We are sorry to see it go, but our Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) by the entrance is coming to an end. I'm sure the plant will live through this draught we are having, but the fiery orange blooms are not as striking as they once were. Staying true to its described culture, it is a volunteer wildflower in our bar-ditch. I wouldn't mind if the whole ditch was filled with them.

Our ditch might not be here much longer though. Highway 69 is set to expand to four lanes, and it will take out a nice chunk of our front acreage. A survey crew came by today working on preliminary markings of boundary lines. The new highway will be nice, but we will miss the large front pasture. Life's about changing nothing ever stays the same.

John and Erin left today. We no longer have a place to do laundry, relax on a sofa, watch TV, etc. Something will have to be done; otherwise, I am afraid we might hurt each other. It is only so long before a bunch of “20 somethings” start to have personality conflicts! I say that in jest, but it would be nice if we had a place to relax.

Grasshoppers are plaguing our land. I am glad that we don't have too many of our summer growing plants out in the field, or they might not have any leaves left. I have even seen grasshoppers eat the actual bulb! Our crates have been dusted in sulphur to ward off any would be pests, including mice and grasshoppers.

Most of us leave tomorrow morning for Chattanooga, Tennessee for the Southern Region Master Gardener Conference. If you would like to hear great information about bulbs for warm climates and bulbs for the South, mixed in with some adventurous stories, please stop by!