Well why didn't you say there was a party going on here?? LOL Seriously, I can't believe how long I have been MIA. I am okay just busy. I had a wonderful camping trip; in fact, it was enchanting. The field was covered with second cut red clover and the Monarch and some other small yellow butterfly were just everywhere in the field. It was truly beautiful to watch them dance in the sun. The moon was full and rose in a big orange ball each evening and then gave way to soft light through the light. The kind of light I could look out of my trailer and see the girls sleeping in the grass...........wonderful. The true topper this year was the performance of bluebirds who visited our camp in masses of 12-20 at a time. No kidding, I have never seen anything like it. They would come and sit on the horse fencing and sing and flirt. It was truly amazing........if only I could have gotten a photograph. They must be gathering for migration as the butterflies are. The horses were energetic as it was cool and we had some wonderful miles long cantors and trots! It was so nice and I had so much fun. The weekend almost ended in disaster as we were walking the horses down to the sandy brook for a cooling off Sweet Pea fell down and landed on her side. She was really struggling and I did not know what had happened or how to help her. Suddenly, she laid still and righted herself and got herself up. When she was safe investigated and she had fallen into a bottomless hole which was no doubt a woodchuck's hole. These are the holes that snap horses legs in two. I was almost nauseaous when I looked down into that hole. She had some swelling her fetlock but she was fine the next day. I shudder to think of what had happened if I had been riding her when that happened. Ugh, perish the thought! Anyway, she was fine and the weekend was wonderful. You all are right, it's very quiet here!! SO, where is everyone???? Not much else new here - just work, work, work. DeeMarie, I am SO DISAPPOINTED that you don't have a photo of you on or at least NEAR a horse. You didn't even touch one????? Glad you had fun.

Hi Everybody! I can't believe how this week has flown by. Tomorrow is weigh-in day again! Other than more demolition on the kitchen, I haven't been getting my exercise. Actually, I should be doing my step aerobics right now, but here I am instead. The days are getting noticeably shorter, but the temperatures here are still warm. I guess we will be getting remnants of Ivan in the form of rain, rain, rain for the weekend. But I can't complain. My heart goes out to those affected more directly by the recent string of hurricanes. Well, I wore a pair of jeans today that I had not worn for a looong time. They fit, and were not tight. I know that the changes in my diet are really working. Yellowhair--I wonder if we will see Bunny Tracks here. I really love the Skinny Cow fudge bars. My DH is now eating them, too. You know, I have never had problems with my feet. But awhile back when I was trying to take long walks, I started having a problem with my big toe. It felt like it was sprained or something. It was very odd, but it just went away. DH has lots of trouble with his feet. I am sure it is just that we are getting older. Anyway, he has heel spurs, which are bony growths that kinda jab you from the inside. he has other things going on too, and has even been through physical therapy. He says they told him that whenever he is getting pain to quit whatever activity he is doing for awhile. In other words, if it hurts when you do that, don't do that! Kathy--When I first got into gardening and landscaping someone, who was a seasoned gardener, told me that a garden wasn't really yours until you had re-invented it about a million times. Well, they didn't say it quite like that, but that was the general meaning I took from it. I was fretting because the year before I had planted a shrub that I now thought would be in much better spot if I moved it just 4 feet. I wasn't sure it was worth it to go to the trouble. The advice I got was to go for it. I did, and I am still glad I did. And that is still my approach to gardening now. I am always seeing something that needs to be improved and gardening is all about the process. So it sounds like a change will be coming to your garden soon! DeeMarie--Talking about your commute reminded me of when I was doing that. Several years ago, I drove 50 miles one way to work. It took an hour and a half on most days with traffic and all. DH says I used to come home in the worst mood. It is interesting how we get ourselves into these things. I mean the trade-off for a job that you love vs. having more time for activities at home vs a nice paycheck vs whatever. I try not to regret the decisions that I make, but it sure seems that life is all about the trade-offs sometimes. On that note, I will wrap up this longwinded post. Eat healthy!!

