[lysie]

Oh, by the way. You are right about roses this year. I have 4 bushes that have only produced about a dozen or so blossoms throughout the 10 years I have had them. This year, there are an unbelieveable amount on each bush.

[Miss Marple]

I forget where you live, lysander, but the bad side to this season has just appeared here this week. JAPANESE BEETLES. This is the earliest I have seen them...usually they don't make an appearance here until mid-July. Now I have to decide whether to spray or not. I didn't spray last year because of the honey bee shortage, and I try not to use too many pesticides because of birds and wildlife, but if their numbers are as high as it looks like they may be, I may be forced to get out the sprayer.