Jim's heart back into rhythm.

Why does anyone want to jump from an airplane ??? LOL!!
Jeri we may have to call you in yet to get him straight !

Elaine, so sorry to hear about your friend, but you said you worked together, do you also live close enough to help her out in person?
Please remind us about her surgery day early next week

I think it would be something I'd like to do before I die!!! LOL!!! Tell Jerry I'm ready to come shock him straight if I need to!!!

We're tearing down the old deck that was around the pool tomorrow and hauling out the plants that are in the way.

Sunday is Palm Sunday and I always cut back my sago palms the Sat. before. My plants usually pop out new leaves without hesitation but if I do it early or later then it takes them forever to get the new leaves back.

I've been on the go since I got up this morning and I'm pooped!
Sandra my next door neighbor had afip problems for years before they finally put a pacemaker in. Not sure why her doctor didn't do it sooner. Her husband was out of town a lot for work and she would have a spell and call 911. They were forever coming. But since she got her pacemaker she hasn't had anymore problems.

Elaine so sorry to hear about your friend. Will certainly be praying for her.

Jeri my oldest grandson Jake did just that for his 18th birthday. He wanted to and Jeff and Kristi agreed to give it to him as his birthday present. They went and watched and someone (the other person in the parachute with him or someone else jumping) took a picture of him as he was going down. Don't think I could have watched.

I agree you Jeri about living life! Maybe that's why I've been spending like crazy! I decided to upgrade my iphone since I was eligible for an upgrade. I got a iphone6 plus. I ordered it online so I wouldn't have to mess with going into ATT. I got everything set up but this morning I got a call and could only catch a word every now and then. I tried to turn up the volume with no luck. So I took it in to ATT this afternoon. They didn't have any better luck than I did so they gave me another phone and set everything up again. I'm going to love it. The screen is large enough I can actually read a book on it if I want to.

Alzheimer's is one thing I sure hope I don't end up with. It's a long slow death. Poor Richard was really confused today. He kept wanting to show me something but couldn't figure out what he wanted to show me. He finally decided it had to do with his bathroom. He was talking about someone being in there and doing "all this stuff"! Bathroom is fine. No one has been here. I finally decided he was remembering when the plumber changed out all the fixtures several years ago. It was something that happened probably 10 years ago but he was remembering it as if it had just happened. In more lucid days he remembers he is not right. He was saying yesterday that he really hated himself. I told him we all hate ourselves at one time or another.

Sandra, yes, it would take me about 30 minutes at worst to get to Kate's house but I can help her. Someone is organizing da to cook meals so I'm supposed to get in that email soon. Got to check on that first thing next week. I am going to offer help in her yard too in case she needs that. She doesn't have a very big one but still, she doesn't need to worry about it.

Jeri, I know what you mean. We need to start working off our bucket lists, LOL!

Elaine sounds like someone is organizing meals. I have participated in care calendars for several people. They really make it easy. The ones I participated in had a place for other special needs such as lawn care, errands, grocery shopping, etc. We would post the meal we would prepare and also post what we were taking so other people would not duplicate the same meals. I don't remember the name of the calendar but it was one that was on line. For example one of the ones I participated in was for my neighbors that could no longer drive. She had a standing hair appointment and we would put our name in for taking her to the appointment, etc.

We use MealTrain for our families with newborns in our church, and we arrange to take them 3 meals a week for the first month. It's so handy - I love that I can sign up, try to coordinate (or at least not duplicate) with the other meals before/after mine, and forget it until I get an email reminder.

Actually Charlotte, my daddy always taught me never to settle in life and I can look back and say that he would be proud!!! Jim & I have always worked and there is very little about moving mobile homes that is not hard. Because we worked from home for us to ever relax, we had to leave so we have been blessed that there in little left on the list. Of course, there is always another beautiful garden to visit.

I'm sorry Richard was so frustrated. The human mind is a complex organ and even confused it's an amazing thing. Prayers and hugs!!!

Sandra, as you know and as I have already said on another forum, I have had a pacemaker since 2003. I had to have the battery pack replaced in 2013 but they didn't have to replace the leads so I was able to do that with just a 2% lidocaine injection. Anyway, I am fine and doing what I want to do as long as I take my meds and do what the doctor says. It hasn't hampered my lifestyle one bit. If Jerry has to have a pacemaker, he will adjust and continue on with living life! :)

Charlotte, you have my prayers and hugs, too!

I have a board on Pinterest about places I have been. When I first set it up and started adding all the places I have been to, even I was surprised about the number of places I have been privileged to see. I have been very fortunate the last 20 years of my life in being able to visit so many neat places. Before that, I was mainly raising my kids but since then I have been able to do a lot and I am so grateful. One of the places I would like to visit is Iceland. I have a friend who lives there and, like all of you, I met her through the internet here on DG as a matter of fact. I would love to be able to visit Iceland and meet Rannveig in person. There are lots of other places I would like to visit, too.
This summer, Al and I will be going to Colorado Springs, CO (actually Pike's Peak) because my daughter is leading a team that is going to be climbing the mountain in late June. Al and I will be part of the base camp team. We won't be climbing but will visit the top of Pike's Peak via the train. There is a lot to see in that area and we will sight-see while the team is climbing. We are really looking forward to it. One more thing to be able to cross off my "Bucket List". :D

Can you believe we actually had snow flurries this morning!!!?? Bah, humbug! Winter needs to go back to the North Pole where it belongs! I just uncovered a lot of my plants this past Monday and now here it is winter again. GRRRRR!

