Friday plant of the week - Elephant ear placemats

Carol examined one of my big elephant ears in the teacup garden and said,
"These would make a great placemat. Hence, "Plant of the week" in the examiner. Check it out. It's not always easy being green.

RAIN

Rain, we love it. This photo was taken two days ago. The glass beaker is double that amount now. Today is cloudy with a small chance of showers. Lots of clouds make it easier to drive to Fort Worth and spend the day with Mom. Ms. Stearns brought me two garbage bags of magazines from her office for the nursing home. Last week Mom and I read through the one Avon catalog left on the coffee table in the living room. These probably won't last, so I'm bring 6 this week and six each week after. Thanks, Debbie. Every little bit helps. This rain guage is like the cup holder I'm making for Jan. She's certainly been patient.

Don't miss my last article in examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/x-15499-Dallas-Gardening-Humor-Examiner~y2009m7d27-Waxachie-alive-with-dead-monuments

Happy Birthday Hardy

Here's a group of cutie pies out celebrating Hardy's birthday. We've all been together so long, but most important we're still together. Went to a great Chinese restaurant. Hardy name dropped and said he was there one day when Laura Bush was dining. Did he call me to run up there and join him for lunch? Never gave me a thought. But he did mention my articles, so up's up. And just in case you haven't read the latest, go to my main page at examiner.com.

Rain Bonus

BobbiLola Rose a bonus from Thursday night's rain. Isn't it lovely?

Worst store, middln' store, BEST STORE

First and foremost, don't forget to check out Friday Flower of the Week article on examiner.com.


Yesterday, I ventured out without whining because we had rain, over 3 inches the night before. I dropped my cell phone for the last time. Dead. I bought a new phone when my contract was up 2 years ago, but gave it to Randall. The new one didn't have a loud speaker phone. This one is so loud Mom can hear her brothers when we call them, they can hear her, hence I'm not screaming in the phone during the conversations trying to interpret. But this last drop did the phone in.

To the phone store. Someone greeted me immediately like they cared. Sure. Asked my problem, checked me in and of course couldn't help me, had to wait for someone else. Not many people in the store, lots of clerks, but I know better. Finally sat next to a man who just wanted to buy a case for his phone. There's no cash register or anyone who can just check him out so he has to wait for a "service representative", too. He and I sit for about a half hour and he just gives up. But I have no phone service so I wait. Could of brought a Harry Potter book and finished it.

Finally my 12 year old service representative comes to get me. Long story short, my contract is up in 10 days. The $10.00 phone I'd picked out is available to me for hundreds of dollars unless I wait 10 days. Oh. There are other phones for more $$, but still 10 days. Finally I think to ask the 12 year old how I can just buy a cheap phone I can put my simm card in. He says, "Go to Walmart." Why didn't I think of that?

Walmart wasn't too pleased to see me either, but at least I found the phone, I got them to give me scissors so I could tear apart the packaging around the phone that's not meant to be opened, and I put the simm card in to see if the phone would work. Wasn't leaving without phone service. $35.00 and only 30 minutes later, I'm out that door.

On to my favorite metal store to buy metal for my State Fair sculpture. I'd already ordered it and paid with credit card. Into the office where they know me by name, smile and greet me like they are glad to see me, pull up my paperwork and sent me to Bay 10. There, also they know me by name, smile and treat me like a valued customer. On to the back to pick up four 10 foot long square tubing in my 11 year old two door Honda Civic. The passenger window doesn't roll down anymore, but the back seats still fold down. The guys back there greet me almost by name, "Hey Miss Lady Welder" and put the big metal tubes in the car through the sun roof and on into the trunk. They brag on my "little red truck" like they always do. Thank yous and smiles all around, instructions to drive safely and I'm on my way home.

Why aren't all stores like this? I feel good, they feel good, we all leave with smiles and that wonderful Texas - Have A Nice Day.

Flower of the week

I've decided to do a Flower of the week on Examiner.com. The first flower, Voodoo Lily, an unusually pretty, smelly, scary flower. Click and read.

Tonight Bob and I went to the Apple store so I could attend a workshop on websites, blogs and stuff. Bob shopped a bit while I tried to comprehend all that was going on. I'm not one to have much concentration, but screaming children in the store really helped. Do parents come with some kind of special hearing that they can't hear their little monster's scream? Or don't care that there might be people around who don't enjoy their little monster's scream? Oh, come on, we all feel this way especially when it's 100 degrees outside.

