No she's in Northern KY just across the river from Cincinnati just off I-75/I-71. She went to UK to college and met her husband and never moved back to Iowa. He's a great guy though

Debra I am constantly amazed by your attitude & perseverance. You're an inspiration I tell ya', an inspiration! Lovely irises you've picked. Shorty may never realize how lucky she is to have you. I hope she does.

Okay, for those of you who hate the static shocks winter doles out with seeming abandon; I can tell you how to fix that. I researched b/c I DESPISE being shocked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, blue words emanate from my mouth when it happens and it doesn't seem to matter if I'm in a public place or not. I had to do something! I would grab a can in the grocery store & you could hear the *&%##^& crackle & see the spark and then you would hear my mouth issue forth nasty things involuntarily which I was powerless to stop. Here's what to do & I guarantee it works:
Get yourself a piece of metal, I presently use a 1/8 teaspoon b/c it's small & easily fits in my jacket pocket or jeans pocket & has no sharp edges that can cut or poke me or my clothing. Anything metal will do. A nice flat washer (you know, for nuts & bolts) will do, anything as long as it's metal. Carry it with you. You hold the metal item & touch it to the metal you are about to touch such as the car door handle, the can, the freezer door handle in the grocery store, the store door handle - you get the picture. That action will discharge the static and then you can safely grab the metal object with zero static shock. You can often see & hear the static as it is being discharged by your metal object but it will not shock you. I keep something in the laundry room so I don't get shocked by the washer or dryer in winter.
If you're in a car & go to exit the car; open the car door, put one hand ON A METAL PORTION OF THE CAR & KEEP IT THERE until both your feet are on the ground. You will not get the static shock but if you let go of the metal portion of the car before both feet are on the ground then ZAP!

Broke up more of the soil in this middle section. I dig down and pull up with the garden fork across the row, then plop my butt down on the ground. Sifted more rocks, removed more heavy black clay chunks (those are dumped next to the garage), and tossed landscape mix with the remaining loose soil.


Planted four more Iris in the newly loose stuff. Last time, I had Iris planted nearly to the driveway. Not sure if I want to come that close to the driveway this go-round. Might have to, though, in order to find room for what is still waiting in pots. They really need to get in ground--some of the roots on what I have planted so far are at least two feet long.


Had asked that this one be dropped from the original order with a different one substituted--vendor sent it anyway. Had to write them about the mistake, but it was corrected eventually.



It is a Tasco--he is becoming one of my favorite hybridizers.



Darren McGavin...



Coffee Whispers nearly rotted completely away in its original location. Potted what I could find and been hoping it would recover. Only has a nubbin of green coming out, but it is still alive and I thought the nicely mixed soil would do it good.



Also planted two tiny nubbins of By Jeeves that came up after the mother rhizome nearly rotted away in the pot after all the rain. Seems to be a tough cookie Iris-wise (channeling my inner Kubelik and Baxter), so I have some confidence that they will do well out of the pot.

Beautiful!! I do a lot of sorting out rocks and clay too. Takes forever sometimes!!

Ah -- NORTHERN northern Kentucky. I have a friend who lives up thataway. Pretty country. I hope you enjoy your visit with your friend.

Deb -- I love your picture of Coffee Whispers. I think that's the best one I've ever seen. Have you put it in the database?

Mary Ann it's my daughter and grandchildren and I am enjoying it

It's in there, Mary Ann. Thank you.

Ah Ginny -- family -- even better!!

Deb -- good!

DD and I sat up and talked until 11:30 last night. Great mother/daughter time

Clematis Chantilly // Echinacea Chiquita. I like how the petal color changes from a buttery yellow to lime-ish green as it matures.


Dwarf Ruellia Katie Blue // More blue echoes - Plumbago and Rosemary


Thai Basil // Clematis Roguchi // Trailing Lavender Lantana



Got six more Iris in the ground today. Put them in front of the kitchen window. Not as much light as they should have optimally, but they will bloom.

All beautiful Deb. I'm envious of all your blooms this long

Leaving in a few minutes to sign the final documents for the house rehab.

For anyone who may still be inclined to send a thank you note to my city inspector:

Rudy Morales
Housing and Community Services
800 Main Street, First Floor
Garland, TX 75040

I'm with Ginny. Nobody should have that kind of color this time of yr.
Did you get your rain? We had a good downpour in Montgomery Sun night, and by looking at the puddles on the way home it seemed like it extended to my house. Dirt road was wet...but I could tell by the plume of dust behind my car that it did not bode well for my gardens. Yup, confirmed by the man of the house, no rain. That ain't right!

Ann I have a can of Static Guard in my glove compartment. If I get shocked in the car I spray it on my car seat and it helps not only the car shock but at work when I go inside. The Nursery door ALWAYS shocks me in the winter so I just go in booty first, no muss no fuss.

Kabby, when we lived in Nashville I tried the static guard & it din't do a thing for me. I even sprayed my hair & brush & clothing but still had my skirt wrapping around my legs. Never tried spraying the car seat. Humm.....

On the menu today is...PINK.




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Got nine more Iris in ground, today. Have day surgery next Monday (no biggie) that will keep me from digging for a bit and I do believe I am going to make that deadline on planting all the potted Iris. Yea, me!!


These two went into the temporary holding area in back going (eventually) to my sister's house.

Her husband has a daughter named Megan and a daughter named Elizabeth. Seemed right.
http://wiki.irises.org/bin/vie...

Mary Frances


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These went here and there in front.

Gorgeous Deb. Love the colors

lovemyhouse said:Leaving in a few minutes to sign the final documents for the house rehab.

For anyone who may still be inclined to send a thank you note to my city inspector:

Rudy Morales
Housing and Community Services
800 Main Street, First Floor
Garland, TX 75040

I would love to send a thank you note - do you have his email address? (I can send a French card if not), and also do we need your full name so he will know about whom we are talking?

So happy that you will likely meet your planting deadline! Love all the color you have going on in your yard.

I do have a few roses that are in bloom today nice to have a pop of color and the honeysuckle vines still have a few flowers. Soon I will have to get my flower fix from your yard.

Hope you recover rapidly after your day surgery.

The pinks are beautiful! Perfect timing to get all the iris in, rain and cool off coming! May God bless you and all medical personnel involved for a safe and successful procedure with an easy recovery!