Hiya Pat! Glad to hear from you and that you've got some nice Nov blooms. I have lots of things blooming and my minis are all going strong too. It's been a beautiful ending to the year. I have so much new growth from last month I have to go remeasure everything:)

I'm still making a couple of stepping stones a week, between for myself and gifts it's coming along. The grandkids are making them also.
Les

Isn't it amazing how when the temps cool, we get all this energy! Here is a pretty white rose that came off of a pretty pathetic bush.
{{gwi:497639}}

I was wondering where you were. When my Mac was doing nonsense I decided to get a new one.... I haven't regretted it.

VERY pretty rose, Pat! It almost looks like there's a blush to it.

I'm glad to hear that it was your computer keeping you away and not something else. Not that I'm happy about your computer! LOL

The plants are very happy in my yard this year! My hand-me-down (ugly pink and very shrubby) Pelargoniums are still blooming, but they got a late start due to the damage from freezing temps last January. :D

Salvias blooming and growing all over the bloomin' place here! But I haven't tried any from seed yet. Some day...

Only had 1 out of 6 Centaurea montana seeds sprout in my trial run. They don't seem to appreciate bottom heat, so I'll try sowing them outside in big pots or somesuch next go-round...soon. Still waiting for a nice cold, wet storm to toss my CA poppy seeds out there.

Hope we get some more rain out of this next storm. :)

Brenda

Leslie, How many of the stepping stones are you & grandgirl making and by the way, when you get time, will you send the directons on making them. I have some directions, but it sounds like really heavy work.

Westelle, I've been keeping track of your summer harvesting and preserving. Just love the olive curing and all the rest of the stuff. My tomatoes are so bad this year, no flavor at all. Bought two 1 gallon cans of diced tomatoes and made up my winter supply of tomato marmalade. I really couldn't tell the difference between the canned & fresh in this recipe. My pc is only a couple years old, so no it really isn't worn out. This last time MS updated is when a problem occurred. Homepage all screwed up, kept getting weather reports for every city in central
calif. but not for Redding, Very strange! MS is sending me a new installation disk, so hopefully this will correct the problem. If not, the pc tech here in town said he'd be available to help me out. It's kinda interesting learning/trying to fix this stuff, but it sure slows me up and I've just got to stop and take care of other stuff, you know, like the laundry, dusting, etc. inside and whoaaaaaaaa the outside is quickly becoming a disaster area. I'll eventually get to it all.

Brenda, I've got a jillion marigolds coming up. My intention was to collect the seed and carefully seed some areas that need filling in, but time keeps flying, so right now I'm thinking about just leaving them till they get a bit bigger, then transplanting. At the present time, like right now, I'm busy trying to get the "hay" out of everything. Forgot to tell you, DD & hubby have just completely remodeled their first home and move back into it.
Their property is just across the creek from Gold Leaf Nursery. Now that sounds great, but I think they are mostly wholesale now, anyhow nothing I ever got there grew for me.That's o.k. though as Chris and Wnytour are just up the street a ways.
Pat

That's a great area, Pat! Although, you're right about that nursery. Mom doesn't care for it, either, mainly because the folks there don't seem too helpful. I only remember one plant I bought there (Cuphea), and it died...Mom's is still going strong. Go figure. LOL With the other 2 great nurseries so close, it's no big deal, as you said. :D

Brenda