A beautiful day

Doesn’t it always look refreshing outside after a rain? Everything just seems cleaner and brighter–even if you don’t live on a dirt road. The skies were bright and blue today and the temperatures were amazing. It would have been much nicer to be home working in the garden on a day like this.

I worked on quite a few projects this morning before meeting a friend for a late lunch. I love that businesses and restaurants are paying more attention to landscaping and outdoor seating. These dragonwing begonias are huge and really make a statement around US Pizza on Kavanaugh.

This afternoon we worked on more of the actual footprint of the 2015 state MG meeting–trying to fit where everything will go. I went to see the new Fairfield Inn Hotel that is now open and adjacent to the event center. It is very nice. They have public spaces, an indoor pool and a meeting room as well as very nice lodging rooms.

As soon as I know how many rooms are left in each facility we are reserving, I will share.

My garden really liked the slow, steady rain of yesterday. Everything looks great. My tropical butterfly weed plants probably are in a quandry over the 44 degrees tonight, but the warm weather of the weekend had them trying to put on an abundance of flower buds at every joint. Not sure if they will have time to open or not.
My lettuce and kale are growing in leaps and bounds, and all the transplants are gaining it seems like daily.

and the harlequin clereodendron is so showy now. The waxy “flowers” are actually the seed pods–the blue seed surrounded by the red calyx. Stunning! My buddleia has more blooms now than it has all growing season, and the Little Henry itea is turning its fall color.