Good morning. Y'all hold onto your hats - my sister who has cancer has an unexpected visitor this weekend. Her ex-husband! To refresh everyone's memory, he is the cad who left her when their three sons were 9, 10 and 11 years old - for the young babysitter. He's been through several more since then, and all have left him. When their middle son was paralyzed in a diving accident in high school, he showed up enough to get sympathy, then left town again. I despise him for what he did and didn't do for her and their boys and should really let it go, but just the mention of his name makes me crazy. So this should be very interesting. He is in for a terrible shock when he sees her, but he deserves at least a shock or two. I'm sorry, I should not be bitter, but he's the kind of man (and I use that term loosely) that loved to put my sister down in front of others, even her own sisters. Like why don't you wear clothes like so and so, and you could stand to wear a little makeup, etc. But, the good thing he is going to see her, maybe he'll offer to help out with the situation. Maybe he's turning over a new leaf. The sad thing is his own sons don't respect him, because he's never been a father figure, so this will be quite the visit for them, too. Stay tuned. On a much lighter subject, I love House, Dancing with the Stars, Ugly Betty. The last episode with Cuddy about to adopt the baby preparing to adopt the baby broke my heart. Was not prepared for the ending! Wow. Such good characters in that show - I've always loved Wilson! Re: Ugly Betty - I know it would change the whole show's meaning, but I wish they would allow her to be pretty at least one episode. BJ, thanks for sharing the history of Baby V. I can almost picture him by your description, what a beautiful baby. When are the new parents coming? Peggy, I'm so excited for you - it's like you are re-born. What a beautiful Christmas you are going to have - lights and all! It's going to rain here today. I like a cloudy, rainy day every once in a while - kind of peaceful. At least, it will keep me out of the dirt! QOD: No company, no travel, just hanging out and watching football games - college and NFL with my husband. I've got a couple of Blockbuster movies that I'm ashamed to say I've had since August (it's like Netflix, so no late fees, thank goodness) - The Kite Runner, The Bucket List, and I don't even remember the other - I think it's Smart People with Dennis Quaid. Might be a good movie marathon weekend. I definitely want to do Christmas cards. Just tell me what to do. I've always enjoyed sending them out, but it seems like each year, less people send them. So, this will be fun to share with my new friends! Hope everyone's weekend is a great one! Jan

As you may have noticed from my previous posts, many of the roses in the Tea and China classes get BIG here: Comtesse du Cayla, 8' x 8' at 8 years (with regular, firm pruning -- heaven knows how big she would be otherwise...has on occasion tried to climb the nearby orange tree...), blooms do fry in temps over 85F, but I imagine if you have some humidity, they may have more fortitude. Etoile de Lyon, 7' x 12' at 10 years, totally heat-proof (one of my best if it is over 100F, and generally a great, favorite rose here), but a total catastrophe if there is even a hint of moisture in the air (brown blooms that hang on forever -- this one always gets deadheaded). The first flush is almost always trashed by moisture. Ducher, hit 4' in a couple of years and was still going, but was such a mildew magnet that he was removed. Ferndale Red China, hit 5' here in 3 years, got moved last winter because obviously NOT a front-of-the-border rose, but already now back to 5' as if nothing had happened (I call that "vigorous"). I'm glad, seeing Mendocino Rose's comment, that the new spot gets afternoon shade. Mildews, but not insufferably. Miss Lowe's Variety, perfect tea-like foliage, amazingly does not mildew. 6' x 6' in 5 years, spring and fall flushes are best, but some blooms all the time. Alliance Franco-Russe was mostly annoying here. Mildewed leaves always, fragile blooms (moisture, heat, you name it) , so he was a big (7' x 7') ugly plant that really had no good time of the year (and in a great part of the garden). I put up with him for 6 years, hoping for improvement, then said goodbye. Devoniensis did not fry in the sun, but did mildew badly on the east side of the yard. Was fine on the west side of the yard. Was going to be too big for space available (5' x 5' when he left), and I needed the space for rarer roses, so no longer here. Thomasville Old Gold was such a mildew magnet that he only lasted two years here. Cramoisi Supérieur, like most Chinas, mildews some, but not so much as to get booted out. I am charmed by this rose, especially the spring and fall blooms. 4' x 5' so far (4 years).