What have I been doing?
Well, lots of this-
                          Before: lots of brown leaves and blasted dandelions.
                                                           Shame on me!

And After: Over an hour of weeding/trimming (per-bed)

and they're ready for their straw blanket.

                                                and here is that bud, Earl Of Essex

And of course since I've been away from the garden the last two days, I forgot to go out and cut it to bring inside. I'll go see, but I expect a frozen mushy purple/white mess :(   There were a couple early buds on Zee also, but I expect they froze too hard to keep going.  We're just too far north to give the re-bloomers enough warm weather for fall hurrah.

 I hope we get some more warm weather so I can try to finish.  17 beds to go, but my Dr. actually said the bending was bad for my GERD and I should "leave the rest till spring".  Doctors orders ;) If only! ha  If I don't clean them off they will be a real mess next spring.  *sigh

Just a quick post, 
There are TWO BUDS in the iris beds! I hope they open before it freezes hard. 
Old Earl Of Essex is the only one brave enough to bloom again in Oct!
I'll post pics if he makes it :)

Akkk October 14th??  October 14th??   It was just August! Wait , what? whoa!!

  Wow, my Mom wasn't kidding about time going faster when you get older.   Kind of scary. I must figure out how to slow it down a bit or next week I'll be 80!

  I've been busy clearing the iris beds of weeds, and trimming the leaves to be ready for the straw cover in Nov. Ohh my back is not happy, but it feels good to be outside doing something.
  At night I'm usually busy filling orders from my shop on etsy for Advent / Christmas countdown calendars.  From 3/4" to 3"  numbers numbers numbers!  This is the most popular size and font.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/74371257/125-advent-calendar-complete-set-1-to-25?ref=shop_home_active
But there are many many more!

I've also been getting my fall and winter things listed in my other etsy shop. The weather is getting cooler so it feels like fall. The darkness at 6pm is making the days seem too short. I hope to get some new things started soon. I like to have some hand work to do in the evening ,so I can sit with my feet up and stitch.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SunshineAnniedesigns?ref=si_shop
 Last night I finally got the last scarecrow, and the new snowmen posted.

Oh we did move the antique sewing machines out to the garage. Got a new heavy duty shelf to hold those heavy suckers! I would sure like to find time to play with them.  It doesn't seem like I ever do. I'll post some pics of them next time (if I don't forget!)

Back to the numbers, 5 sets to cut tonight, plus some flowers,letters , snowflakes and stars!
Chop chop!!

All those eggs in the previous post started hatching today! 
 Eight of them were very impatient with me this morning. 
I was rushing around trying to get some stuff done before I left for a dr. apmt., and when I went out to get in the truck I saw lots of orange and black fluttering! 
I opened the hatchery door and one by one as I tried to get them on my finger they said "forget that" , and fluttered out the door on their own. :)  Sorry, no pictures.
6 girls and 2 boys. All big and healthy. They should have enjoyed this hot muggy day. 
Good luck butterflies~ :D

Finally some more Monarch Eggs!

I checked over the weekend to see if the milkweed that had been cut in the empty lot was regrowing. And sure enough ,it was up about 4-6". I collected 16 eggs!  They've since hatched and are munching away in the hatchery.  I went out again and found 5 more that just hatched yesterday. So I should have some pics in a couple weeks. I'll see if I can happen to catch one morphing into it's chrysalis, or emerging. It's hit or miss to catch those events. They only take a few minutes.
If you want to see if your milkweed has any eggs, look for these.....
Sometimes it's hard to tell the egg from the milkweed sap. The eggs are not as white usually. And if you look at them from the side they are pointed and a teeny bit shiny.

 I used to cut the plant off and put it in water. But that wasted a lot of it because by the time they hatched the leaves were curling up.  Now I just bring in the leaf and lay it on damp paper towel in a plastic container with the lid a bit off for airflow. It keeps the leaves fresh a bit longer. But don't put the lid on tight or they might get moldy. Just before they hatch they will turn black. Then the teeeeeeniest little caterpillar comes out. White with a black head.  He will eat the egg case, then start chewing the leaf. I leave them on that leaf for a couple days, unless it is drying out. Then I transfer them to the hatchery on plants in a vase with screen covering the top. (Or you could use a large jar with screen held by a rubber band on top so they can't escape. Just put wet paper towel around the end of the stem, it will last several days.)
In only a day or two they will show their stripes. It's amazing how fast they grow, and how much they eat!

Checkout problems on the web site have been fixed.

FINAL CALL
IRIS SALE 30% OFF !! 


This is the last week to order Iris from SunshineAnnie's. All orders over $100 get 30% off!! Use code FINAL30

http://www.sunshineannie.com/

Don't need that many? 

