I was able to talk with Ruth Heide yesterday.  I had to ask her when our first reference was to me being a ‘queen’, as I reported in last week’s column.  She would call me your Royal Highness, and I would respond, ‘did you mean royal heinous’?  And then she became my humble servant, and so the story went on and on.  Neither one of us remember when it started, but thinking it had something to do with City Council, right? 

The great thing about Ruth is she protected me from myself, and always managed to change my sarcastic signature.  I’m glad Becky didn’t get it done, because now you all can call me the queen—especially Neil and Arla Henderson!!

Speaking of my mistakes….last week I also wrote that Peyton was going to get the ‘Extinguished Citizen Award’ from the Elks Lodge next Saturday at 11 a.m.  SILLY ME, it is the DISTINGUISHED CITIZENSHIP AWARD!!  I need to proof read a little bit better—a LOT better!  While we are on topic…Peyton’s one year anniversary of his Peyton’s Inspirational Notes card business will be beginning at 10 a.m. next Saturday, Aug. 10.  We will also be hosting a bake sale (help me out here with goodies, if you are able).  And, the Green Spot will be providing root beer and ice cream for floats. 

Peyton has been working his fingers to the bone, literally, as he braille’s every message.  Such a great, awesome, beautiful young man.  He is beyond special!  Come on by and bring a birthday card if you want—Peyton turned 13 in April, but this is our first chance to have a party.  Guess I need to make a cake—unless someone calls me and wants to make one, or some cupcakes, hint, hint!  My number is 580-7838.

Where in the heck did July go?  It is just amazing that we are into August, with some schools starting school NEXT week!  When did that become okay?  I am so against any school in August—it just isn’t fair—to kids, to parents, to anybody.  But no one asks me.

Mom’s Garden continues to become more and more beautiful.  With the help of a couple of volunteers we have been weeding, and deadheading and planting.  It seems like the planting is one step ahead of those damn deer!!  I plant, and they chomp, and sometimes just pull up plants.  I received a new deer repellant in yesterday and I am SO-O-O anxious to give it a try.  What are we doing about the deer in this community?

I purposely left a little patch of weeds on the North end of the flowerbed.  It might be CDOT property, it might be Railroad property, it might even be City property, I don’t know.  (It certainly isn’t my property).  When the weeds got to over three feet tall this week, I couldn’t stand it anymore, so we got them cut back this week.  Again…where is the pride in this community?  We all need to do our part to be the best we can be, as the cars roll in for the Early Iron Festival Labor Day Weekend.

Speaking of Early Iron…isn’t it sad when hotel rates go up that weekend?  A weekend when so many visitors come to town.  What would happen if I and every other business/restaurant raised our prices 30 percent or more?  It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, that’s for sure.  What could happen if everyone who had a vehicle in the Early Iron Festival received a discount instead??  That would be really cool!

The flowers beginning to bloom in front and on the north side of the Green Spot are Echinops.  You don’t have to pull a bloom off to ask me.  They are the pincushion type flowers.  A beautiful blue color.  They are a little prolific, but easy to control.  I absolutely love them.  And I finally have some starting to grow in Mom’s Garden.

Also growing in Mom’s Garden, coming back from last year, are different varieties of Echinacea.  Reds and yellows and even orange.  These are probably some of my new favorites—absolutely gorgeous!  I don’t have any more at the store this year, because they have all been planted, but next year I will be ordering tons!

Let’s all do our part to make Alamosa a little more attractive…..please.