In everyone's life, there are generous souls who help us find our way. My mentors, past and present, made me believe I can change the world one little byte at a time. So, whenever, I have the chance to pay it forward and help someone else, I try. A little like link love, going back to speak to students who study at the same university I attended, is just another way to say thanks. Thursday, I was granted just such an opportunity. I was fortunate enough to speak to the Professional Writing Student Association at the College of Journalism at the University of Oklahoma. These journalists are graduating in hard times. So, I wanted to give them hope and tell them it's possible to still make a good living as a writer, whether you write fiction or nonfiction.  Looking at the poster, I think they came for the pizza, but...

I know, they say it's been overdone, but really, with fall color like this, who cares? In our hot part of the world, most Japanese maples need to be grown in some shade. This cultivar lights up the shade garden with beautiful fall foliage, lovely lime-green leaves in spring, and florescent pink bark in winter. What more could you ask of a decorative, small tree? So, my suggestion for the day is plant Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku.' Why don't you?  

A cold front, dumping tons of snow onto Colorado, and with snow also predicted in the Oklahoma panhandle, is making its way further south. After a summer that felt more like a brutal dictatorship, instigated by Mr. Sun, the roses are finally blooming once again and filling the garden with their unique fragrance. While I've filled bare spots in the garden with bulbs, pansies, kale and cabbage, I've felt the tug of rosy prickles, as if the roses are asking for attention. Why wouldn't they? Only roses have their signature scent, and each rose in my garden smells differently. Some have a classic rose fragrance, while others are scented of strawberries and even tea. Beneath their royal feet, I've planted tiny bulbs which I hope will please them come spring. I've longed to dip my nose into their blooms all year, and believe me, I've spent the last few weeks...

The other day I was driving through Edmond, a suburb of Oklahoma City. With kids, I'm always driving here, there and everywhere. I passed Ace Hardware on Broadway and 15th, and I casually glanced over. Out front, I caught a glimpse of bulb boxes on display. I didn't have much hope there would be anything worth buying this late in the season, but what the heck, I thought as I pulled into the parking lot. Surprise, surprise, there were all kinds of wonderful bulbs you usually don't see in retail stands in Oklahoma. Not only that, but a sign showed they were half price. I stocked up and decided to do the lower garden in a mix of these. Instead of the scatter method, I dug big holes and dropped the larger tulips and daffodils within. I tucked them in with a bit of soil and then added the smaller...