(you know you WANT that many! Go ahead it's a great deal!! *wink ) 

20% off all orders over $50  use code LAST13

LAST DAY TO ORDER  is Aug. 4, 2013

All orders will be sent the week of Aug 4 if possible. If more than I can do in one week, they will be sent the following week.   You will receive an email with tracking when your order ships.

Putting in extras this year when I have them! More bloom for the buck!

Happy Blooms!

Deb

It's a BOY!
and a BOY!!
AND a GIRL!!!

The first of my monarch butterflies for 2013 emerged today.

Sadly though, so far I've only found a total of 6 eggs. Usually by now I would have around 200. I have only seen monarchs flying around two times this summer. I hope there are many more somewhere else. I have tons of milkweed and butterfly bushes that they usually hang around. But this year, none :(

I have three more 'cats about ready to form their chrysalis. See the one hanging in J form? By tonight he will be bright green with sparkly gold flecks.  There is one more on a twig heading to the top of the hatchery to make his J. And the last is still eating. Hmmm wonder why he's also the biggest!!

 The first boy I took out to put on a bush to finish drying his wings and warm up. (our garage is air conditioned). He was very hyper on the way out, flapping his wings to show me he's ready!

 When we got outside, he suddenly grabbed onto my amethyst ring. I don't know what colors they see, but I think maybe he thought it was a flower.

 Up in the sun he fanned out his wings to warm up. Isn't he pretty!

 I put him on the bush, but he immediately flew off to a different kind of bush. Men! 

 The second boy did the same, but went over the top of the house! In years past the girls were usually the ones to get impatient. 
Last was the little girl, she is still warming on the bush. Being very patient to wait until she's ready. 
(Actually I think she was the last to hatch.)

I looked on my milkweed after that, hoping for some new eggs. Nope, not one. Maybe I'll take a walk down the road later and see if there are any on the ditch milkweed. The only problem with that is they sometimes spray the sides of the road. Then the 'cats die or are deformed butterflies. 

Tomorrow I start digging Iris orders. I will have all paid orders done this week. (not paid = not dug!)  I expect it will be hard digging, we only got a short shower last night. At least the temps have cooled down.

I will draw the winners on Friday. So Like my facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/SunshineAnnies/243285345708033 
and Share to enter. One $50 iris gift cert., and 2  $25 winners.

Happy Blooms!
Deb

Don't forget to save!! 
 If you ordered last year you got a coupon with your order for 15% off. Use code IBONUS15

I'm letting everyone use the coupon on any orders from 7/19 until I discontinue digging this year :)   
(could be soon!)

Hurry hurry, many are selling out! 
http://sunshineannie.com/

Only one more day for the 20% off sale! Head on over to my web page and get your order in. I'm  not digging yet because of the heat, so plenty of time to pick your favorites and ready your flower beds.

http://www.sunshineannie.com/

And~ remember I will be drawing for gift cert. for Iris :)
I've decided to do more than one!
 First place will get a $50 gift cert. and there will be TWO second place for $25 ea.  
 Just Go to my facebook page and like and share  to enter.  
(drawing will be from the share posts)

IRIS SALE!!  
5 days only, 7-11 to 7-16
20% off all orders over $50

Don't wait, quantities are low on many and my season will be short this year.
I'm having health issues and just can't work the iris like I have in the past.
When I get to the max of what I feel I can handle I will stop taking orders for 2013.

http://www.sunshineannie.com/   Use code LAST13

http://www.sunshineannie.com/

Happy Blooms!

The Web Page is ready! 

www.sunshineannie.com

or click on link at right  >

All the iris I have for sale this year are listed. 

Quantities are very low on some, so if you want them don't wait!

Happy Blooms! :)

I've posted 329 colors of Iris listed on my web page.  I should finish counting today and have the rest up by the weekend.
 Like my facebook page, sunshineannie's -https://www.facebook.com/pages/SunshineAnnies/243285345708033
 and I will add one free iris to your order.
Share my page and I'll add a second free iris!
(post a note on your order that you liked and shared on facebook)

http://sunshineannie.com/

All orders will be put into a drawing on 7-15-13 for a dozen free named iris! (Free iris will be shipped with your order.)

Have a bloomin great day!
Deb  ~

I started listing some iris on my web page today!
 Quantities for sale are VERY low this year (with few exceptions) so don't hesitate too long. I'm posting them A-Z, so when I get to the ones named Zandria etc. you will know all I have for sale this year are posted.
Shipping will begin mid-late July. The iris bloom is just now ending, and they need a month to get going before they are dug and shipped.


http://sunshineannie.com/index.php?cPath=23
or http://www.sunshineannie.com/

The iris are winding down, especially after the storms last night. One tornado came too close, only about 15 miles away! yikes Auntie Em!
Here are some of my latest pics...