Laura and Brad's Halloween party

Here's an exra reason to love Laura. She's couldn't be sexier in this outfit and there's the reading glasses hanging from her bodice. A woman after my own heart/eyes.
Great Party

Doggy vacinations and poisonous plants

Took BlackJack in for his booster today. He wasn't happy. Remember being at East Dallas Vet Clinic a couple of weeks ago for the full workup. But always the gentleman, he even let me take a picture of him with Ashley who gave him his shot. I don't know which is cuter. Dr. Cantrell thinks BlackJack is mostly Belgian Sheperd with a little Chow. Bob and I just think he's the most handsome sweet puppy dog.

Garden tip: go to this website for plants poisonous to pets: veterinarypartner.com/content/plx?P=A&A=191

Stretching the garden part

OK, this is really pushing it for garden stuff, but note the big palm. Doing garden humor in a restaurant today.

After visiting Mom, met Weldon for lunch at Tommy's and then we went to Rebecca Low's fantastic gallery and studio. Fantastic just like her. She told me to get out of the metal box and go to copper, stainless steel and aluminum. She's right. She also paints instead of powdercoating. She learned in an automotive shop and suggested I do the same. OK, if I can paint with results like hers.

Another day in garden heaven

Here's Angie making me beautiful. I tell her how I'd like my hair to look and she does what she wants. How is this garden news? Note the striped sweater and purple smock. Angie and and I are little flowers in Salon D. I'd be happy at Sally Beauty Supply mixing purples, reds and blondes, but Angie has the idea I should look put together.

Stopped at Tom Thumb on the way home. Got ingredients for soups and twice baked potatoes. Tried the potatoes tonight, OK, but needed something - like an ingredient to make them taste better.

Cosmetics Dallas Debbie

This is Darling Debbie of Cosmetics Dallas. Look at her and you see why I put my face in her hands. Out of lots of stuff so decided to brave a pretty hard rain and drive to the World Trade Center to see her. What does this have to do with gardens? Her showroom is a "garden" of fertilizers, mulch, etc., for faces. Debbie has so much patience, I could never "cultivate" clients like she does.

Also stopped in to see Sissy and Mike. Sissy, of course, takes full credit for last night's article:
http://www.examiner.com/x-15499-Dallas-Gardening-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d26-Monday-morning-garden-hangover--chandelier Read it and give Sissy all the credit. She wants residuals now. I'll show her my profits and she'll realize she needs to subsidize me.

Forgot to take a picture of Sissy and Mike, a shame since you could actually walk through their showroom. Usually it's chock-a-block. Would have had a nice background.

Going to close so I can work on my first issue for Equanimity Magazine - a real paper magazine. I'm so impressed.

More Patrizio's birthday lunch pictures

Can you believe I forgot my camera for this lunch? Lorie remembered hers so now I must beg for the picture of her and me. I'll get it somehow. So here's me and Ms. Stearns and me and Michelle on the patio at Patrizios.

Mel came over yesterday morning to return my grinder. Our guy friends borrow my power tools, how cool is that? Mel, of course, was one of the topics of conversation at lunch. Juicy.

Bob and I went to Sushi on McKinney last night. I don't know if you know it's back open just a couple of doors down from where it use to be. The old building is now Chipotle. Everyone's the same except Hiroki is at a restaurant up north somewhere in Carrollton. When Monte came to town we went and all 3 agreed it's the best ever. Who'd think my best sushi buddies would be from Fort Worth and they were eating sushi with me when there was only one sushi restaurant in town.

James Randall came home for lunch today, but as usual that turned into a late lunch. I was going to see The September Issue with Jan, Cynthia and at the Angelika this afternoon, so Bob, James Randall and I went for a Starbucks before I went to the movie and they went to Buzzbrews for lunch.

Still my birthday!

Here we are still together after all these years celebrating my birthday. We're on the patio at Patrizio, Highland Park Village. You know we don't travel beyond Northpark and certainly not past I-635. Ivan our terrific waiter knew he was in trouble when we couldn't decide on our drink order - OK, Lorie couldn't decided between a Cosmo and Bellini. With the usual aplomb of everyone at Patrizio, he rolled with us and ended up having as much fun as we did I hope. Don't get me started on the my delicious crab cakes and cappacino pie. I can't remember how long we've been patrons, almost since day one and the constency of the food is amazing. We are always treated like family. Is it any wonder we're addicted?

Evan, the most wonderful manager of Patrizio, sent each of us a flute of champagne and gave us big hugs when we left. Thank you, Evan. We toasted friends, enemies, accomplishments, disappointments and most of all - us. We are the original "Fabulous Girls in the City" without the Manolo Blahnik's. May we continue to celebrate at Patrizios as long as our decidedly undesigner flats can walk us in there. Someone else can worry about us walking out.

