MR. BROWN THUMB IS ALIVE AND WELL

Blue Horse
from my Cavescape series

While I was away down in Florida I neglected my regular visits to favorite blogs . When I returned after a month I discovered that my fellow Chicago blogger and virtual friend Mr. Brown Thumb had suddenly stopped blogging on January 13, which was very unusual for him, a frequent poster.

There were more than 48 messages left on his last post inquiring about his well-being and I know many people emailed him as well. He and I had exchanged a few emails and I recalled in one of them that he said he was a member of a certain garden forum so I went there in search of him.

After two days I received a message from him saying he way okay. He said he was touched that I was looking for him and asked " Has it been that long ? Two months and no posts? Yah, long in my book. You had a l of us thinking dire thoughts, Mr. Brown Thumb. Now we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

I know that all his fans and followers will be very happy to hear that is safe and well. The garden blog world wouldn't be the same without him.

BLOGGER OF NOTE RECOGNIZES ANOTHER GARDEN BLOGGER - MOI !

The Water Garden at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago

I was caught off guard this morning. I usually read " Blogs of Note " but was laid up with a nasty cold and skipped it . Good things always seem to happen when you least expect it .

Thanks to all my fellow garden bloggers for waking me up and letting me know that I was chosen as a " Blog of Note. "

I must say I'm thrilled to be in the company of Jodi at Bloomingwriter and My Chutney Garden as only the 3rd garden blogger, to the best of my knowledge, to be awarded this honor. Thank you Blogger !

I seldom post twice in a day but today is very special and I wanted to share it with all in the garden blogosphere.

THERE'S A WAR GOING ON

Here's the Target
How can anything so cute be so destructive ?

Carol at Maydreamsgardens and Mrmcgregorsdaughter along with countless others, I'm sure , are having rabbit problems and have declared war to rid themselves of this garden pest.

I've posted on this before but I think it bears repeating. I designed and planted a beautiful garden for a client ( their first ) and over the winter the rabbits ate it right down to the ground. Hundreds and thousands of dollars worth of plants decimated. So the homeowners and I have tried just about every rabbit repellent in sight until they get the one that works the best : a fence surrounding the entire property.

The two repellents that worked the best are Plantskydd ( blood meal in an oil binder base that adheres to the plants ) and Pro-tec garlic units. Both have websites ( www.plantskydd.com) and www.plantprotec.com ) .

The Plantskydd is very effective but smelly so the first day you spray it better keep your windows closed. The smell will go away in a day or so. The plant pro-tec garlic units are less messy and also effective because they have high concentrations of garlic which rabbit don't like.

The latest gadget in the war on rabbits is a motion detector frog. The frog senses the rabbits approach and starts croaking, presumably scaring off the intruder. It's worth a try at $22. Check it out at The Frogstore. I'm definitely going to recommend this to my client. Hey, in the war against rabbits, every tactic counts.

IF ONLY I COULD BOTTLE AND SELL IT

The Palm Garden, Florida
Botanical Garden,
Largo

I don't care how ugly you are, you just look better after a month in the Florida sunshine. There's a smile on your face, a new bounce to your walk, a new rosiness to your checks and color on your pale skin. I know its an old cliche but I wish I could" bottle and sell that sunshine. "Boy would I be rich . Then I could buy an estate down in Florida with huge gardens to keep me busy during what they call " winter. " Hah ! I know I'd have something blooming year round.

Right now in Chicago it's the 'tween season . On March 21, the calendar's first day of Spring we were graced with a foot of snow . Natives here will tell you that there's no Spring in Chicago until May , then suddenly it's Summer .

It looks like a lot of the locals have , as we say down South, " Fallen out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. " Dark , dreary clothing and sullen faces . The 'tween season is not a pretty sight in Chicago.

I still feel the exuberance of a month of Florida sunshine and some folks have become suspicious, asking " What's wrong with you , did you win the lotto ?" Nope, just a month in Florida. Then comes the looks that could melt chocolate at twenty paces. " Well, no wonder then. "

MEMOIRS MEME IN SIX WORDS

Jojo's first visit to Alabama

I've been tagged by fellow Alabamian Debi at www.giraffeheadtree.blogspot.com to post my memoirs in six words.

Summing up memoirs in such a short sentence is not an easy thing for me because I have so many different interests and passions. I've come up with six sentences containing six words, but I need help in picking one .

First, I thought :

God was the first master gardener.

Then I came up with :

Old woman, but a young gardener.

Then I thought, nah, what about :

Gardeners have tough rows to hoe.

-or these -:

I dream of May in December.

Gardeners don't die, they spade away .

You should've been here last week.

So whadda ya' think.? All six could do but which one should I settle on? Help me out here people !