Cindi, how fun! I am glad it went off well and that you were relaxed in the lead up to it. Not so tired on the day of and can enjoy it more yourself.

Cats in Containers is a theme I try to DIScourage at my house (ferals ), but your's are picturesque and cozy, Zuzu.

Toni, pretty. And I can relate to the dog container.

Love the kitties of course and that sweet doggie one you found Toni! And real nice iris too.

Well, it's been raining off & on all day today!! I'm excited about that... I watered last night & again this morning & didn't want to have to water tonight (I don't water my entire yard, just bits & pieces here & there). I need to put down the weedblock & mulch on the new areas that I just opened up before they become entire dandelion fields. I can't believe how fast dandelions produce seeds!! I have trimmed down about 2/3rd of all my roses of all the winterkill (depressing job) & pulled 3 garbage cans worth of grass & bindweed & wild morning glory (some kind of odd morning glory that doesn't produce flowers of any size worth noting).. still need to trim another 2 sections of roses (including the pond area). One rose that I am sure that did NOT make it through the winter was Ruby Voodoo .. which sucks royally because 1) that rose cost me $45 and 2) is a Plant Select (designed for Colorado) plant, so it should have survived with bells on. What *really* irks the crap outta me, though, is that, in one section that I trimmed all my dead away & left the live canes sticking out.. the painter stepped on like 4-5 of them and broke all the canes!! When I see him again, I will DEFINITELY have words with him about how he needs to be VERY careful with my landscaping. I'm paying him to paint my house, not stomp on my roses. One of the roses that got squished, Cabana, had a cane about 12" tall. How can you miss a 12" tall bright red & green cane sticking out of a brown mulch landscape? Seriously?

Got a few more irises blooming.

No IDs here.. this yellow is about 5' tall! I didn't think they got that tall! No idea who the iris bud is.. it might be another no ID


Cayenne Pepper




Last night, I trimmed more winterkill off more roses.. got about another 60 done (the 25 in the pond area, plus another section). Ruby Voodoo *does* have green on the base, so I didn't pull it. Now if I can just see a leaf or two, I'd be happier! On a sadder note, one of the roses that got terribly stomped on was Perfect Moment. That's one of my favorites. I hope she pulls through. And I lost We Salute You, so I'll have to get a replacement for that one.

Love Cayenne Pepper. Fingers crossed on the rose survivors.

Love the Cayenne Pepper Iris. Beautiful.

Here is Midnight Blue blooming. And some clematis.


The half round rose planters ready to bloom.


Some TB iris

Rita, do you have people stopping wanting to take photos of themselves with the flowers? Gorgeous stuff...

Thanks. People do take pictures out front. One year when those front yard roses were in full bloom I had a bride and groom being photographed in front of the roses.

How fun for you, and for them.

Wish I were able to go to your garden tour. I am sure it was lovely. glad you were able to relax and enjoy it.

My potted calla lilies were droopy this winter. I couldn't figure out what was wrong until I saw Bella the cat sleeping on the pot. I put her bed in the place, but she kept sleeping on the pot. When I finish moving and get done with the current pot shortage, I will plant her grass (wheat and oats) and some trailing cat mint in the pot for her inside. She never goes outside.

My roses are in their first flush. They are gorgeous this year! Westerland, Golden Celebration and Crown Princess Margareta are beautiful together. Jens Munk and William Baffin are huge and full of blooms this year. It is a shame to cut them back, dig them up and move them, but they will survive. Viechenbleau Some of the roses that I potted already - the minis and Lavaglut have buds or are blooming. Baby blanket is blooming like crazy. the clematis and peonies are blooming also. I am taking pictures, but have to get them organized.

Back to packing. It is so hot here today - over 90'F. I put out the jars for solar tea. I rode with my friend to the store for more big pots and other stuff.

Wish I were able to go to your garden tour. I am sure it was lovely. glad you were able to relax and enjoy it.

My potted calla lilies were droopy this winter. I couldn't figure out what was wrong until I saw Bella the cat sleeping on the pot. I put her bed in the place, but she kept sleeping on the pot. When I finish moving and get done with the current pot shortage, I will plant her grass (wheat and oats) and some trailing cat mint in the pot for her inside. She never goes outside.

