Monday, September 16, 2013

Dahlias and Rainy Days


My very first dahlia! I bought 5 (clearance) and only two came up.


Only one developed blooms ..... this one.


Now fully opened. Never planted these before, but I now think I need more!


Looks like I will have at least one more bloom!

Tough Mudder weekend is over. The local Chamber of Commerce called me several times in the months before the event and told me to prepare for an over-flow crowd of tenters. They assured me that were promoting the local business owners and wanted to make sure we could handle a crowd. I told them I could and would rent portable toilets if necessary ......

I was booking up with reservations and even allowing more than one tent per site. Then ....... come Friday and the day was filled with cancellations. The group of 30 paramedics were no-shows and the individual tenters were cancelling willy-nilly. Why, you ask? Because the same organization that is supposed to promote small business sanctioned the idea of local residents having tenters in their yards. Nice.

I am thankful I did not make arrangements for port-a-potties. The number of contestants was extremely over estimated and most came only to compete, then go home. Not the economic boost they were expecting.

Despite the disappointing weekend, the weather was wonderful. Sunday was overcast all day. The sun would peek through occasionally, but the temperature was in the 70's. I watered gardens all day in an effort to force the rain. I even left my car windows down ....... It finally rained a little late in the day and evening.

Today is much the same with gray skies and drizzling on and off. After the dry, hot weather, you would think this would make me happy. But, what can I say? Rainy days and Mondays always get me down .......

8 comments:

Joanne Noragon said...

I love dahlias. Are they perennials for you? We can't over winter them.

As a founder and member of our local Chamber, yea, it takes a long time to grow an event. I hope they persist.

Brian Miller said...

how ridiculous, letting the campers be in the yards...that sucks any kind of profits...


your dahlias are beautiful though....

Val said...

I love rainy days. Mondays...not so much.

joanne said...

those dahlia's make up for rainy days and mondays. They are beautiful aren't they? I just love them and plan of planting many more next year, didn't have much luck with them this season.

SkippyMom said...

How stupid of the organizers. I wonder who of the local townfolk got a hold of them to ask for that ordinance to be passed? Sorry for you Kathy.

Glad the weather has been nice. It's been pretty spectacular here too. :)

Hope the rest of the week is better. Hugs and much love. xo J

mamahasspoken said...

Dahlias are one of my favorite! You can dig up the bulbs from them (the ones that I have bought have a bulb like root system), keep them in a cool place over the winter, and replant them in the spring.

Pat said...

The Chamber of Commerce certainly did hold up their end of the bargain by letting tenters camp on people's lawns! That was stupid! How did they handle the whole bathroom issue? That was unsanitary!

On a good note, your flower is beautiful!

Linda O'Connell said...

I can imagine your disappointment, but oh the joy you must have felt when seeing that dahlia.