Lateral thinking-

I ordered roses this morning.  Yesterday, I took a tour of the East Cupcake Botanical Gardens, and found them lacking.  We put some things in last fall, and some of them are doing wonderfully ... and some are only sputtering, like our firebush.  I posted an eviction notice for the firebush (it will move to the back yard) and some new roses will move in.

I became rose fluent about 10 years ago, right after a miscarriage.  At first, I planted a rose to remember the baby.  Then I got good at roses.  Hybrid teas, climbers, polyanthas, floribundas.  

I learned my lesson.  Some roses are REALLY finicky.  Some are easy as pie.  

Knock Out is one of those easy as pie roses.  I put some in last year.  One plant grew an enormous cane that towers two feet over everything else.  I arched it and weighted it down with a Coke bottle,  in hopes that it will sprout some lateral growth and quit looking like a bayonet.   These days, EVERYONE carries Knock Out, so much so that it is hard to find other roses.  I surfed over to Chamblee's Roses, which I shop because they are reasonable, they are one of the bigger growers in Texas, and they are by my DMIL's.  The Antique Rose Emporium almost got my business today, but I wanted some quirky things that they just didn't carry.

I ordered another Knock Out, a Mutabilis, a few Belinda's Dream-the basis of this my new rose garden.    Mutabilis is such a big girl, I bought her to anchor one very bare corner of the house.  Belinda's Dream is a beautiful fragrant girly rose-you would never know that she is Earthkind AND a Texas Superstar plant-meaning I don't have to mess with her.   Yay.  I bought three for a little hedge.  

For me, choosing roses is kind of like buying yarn.  You can have all the gorgeous all natural organic spun by fairies and dyed with moonbeams yarn in the universe, and some little slip of polyester novelty will catch your eye.  Because it's pretty.  (Raise your hand, c'mon now, I know you've been there.)  So I bought a Wild Blue Yonder (above) which will pop against my house.   And it's the Air Force Song ... they were pretty much guaranteed a sale.  I also bought Hot Cocoa, because it will SING when I put it next to my plumbago.

After I placed my rose order, I went and did some running around.  I've got furniture coming today, so I took DH's clothes to the cleaners, picked up some Bisquick ... now I can settle in for some knitting.  I stopped by my mailbox and guess what?!?

A present from my cousin!  Red, and flowered (but with cherry blossoms instead of roses, to celebrate Girl's Day).  

My rockin' out lounge jammies.

Books in Singapore

I found Kinokuniya in Singapore.  It was fabulous, but a little tricky.  Everything was shrinkwrapped, and I can't read Japanese.  I managed to muddle thru.  I made mistakes. 

 That white lace book with red lettering?  It has a picture of the knitting princess they featured in Knitter's a few years back (#82).    I was really disappointed to get back to my hotel room and find it was a "how to knit" primer.  Blah.

When I told my brother I went there, he said you could get the staff to show you the books.  But he just opens them himself and makes a mess.  That sounds about right.

They also had a great Borders that had a new British knitting magazine I hadn't seen before!

I love Japanese magazines because the projects are just so wearable.  Seriously, look at this!

TNNA Sneak Peek-

My hat is having a good time on vacation....I got an email this morning from Ron.

Betsy,

The show is going well... lots of people looking and ordering. Had Annie Modisette, Cat Bhordi and Clara Parkes in yesterday... they all admired your tam. It is quite the hit.

Hope things are well

Maybe next year, I can go too. I am a little embarrassed that my hat is on display to the US needlework heads of state fastened with SCOTCH TAPE.....I swear to God, the exhibitors aren't from East Cupcake but they might as well be. That's like going to the White House in flip-flops. Oh, wait, these guys aren't all that far from the Texas White House; maybe they know something I don't.

I am a little giddy because I have the only NON-BROWN buffalo wear in the booth. Yeah, I know it's burgundy, orange and green-not a far stretch at all, but I DID stretch. OK, nuking that 60.00 hank of yarn was a big stretch, because I didn't REALLY know what would happen, and it was scary.

Looky!

I was really surprised to see THIS this morning: elann.com - Knitting Yarn at Irresistible Prices

Poor Margaux. The top is WAY big on her!