At 02:59 PM 11/5/98 -0800, you wrote: <snip>> >What's happening in your garden? > >George, Miz Anne, and Sleepy Dawg (both the humans are much better thank >you) > The torrential storm of sleet and rain from last night has melted the inch of snow that was in my garden. Yesterday, as I drove off to work, I couldn't help notice how pretty things are when covered with snow. Something inside me enjoys the illusion that all is clean and fresh washed... the dead weeds I call a lawn takes on a glamour that it never has in the summertime. My knot garden is not mulched so the snow did not stick, I had this greeen-silver-brown area surrounded by white, a very eye pleasing site. My birdhouse gourds are still on the vine, Lillian leaves hers out, so I thought I'd try it (any excuse to be lazy <grin>). They all look a bit silly hanging there out in the open with no foliage to hide amongst. I've got a few of them wrapped in green mesh onion bags for support, but didn't have enough of those so had to use pantyhose on a few, and I think they look ridiculous. I have ghost and pumpkin trees in the front. My son and the neighbors went and dug up some dead sumac bushes and 'planted' them in an area that was freshly tilled. Stuffed little white and orange bags with newspaper and hung 'em up, instant ghoul forest. Actually looks pretty cool at night, like they are really floating around. The sweet allysum and a couple of lonely little petunias are the only thing that has not succumbed to the frosts and snows. Still smells like summer if you walk out the back door (and ignore the icy blast that hits your face). Today, I'm taking my Cub Scouts out along the ski trails and we will be hanging bird houses. They have to draw location maps and pass them on to another den for Spring cleaning... I'm just glad we are the ones making the maps... and not following them <vbg>. That's all the news from Lake Michigan, everyone have a good weekend... Cynthia (very glad to hear the Shirley's are on the mend) **Womyn Who Moves Mountains-Little Finger Of Michigan** **cmayeaux@traverse.com **USDA zone 4b-Sunset zone 41** ** http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/2659/garden/cynthia.html **