No shoes, no shirts, screaming kids - no service.

Get a grip parents.

Attack of the Dreaded Tomato Horn Worm

I planted this Better Boy tomato in one of my garage sale finds, an old wheel barrow, so I could wheel it around the yard looking for sun underneath all my wonderful old oaks. This plant bore six delicious tomatoes. Sunday morning I watered it and the other two as usual. Sunday afternoon, I braced myself for the 140 degree heat and ran out to move it to a sunny spot. Look what I found - STALKS! I sent this picture to my neighbor and expert gardener Mike. He said this was the Attack of the Dreaded Tomato Horn Worm. Isn't this awful? I threw this plant away and moved the other two from this area. You water, fertilize, move the plants and hope for fruit. Then what happens? Attacks! Not fair.

The Tomato Lady spoke to our garden club this year. We had one of our biggest turnouts. You might want to check out her website for great tips and possible Horn Worm advice.

Check out my latest article on Examiner.com about the Dreaded Tomato Horn Bug
http://www.examiner.com/x-15499-Dallas-Gardening-Humor-Examiner~y2009m7d14-Dreaded-tomato-horn-worm-stalks-East-Dallas

The Turtle Lady's "Lucky" turtle

Don't miss my article in examiner.com.

Here's the link:

http://www.examiner.com/x-15499-Dallas-Gardening-Humor-Examiner~y2009m7d10-The-Turtle-Ladys-Lucky-turtle

Paper Sculpting

OK, you can't do paper sculpting for the garden, but you can make your paper outside. Here's a paper vest I made when I took the class. I can't get all the equipment to start sculpting at home, because I know it will just be another excuse not to start the State Fair piece(s). I'm almost finished tiling the floor behind the bar, another excuse not to be welding in the back yard. Guess I'll wait until the last minute like always. Tomorrow I go interview Bobbi and her favorite turtle Lucky, for my Examiner article. I'll have pictures of both of them. When you click on the article don't forget to also click "subscribe".

Cop in car @ Forest Hills parade

Here's Cops in Cars pictures during the annual 4th of July Parade. Smiling faces. They are today's feature because our security patrol today made Forest Hills safe for the neighborhood again The Backpack Burglers have been plaguing the neighborhood for weeks and today our FABULOUS neighborhood patrol officers got two of them. The Backpack Burglers are career criminals and will be put away for a long time. These officers protect us like Small Town USA in the '50's. We are so lucky to have these wonder officers and I hope more neighbors join and support our neighborhood patrol with their pocketbooks. The Forest Hills Security Program is only $20 a month and this quarter's payment is due now.

More parade pictures

Doug trying to be the next neighborhood FLASH. Of course one of our all time favorites - the Cocktail Wiener Dog. Golf cart driving dog once knocked me down, but hey, I shouldn't be such an easy target.

Forest Hills Parae media coverage

We're all over the media outlets except probably neighborsgo. After Allen Houston left we became invisible to them. I don't know why. But we are in these three. Check them out:

http://www.examiner.com/x-15499-Dallas-Gardening-Humor-Examiner~y2009m7d5-Patriotic-TRex-cheers-4th-of-July-Parade



http://eastdallasblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/07/forest-hills-among-neighborhood.html



http://foresthills-dallas.blackwhiteread.com/view/article/11958

www.lottieminick.com

Go to my website - www.lottieminick.com

Click on the last page "albums" and see 113 smiling parade photos.

4th of July Parade in Forest Hills

The Forest Hills 4th of July Parade was a stunning success. Tamela and Shelly put this wonderful event together along with their volunteers, sponsors, participants and spectators. A wonderful time was had after the parade in the Keller lot where everyone gathered for food, fun, bubble bounce and awards. More volunteers showed, worked and had fun than I can remember. Kinda made my heart skip a beat with the patriotism and neighbor's smiles.

Cleanup comes to the 'Hood

Yesterday on the way home from our morning walk, we heard them before we saw them - the bulky trash trucks. The June 11 storm was our bulky trash day, but the big trucks would have been storm targets. The big crane truck had two filler trucks behind him. Didn't take long to fill the trucks. You should have seen the crane operator. This guy's been doing this a while. Our street looks like home now, clean. Still parts of the neighborhood are waiting for their bulky trash trucks. Hopefully they're on the way. Getting the debris out will take part of the sad frown away. Mel came by when he first started driving a crane and parked it in front of the house. I got to sit in the cab. After he left, I realized he should have let me get in the cab that goes up high. I still have time.