Very little left on my list too. I was fortunate to have jobs that included a lot of really nice travel. I got to go places and stay in places that I would have never paid for myself. The folks I worked for believed in first class hotels and were very generous with expense allowances. I had some really neat Washington, DC experiences. I was there once or twice a year for 28 years in addition to lots of other travel. Got to get into places that are not on the tourist list. I even got to actually go in the Oval Office and have a picture of me in the Rose Garden. I hosted a number of parties in the US Capitol and roamed all over it. Don't think I would be able to do that today. We always got to do a lot of "playing" on business trips. A lot of the business trips were actually "reward" trips in a sense. There were always some business meeting but also lots of free time. They were also always held in really neat places all over the US. My ex-husband and I always traveled a lot too. We always took a long family vacation every summer. We started doing that when Jeff was about a year old. We woould give him a map so he could follow the route we were going. We traveled from coast to coast. He excelled in map reading!! Then several times a year we would take him on shorter trips - Six Flags in Dallas, St. Louis, etc. We usually went to Six Flags at least twice a year in addition to the summer road trip. I also used to do some "girl" trips every year with several friends. Richard and I did a lot of travelling also. We went to Colorado Springs one Christmas and stayed at the Broadmoor. We rented a car and drove all over the area. I had to do so much traveling in the last job I had I finally just got burned out on it. I still enjoy some travel just not to the extinct I once did. I was so fortunate to have really good jobs that allowed me to have a lot of unique experiences and to meet a lot of interesting people. I was never tied to a desk 5 days a week. I have been blessed.

I'm also so glad I had the opportunity to do a lot of traveling with Jeff and Kristi and the boys. I made a lot of memories with them. Rappelling off a cliff was never on my bucket list but I got it checked off! Also never intended to go down the super giant water slide in the water park next to Disney World. Jeff and Kristi had no interest in going down it so I was the one that said I would walk to it with them. Then I walked up to the top with them and once we got there the easiest way down was to go down the slide! They were all shocked that I actually did it. They told me they thought I was going to walk down when they got on the slide. So they were really surprised to see me land right behind them! In thinking about about it, those trips are some of my better memories. Again I have been blessed to have a DIL that actually enjoys including me on trips with them. She is always the one that invites me.

I know there is a lot of uncertainty ahead but it really doesn't concern me. I don't worry about it. God has been very good to me and with each change that I've made I realized that he actually had his hand in it and that there was a reason for the change. I am certain that he will continue to be in charge and guide me in my path.

I think I was guided to get back into the antiques booths again. I have worked since I was 20 years old and don't like the idea of not doing some kind of work. I was always somewhat of a workaholic - well I was a workaholic! No time for serious gardening back in those days!! But the booths are something I can do on my own schedule, but keeps me in contact with lots of people and keeps my mind working. I see so many people at the mall I've known for a long time but just don't see on a regular basis. I love keeping up with sales, setting goals and working toward those goals and then it's really fun when I actually achieve a goal!

Gosh I didn't mean to ramble forever!!!

I enjoyed your ramble, Charlotte! I agree that there is really no need to worry. God is in control and He sees so much farther and wider than we ever could.
I haven't traveled like the rest of you have, but I really don't think I have missed much. There is no place like home for me ! Jerry and I are planning a trip next spring, after he retires to the AR diamond mine place, I have always wanted to go there. I love different rocks and love putting them in the garden and into pots and I am looking forward to that.

I am also a homebody. My DH travels for work, so he gets his fill of being gone for work, and I get to stay home with the dogs and my garden. I don't have much of a desire to travel.

Sandra I'm glad I got to have the experiences I had but as I've gotten older I enjoy doing things closer to home. Never thought I would live in one spot for 33 years! In my younger days I moved fairly often. But now I'm quite happy right where I am and have no desire to move. Richard loves to ride and listen to music so we go on long rides around the area just exploring the countryside. My used to be neighbors can't get out on their own anymore and his wife also has Alzheimer's so I try to pick them up and take them with us fairly often. Now that the weather is pretty again I plan to pick them up more often. It makes me feel good to see them get so much pleasure out of something so simple as spending a couple of hours in the car riding around listening to music. Everyone is different and you don't have to travel far and wide. You have a close family that cares about each other and that to me is more important than anything else. I just realized you said Jerry is going to retire next spring! Glad you all will have more time together.

It is cool and cloudy here again today! I'm ready for warm weather again and sunshine!

Today was a beautiful weather day here in the southern Missouri Ozarks. Al and I spent the entire day working in the yard. I am in the process of cleaning the leaves out of the big flower bed out in the center of our front yard. It is a slow process because rather than use the leaf blower, I am raking out the top layer and removing what is left by hand. The leaves were at least two feet thick, which is why it is taking me so long. But I do love being in the flower bed so it really isn't work to me although my body is tired after being out there all day. :) I found a lot of the plants are coming up already.

