Peyton has his biopsy next week and we are all hoping the doctor’s can than create a medicine that is personalized for him, and him alone.  Depending on how he feels, I am hoping to host his anniversary party for his card business, and a belated birthday party (after all, he is now 13) AND he is to receive a Distinguished Citizen Award from the Alamosa Elks!  Mums the word for now, but will keep you posted.

I checked in with Ruth Heide to see how she is doing yesterday.  I called her and found her at a local drive through, so I threatened her with stalking, if she didn’t bring me a chocolate shake.  I knew she might not stop, if I didn’t beg for ice cream. It was so good to see her and get a hug!  She is holding her own, healthwise.  Maybe a little more pain.  She feels good about still being able to eat. She continues to sort through the things a person accumulates over the years.  Her mom continues to battle cancer but may be approaching the end, finding it hard to eat.  Theresa is a feisty one, according to Ruth.  Keep them all in your prayers.

Suzanne Tolsma and one of her work crews with Christian Community Project Services did some wonderful work at Ruth’s house. They used grubbing hoes to get the chicos out of the back yard, and replaced shingles on the roof, and sturdied the fence.  Turns out that the elm trees that were cleaned up a few weeks ago were holding the fence up—LOL!  It’s all sturdy again.  If you want a solid, GOOD non-profit to donate to, CCPS is a great one.  Give Suzanne a call at 719-589-2230 and she can tell you all about the organization.  They have rebuilt bathrooms and built handicap ramps, porches, roofs for many folks in the Valley.  Worth our support!

Meanwhile… did someone ask about Yarrows?  Here’s what to look for: the tall yellow one in front of the Green Spot and in Mom’s Garden is called Coronation Gold.  It gets 36 inches tall, a little heavy on top, so needs to be supported or it falls over.  The less water it gets the shorter and stronger it stays.  Goes to seed prolifically, but not difficult to hoe.  The shorter yellow Yarrow is a Moonshine.  Its foliage is more of a grey-green and I think the bloom is a little brighter mustard yellow.  It gets to about 24 inches tall and does not seed out like the Coronation Gold.  A good example of the Moonshine is at the First Southwest Bank, back door.  There are also some purplish ones there.

In Mom’s Garden I have had some red yarrow blooming for over a month, with next to no care or water.  The Moonshine and the reds are my favorites.  If you ever come across the white yarrow, treat it as a weed!  If will both come back, spreading prolifically and will also go to seed like crazy.  If it is by your lawn, it will take over your grass.  Get rid of it!  In my humble opinion!

The blue flowers that have been blooming around town are either the Rocky Mountain Blue Penstemon or May Night Salvia.  The Penstemon is a taller flower.  It will both come back and go to seed.  The MN Salvia is shorter and rounder.  It will also come back and go to seed.  The thing to remember about both is once they have bloomed, they are done.  If you get the old blooms cut back earlier enough you might get some light re-blooming.  I don’t have either plant available as a potted plant, but I can dig you some if you make a donation to my charity jar.  Just let me know.

I am also ready to dig wild yellow roses for folks.  I need advance notice, so I can cut them back and then water well.  They transplant so much easier when damp.

I took my grandkids out to Splashland this week.  What a great place for family exercise and even relaxation!  Leroy Polkowske and partner Scott Erickson (RIP) are heroes to our community for buying the pool and fixing it up!!  My dream is that someone would step up to the plate and pay off the loan and help with any equipment that needs to be put in—that’s my dream and I’m sticking with it!  After the loan is paid, then we can work on getting it covered for all-year swimming—that’s my next dream!  Are you interested?  Thanks in advance!

Oh…last but not least…John Wilder is playing the baby grand piano at Society Hall tonight from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.  It’s a free concert, before the not free concert.  Great music, and you get to see/hear the Hall in action!  Come on down.  P.S. This beautiful piano was donated by the Jack and Marilyn Oberrick family—many, many thanks!