CA trip...

Oh my sweet Vanilla... he is trully a calendar cat... my boyfriend Vanilla... oh that picture is sooo great!!!! love it!!!!

Nancy I am soooo happy to hear from you!!!!! when I was at Filoli I kept thinking of you... oh you would love it! it's such an amazing place... and a paradise for photographers... gorgeous views!

Pirl, I used to spend so much money on bad pictures... it was so frustrating to wait for the pics and to see how bad they came up!!! in the end I was taking tons of black and white pics... what a difference now!!!
It's so neat that for you photography got you gardening... and for me gardening got me into photography once again... and this time I don't see any reason not to continue!!!
I am not ready for and SLR yet... money and time to learn and practice...

Candyce, Zuzu is a "very wonderful" person... oh I wish we could live closer so I could get to see her, the wonderful kitties and her roses more often!!! and of course eat great food, talk for hours, and laugh...

Regarding marriage... I have no experience on being married ... I almost got married 2X... and I don't regreat breaking up both engagements... and now I am too old, too set on my ways and my money is for gardening, travelling and school!!!!

Speaking of pets... I took this pic today... they are back in my bedroom window... so cute ... and now those 2 are also picky eaters... they are not eating the regular food... just the dry shrimp !!!! wow, they are just like my dogs!

Marriage?? Some people are blessed,(like me), to have found the right person. That makes it "almost easy" to have a lasting relationship. Today is my 40th anniversary.

Oops! I forgot to wish the man who made it possible a happy day.......bye!

Happy Anniversary, nap and Mr. Nap!

Happy Anniversry nap! DH and I had our 30th back in Feb. Still my best friend.

You were married on his BD?, talk about making sure he can remember! I have to remind my DW on what day ours is.

Al - I believe nap wished her hubby a happy day, not a happy birthday.

Beautiful dahlia, Al.

I got it out of the way, I don't want him to think I ignored his BD again ;)

Thanks, kids!! I appreciate the wishes. So far we've seen each other for about 10 minutes today. That could be why we've stayed happily married, maybe.

It's the thought that counts, Al. Thanks.

Happy anniversary Nancy!!!!! I am glad for you... it's a milestone for sure!!!

I am so tired today... I gardened for the past 2 days... really did a lot... my elbow is killing me...
I cleaned, raked, and moved some plants around...
I may have done a bad thing but I transplanted 2 roses I planted last year (La Reine and Baby Ballerina), planted Clair Matin, the 2 "My wild irish roses"
and still have Crimson Red ... completly forgot!
planted 5 lavender plants ( I planted them last spring and they grew so much) now they are among the roses... really looks nice...
got rid of all the zinnias, cosmos, and some other annuals...
cut dahlias and made bouquets for my mom and my neighboor
helped my newest landscape guy to make 5 new flower bed for next year
helped him to spread about 7 yards of mulch (such a great looking mulch really old and not smelly!!!)
My nephew Alec helped me to pack some seeds that were already dry
Planted black eyed susan's Dave gave me...thanks!
Planted the hostas and other plants Thom gave me... thanks!
Finally planted the siberian irises Zuzu gave me ... thanks my dear friend!!!
Splited some daylillies and planted in front of the house...

God help me but I feel my age! by all means... my arm is really hurting... but I am happy.
I don't have pictures of the finish project... but I will take it tomorrow and so you guys can see... much less grass... a new bed for the dahlias and the new roses...

Good God, Kassia. You need a good vacation. Maybe you should come back here for Regan's half-price sale.

While you were being productive, Kell and I went to some more nurseries and spent some more money on plants that may or may not ever get into the ground.

Speaking of Kell, here's one of the pictures she took of us while you were here. I like it because it epitomizes what we were doing most of the time: standing by an unidentified rose bush and waiting for someone to tell us its name.

Oh, Zu I am paying the price today... I could not really sleep... I kept thinking of how much it still needs to be done!!! and telling myself I am not buying any more plants... no more roses! LOL....

Oh, I need to get a nursing job... not that I am looking hard!

Love the picture!!!! we look good! and of course that orange rose is trully hot!

The photo is great.

Kassia - while you still have even one blade of grass you have room to expand.

LOL... Pirl, I was outside today and kept thinking on how much grass still left... oh well, I have to leave some for the following years!

here are the pics of the hard work... doesn't look great this year, and it's not finished yet, but ....

this is like if you were entering the garden ....

This message was edited Oct 15, 2007 8:32 PM

the new bed ... roses will be planted there... also I am placing 2 rose trees (in pots right in the middle...

what a mess!

Eden? Pretty ambitious!

I ordered a climber - Eden and that's where she will be planted... and probably another 4-5 roses... also planted 2 dwarf arboe vitae bushes...

Hi Victor... lol...

well, this is the Eden I mean!!!

And she gets her own bed?!!

all the heavy work that gave me a big backache today... oh I can't walk with dignity today!

yes she does... and of course some company... nevertheless is her bed!!!

and right in the middle of the garden I am going to plant some dahlias... I am thinking of all the orange and purple dahlias.

Kassia - you have the start of Filoli East!!!!!!!!!!!

I love everything except that one note about "new grass here". You're doing a great job and deserve every aching muscle in your body. Your ambition is admirable!

Pirl,
i need a sitting area... how are we going to sit down and drink tea??? I am waiting for some NE friends to come and visit next year!!!!

I saw the chair and wish you'd use it now and then for something other than your pruners and other tools. It's very hard work, as you know all too well.

Kassia:

My goodness, girl! No wonder you are hurting! That took a lot of work. I'm proud of you, but at the same time, yeah ... stop and sit once in a while!

You are going to be so proud of the new beauty you have created, for sure!!

Yes, take a break and then be ready at my garden bright and early! I have lots of labor awaiting and your back is obviously much healthier than mine.

Thanks... Victor I wish I could help you! but you are kind of far!!!! LOL... excuses ... excuses...

oh I am dreaming of next year already!

And, who ISN'T dreaming of Spring already?????

Don't take me wrong... I need some rest from gardening since my heart is so divided right now between gardening and school.... I just want the following months to go quick!

And time will certainly seem to drag this winter, won't it?
I can't wait to do comparison photos of the gardens this year against next year's photos.

Here is the entire plant - Cuphea

dahlia... they are still going strong!

sedum- this is my favorite pic today with the new camera....

miniature

Lady of Guadalupe!

Congrats on the new camera, great shots Kassia!

I always think of you now when I see mini roses, took tons of pictures at the Heritage Rose Garden again yesterday, uploaded most into PF already. Look at this cutie, Copper Sunset

oooohhhhhhhh ......
Copper Sunset is gorgeous!!

Oh Sue, they are adorable aren't they??? I just finished prunning mine... I am going to protect them really well this year and hope for the best!

Are there some roses that you prune in the fall, and then some that you wait until Spring to prune?

Candyce, I was looking for Kassia's pictures of my Chantilly cat and noticed that no one had ever answered your question. Sorry.

As a rule, once-blooming roses are pruned later than the others. They have to be pruned after they bloom. The rest are pruned in winter here in California and in spring in other parts of the country. People usually wait until the Forsythias are in bloom to start pruning. That seems to be a good general rule. We don't do that here, because -- ideally -- our roses should be in bloom at the same time as the Forsythias. I always try to finish pruning my roses before Christmas. They never really go dormant here, but a good pruning fools them into taking a rest.