I hate metallic thread

OY -- Wisper *IS* one of the fibers I cut short. Twelve inches is too short for MOI so I probably cut mine closer to 18" but only actually stitch with 12" of it. I've come to realize that I'm just not comfortable stitching with shorter lengths -- no idea why, either. And yes, it's time for updated photos of the backyard now that everything is firmly rooted -- including all of the weeds!!!!! This is the first time I have had to deal with trying to turn "virgin" land into something more civilized! The weeds are an unbelievably obnoxious P.I.T.A.! I'll have to clean up my day lilies too and add a photo of them for Cheryl. In amongst the mass of them are ones that she sent me several years ago :-). OOOOO and my calla lilies are blooming beautifully -- I am SOOOO thrilled about that. I planted some 3 years ago and then I added additional bulbs 2 years ago. I got nice greens last year but no flowers. This year I have lovely vibrant pink flowers and and just tickled pink myself :-). I'll take some photos of the different areas of the property now that everything is running rampant and post them to Webshots. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

Just what works for you. I switched to petite needles some years back, and that also helps with the shorter lengths. I also use short lengths with any of the velour, or petite velours, or any of the tubular type threads. Else it seems to me they tend to stretch or snap in some very inconvenient way.

I figured I'd prod you since I've been a bad girl and was somewhat slow getting my daylily shipment into the ground. We're having some very healthy weeds - though not as bad as last year. But, we also did the virgin earth, and it's well amended so the weeds love it. The weird thing - I planted a few little sage plants - kind of look like purple huechera (not the Russian sage) - anyhow this stuff which looked weak last summer - has gone nuts and must've sent seeds all over, because now there are many, many of these plants. I actually am going to pull a couple to transplant, and one that has gotten overrun with a huge clover patch comingling. Also, our Weeping Pussy Willow which was abused by Japanese Beetles last year has come back amazingly. We've now named it "Cousin It" as it's so full and green and has trailed down to the ground. So, that's a good thing.

I should be out there working now, but I'm having an avoidance of work morning and catching up on e-mail, etc.

Looking forward to seeing your pix!

Ellice

ellice wrote: We're having some very healthy

Don't talk to me about weeds! aaargh! I have one little cultivated circle garden in the front, and it had amazing bulbs in April/early May that have given way to wild strawberries and morning glories in profusion. It's been too dry to weed successfully - everything breaks off when you try to yank it - but finally Sunday night I ran the sprinkler for a few hours, and Monday morning it was perfect for yanking/digging out roots for as long as my knees could stand it - about

DH and I are having a running "discussion" about money plant. He says they're weeds, and I say they're not because I like them! We have a bumper crop this year - everywhere - and had pretty purple flowers all over in early spring. Now I'm just keeping track for the best time to yank most of them out for drying so that only a few go to seed and the plants aren't *quite* so prolific next year. Sometimes I yank out the plants and give them to the kids on the street in the summer. I figure it keeps them busy for an afternoon "cleaning" the plants - removing seeds to expose the silver dollars - and then they have a wagonload of dried flowers that they can sell to the neighbors. It's a variation on the lemonade stand....25 cents will buy you a good-sized stem of clean and dry money plant!

Sue

-- Susan Hartman/Dirty Linen The Magazine of Folk and World Music

Weeding never ends

Cool! I do love those. My grandmother considered them luck!

Love the Money plant, too. We used to grow a bed of them in Illinois, but when I tried to start them in Minnesota, they didn't take. I thought the deer ended up eating the young plants as they will eat anything green in the early spring as things just start to grow. So no more Money plants. I used to let them all go to seed, but brought them inside to clean and collect the seeds. Then I passed out the stems to anyone who wanted them. Letting the kids sell them is a great idea. Clarice

Since retirement I have followed the philosophy that a weed is just a plant that is in the wrong place...

Want some seeds Clarice? C

And I don't mind them unless they are in the path. C

No thanks, Cheryl. I am actually hoping to cut back on the amount of garden I have to take care of. Last year I broke an arm trying to clean up the dead stuff before we left for AZ. Now old Mr. Arthur Rite Us has hit harder and I have a bum knee. So although I love the plant, I don't need another bed to take on. Getting up there so late this year, I don't know what we will do about annuals. We usually plant 6 flats in various places and I have a large circle garden in the center of our parking area with a huge and very neat boulder in the center. It is on a slant and I'm worried I can't manage to get it cleaned up as it is full of perennials, if the deer left any, not being there to spray with Liquid Fence. So we are returning to MN a little handicapped this year. DH having been sick off and on since Jan. and me just getting older and creakier. Thanks for the offer, though. Clarice in AZ/MN

Then how about a dried stem or two for the remembrance sakes?