This week has been catch-up time, but I'm not sure everything got caught up! Still haven't found the diagram/list of new Dahlias and they are starting to bloom, no idea what they are, but that doesn't take away their beauty. The list will turn up sooner or later and what a surprise that will be.

Thought the new grass would never germinate, but friend got my bifocals focused and yes by golly there are blades of green coming up all over the planted area. Patience seems to be the key word in my new life style and sometimes it really sucks! I can so appreciate how an animal on a leash must feel at times, you forget it's there. I'm very comfortable till this happens and get jerked up at the end of my "tether", this is when words that I was sure were no longer in my vacabulary come to be vocalized and it's not a ladylike thing to hear! My shoulders are very sore from all this pulling and jerking so will cool it for a while.

The cats from neighbors now have 3 tall stems of Hollyhocks torn down. They are trying to catch the birds and the birds are winning, thank goodness! Somehow, somewhere I'll find a humane way to get rid of these annoyances!

I had cleaned the pond and put some watercress in it. Couldn't believe it, but the cress had new roots within 2 days. After a week I could hardly see anything but water cress, so most of it had to go. The Jap.Iris bulbs are swooshing around in the pond now as I accidentally spilled the water plant basket. DD said she'd come over and help me with this task and we might even get a Hosta or two planted in the pond this year.

About 3 months ago I had started 18 new slips of some of my most treasured Mums, they had all taken root and were ready for the first planting when I screwed up. I've tried now for about 3 weeks to hopefully get them to recover, but I guess besides being the wrong time of the year to slip them, then the neglect it just isn't meant to be. I really feel bad about this as they were promised to 2 young ladies who work full time jobs, love to garden, but as with any young family, money can be an issue when it comes to gardening and buying nice plants. Well, god willing , we'll still have an abundance of Mum blooms for the winter holidays.

In the meantime, I'll just watch as the Day Lillies start their cycle of blooming, only red ones so far and no sign of the Asiatic Lilies. Saw a white Calla Lily peeking out from behind some foliage, this is in a bed that I put all the callas to sort them out. Lots of Yellow ones coming up, hope to see some blooms soon.

Still haven't got my time scheduled out properly, awaken , get up at 5 a.m., by 10 a.m. ready to hit the sack again, this goes on all day long, go like gangbusters, then burn out! Need a bit more discipline in my life, so will work on this problem. So this has been my week...muddled, screwed up and very thankful that I am still here to gripe about it! Pat

P.S. I posted a couple of the new Dahlias in the Gallery.