I'm sure Salem and/or Marion County will find a way to tax this endeavor.

Aw well, I wish WA would tax income - then our roads would be as nice as OR. Don't know if you've been up here Connie, but the roads are deteriorating so horribly (in my opinion)

It has been about 13 years since I have been up there. I don't know if any of our income tax goes to road, probably to state roads. I expect at least some of it does. I think most comes from gas tax (which really should be raised since it is "per gallon" and not indexed to inflation). County roads come from the county portion of property taxes as does city portion.

There is a continuous push to implement a sales tax here in addition to the state tax but it always gets voted down. This would just be a tax increase that would be bickered over for usage. Much better to just increase the gas tax and use it for roads.

OR taxes are a bit high but I do feel that we are getting something for our $$. Services are good and the schools still have good arts and music programs, at least in Salem. I'm in Marion County so my taxes are a bit less than just a half mile up the road and I have to pay more for a library card than if I lived in Salem proper.

After living in MS for 30 years, I can tell you that government really works MUCH better out here! And of course it's beautiful here too! I do miss Cajun cooking though. Had to make a batch of red beans and rice on Tuesday because I was craving it. SO yummy.

OK sorry for the diversion and another commercial for Salem. However, I do wake up each morning, look in the mirror and say "Another day in paradise Kevin". If you want to do gardening, this is the place.

Kevin

Lucky man, you!

Exactly how I feel Kevin, I live in paradise. Wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Just wondering, have you talked to Cynda about what her schedule looks like for next spring. Sure hope we can set a date for the clinic that would make it possible for Dave and Cynda to attend. I also understand that we might have a 'Star' guest or two?
Just a little tease to get us all excited about the next clinic.

It really is lovely there down there in OR!
Does anyone have contact info for Gary Gossett? I'd love to extend and invite - from a fan!
And I want to keep working on Don from SMG because I think he would enjoy meeting so many people that order from his site! OH Oh - it is WAAAY to early to be getting excited about next year's clinic!

Greg,

I've tried to contact him but NO RESPONSE. Very weird.

I'm thinking April 18th unless that's Easter weekend. I may need a plan B if it is. The other plan was May 2nd but that's the weekend that Cynda has the plant sale in Canby.

Besides the semps there should be great bloom on the late daffodils, early irises and pulmonaria.

Kevin

Easter is early this year , April 5th. Orthodox Easter is April 12th, Passover April 4-11th,

May 10th - Mother's day, May 24th Pentecost and Shavat

Just a quick check.

Wow you are good Marilyn! Kevin April 18th could be a 'go'

I think that even fits in with MR's schedule?

No last minute tax people in the group? Be good for me.

valleylynn said: I think that even fits in with MR's schedule?

Yes, I just checked. Oh my. I would love to come. How on earth can I make it possible? I'll have to plan my campaign with the others carefully... MR

Very carefully.

OK let's make it so. I have concerts on the 23rd and 24th so that was out for me.

Now I can start recruiting our surprise guests too.

There will be PLENTY of seedlings for you to evaluate as Lynn and Cynda can tell you. As I was looking at the Frost and Flame X Pacific Blue Ice group yesterday there are several that are a real leap forward in blue color. Of course this isn't the time generally when you see ANYTHING blue so ones that have longer times where the blue color maxes out would be really desirable. Anyway, it's all such fun. I was tempted to put seedling numbers on these ones showing blue now so I would be sure to save them but didn't as there may be better color in some of the siblings.

You would all laugh at the seed I've collected and I still have a few more heads to go. There are over 100 seed heads drying in the garage in paper bags right now. It will take me several days just to collect the seed and catalog it all! Not to mention ROW OUT THE SEEDLINGS. I will know how Ed Skrocki feels after this!

Kevin

JungleShadows said:OK let's make it so. I have concerts on the 23rd and 24th so that was out for me.

I will know how Ed Skrocki feels after this!

Kevin

What kind of concerts, Kevin? At one point in my life, I was planning to be a fiddle player (violinist in some circles). Music has always been basic for me. I loved playing concerts in Tanglewood. Ah, the good old days!

I just ran into a brief bio of Ed Skrocki this morning looking for something totally unrelated, quoting this as his favorite poem:
From the time you're born,
‘til you ride in the hearse,
there's nothing so bad,
that it could not be worse

He sounds like a real character. I'll have to look up his Semp. breeding, "Packardium."

Whether or not I make the April get together, it will be fund to dream about it! MR

MR,

Depending upon the group I either play oboe/ English horn or bass and Eb clarinet. Have played for 50 years, just like my hybridizing of semps. For a while I thought about doing music but my teacher said "you'll make much more money as a scientist Kevin". probably good advice.

Yes Ed Skrocki arrived at my folks place with the hearse. Needless to say this caused LOTS of discussion in the conservative New England town and many questions as to who might be dead in the Vaughn household.

His 'Packardian' was named for his loved of Packards and the hearse he drove was a Packard. It is likely that 'Packardian' is a seedling of 'Sanfordii' as it looks like a larger more elaborate version of 'Sanfordii' and it was one that he had collected seed as well. Unfortunately he did not keep records and most often just collected all the seed in a shoe box. When he visited my yard he was shocked that the seedling bed was about the size of a dining room table but I got so many good ones by hand crossing.

Kevin

I was in an accident when I was 15 that today might have been fixable but then they didn't know it had torqued my spine and pinched the nerves to my right hand and arm. (Nothing was broken, so everything was OK!) By the time I was 17, though, it had become obvious professional performance wasn't going to work for me... Now I just enjoy music -- Mother Katherine has taken over the monastery choir -- and I'm letting my semps make music! MR