I haven't been feeling to well the past few days. Have strep throat, for which I am taking antibiotics for. Went out today to go grocery shopping and get a Christmas tree...got the carnations instead of a tree. I love fresh flowers and decided to get them instead. They smell so good and aren't they pretty.  

I got flowers today. 

Kitty waiting for me to go to bed so he can snack on the flowers. 

A snapshot of one of the Chemo Caps I'm making to give away. It's made with Fancy Fur Lion Brand. It only weighs 3 ounces but does look heavier. This one I made by special request for an orange lover. It's a very soft yarn. 

Snow is forcast for tomorrow, but here in my yard a Dandelion is still in bloom. Northern Lights were bright and dancing most of the night on Sunday. It's 46 degrees now, a little chilly but that's our normal for this time of year. Took the yard furniture down now and oiled up the snow blower...bring on winter so we can get it over with. 

The witches got together for a cackle fest!  

Here's Owen, almost 9 months old now, having his picture taken with the monster doll that is on my garden chair. He loved the monster and played with it for a while.  

I had this African violet for quite a while and it was all wilting and dying. Our credit union president at work has several beautiful blooming violets in his office. I asked him how he gets them to grow so good. He said I should put mine inside a bigger container and put the water in the outside container. Here it is three months later starting to bloom and looking pretty healthy. My Mom always had such beautiful African violets and now I will too. I guess you just have to listen to the growing secrets. 

Here's Owen and that's the Pumpkin Patch garden behind him. The pink flowers to the right are Gaura...watch for them next year, they're the up and coming perennial for 2005. I missed altogether the flowers behind him, they are hardy Hybiscus. Well that's about it, looks like Owen wants me to pick him back up. Happy gardening! Sure is a beautiful fall in WIsconsin. 

It's been quite a summer. I was given a few tiny tomatoe plants at the end of July. They were heirloom and I don't know what kind they are. I figured I wouldn't get any tomatoes but as you can see in the picture I have a regular crop of tomato. Having the tree fall in the yard and the flood in the basement further delayed gardening and also the discouragement that went with it all. But I've started back taking care of the yard again and while it doesn't look great, it's becoming presentable. I have my little secret garden back in place and like to sit there and read or daydream, sometimes I even garden.  

The zoo garden has really grown a lot. I think maybe the Spider flowers are a little overwhelming for it though. They are just annuals so they won't come up again next year. I sure have been able to save a lot of seeds though.

Today Owen and I visited the animals at the Wild Life Sanctuary. Here he is shown with a Bobcat with a barrier in between them. Also there were wolves, ravens, fischers, a show off fox that loved having his picture taken, and a deer that came right up to Owen so Owen could touch his nose. Owen especially like the Raven because it was flying around. His parents picked him up shortly after we got back home. He was so sleepy. 

I turned 64 on August 31st. Only 18 months until I retire. Here are a few of my birthday gifts. It was a great day. 

This is the picture I've been looking for, for quite some time. Found it today, although not in the best of conditions. Got it anyway. It's called The Angelus. Hope to get a better copy someday.

Never heard of turtlehead before you planted it and now I have it coming in bloom in my zoo garden...thanks! 

We went to Farmer's Market today, grandma and me. We got corn on the cob. A lettuce mix, cucumbers, a green pepper, some blueberries, and a wonderful Door County Cherry Pie. It was cold and rainy but not too bad. I was pretty tired when I got back to Grandma's house so I slept until my Mom and Dad came after work to pick me up. Even though I really love being at Grandma's house, I am also especially happy to go back home. 

This is Chocolate Joe Pye Weed. It's in full bloom right now, and had a chocolate scent. It was a nice cool sunny day today, good for pulling weeds and visiting my grandchild who is teething again. 

This is a group shot at my neice Anne's wedding reception. Some of the people are Anne in white, Sandra, Leo, Tom, Cathy, Patti, Spencer. Not sure who the rest are.  

A bowl of the delicious fruit of summer 

Spider Flowers. It's almost dark because I was watering the yard and it took about two hours. It's been dry for quite some time now and I have a hedge that needed to be watered. 

Owen 

This is Sweet Autumn Clematis that grows on my chain link fence. It is so pretty and blossoms well into the fall. Very easy to grow too. 

News

Today the tree cutter came by and gave me an estimate of $400, to cut down the tree and remove the brush and wood. Each thing has a separate estimate so if I could do any of those things it would be cheaper. It will be another two weeks before they can get to the job though and then I'll have the fence repaired. I guess I'll have to get back there and cut the grass. I don't care much for my backyard anymore. I'm sure once everything is settled and the strangers are gone I'll feel differently but then by that time it will be next year. As I said before, losing a tree, especially one that's been around for more than 60 years is very sad.

My zoo garden is growing but still not too much in bloom. Haven't been in the backyard too much since the tree fell. I don't even cut the grass back there. Hopeful that it will be cut down this week sometime. It's a sad thing to lose an old tree. It is for me anyway.  

My sisters and I try to get together at least once a month for shopping or crafts or whatever. We've been doing this for a couple years now and it's very enjoyable. Pictured here are three of my sisters, Angel, Sandra, and Cathy. 

Here's that darling grandboy in his new hat that his Mom got for him. He is almost 6 months old already and what a joy he is.