Charlotte, that Strawberry Wine Monarda that you gave me is doing well. It has spread quite a bit.

Elaine, The huskers red penstemon you gave me is also doing well. I probably now have 4 or 5 plants of it spread around the flower bed. I will have some to share if anybody wants some of it. The bees love it!

Sandra, does that tall verbena come back every year? If so, it hasn't started making an appearance yet but it might be slower than some of the other plants. The gaillardia you gave me is growing like gangbusters!!

Kathy Ann had given me several different sedums and they are all coming back, too.

Genna, the double phlox you gave me is making an appearance.

I had bought a rudbeckia a couple of years ago and it was gorgeous last year. It is also multiplying to the point where I separated it and got 6 plants to share with ya'll at Kathy Ann's RU in May.

I had also bought a White Snakeroot plant that is spreading so much that I am afraid it is going to become invasive. I have several plants of it to share, too.

Tomorrow morning I will be helping a friend who is moving pack up some of her dishes but I plan to be back out in the flower bed tomorrow afternoon. We are supposed to have another beautiful day here. I just hope Spring has come to stay! :D

Wow, Marilyn, sounds like you have been 'making hay while the sun shines'! That was one of my Mother's favorite sayings, and it sure does apply this week. Well, mostly anyway. It was gorgeous here yesterday too. Started out waking us up with thunder and lightening at 3:30-4 am, but the rains quit by 7 am and then turned out really nice. I got some stuff done in the yard on Sunday afternoon, and then finished up a couple of things last night after my run. We have fire ants pretty bad this year already and wasps are everywhere. I divided and moved my B&B salvia, moved some iris, & moved a clematis and a salvia. Plus weeded several areas. I thought I had moved some daffs last year, but I must have missed a clump, so I've got to move more this year. And I have one area where I have several I need to move. They have gotten too much shade over the years so need to relocate. For some reason they never did do too well in this one spot. Buds come up but they don't bloom out.

Sunday, I divided up my tomato seedlings. They were already about 3" tall. Well, most of them anyway. Peppers are slower so they aren't ready to divide yet. I hope they continue to do well, but they aren't ready for the ground yet. That will be 2-3 more weeks. I was a little late getting my seeds started. So I will likely buy a couple of plants to start. Things are really greening up now. I still need to divide some DLs but didn't get to it last weekend. Maybe this weekend I'll get to it.

Sounds like spring has arrived!!! Yea!!!

I even got in the yard a little after church Sunday. I filled up the wheel barrow with just thistle. Trying to get it out before it goes to seed and there are even more.

I got 6 little Rapunzel tomatoe plants. Peyton and I are growing them. She is so excited. https://www.totallytomato.com/dp.asp?pID=00631&c=51&p=Rapunzel+Hybrid+Tomato

I've been tied up with Jimmy rebuilding the deck around the pool. Don't you just love being included in someone else's projects. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153719001914202&set=a.10153718925089202.1073741844.797809201&type=1&theater

Hello everyone! I was so excited that I got to see Jeri and Mary for a short while on Thursday. I had sure hoped they would be able to go eat with us - but one of the grands had a ballgame so that didn't work out! It was sure great to see them at least for a little while! :)
We didn't make it back by on Saturday because we ended up going to Gonzales and Baton Rouge and hitting some malls. Then we went on to Alexandria and make a quick run to Forest Hill before heading home! ^_^ I was FINALLY able to locate some milk weed for my butterflies. I have not been able to find it anywhere around here! I got some of the yellow and some of the red/orange color. I am not sure the yellow is hardy here but maybe they can enjoy it this summer. I hope the other will multiply over the years!! Not sure if that is possible if the butterflies are eating on it.......... I bought a few other things and a gorgeous crimson cascading peach that I have never seen before. I fell in love with it and just HAD to get it in the suburban. We all were "up close and personal" with it on the way home, but we made it fine! ^_^

Jeri, those Rapunzel tomatoes are super cute! You will have to let us know if they have good flavor as well. I haven't gotten any tomato plants yet, but I have got to get that done as well.

I feel like I am so far behind in the yard - and we finally have good weather, but I am at work! I worked yesterday evening and hopefully will get more done today. I am off on Friday and was hoping for a nice day to work outside but the forecast is calling for rain.

Leigh, Jessica and I took a quick trip to New Orleans. Jessi has been wanting to go for some time, and we finally found a time to go when we didn't think it would be killer hot! We actually toured Natchez on the way and did a few things in St. Francisville, then Jeri gave awesome directions for us to cut over to her house and miss a lot of the traffic. We had a good trip and the weather was pretty good. We even got to catch them filming part of an episode of NCIS New Orleans - which we always watch - and there is a slim chance we might be in the background. They told us we might be, but I don't really expect it. But, Jessica was super excited to get to see them up close and watch the filming. After watching it I wonder how they EVER get an entire show done because they spent the better part of an hour getting stuff ready to film about 5 min or less! Now I understand why most of it is shot as "inside scenes".