WAR OF THE ROSES

BEFORE

When I became interested in Gardening- O.K. obsessed might be a better word-
I read many articles and books about pruning rose bushes. I have about 40 in my yard and wanted to become an "expert" on the pruning thereof.

I used to practically take a sextant and compass into the garden with me and I would study each cane and precisely cut each one a certain way. It would take me days to do just the rose bushes in my spring clean-up. Low and behold people would see me taking such care and ask my advise, which I would freely give them--mistakenly thinking I actually knew something.

One year about 18 years ago I offered to prune my mothers rose bushes because my Daddy had pruned them in the past and just wacked them off all the same height and in my wisdom I thought they deserved the same care that I was giving mine. Mind you I was questioning my wonderful Dad who came from 6 generations of farmers and had pruned his 55 acre farm by himself most of his life.

He generously turned the job over to me (he was so busy he was probably glad I offered). Fast forward to a couple of years after Dad passed away. I was in a hurry and didn't have much time and decided to give Dad's approach a try.

Worked great, roses never looked better and I could accomplish in 1/2 day what had taken me several days in the past. Sorry Dad for questioning you. Should have taken your advise from the beginning----once again. The rose bushes on this post belong to mother-in-law's yard that we did last week.

AFTER

EASTER 2008

All information for this post is borrowed from Andi's blog, Thanks Andi:

Easter this year is Sunday, March 23, 2008. Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20).

Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have seen it this early before (95 years old or above!) None of us have ever or will ever see it a day earlier.

The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now.)

The last time it was this early was 1913. The last time it was on March 22 was 1818.

SCRAPBOOK-- PASSING IT ON

Another big day has come. It's time to pass the Scrapbook, or in this case 2 scrapbooks on to the grown up. Isn't he a cute little boy and now he's 33 and has a beautiful wife and a cute little boy of his own. Had a few tears in the copy shop when I made copies of a couple of special pages.