A wonderful weekend

As promised, for those of you that are keeping track (anybody out there?? anybody??). . .
more about our fabulous trip to the twin cities this past weekend.

On Friday I had my Master Gardener State Advisory Board meeting at the MN State  Arboretum.  I tell you what, it is beautiful, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL there.  Probably not a big surprise to anyone. . . and I should have known to bring the camera.  But, in a misplaced burst of practicality (“If we bring it, we won’t use it” were the exact words, I believe), we left the camera at home, and kicked ourselves the whole weekend for not bringing it.  There is some consolation in the fact that my stint on the advisory board is supposed to be a three-year term, so at least we will have plenty of opportunities for picture-taking.  But for now, I guess I will have to make do with what I can cajole out of other people and steal off the web. 

At the meeting, first we broke up into small groups to discuss the topic for the day, before going back to the larger group and sharing our ideas.  Here’s my small group. . . don’t we look like we’re really making some major decisions??

Small group

After the meeting was over, Trevor and I walked around a bit—not as much as we might have if I’d have had the foresight to wear walking shoes, instead of cute shoes.  But we both thought this “house,” made entirely of willow branches, was just incredible—the artist is Patrick Dougherty.

Willow house

The rest of the weekend was spent shopping, watching movies, and bonding with our friends—really a nice, relaxing weekend.  Our friends, Chandra and Wilbur, are also gardeners (well, really it’s just Wilbur that gardens), and we were treated to some fabulous food from their garden.  I was hoping to share a picture of one of Wilbur’s tomatoes. . . I swear it was as big as my head.  I hope it has time to ripen, because I think they could make a whole batch of salsa from that one tomato. (But I’m having problems with the photo, so you’ll just have to imagine it.  Think big.)

So it was a great trip. But I must admit I’m already really looking forward to the coming weekend, when I should have the chance to cross some chores off my longer and longer list.  I want to dig potatoes (no, we haven’t managed that yet), do some basic trimming and deadheading, and put out all of the pumpkins we bought yesterday.  You may wonder why I bought them yesterday and haven’t put them out yet. . . but only if you don’t know me well enough to know the extent of my Fall and Halloween decorating obsession.  And I think that’s a post for another day.