I never have luck with clematis, don't know why, tried it at four different gardens. Followed all recommendations, strange. Everything else is well behaved for me. Maybe my thumb is only half green.
Have a good day today Linda :)

Well, I guess my tiny cow creamer is a centerpiece, anyone here want to borrow it for a fancy party? ;D

My clematis is in well drained soil, against a West fence...Open to the east sun...does very well, but I too have had some that didn't do well.

I think they're really finicky.

Michelle, maybe I never stopped hitting it, so it's actually late. (LOL)
Yes, I had one clematis that didn't do well...I do have one on the South side of my house that does not do as well as the one on the West....Also my North one doesn't do as well either...it is more shaded than the one on the West due to deep overhang on house.

What's on other long wall? Or is it open to another room on that side?

HI EZ!! I wish I could help! I imagine u need room to maneuver & having anything to cluttered would be a hindrance?

Well, even on the sauce ;) you're doing better with the plant than I can. I don't even bother buying them anymore, it makes me sad to watch them die.

@Mforr http://www.gardeners.com/Grow-Clematis/8203,default,pg.html

Seems to follow what I have found out with mine...need at least 6 hrs of sun a day and well drained soil. I know what u mean, I had a few not do well too!!! It's not you!

I'll write my own article about how to compost clematis after you've killed it. ;)

Thanks Robin...we need good thoughts...Need to try to get a key made for this old truck....pay a locksmith, etc...towing fees, etc...drive 160 miles...costing us some cash unfortunately.

Thank You EZ!! In re: Keys... We were not using the truck as Chuck had a company truck, so we had just licensed it 2 days b4 it was stolen ...and only had the one key..It was on the list to get another one or two spares! :) But as luck would have it...it was stolen first!! LOL
At least we got it back...we r working on going to get the truck today, hiring a local friend of a friend to go there with Chuck (he is a locksmith), and make us a new key..we will pay him on the side as the poor fellow has cancer and can use the funds...worked for all of us all the way around!! This is going to be a 2 or 3 hundred dollar mistake (leaving key in vehicle)...but at least we don't have to buy another truck.
Auntie EZ...thank you for your concern and kind words..I do appreciate it very much!!

Is the weather holding up for you Robin?

Severe thunderstorm watch issued for the region with slow moving clouds... which means if we get hit, we are gonna get SOAKED!!! Off to mow the lawn before the deluge starts.

Here we go again, you poor thing. I'm going to try and wish it away. Happy mowing!! :)

Well I'm glad that's over. I made some golf shots today. That's all I'm gonna say...

Your room looks great, Ez... it feels good to have things organized and arranged the way they work best for you. I love the painting by your mom, very nice!

I like having inherited furniture around me. Right now, in my dining room I have my maternal grandparent's dining room table. I have a dresser from my dad's parents, a buffet from a great aunt, a cedar chest made by my grandfather in high school shop class and a side table from my great grandparents.

I have lots of decorative items made by my mother - table runners, wall hangings, teddy bears made from inherited quilts- but the only thing I have made by my dad is a doll bed that I'll have to save for a grandchild since my daughter is much too old for that now. My dad made the dollbed for me when I was little and several years ago, my mother made a cloth doll and used pieces of matching fabric in a doll quilt and they gave it to my daughter. Kids only play with such items for a limited time, but she had lots of fun with it and now I have it stashed away for another little child to get in (hopefully!) a number of years from now.

My mom was into ceramics in the 70s so I have a few of the things that she made back then. I don't think I have anything made by my dad. The gallery wall in my front hallway is artwork done by my great aunt back in the early 30s, back when signage used to be all hand lettered. It's cool. Oh, and I have a container full of handmade mittens, made by my grandma.

Everyone has such great memories all around their houses. It makes home a real "home" :)

Hey kimdee, did you ever figure out what mr ironwood was looking for the other day? Font style?

I am pretty sure I know what he's looking for, but I haven't had a chance to sit down and find it. But I will!

It sounded interesting, like a blueprint of a font. :)

Morning ladies - and rooster - another beautiful day here despite it supposedly being winter. I wish DD could have come a month later, the weather has been so perfect since she left, the grands could have even gone swimming at the beach.

Gosh, I haven't had Pimms for years now. Forgotten all about it but it is a beautiful refreshing drink in summer. When I was growing up it was considered a "teenagers' drink", bit like a non-alcoholic punch - teens today would totally scoff at it, and of course it came complete with salad vegetables - stick each of celery, carrot and cucumber. In summer now I love a long Green Ginger Wine with lemonade (diet of course).

Ez, you have some lovely memories in your home and I love your Mum's painting. Do get some oil into your Dad's credenza. I find the best way to really get it into the timber is to use steel wool to rub it in. Just rub with the grain and it lifts the fibres of the timber to really absorb the oil. My timber wall at my front entrance gets the really hot afternoon summer sun and as soon as it see it drying I treat it this way and it is keeping its condition perfectly.

Jayme - glad you are getting your truck back in one piece but I do understand the hassle. We have had several cars stolen over the years, it is a horrible feeling, but luckily we got them all back with minimum damage.

Kd - sorry to hear your golf weekend wasn't up to par.:((

Have had a funny tummy the last few days, feels better this morning but it has every other morning until I go to do something. Fingers crossed, I have so much to catch up on.

Good day all ;)
We left the lake early today, as it looked like it might pour on us. Enjoyed a snooze once home and then BBQ'd. We haven't eaten our own cooking more than once a week in the last three weeks. Real food is always so tasty and take out gets a little old after a while.

