I know. It was a little dig at older folks like Neal and MYSELF. We use references that have no relevance to younger people. If I said 'it put me in mind of Bruno Mars' who would know what I was talking about? Maybe it's a radically changing world, but getting new young people into gardening is something we should all be thinking and worrying about.

And by the way, Joni is still around. She went a different way with her music and the fans didn't follow.

We just watched Join Mitchell perform on cable with James Taylor. It was a great show...and this from someone who gets tired of live musical shows on T.V. (DH is a fan of many kinds of music!).

Donald, what you are describing with the mesquite is called adaptation. It's ongoing and a natural process... we just label things as invasive when we don't like them! By that definition Bermuda Grass is definitely invasive!! It kills me that some people promote it here because it is 'drought tolerant' ...which means it's tougher than nails to kill, it goes dormant but comes back to invade some more!!

Thanks for the picture, Neal. It's a bright, pretty flower -- too bad it's a problem.

I enjoyed a recent quote that went by on Facebook where someone was saying how nice it was for Kanye West to be giving some guy named Paul McCarthy a break by letting him sing with him.

Mary Ann, they're only a real problem if you have wetlands nearby or a high water table. In well drained areas they don't increase so rampantly or self seed. The variegated form isn't as vigorous either.

Sherry, I thought about that too, LOL!

"...Paul McCarthy..."

Jeeeeeeez....................

There was another tweet saying how nice it was of Kanye to give an unknown artist a break, and another saying Paul's career will really take off now, LOL.

Ha! Can this McCarthy fellow sing?

Way back in the day, there was this radio contest and the question was, "What was the name of the band Paul McCartney was in before his solo work?". Then they went to the phones a bit later and got some VERY excited young person on the line. Their answer was:

Contestant: "Wings"

Radio station: "Ugh, no"

Contestant: "No! What do you mean no?"

Radio station: "Well, we are looking for his first band, not "Wings"."

Contestant; "He was in another band BEFORE Wings?"

Radio Station: "Yep! Wings was not a REAL group."





The DJs were total jerks however during this call. They made it worst by producing a "bit" for broadcast the next few days. The DJs were totally offended that anybody would not "Know" the answer, that they did not think that the contestant was correct(even though they were {because the DJ's vilified "Wings" as crap-not music]). About two weeks later, The radio station yanked the bit and the DJs. Unfortunetly, they let the DJs back.

The very reason I don't listen to DJs.

Wings actually was a group too, as I think we all know. And they (but mostly Sir Paul) gave us Baby I'm Amazed (which he performed on SNL Anniversary last night - yay). I am very fond of Wings, and the Beatles, and their solo work........

Back to dislikes: Be very careful digging up the Poison Ivy, Greg. The roots are far worse than the leaves, and will be mixed in with the roots of the Rhododendrons. Since a bad episode with PI roots, I am very very allergic to it. Swear I just have to look at it to get a rash. Tuck your shirt sleeves into your gloves, and be careful removing your gardening duds afterwards. Technu's ivy wash is my friend. We used it all the time at the big cat sanctuary I volunteered at, because it loves to grow in disturbed ground, and the cats were "fertilizing" it.

You just have to say "Poison Ivy" and I will get it. I plan on double glove, tapped up sleeves and throw away the clothes after I am done. The rhodos are going to be history. It will be "Scorched Earth" time.

Greg, Burt's Bees makes a poison ivy soap to use after working near the plant. I used it all last summer, and while I did get little patches where I had waited too long to run in and wash up, I didn't get any bad cases. Avon used to make an Ivy block to put on beforehand, not sure if they still do, but it helped, just not 100%.

What co. is Bert's Bees?

The best poison ivy product on the market is called Zanfel. It is a gritty cream that you apply to the affected area and work in with little bit of water -- and then rinse off, like soap. It's amazing at removing the ushriol oil which is what causes the rash. It may take two applications. That's for use after you see the rash.

What I use as a preventative if I think that I may have come in contact with poison ivy is good old Fels Naptha soap. I soap up every inch of skin that could have been exposed to it, rinse and repeat. It has never failed me.

Zanfel can be purchased at any pharmacy and also Walmart. It's pricey -- I'm thinking $35.00 for a tube?

Fels Naptha is easy to come by -- and it's cheap.

Lucy -- I think Burt's Bees IS the company.

Ye, Burt's Bee. I'm wearing their colored lip balm with mint now. I love them.

Neal you got the tweet right about Paul McCarthy. That's the one I saw too..

Tweeting. That's something that I know nothing about. How does one go about reading Tweets?

You have to sign on to Twitter. I don't do it either.