The hubby and I went up to my dad's tonight. My stepmom's sister and her daughter are in town; they drove stepmom's mother up and are flying home Saturday. My step-grandma will be here for the next 6 months. She's OK, a southern genteel woman with a classic drawl. It's her little dog... "Jakeypoo" is 50% poodle, 50% bichon, and 100% annoying. He yaps, he piddles when he's scared, he yaps some more, he jumps around or waves his widdle paws like bichons do, and he yaps. When he yaps, the other two dogs bark. When the other two bark, he runs yapping even louder. And SG is so paranoid that the big dog (Rott/Lab) is going to eat Jakeypoo that she starts with the worrying and fussing. It's a cacophony only the deaf could tolerate.

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Dad saw a mountain lion tonight! Pennsylvania doesn't have any, according to the Game Commission, but there have been random sightings. Dad, stepmom, the neighbor, and one of the guys putting on the neighbor's roof have all seen this cat at one time or another over the past few years. Tonight Dad said it crossed the lower part of the driveway when he was pulling in. How cool! I wanna get a picture of it. I haven't seen any wild cats since I've been here, except the ones at wildlife exhibits and a rescue habitat. Neat that one of the rare big cats is on our property from time to time. There used to be a family of bobcats up on the ridge behind the house; I heard them once or twice but never saw one myself. Dad's seen them with two kittens in the field. Goal this year: photograph a wild kitty. Preferably from a distance!

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Met another "Greenhouse God" today. Ron Derrig, horticultural consultant, makes an occasional tour through one of our sites; this time it was ours, and I was invited to go along on part of the tour. Although I've seen him before (and read his tour notes and articles whenever I get them) I never got introduced until today. This man is a walking horticulture encyclopedia. Most of our techniques and rates come from his notes and suggestions and if we have an enigma he's the one our head grower calls. I learned some valuable info about PGRs (plant growth regulators) today and was very happy to listen to him speak. Would have loved to go on the whole tour but even my supervisor had to break away... lots of work to get done! Gearing up for a madhouse weekend... again, not enough people and a lot of ground to cover, plus the potting crews will be working Saturday so we lost another "catch-up" day when we can spray or do other things without people driving carts or setting new plants down all over the place. Spring has sprung and we're sproinging around like crazy... and it only gets springier from here!

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Stepmom's sister is from down Bama way, and she made REAL southern sweet tea up at Dad's. I had to... just half a glass... after some South Carolina muscadine cider I took up there. Yeah, I was in liquid heaven tonight.

Sweet tea rocks. That is all.