This is the time to go about weeding, clearing, and getting the soil ready for next spring.

I'm looking around for things I can clip as I go by on the sidewalk. Things that are just hanging over the path and are going to be clipped anyway.

Well, it pays to be out early in the morning - Jeff has a summer cold so I went out to pick up the things from the grocery - left early while it wasn't too hot (it's sweltering now at 9:15 a.m.)

I was lucky - everybody's clipping, up rooting and thinning - I came back with a lovely little crop of 'something'. The lady that was thinning had just filled a cardboard box with it - she was pleased as punch that I took it off her hands - it left room in her box for more.

This morning? Ha! Out there to plant my newbies, then make my rounds of the neighbourhood before the disposal trucks come 'round.

You sound like me. I have no problems asking people around here for cuttings or their trimmings. My husband gets so embarrased when I tell him I am going to ask so and so for their whatever. This is a small country town, yes everyone knows everything and everyone here - kind of wierd for me coming from the Metropolitan city life, but getting used to it. There is this lady down the road that has a beautiful orange colored rose, I just gotta have a cutting -- I have to wait when he is not around so I can go there and ask her. I think that would just be lovely in my "growing" rose garden.

Oh! Ha ha! Wait till's he's not around - I like that.

A cutting - well, I'm not really sure how to do it - I've never tried to do a cutting from a rose bush.

Carly, I wish you were close, I have so many plants that need dividing that I am in need of making more beds just to have a place to put them. I never had any luck with rooting hormone on cuttings.

That would be nice - we have clubs here in Toronto, but I don't go to them - I'm kinda' off groups lately.

But I do make a point of mooching stuff.

We got some mint the other day - Jeff brought it home from up the street where the lady with the nicest garden on the block was thinning.

She just uprooted a lot of cosmo - didn't know I wanted some - mine didn't work out this year.

Hey! This reminds me - it's Wednesday - I gotta' go see what gets thrown out - the trucks are picking up garden waste.

I'm supposed to be resting with my sore leg . . . grrrrr . . .

I'll send Jeff out looking.