First day after all the shows are over

Michael and Marla came by during the White Rock Lake Artisans' Tour last weekend. Got them to pose by Andie's dragonfly fountain.

The sculptures are down at the Fair, went to see Mom in the pouring rain yesterday and today ran errands. Kinda don't know what to do with myself. No articles to write until Friday's Plant of the Week. Then the new Monday Morning Garden Hangover article. Doesn't mean you shouldn't reread some: www.examiner.com/x-15499-Dallas-Gardening-Humor-Examiner.

I'm working on my first article for Equanimity Magazine's first issue. Of course going to write about the State Fair show. I stopped by the Creative Arts Center today and asked Diana if she'd let me interview her for the second article and she so graciously said yes.

Also trying to catch up on registration for IAAPA show. They call it - eye appa - now, sounds so dumb to me. It's the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. Someone should write a book. The people running the IAAPA have no idea what it use to be like. Now it's run by people in the convention business, not show people. And they are outsourcing so many parts of the convention to people who sound like they're 12 years old. Last year you couldn't get near our booth because the booth next to us was "Happy Feet". They had people lined up selling $40 insoles. We were simply delighted to pay all that money and have our booth covered up with people taking off their shoes. Probably get the vibrator or teeth whitening people this year. Really makes you think you're at an amusement park convention and trade show.

more White Rock Lake Studio Artisans' Tour

Gotta tell you I suspect Marty Ray started The White Rock Lake Artisans' Studio Tour 17 years ago knowing someday I'd be on it. The Tour is a two day celebration of me and my birthday. Dear friends show up to work it, dear friends stop by and I meet new people. All wish me Happy Birthday. Course last year I did have the TSA nude calender to show them. Not for nothing was I Miss October!!!!!!!!!!!

First day of White Rock Lake Artisans' Studio Tour

Big time fun at the White Rock Lake Artisans' Tour at my studio. Josephine and Delores were my morning help. Slow early, but then toward lunch we started getting steady. Melanie walked in with them most incredible cake that said, "Happy Birthday to the Queen of Everything". Is she the best. We told Debbie and Lorie, the rest of the afternoon help the story of how Melanie and I started the "Redhead Mom's" club at Lakehill. They were always a bit scared of us. The cake went so far as to offer a piece to people we knew coming in. Simply delicious.

Brad and Bethany came the last hour and hung out I had to throw them out. No time now to mention those who showed up, but really a great party in the back yard.

Then to Juli's for her birthday party. Found out it was also a surprise party for me, see second round cake, delicious. You should have seen Juli's cake. The bakers did the icing as one of her mosaics, talk about art! Wonderful party, so many people there I adore, but so tired and still had Instigator Totem Revealed to go home and write to had to leave a bit early.

Read Instigator Totem Revealed.

http://www.examiner.com/x-15499-Dallas-Gardening-Humor-Examiner

White Rock Lake Studio Artisans' Tour

Tomorrow morning, Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, 10:00 to 5:00

White Rock Lake Artisans' Studio Tour

For more information on artists and maps:

DallasArtsRevue.com/WhiteRock

I'll have many pictures tomorrow night.

Martha and me at the State Fair of Texas

Can we get any cuter? Martha and I had a great time at the Fair yesterday. Ate great Fair food, especially the tornado potatoe, corny dogs, nutty butty bars, etc. We did really good not buying all the miracle mop, broom, sponge, etc. products. It was cool and cloudy. Of course today the sun's out.

Just took this picture of Insulator Chandellier or is it Instigator Chandelier? Going out to the Fair with Martha Dawn to take sunshine pictures of the sculptures, but as you can see, no sunshine.

Dallas Morning News did a great piece on the Sculpture Show. Read about it in today's Metro Section or click on this link:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/101509dnmetfairart.3b9e113.html

Southern Artisans Market at the Arboretum this weekend

Dreary wet weather (I personally love it) but not the best for an art show or fall festival. But the Southern Artisans Market went off without a hitch at the Dallas Arboretum this weekend. And I can tell you why. Joy and all the wonderful people who worked this weekend. My job as show chair was to schmooze with the artists. Every single one of them complimented Joy and the staff. They told me again and again, no other venue treats the artists like the folks at the Arboretum. And they were quality artists with wonderful pieces.

I don't know whether Joy reminds everyone or they just sense it, but they all seem to understand I live in LottieWorld and they let me think the Arboretum's mine and I can play ultimate hostess to my heart's content.

You know I've been the Arboretum liaison for Forest Hills so long, if they ever took my board position away from me, I'd be crushed. Who said some board positions aren't for a lifetime? I didn't get invited to the Oprah show at the State Fair, (I am crushed) but hey, I had a great weekend at the Arboretum.