EZ, can you get the newer, much better 3M sun glare film put on the windows? Or a solar blind? I have them at the beach and they are wonderful. You get a great view through them and when they're rolled up, practically can't see them. I'll find a few pictures, I have them in white and also a charcoal grey. I bought mine at ikea, they were inexpensive, but you need to match their sizes, they're not so cheap when you need custom sizes. They also come in a lovely plum color.

Candace, afternoon nap? Sounds a little luxurious for a lumberjack, I may have to report you to the union. First I'll have to find out if there is a lumberjacks union, then watch out, you're in trouble. ;)

Ez - good idea if you have other things that need attending to. Be a pity not to keep it in tip top shape.

Not holding my breath with this weather, something has to give soon. It is normal lately for us to get a couple of really hot weeks (like 30+) in early August and then it turns cold again and the last few years it has stayed cold till October/November. Just hoping though it doesn't mean summer might come early - my worst fears.

Candace, are you all done now? Know what you mean about too much take-away but I always worry when I start to enjoy my own cooking.

mforr, i hope there is a union so I can get a raise and benefits, or get fired from this thankless job. lol. I so desperately needed a nap as I couldn't even stand myself anymore.

olldroo, as for dropping trees just a few more to go once the excavator completes the circular driveway. I've burnt all the branches so that mess is gone. All the wood is bucked as well. Need to move a wood pile tomorrow but thats it. For supper we had bbq. prime rib, baked potatoes and coleslaw...delicious.... but yes, I get a little concerned when I enjoy my own cooking too, scary :0

Not good when you get to the point of not being able to stand yourself, someone needs a lot more sleep. Are you still getting up at 2 AM?

@Roo...thank you...we got the truck back home here about 3 hrs ago....no obvious damage..they had smeared mud on the plates to disguise them, and a poor job at that....No mud anywhere else on the truck...DUHHH!! Red flag for a cop. Likely to set us back about $300 but better than losing it entirely...Glad your weather is cooperating nicely......
@Candace...I agree, a union is called for in your case!
EZ...Your home looks so well organized and efficient/homey!
Hi Kimdee..I would love to see your Aunt's work.. LOVE things like that...so stylish and interesting.

mforr, we get up at 2 all the time, hubby leaves for the store by 2:30 but I don't get there until 5. I diddle doddle in the morning, shower, have a coffee or three, put in a load of laundry, watch some news, etc. I'm hoping to get fired from our own business, lol. I need to make a master plan to accomplish that.

Jayme, here's a pic...

kimdee, those are terrific, how lucky are you to have such nice pieces!!!!

That's it for me gang almost 9pm, have a great night, talk to you tomorrow :)

I do enjoy them, yes... they are assignments she did for a course she took, by mail, in 1931. My mom gave them to me several years ago after her aunt passed away. They are interesting because it's the same kind of work I do today, but we don't use pen and ink anymore (though I did do pen and ink work in college years ago before computers). There are a bunch more but we picked the best of them for the gallery wall.

Kd - you have done a really great job with your Great Aunt's work - it looks fabulous.

Ez - I will keep doing a rain dance for you - provided I can do it lying down.

Candace - you don't need a master plan - you are a woman, we can convince males of anything.......... well except Kutchie, he is getting too used to us.

Well I made it to the shops and back but needed a lie down afterwards. I felt like I was floating beside myself in a parallel universe, thank heavens I didn't have far to drive. I think an old movie might be calling me.

Night all.

Speaking of lettering -- Mr Ironwood -- is this what you had in mind? I found a couple of choices, if so. This type of font, while very interesting, gets pretty busy and might be hard to read on smaller things like your business card. I would advise also having another logo version, using an Initial cap like the example below, with the full name of the company below that in a serif font. Let me know if you'd like some help with this, if I'm on the right path -- I'd be happy to do a few options for you.

Oh.... Those looked good on my desktop computer. They look awful from my iPhone app. Hope you can see them.

Ms roo -- thanks. Enjoy your rest and movie, I hope you are feeling okay. xo

Well they look great on my computer.

Thanks kd - just a bit of trial and error at the moment working out what the heck this is, meanwhile so much is piling up around me. There is something on TV tonight about a new super, super bug that they infer is just waiting on a cargo boat from China to attack here. Interviewing a celeb who has had it and she said the pain is excruciating. Need to get my resistance way up. I never get the flu, but these weirdo bugs just love me.

There are so many strange things out there! I am thinking I'm coming down with something myself but I'm hoping a good nights sleep will cure it. Get some rest and try not to worry about what's not getting done. As a friend told me today -- health is more important than ____ (golf)... So I might stay home from it tomorrow if I'm still not feeling right.

Started 8/5

Well, kd, I always feel people always notice the first day's dust, but never the second or third. Turned out the BIG thing on TV tonight was a tropical mosquito carried disease called chikungunya. The woman was bitten in Bali but more types of mozzies are carrying it and they are headed south and coming into Northern Australia. Woman was 2 years getting over it fully.

Just have to stay away from mozzies, but they carry so many diseases, one does that anyway.

Hope you are feeling better, but if a day away from golf helps your body heal, then it is worth it.

Ms Roo -- my house is SO dusty right now... you could write your name in the dust on my furniture. I can't keep up with it. Dark furniture and dark floors and dusty house. And I just haven't had time to give it the attention it needs, been too busy.

Trying to decide if I'm playing today or not. I'll see how I feel after I shower.

Darned mosquitos... nasty disease ridden critters. Hate them!

Guess why I don't have dark floors and furniture - well my dining room is black but that is all. Dusty furniture is good for shopping lists anyway :))