Well, I guess itÂs a week of birthdaysÂwow! Trying to remember if Babs has been here since I arrived but drawing a blank. Maybe sheÂll drop in to say hi on her birthday. I do not have that much spring color yet; hoping the shrubs pop after this rain to brighten things up. Cyn, I canÂt believe youÂre going to reach 90 today! My neighborÂs violets are spreading into our yard. ItÂs not that I hate them, itÂs more that I hate not having a choice about getting them, lol. Trip to one nursery was a bit disappointing. They have a display of plants they grow in their greenhouse so everything is still young. More variety will be offered when shipments come in and I realize itÂs still very early in the season. Thought youÂd want to know that I bought a new pair of rockers in honor of all your birthdays! (snicker) They are sooo comfortable, Drema, that toe knuckle doesnÂt even have to bend! Supposed to help tone your calves and bum, too, but they just feel great. DD loves hers and suggested I might like them. No problem getting used to the curved sole either, I put them on and wore them home. Just noticed I was so anxious to start walking I forgot to lace the top eyelet! HereÂs a pic standing in the garage doing a contortion act so you can see the side sole. Must start thinking about dinnerÂpossibly meatloaf and scalloped potatoes. DH wonÂt get home until later this evening so itÂs my turn to cook. Anything I donÂt have to stand at the stove gets my vote. Hey, Chelone!...waving you back here :-)

Oh, my goodness, that tulip is GORGEOUS, Mikey! That whole area of your garden is so pretty. Thanks for sharing the rock rose image, too! I'm still waiting for mine to bloom. The rain (as I type this, in fact) has kept mine plastered to the ground lately. I'll be so happy when it springs back up and starts blooming. :) Brenda

THANKS for commenting everyone. Jean, you are right....Zeus will always be MY baby. I am glad you are trying foxgloves. I hope they prosper for you. Here they re-seed like crazy so I keep getting more. Linda, that little primrose keeps coming back every spring and blooms it's head off. It was a potted grocery store flower I got as a gift one winter and I planted it outside that spring wondering if it could survive and it most certainly has! It's the very first thing to bloom here, even before tulips and other spring bulbs. It's been in bloom for 3 weeks already. Andrea, I also have 3 grands under age 3 so we have that in common....(counting the one in utero)....and I agree, they sure do wear you out. I just babysit the other 2 but this baby coming will be living with me so I don't anticipate getting any sleep after this month...haha. Debra, so good to hear from you! I walk around my garden and think of you when I see the daylilies from you growing and look forward to your gorgeous photos soon. Avedon, LOL....Zeus probably wouldn't even mind wearing a diaper he is more human than feline! Mantis, these are the daylilies that didn't come back from the winter: Berry Cheesecake, Rapid Eye Movement, Navajo Princess and Siloam Cinderella. I dug down yesterday and there was nothing there, just a trace of mushy roots so I know they're toast. I had each of them for at least 3 winters and never had a problem. Rita, my tulips could never rival yours but they are what's left that still blooms. Probably this will be the last of them since tulips usually only bloom well a couple of years here then just come up as leaves. I do enjoy them but hate having to spend more money to replant so often, so I will just enjoy yours! Celeste

Hi, to you. Yes, I really like Beatline Nursery - the owner is the kindest person, and they are all helpful there. I called the antique roses place a few weeks ago, because several people here online recommended them. She was very nice, but said most of her business was done through mail order, and at the time I called her garden/nursery was still kind of a mess. She did offer to meet with me on an available weekend to help me make some rose selections. I haven't had time to take her up on it yet. I think it's going to take a long time for this area to recover from Katrina. We were in Long Beach and lost it all, so have just moved into our Pass Christian house in November. I have missed working in the yard so much, and seeing things bloom and grow, so I'm rushing springtime as much as I can - ha. How nice that you have an escape place near Pensacola. The Thanksgiving after Katrina hit, we were desperate to get away, out of the camper, so splurged and booked a condo with my sister's family in Perdido (Windemere?) They had a great holiday rate offered, so it wasn't a bad price at all. It was the most beautiful condo we've ever stayed in, but Ivan's wrath was still very apparent all around us. The highlight of the trip was taking a bath in the soaker tub (first bath in a real bathtub since Katrina!) and I was in heaven! (It's the little things - ha!) Thanks so much for your input!