Lumbie Mlambo, owner/publisher of Equanimity Magazine, shown pictured with Joy came out today. She loved the Arboretum and the art show. She's going to let me write a column "Spotlight on Artist" and of course I'll be writing about the Southern Artisans Market and in a few months Artscape at the Arboretum.

Hopefully, you're keeping up with my articles about "sculptures running amuck" at the State Fair of Texas. I can't remember the direct url so go to www.lottieminick.com and click on "read my articles" on the first page.

Jeff Mason's Blue Ribbon winner

I forgot! Look what we found in the Creative Arts Building along with Barb and Mary's winnings. Jeff Mason's blue ribbon winner! I'm thinking we should nominate him to be our token guy garden girl. I know we have John, but Barb won't let him stay for the entire meeting.

More garden girls at the Fair

Here's some more garden girls pictures. I just ran home for a while from Southern Artisans Market at the Dallas Arboretum. People are starting to pour in. Of course I forgot my camera, so will get lost of pictures when I got back, if I remember the camera. Can't tell you how nice all the artists are selling quality art. Really a good show. Pictures next time, really.

Forest Hills Garden Club Field Trip to the State Fair of Texas - Part 1

Big time fun with the Forest Hills Garden Club, voted best in the U.S. by the garden club girls. Hot muggy day, but we were brave and strong. Note Mary tagging a butterfly. I was taking pictures so not paying a lot of attention, but the guy was saying how these tags weigh almost nothing, of course that's important and contain all kinds of information, even email. Kinda fascinating. This was in the Discovery Garden where butterflies and hummingbirds rule in this beautiful garden setting. Lots of the girls hadn't seen this part of the Fair.

This was before we lost Josephine. The horrible part is we didn't notice for 45 minutes. Every time I think of her sitting on the curb by the coupon booth waiting for us to come back and find her I feel like a terrible mother who lost her child and didn't notice. Course the other girls didn't notice either. We all know I'm flaky, what's their excuse?

Pictures of the Landscape Nazi

Does this give you an idea of what the Landscape Nazi's making me do? Now I'm torn, do I want people to notice my back yard or the art in the yard during the White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour?

You know right after we walk BlackJack, Bob goes to his office to draw and I try to write my nightly articles for Examiner.com. Two episodes of Frasier come on from 11:00 to 12:00. I can write the articles in that time span, but then posting them to facebook, stumble upon, digg and twitter's a whole 'nother story. There's nothing on but QVC after Fraiser. I just like it as background noise. Then just now the lady stops with her mouth open. Oops! I walked into Bob's office and he has some movie on with stop action also. How am I suppose write with no QVC.

Hooray! She's baaaaaaack hawking some jewelry.

Mad Cow and QVC

I was going to rant about how much I hate hauling pea gravel. Today I finished my 6th Mad Cow load and
As God is my witness, I'll never shovel pea gravel again, Miss Scarlett.

But I've had QVC on TV while writing tonight's Examiner.com article. There's this guy named Nick Chavez of Nick Chavez Beverly Hills. He looks just like a model on a trashy romance novel. He's saying thank you as the program ends and starting to cry. But I gotta tell you I need his products. The models he sprayed all his stuff on looked fantastic.

Usually the only products on the shopping networks I drool over are the tools that let you build castles in the sky. But oh, these products. If Nick Chavez would come to my house and personally pout the products on my hair - I'd buy all his products.

Oh, GET READY, The Nadri Jewelry collection guys is on now. Is he the guy that sells the knock off Jackie Kennedy jewelry? It's already 1:00 am, I'll stay up for you and find out.

Garden tour and wine

Started out the day at the State Fair taking pictures of sculptures close up. Way too many pictures so I have to try to sort out before putting on my website. Kind of a cloudy day so the pictures don't have sunlight to make them sparkle. Put info in my tube and out of town artists. Weather was muggy with sunlight when I left.

Home a quick bite to eat then then called to see if the Landscape Nazi wanted to go pick up my 5th load of pea gravel. Of course she did. Revved up Mad Cow and we're off. We decided on Sonic after - limeade for her, root beer float for me. Well I'd be unloading the gravel by myself and working it off.

Got most of gravel out of the truck and cleaned up for Forest Hills board meeting at Times Ten Cellars Lovely place, good meeting, short and to the point. We all love that. The guy that owns the great house by Times Ten was in his front yard so Barb, Andie and I went over introduced ourselves and told him how much we love the house. He could be on a garden tour.

We three all went to the Dallas County Master Gardeners and enjoyed it. Here's a couple of pictures you might enjoy. The readers of the blog, A Succulent Life would have loved some of the plants.

I'm meeting someone at the Fair at 12:30, will tell you about that later. Go to Examiner.com
for latest or old articles. And www.lottieminick.com

More pictures of the Swells at Mary Tomas Studio Gallery

Here's more pictures during Focal Point benefiting the Creative Arts Center at Mary Tomas Studio Gallery.