My roses are in their first flush. They are gorgeous this year! Westerland, Golden Celebration and Crown Princess Margareta are beautiful together. I keep hinting and sending plans for arbors to my friend. When I am done moving, I may try to make my own! I think GC and PM would be gorgeous on an arbor with purple clematis. Jens Munk and William Baffin are huge and full of blooms this year. It is a shame to cut them back, dig them up and move them, but they will survive. William Baffin is a thorny monster. He is lucky that he is blooming so well this year because i wasn't impressed with him last year. I bet he was busy growing monstrous roots for me to dig out. Veilchenblau is full of buds, but hasn't started blooming, yet. It may be one of the last to be dug up so that I can enjoy its blooms. It is a once bloomer , but absolutely gorgeous. Some of the roses that I potted already - The minis and Lavaglut have buds or are blooming. Baby blanket is blooming like crazy. the clematis and peonies are blooming also. I am taking pictures, but have to get them organized.

I put a rental application in for a place I like. He is calling references today because my friends keep calling me about it. I am supposed to hear from him this week, before he heads on vacation. My roses and I would be very happy there - there is even a shed for all my gardening implements. Hope it works out. If not, I have 5 new places to call. My friend and I cruised several neighborhoods for rental signs on the way to Wallyworld. I got some more big pots for my roses and food for me.

Back to packing. It is so hot here today - over 90'F. I put out the jars for solar tea. Break time with the gardening friends is over, back to make mayo, deviled eggs and 3 bean salad. I like to have healthy food ready while I am gardening and too hot to cook. I am also making sugar free banana bread for my neighbors. They are a very nice older couple. The wife is in a wheelchair. She is always so cheerful, such an inspiration to me. The husband saves bones from steak dinners for Winston the pug. Both are diabetic. His birthday is this weekend, but he is in the hospital with a sore on his leg. Luckily, she has two very nice visiting nurses. Winston the pug and I stop by to cheer her up.

Hope that everyone is enjoying their day and their gardens.

Some pics from this evening.






Pansies haven't petered out so far...



Using broken pots for garden accents



Some houseplants



Pots!

English Lops bunnies @ 4 weeks old

looks great Vicki !!!! Between work and rain I' m not getting very far very fast . Hope it dosen't rain this evening so I can get more done .

Love the photos, Vicky.

Vicki - We now need pics of you! How has your weightloss been coming along? I've been thinking about you & doing it myself... you're an inspiration! And I the broken blue pot.. so pretty! And Bunnies!! BUNNIES! bunnies! Has anyone ever seen this site? http://www.disapprovingrabbits... Bunnies have such a disapproving look on their face all the time... all disapproval, all the time!

I *think* I finished trimming all the winterkill off my roses in the back yard. Did another.. 45? 50? lost count last night. My hands HURT and my pruners are duller than a spoon. I need to get a sharpener. I think I lost Summer Song and Blue River from Palatine Summer Song was NEVER a strong rose for me. Got it last spring (Spring 2012) and it took forever to break dormancy and then it only sent out one pathetic cane and bloomed .. once? Blue River is a rose from the 2012/13 ordering and I think it rotted. So I'll be getting in touch with Rachel w/Palatine & see what she recommends. I think I lost a grand total of about 15 roses for the 2012/13 winter. That's not bad IMO. My first rose winter, I lost over 60 out of about 100, so my odds are getting much better (15 out of about .. uh.. 300? not sure!! I need to map/count!!). What killed a LOT of stuff was that last storm we had.. it'd been warming up for 2 weeks then BAM a last minute storm where it went down to 8 degrees. Happens every few years or so. I didn't lose any trees (thankfully) this time, but my lilacs took a nasty hit and lost quite a few perennials. Bleh. I think Theresa Bugnet will be my first bloomer this year. I saw buds w/color so she'll be open by.. Sunday? I am not sure if Austrian Copper is even going to bloom this year. That one is usually my first bloomer. But I do have buds on quite a few of my roses! Can't wait for the first flush!

Second flush for these two. Tis why I tolerate summers, here.

NOID with Friend


Fourth of July

lovemyhouse said:
NOID with Friend

What *is* the "friend"? I have no idea what kind of bug.. can't even identify the family.

Asked Janet over on the Bugs Cubit. She says it is a katydid nymph. I have lots of them and am very happy about that

Great Roses Debra!

Thank you all! Skiekitty... Hilarious on the disapproving rabbits...reminds me of the Grumpy Cat.
I haven't lost more weight...maintaining at 60 lb weight loss. I will be 2 years post op this August.
I had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy which is stomach reduction only with no by-pass/mal-absorption
so for me I stopped after the 6 month "honeymoon" period.
Now its back to doing it the hard way...low carb/high protein dieting but without the smaller stomach
but I never would of lost 60 lbs without weight loss surgery. I would do it all over again.
I don't have any recent pics.
I guess this is the last?? Silly glam pic.
Don't know if I posted it already.
Did you have weight loss surgery?