Stir crazy, part 2

LOL, oh you guys flatter me! Thanks!

I got my first white hair when I was 17, and my hair looked frosted by the time I was 30. I did color it for a while when my children were young because it bothered them, not me. Eventually, there was so much that the white roots were too difficult to keep covered (I think it makes you look even older to have those white roots with dyed hair), so I went baby blond and then bit the bullet to let it grow out. I will never dye it again! People stop me - especially other women - to comment and complement. I think a really good cut is the key to wearing gray hair at a younger age and not have it age you. Another DG member whom I met for a trade last year called it "Power Gray". I love that! My mother was also prematurely gray, and it can be an indicator of thyroid disease - which we both had. I accepted the fact that my hair is gray/white and am thankful for the fact that I have hair. After I was treated for the thyroid, my hair started to fall out, and it made me appreciate what cancer patients must feel like. I got over my vanity, and figured that there are so many women who would be happy to just have hair - regardless of the color, and decided to appreciate what I have! This isn't to say that everyone should make the same decision, but that it was right for me, and I am not a grandmother. Nor even a senior citizen!

I guess I'm a senior citizen, now that AARP started sending me brochures when I turned 55. I'm 59 now, so I thought I had one more year to go, but who cares.

I don't have any thyroid condition, so that's not why my hair turned grey. I do have very full hair, for which I am thankful. i would consider not dyeing it, if it wasn't a stripe right down the middle.

White roots on dyed hair does look horrible. I use the touch up, in between colorings so I don't have that.

My mother had very strange hair. She was almost blonde until she was about 50, then her hair turned almost black, with not a hint of grey. To the day she died at almost 90 she had little grey. Dad was a redhead. My brother and I both have very dark brown, almost black. My daughter and my brothers daughter have almost black hair, but my brothers son is a redhead, and his mothers hair is almost black, too. Strange genetic pool I have.

My hair is straight and fine. Even though it's white now, it has not changed texture; I still have to do all kinds of things to give it lift. I never wanted to look like the permed and frizzed crowd since I was a teen during the late 60s and early to mid 70s. We all wore that long, straight hair and I was so in my element. Never had to iron my hair, but during the late 70s and early 80s, had to use perms and body waves (ye gods!) to follow fashion. Hated how the roots would be straight while the rest was curly. Bozo the Clown comes to mind....

You never know what's going to pop up within any gene pool. My kids and theirs will be a mystery since my hubby was adopted as an infant during WWII. Sure makes thing interesting!

on no...the hair thing again ! LOL

If 10 women were trapped in a room that was on fire, I think they'd all make sure their hair looked good before they jumped out the window !

But... but... it's our crowning glory!

Don't you California people, and/ or you westerners or southerners have any spring pictures to show us poor northerners?

Here's my yard.

Yes, we do, Polly. Sue and I went to five nurseries today and she took a ton of photos, so they'll be on here soon. I didn't take very many, because there's no point when Sue's there with her camera, but here's a beautiful pink rhodie at one of the nurseries.

Now that's what I want to see! Thanks Zuzu. I'm waiting on you Sue!

Bet you gals had a fun day.

Sonoma Horticultural Nursery has eight acres of plants. These are some of their 1-gallon azaleas. This is in a big shade structure, and as far as the eye can see in this photo, it's all 1-gallon azaleas. I was inside the structure, so it's not even a full view of this one azalea display area. They have another one for the 2-gallon azaleas.

This was Sue's back seat, filled with our purchases. There were more on the floor.

This is the area behind the back seat, filled with roses, clematis, lapageria, etc.

It's actually a picture of Sue taking a picture of the back of the vehicle. Notice the leaf in her hair. That was from two nurseries before this one.

That's lovely, Zuzu. In the middle box, slightly on left, there is something that looks like a coreopsis, is yellow and maroon in bloom? And then behind it, what's the one with small red blooms?

Plants look nice. Those primroses look large. I like the colors or the pansies. As soon as the snow gets gone we can plant pansies here.

Sharon, the thing that's maroon and yellow is Linaria Flamenco, and there are some little red flowers on a Callibrachoa behind it, but do you mean the orange one? That's a Diascia.

Thanks, Zu...that's what I didn't recognize, the Diascia too, actually.

I had a youth group who came and cleaned the debris from my yard today, finally, first time it has been a good clear day to work. With the debris gone, I found all my daffs ready to bloom, crocus, hellebores. All the dayliles are about 6-8 inches, same with iris. They were all buried under the limbs and branches, so I had seen none of them. To walk in my back yard was to risk broken bones, it was that bad.

But no more...with all this 70 degree weather, you might not hear from me till maybe about November.

Not on your life, Lady. We want pictures from now until November.

Glad you got your yard cleaned up Sharon. That's got to be a big relief.

I can't begin to tell you how great it is.
And yes, Zuzu, pictures maybe tomorrow.

Tired but smiling at the nice spring nursery shopping day we had, pictures going on the March thread pirl started.

This message was edited Mar 7, 2009 6:04 AM

What a treat for us northerners.
The "car full "is a new high for plant count.
I was working in my desktop daybook and realizes my GC order is due in 50 days. Waaaaahooo, make spring seem closer than to say two months.

What a great way to get your yard cleaned up, Sharon. Now you're really ready for spring.

What was truly amazing Pirl, was that I didn't know they were coming, but some of the parents of the kids came with them, brought chain saws....and those parents were my former students. I had not seen them for years, but they knew it was my yard, so they surprised me. It was amazing.

Zuzu, here's your first photo.....
A lot of blooms under there, but some things were badly damaged, too.

Like this....had a log on top, but boy they are survivors.

And Zuzu, sweet Dorothy is looking very very healthy. If I can only get her tied back up again.

I lost my tiny mint green JM, can't remember its name either, it no longer has arms. Doubt if it will survive.

But hellebores....ah yes.

The rest are just photos of buds on more crocus, and also the 10' tall piles of limbs that cover the front waiting for pickup. Not pretty. But at least, there was color beneath the debris.

Beautiful Crocus!

you guys CAN believe it... Sue is the youngest great looking grandmother I have ever met... she is really beautiful... don't know the secret yet, but I am seeing her again next month and I will take her pic and post! lol...

Yikes! Time to loose weight and go to the spa!

ha... you really don't need it...just wear black! oh Sue your hair is longer!!!! it was short last time I saw you! and Zu of course looks good as always... you CA girls look really great... maybe I should move there!

Yes, you should!

I keep thinking about it... you know there is a commercial about visiting CA... shows all the wonderful vineyards and food etc... and of course Maria and the govenor... and they say that are warning you "that you never be here(CA) only once... the governor goes in his best terminator accent "you will be back"... I laugh every time I see it... yes, this will be my 3rd visit to CA... the only place I have visited more than once... even NY... only have been there once... no desire to go back... or FL either... but CA??? another story!