Today's Blooms

Last night I took this picture of the Night Embers daylily almost ready. 

And this morning it was open!

As was the Druid's Chant

I also saw the first bloom of my Jubilation Gardenia. I love love love gardenias. Not only are they pretty but they smell amazing!

Today's Blooms

I love the rain that we've been getting. My flowers look so much better than with regular water. I'm happy some of them are doing well since I have one with black-spot and one with thrips. I'm so grateful to Calloway's for having such knowledgeable employees. I showed him the picture and he immediately knew what it was and told me what to use to get rid of them.

Sugar Moon (with thrips)

 Twilight Zone (smells good too!)

 

Pope John Paul II

 

Love Song

 

I have to admit, I wasn't sure about Julia Child when I picked it out at the store. It wasn't as bright yellow as the one sitting next to it but I'm so glad I chose her!!

I've been using All-In-One Rose & Flower Care (granules) about once a month since I started planting this spring so I'm super shocked that thrips were able to infect the Sugar Moon. I went ahead and sprayed some 3-In-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control (concentrate) as well based on some internet research and until I had time to get to Calloway's to find out what this was. I specifically asked the guy at Calloway's if it was better to use liquid or granules and he suggested the All-In-One liquid so that's what I bought. I can see the benefit of using both so I may continue both until these problems are under control. I've decided to treat weekly until I see improvement. Might be overkill but I'd rather get them all healthy than save the time, energy or money.

Morning Blooms

This is the first of the daylilies to bloom and I'm very excited because the others aren't far behind.

Julia Child Rose has dainty little bright yellow blooms. I have to admit, I do her voice when I talk to this one. 

I was worried about my Hydrangea but after a chat with the woman at Calloway's I feel much better about it. As you can see, I'm not using enough aluminum sulfate since the blooms aren't as blue as they should be. 

FedEx

One benefit of working from home is being able to get the deliveries off your porch immediately. I have my address set up with the major shippers to notify me when a package is both on its way to my house as well as once it's been delivered. Last week at 11 AM I got an email from FedEx that my package was delivered. So I happily ran downstairs to open the box I had been waiting for. Except it wasn't there. I checked the email again to make sure I didn't read it wrong. Nope. It said delivered. I went to check again. Maybe I just overlooked it. Hmmmmm, nothing there. The email clearly said "left on front porch". Um . . . . Who's front porch?

I called the customer service number to tell them someone was smoking something because that package was not left on my porch. Of course they asked if anyone was home. Yes. Had I checked with my neighbors to make sure they hadn't picked it up thinking I wasn't home? No, my neighbors know I work from home. And I think in the 2 minutes from delivery time to email received it would have been amazing speed by my neighbor to have come and picked it up. They asked me to describe what was in the package and to describe my house. Then they said they would open an investigation and speak with the driver to see if they could track it down. Uh huh.

Two days later, a woman from down the street brought me the package that had been left at her house. I had received no communication from FedEx. I would like to take a minute here to point out that my house is clearly numbered. In TWO different places. So I called them and informed them that my package was no longer missing and it had been delivered to the wrong house. Of course, the rep on the phone was very apologetic. Uh huh.

Today I got the email that said hey, your package will be delivered so I kept an eye out for the truck. Around 6 PM, Caesar started barking and I looked out the window to see the truck drive off. Except there was no package on my porch. Checked my email and verified "Your package has been delivered". Ugh. I went to the house down the street thinking maybe it was delivered there again. Nope. Went back home and called FedEx to voice my displeasure with this happening AGAIN. Of course they could care less. They would have someone call me back tomorrow because the local office is now closed. Well off course they are.

So I started knocking on doors. Two houses down in the other direction, I found my box on the porch.

I'm thinking when I have a choice, I'll use UPS.

Essential Oils

A friend of mine introduced me to essential oils about a month ago. So far the most amazing has been a friend of mine that suffers with acid reflux. She puts a drop of lemon oil on her tongue and it has greatly improved her issue. 

I recently tried one that smells so bad I can hardly stand it. This is a first as most of them smells nice. RutaVaLa is supposed to help with sleep issues but I can't even put it on. I read that you will grow accustomed to it so I'll keep op ring the bottle and maybe one day I bring myself to touch it.