So very, very dry here that the sweet gum leaves are turning yellow, then brown, and then dropping off. Makes me very sad that there will be very little to no fall color on them.

I saw on the weather today that Alabama is listed as in severe drought, not that I needed to be told!

It's very dry up here in PA too. We got much needed rain back in late September, but not a drop since. The farmers are glad because of the harvest, but my gardens could use some rain.
Re: Pine Straw. I like the looks of that too but can never get enough to do any good.

Yes we have an outdoor fire ban on 46 of our counties, it might be more than that by now. Montgomery got a good rain Sun night while I was at work, but as I came home it got progressively drier. None here.
I have bulbs to plant but I'm not in any hurry. I have potted plants that I have to fit in somewhere.
I know you've been to Lowes, what have you come home with?
BTW the daylilies from Rainbow Acres look great. Are you running out of real estate yet?

Believe it or not I have not been to Lowe's or anywhere else looking for plants lately. I was having some stomach problems and Betty is having eye surgery for cataracts. It seems I have spent almost every day for the past two weeks in a doctor's office of some kind. It is the best time of year for that because with the drought, the garden needs very little work right now except for watering.Of course after years of not seeing a doctor they seem to be trying to make up for lost time.
I have set my goal of having 200 named variety daylilies, when I reach that I will take out one for each one added. That is the plan at least, so I have not run out of real estate yet, and if I stick with my plan I should be ok.
Plus, I still have a few nice spots that are just filled with Flore Pleno /Kwanso type plants, and of course some noids. I plan to remove more of them and that will free up some space for any overflow. I can grow them a year or two and then decide if they deserve to stay.
I am at the point now where I can be much more selective with my choices, and I still have room to select some just for the fun of it. They don't have to be the latest, but I want them to be great garden plants. I sort of got away from that with my California selections, but then I was wanting to get some newer plants with high bud counts and great branching. I really did not have many later cultivars and I tried to correct that a little.
Are you still interested in any Amaryllis bulbs, I think now is a good time of year to plant them.

Thanks but no Larry. November will be here before I get going to plant anything, I've got a case of the Libra lazies.
You have had a year of illness this yr. Betty's sister, now you and Betty too.
That's a good plan on the daylilies, buy one, remove one. I hope to move more out next yr.

Well, it is really not a problem to dig a few bulbs. So if you do get a spurt of energy just let me know!

I just had my 60th birthday. My life is over.

Ah youth... such a good time in life. Why you are barely over the teenage years. Isn't 60 the new 40. I am hoping that 70 will be the new 50.
Happy Birthday!!! Enjoy it while your young.

So when is that ..ahem.. new 50 going to happen? Jerry turns 74 later this month, that cradle robber.
Also I was looking at old T mails, do you want a few fans of Velvet Ribbons next spring?

Let me just say that next year Betty and I will both be required to take money out of our IRA's, that is the government requirement for people reaching the new 50 and a half.
Yes, if Velvet Ribbons has a good year and does well for you I would still love to have it.
Look over my plant list here on NGA, see if there is anything you would like to trade for.

Will do. BTW I love the way the pine straw makes your gardens look. Very pristine.