Life is good! Be thankful for what you have, stop what you are doing and sit on the floor with your grandchild, or go see an older neighbor, or go out to the nursing home—no doubt you will know someone who would appreciate a visit. Just do it!

As I work in Mom’s Garden, I know I could have sprayed some of the taller weeds on the north end BUT…then I would have had taller dying weeds—ugly as all get out. One of the grocery stores in Alamosa has a couple of weeds that have been sprayed, one of them being about 2’ tall. It is slowly dying, but that may take a week or two and then there will still be a stem. NOT very attractive.

If your weeds have gotten out of control, you really need to mow them first, and then spray. Maybe even wait a week or two and let the foliage grow again. As we approach fall, now is a wonderful time to attack the weeds in your lawn. You’ll be so ahead of the weeds in the spring if you spray now.

I cut the Hollyhocks down in front of the store this week. They were over 6’ tall and they have been gorgeous. I wanted to get them cut before they dropped any seed, but was not successful. The thing about Hollyhocks is…if you really want them to grow, they won’t, and if you don’t want them, they grow in the cracks of a sidewalk. I have 2-3 that I let grow where they will be in the way next year. The main problem is…they develop such a tap root in only a year that they are difficult to transplant. Time will tell.

Calendulas have become one of my favorite annuals this year. If you take a look at the south end of my building you will see quite a few of these, and they have all come up from seed, with next to no water.  They do require some pinching to keep them blooming and looking fresh, but that really only takes a couple of minutes. They really give off a brilliant yellow or orange color. They don’t pinch back really easy, so I use a small garden pruners to get after them.

I can’t believe the cabbage loopers this year. Don’t assume that if you sprayed they are gone, because they are sneaky, sneaky—more every week, if you don’t keep an eye on your plants.

The folks who have organized the Mellow Yellow Lemon Run have decided to take a break this year. It seems like the busiest people get busier and busier and this Labor Day kind of snuck up on them. I am hoping that Peyton Sanchez is in town the Saturday of Labor Day weekend so we can set up the lemonade stand at the store. I know there is a young girl from Center who is up at Children’s Hospital in Denver. I know the family needs financial help. My hope is folks come by, have a cup of coffee, a lemonade, look at the cars downtown and just relax.

I’d like to show this family in Center that us folks in Alamosa can do our part to help them. Hopefully I see you all next Saturday!

Jaiden Rogers has been approved for a CPAP machine—I think that’s what it is called. It will help force oxygen into his lungs. Isn’t it amazing to think of having a machine like this, at age 11? I’m thinking Jaiden’s mom is going to be in Cole Park during the Early Iron Festival raising money for her child—a mom will do anything!

On the 5th of September Natalie travels overseas for her own medical needs.  Why do some people get hit with everything? Natalie will be receiving treatment for 40 days. A treatment that hasn’t been approved in the United States. Sad. You go Natalie!

My currant bushes have already turned red! Yikes! This time of year is my favorite. It’s like you open the bedroom window at night and cover up with a sheet. A few hours later you pull on the quilt. A few hours later you shut the window. Fall is here! Or you turn on the car heater in the morning, then a little bit later you open the window, and then you close the window and turn on the air conditioner. My favorite time of year.