Fall has Arrived

Hello Daylily Friends,

Saturday afternoon and evening was just such a wonderful time.  We held our annual "Fall Picnic" and we were all so glad to see each other.  We also were so fortunate to have five (5) new members to attend, and during the meeting we had two (2) more new members to join.  Our Club purchased two very large platters of Chicken from Zaxbys, and everyone brought a dish.  There were salads, cole slaw, jello with nuts, many casseroles, and desserts of every kind.  There was sweet and unsweetened tea, coke and pepsi, lemonade, coffee and much, much more.  I had the green bean and squash casseroles, and jello as well.  I wanted to talk to everyone, and I wanted to eat the wonderful food, and it was all just great!

Then we had a plant auction.  Not the normal kind of auction where everybody spends their money; instead, it was a "points auction."  During the year we each worked on various Committees, and we earned points for the work.  There were points for attending meetings, and points for working on the AHS National Convention, and points for contributing flowers for our annual plant sale.  Our Auctioneer was the esteemed David Bishop who did a wonderful job.  In the picture I'm posting David is wearing the orange shirt.  Just before the Auction we all got together for a Club picture.  After the Auction, our President, Steven Verner, presented the "Annual President's Service Award" to David and Camilla Arthur for their most successful work in making the National Convention the very best.  Thanks David and Camilla!

Our AHS Daylily Journal came out a few days ago and on the front cover there were pictures of four (4) daylilies.  One of the daylilies was my own BLAZING CANNONS.  I was so delighted with the picture that was taken by Ann Monroe.  She must have taken the picture during the National Convention, but I didn't even notice.  I also see that she took a wonderful picture of HOTLANTA which is on page 33.  Thanks Ann for your work in taking these pictures, even though you couldn't have known that BLAZING CANNONS would soon win "The President's Cup."  In my garden BLAZING CANNONS was still blooming on August 13, and I then took the picture that I'm showing.  It is just such an incredible flower, and I am so thrilled that most everyone seems to agree.

When I posted on July 27, 2015, I showed a picture of one of Diana's pink seedlings that has plenty of teeth.  Quite a seedling.  Then, a few days ago, Diana had another seedling to bloom, and I'm showing a picture of it as well.  I would just ask how Diana can produce these incredible seedlings.  She does so well, and I'm going to use her seedlings in my program.

Let's take a look at the seedlings in the Greenhouse.  I started planting on August 19, and I finished by August 25.  The Plants, all growing in 3" peat pots, have grown nicely.  I've noticed, however, that those that were not refrigerated for 3 weeks are slower to emerge, if indeed they do emerge.  I have been really pleased that I crossed TET. SPIDER MIRACLE  with Seedling 3-374 (The large double).  Practically every seed emerged.  I think that this is because I treated TET.SPIDER MIRACLE with the chemical "Colchicine" for a second time.  I've also been really impressed with the seedlings from having used TET. ASHEE DASHEE.  I even have two (2) seeds growing that were crossed with 3-374.  Just amazing since 3-374 is a difficult pod parent. 

Have I mentioned the Tennessee River Cruise that Diana and I took with our Sunday School Class?  Wow, what fun!  We got up early, and went to Church and caught a bus that took us to Chattanooga, Tennessee.  There we went to the Tennessee River, and began our cruise up and down the River.  There were houses and industrial sites, and then there was just incredible scenery.  I went walking along the Ship and saw this lady who was from Ohio.  She was on the boat with her family, and I noticed her because she was smoking a cigar.  I used to smoke but I quit in 1984, over 30 years ago.  So I know how hard it is to quit smoking, but for a lady to be smoking a cigar was quite a sight, so I had to take a picture.

  Did I mention that on the Cruise we were fed a dinner of "Prime Rib"?  It was so good.  There were a number of groups on the Cruise, and I think that about 200 people were there.  We just all enjoyed the dinner music where a musician played several instruments including a guitar, a banjo, a harmonica, and a violin.  He was somewhat elderly, like the Ship's passengers, but he could sing and perform quite well.  When we first entered the Ship he was singing "Rocky Top."  You remember, the song the band plays when the University of Tennessee plays football.  Here are the lyrics:

Wish that I was on ol' Rocky Top

Down in the Tennessee hills
Ain't no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top
Ain't no telephone bills
Once I had a girl on Rocky Top
Half bear, other half cat
Wild as a mink, but sweet as soda pop
I still dream about that

Rocky Top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol' Rocky Top
Rocky Top, Tennessee

Little LILY RAE certainly surprised me when we saw her for 3 short hours this past Sunday.  When we first started talking, if we called her by any name other LILY RAE, she immediately corrected us and reminded us that her name is LILY RAE.  There was a time a few months back when it seemed that no name we used with LILY was satisfactory.  I explained to LILY RAE how she came to have her name, and explained that no one else on this planet has her name.  That her name is special, and that she should be very happy to have such a wonderful name.  It seems that Grandpa's conversation was received quite well.  LILY RAE wants to be called LILY RAE.  I would add that she misses seeing her Grandparents, and she also really misses seeing her Mother,  I'm showing a picture of LILY RAE and KELLEY RAE. 

More news soon.

Bill