Life is good in the neighborhood! I had a customer come in this week looking for a concrete angel. I didn’t have one, and after he searched around town, he came back to double check with me. I was able to call fellow business owners in Salida to see if they had one. Technology is so great—they sent me pictures, and the gentleman was ecstatic because they had one that was perfect. He was creating a memorial area for his wife, who had been killed.

The great thing about this fella going to Salida is that he was able to pick me up 18 Cushion Spurge Euphorbias! I’m so happy! These are some of the very first flowers to bloom in the spring. They need next to no care and very little water. You very seldom find them in garden centers because they bloom so early, and if you didn’t know what you were looking for, you would think they were pretty ugly. They remind me of Eileen Hill who had the most beautiful flowers on West Avenue. Miss you Eileen, and saddened to see that all your flowers are gone!!

Also this week, I was able to get an awesome discount on shrubs from Big R. Most will be planted in Mom’s Garden, with a few saved for the front of Society Hall. I was able to purchase a number of Crimson Pygmy Barberry, a few Rocky Mountain Sumacs and spreading Cotoneasters. I’m also giving a couple of Knockout Roses and Hibiscus a chance to survive in Alamosa. Even though I think Karl Foerester grasses are being WAY over planted, I purchased nine and will plant them only for a background plant. Did I mention that they are being way over planted?! Thank you, thank you Big R of Alamosa for working with me.

Okay…I mentioned Society Hall so here’s some news on what is happening there. On Sunday and Monday (they don’t call it Labor Day for nothing), Larry Brown, Kenny Koenig and I will be painting the ramp at the front of the hall. It’s going to look so fabulous! Kenny helped paint the back ramp because he is familiar with automotive type painting—that’s his business. I had started the job with cans of spray paint—what was I thinkin’!?

We will be hosting a fine concert next Friday with Buddy Mondlock and then on the 16th of September, watch out! The board of SH decided a new roof was in order, so we need to raise some money and thus, we decided to have a Raise the Roof Celebration. We are closing off part of Fourth St. and the parking lot at the SLV Federal Bank (thanks Duane Bussey). The entire area will be fenced. 

At high noon, the festivities will begin, with bands — six of them — alternating between the inside hall and the outside stage. We will have hamburgers for sale AND beer and wine, and cheesecake. I’m also hearing that three, that’s three, class reunions will be gathering, so it promises to be fun. If you would like to volunteer for a couple of hours, please give me a call at 719-580-7838. Thanks!

How tough are plants you ask? Well…down in front of the Bistro Rialto, where the curb is pulling away from the sidewalk, a tomato is growing! Who knows where the seed came from, or if a bird dropped it—good aim, I guess. But it’s growing. Maybe I will purposely plant early next year and see what happens.  And then where the curb is pulling away in front of Hospice, I might plant beans. 

Next for tough plants are the elms growing in the gutter at the Thai House Restaurant—2nd floor! I’m thinking they have been there for at least three years, maybe longer. When Society Hall was first purchased there were a couple of little rips in the roof where elms were growing. If you wanted them to grow in a specific place, they wouldn’t—go figure!

Meanwhile, do you know that if you don’t “live” in Alamosa, you can’t vote on ANYTHING? You can’t even volunteer to serve on a city committee! One of my business friends suggested that this could be taxation without representation—hmmmm? I would think, maybe even hope, that just one city council member could help push this issue so that I, and many others could vote on city issues that affect us. Or do they not want us to vote? I wonder.

Everybody…please be safe this weekend! Drive responsibly! Take a look at the beautiful, gorgeous vehicles in town for the 37th Early Iron Festival! Look, but don’t touch—unless you ask.