Unloading the Greenhouse

We're starting to unload the greenhouse. We put the succulents back on the deck today. They look pretty good after a winter away. I also put my new bench on the deck that Phil built from an old maple twin bed I bought at a garage sale last summer. The deck looks more appealing to relax on now.

The Fish are Happy

The fish are back to eating again and they make a mad dash for us when they think we might have food.

Herb Day

Here are members baking the Calendula Fruit Bread.

The Sedgwick County Master Gardeners are sponsoring Herb Day at the Extension Building on May 3rd in conjunction with the weekly Farmer's Market. The Herb Day committee had their last preparatory meeting today. The "cooking" committee made Calendula (the 2008 Herb of the Year) Fruit Bread for sampling next week. Calendula looks similar to yellow marigolds or small yellow mums. We'll also have Calendula cookies. There will be a plant sale with lots of perennials for $2-$3. There will also be several seminars. I'm looking forward to it.

Spring Blossoms

This week the yard has really blossomed. I love the colors of spring!

Yard Photography

Our semi-winter-spring yard has been in use this week for photography. We had some friends using the yard for senior pictures on Sunday afternoon. Yesterday for most of the afternoon a photographer from WICHITA magazine was using our yard and yard furniture for background while he photographed a pair of shoes and drinks!! There were 6 people for that photo shoot. No wonder advertising is so expensive. They were here for most of the afternoon. I'm having a hard time figuring out how our not-so-attractive yard-right-now is prime photography background. Give the yard another month and that makes sense! I don't know whether the magazine will give us "credit" or not but maybe it will be in next month's magazine.

Brett's New Job

Brett started his new job yesterday with VML in Kansas City. Here is that company's website if you'd like to learn more about where he's working. http://www.vml.com/ He is a "Flash Developer". He says it's a very different environment than what he is used to and he thinks it'll be a terrific learning opportunity for him!

Ladies With Books

My book club met this week to discuss Deborah Rodriguez's book Kabul Beauty School. We all agreed that we enjoyed the book but we questioned Rodriguez's parenting and motivation. I would like to see the documentary about the Kabul Beauty Academy as well as the movie from the book sometime. Information I gathered says Sandra Bullock is to play Rodriguez. We also had a book exchange - our sharing of the wealth from the book shelves of our homes. I picked up a Rosemond Pilcher book and gave up Riding the Bus With My Sister.

Joy Quartet

I sing in a ladies' quartet known as the Joy Quartet. We sing a mix of gospel, Broadway tunes, 50's songs, and pop. We have been together for 12 years. Our accompaniest has been with us the whole time. We sing for "hire" and for free. We've done lots of different venues: weddings, funerals, conventions, class reunions, community meetings, and church. We all have worked for the same school district in different capacities. We're also all retired from that district. We all sing in the same church choir. Most of all we have fun and we laugh alot!!

Ahh - Spring!

Spring has arrived in the yard. It's so great to have things flowering and the grass turning green. I'm so tired of brown!