Its been so dry that some grass areas are showing signs of stress so it may be a good time to check and double check the sprinkler system in your yard.

We went to a great halloween party the other night , our friends house was so unbelievable as there were decorations on the outside as well as the inside. Drinks were served in gray goblets and the chicken and pork had some of the absolute best sauces I have ever had. Of course many of the decorations were very hilarious so it was a fun evening. Another great thing I like about parties is that I meet so many interesting people and I find that its a great opportunity to learn about subjects that I know little about.

The radio show went great today despite the fact that I have some kind of bad cold or allergies, but somehow I stayed focused and really enjoyed the two hours and I also want to thank Starbucks for being on my way to the station as it definitely is something I look forward to. I order a soy latte and a pumpkin scone that is probably very fattening but hay the will power will come later I'm sure.

All of the dogs are fine and as you probably already know little Barcelo the 3 pound Yorkie continues to be the best entertainment in the house. Hes not crazy about the Jack Russell and I think that we have some jealousy issues with these two. Yes he is in the chewing stage and so there is not a safe shoe or sock in the house! Its also interesting that he consistently continues to be a night baby wanting to chase us all over the place after about 9 at night.

I'm really looking forward to the coming week and hope to get a lot accomplished so hope to talk to you soon, take care....

Vince

It's been really dry lately, so its a good idea to get all of the sprinklers in order. If they haven't been checked lately then it should be done about once a month or so. Sometimes, a wheelbarrow tire or a lawnmower tire hits a sprinkler head and puts it out of whack, I intend to discuss this more on the weekend radio shows.

We now have lemongrass in 3 gallon pots in the nursery and this is an ornamental grass that looks like pampas grass but doesn't get as big and when you crush the leaf it smells like lemon.

Did a great landscape today in the Orlando area in Belle Isle, the folks absolutely loved it and I am very pleased with the outcome. It was a real red brick house and the lady told me that it was a long time to wait as they had things to do on the inside. She was so excited and that's why this is such a rewarding thing to do.

My bookcases are almost finished today and I have spent the evening putting family photos in albums, found photos of dogs when I was a kid and even pictures of my nursery, Shady Ridge which are very important to me. I also have great photos of my parents and my grandparents and what memories they bring back. I even found photos of me planting my first landscape at our first home. I love looking at them but it sure brings back a lot of emotions. Oh and those photos when we were first married, I was so skinny but now I'm so much wiser!

This afternoon we had to fix a sprinkler head as I am getting ready to plant my annual garden. The sunken garden is now in its prime and had a great papaya today and it was fantastic especially as I was able to beat the raccoons to it which makes me feel accomplished as often the wildlife wins.

It was a great day today as we did an incredible landscape in on the side with a winding brick paver sidewalk so I used Queen Palms so they would arch over the wall. Then I used Red Knock Out Roses for color along with brightly colored croton and purple and pink Mexican Petunia. For fragrance I used Tea Olive which just looked great, the homeowner said she never could believe that such a small space could be so dramatic. After this I did estimates all afternoon then came home and organized my office then went out and mowed the backyard. So all in all quite a productive day.

All of the dogs are doing great, Honey and Rascal, the Lab and Jack Russell got a haircut today and they look like they could be in the movies. The new Yorkie is amazing and we play and laugh with the whole family watching him and its so great that all of us are so into it because they do need a lot of attention and they definitely get it.

My good friend Tony is coming to visit for 3 days with his girlfriend so we have a golf game going on and boat rides and will be going to dinner , I am taking them to Pieces Rising in Mt Dora and to The Melting pot in Longwood which is a fantastic restaurant with great service and food.
I'm looking forward to the Sat and Sun radio shows as the weather is cooler now and I want to get everyone excited about fall planting. My yard is looking so good and all of that sweat equity is now paying off. I also want to discuss lawns as I am still seeing some issues out there. Take care, Vince