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Sunday, July 27, 2008

Just A Little Something To Entertain You




I have recently been tagged by Cindy, My Corner Of Katy, to tell six random things about myself. Frances of Faire Gardens has tagged anyone who wants to participate....this counts for both!

Here are the rules as copied from Cindy's site and Frances' site:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on the blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

1. I love to mosaic...especially with tile and glass. I attended a wonderful weekend mosaic workshop with Sherrie Warner Hunter. She is well known for making concrete garden ornaments and is the author of, what else could it be but, 'Making Concrete Garden Ornaments'. What do you think of this end of the bar top I made? One of my favorite pieces is an umbrella holder that pays homage to my garden's plentiful Rudbeckia hirta (see above).

2. I traded my old Suburban for a mosaic shed! Really, the guy had a very large family and needed something large to haul everyone. I got a beautiful shed and a place to store lawn equipment.


Glass on glass mosaic from scraps of glass and an old window...it is built into the porch. (added 8/28/08)
It seemed a fair trade to me!

3. I spent my middle school years in Tampa. I have some of the best memories of absolute kid freedom. We would head out for a day of bicycling, lunch at a friends, and activities in the park all day long. It was idyllic in many ways, but then the early sixties were. I was very sad when we moved back to St. Louis in 1964! But it was just in time to watch them construct the Gateway Arch.



4. I am a trained and certified Family Mediator. I even worked part time as an 'on call' mediator in the court of a local judge. But here's what I figured out after too many years of mediating intractable divorce cases. ....I don't like conflict at that level, so I am retired from the mediation business!

and,

5. When I was about 15, my best friend and I went to the Club Imperial (St Louis) to see Ike and Tina Turner...I hadn't the faintest idea who they were! But Linda could talk me into almost anything! She had a little red VW Bug and we went all over the place and probably just escaped serious trouble many times. Somehow she heard about this really cool review at a local dance club and dragged me along! Ike and Tina often played there on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Which meant we had not told our parents were we were really going, because it was a school night! Oh my, the things my mother never knew! This must have been just before Ike and Tina made it big and certainly before they went on tour with the Stones. The club was small and crowded. Did I say how small? I was standing about 5 feet from the 'stage'. They put on a great show! But here's the interesting part...we some how got to go 'backstage'. Backstage being a couple of rooms just off the dance floor. Ms Tina was back there trying to cool off. She was drenched in sweat and we girls helped mop her back. Sounds weird, but it was an adventure! Here we were at this cool club, when all our school mates were hanging out at the Steak and Shake and listening to Bob Kuban and The In-Men (The Cheater). Go here for an interview with Bob about his life, seeing Ike Turner at Club Imperial and a small bit of his song, The Cheater. Don't get me wrong, I loved our local band and their hit song, but Club Imperial was an adventure!


I hope you all have had fun with this tag, I did! Like others before me have invited you all to do...please participate as you want!

Gail

We do not remember days; we remember moments.
Cesare Pavese (1908 - 1950)

56 comments:

  1. Wow sounds like you had a fun childhood. I wouldn't want to be a mediator between divorced people either. Yikes bet that was stressful!!! Thanks for sharing your fun stories(-:

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  2. what fun! I feel like I know a whole different side of you now ( or maybe several more sides of you).

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  3. Thanks for adding me to your blog!

    I loved learning all this cool stuff about you. I do love anything with grout and tile/old plates broken up/junk--lol. I call it broken on purpose. That Ike and Tina thing is so grand. I traveled around with my bud too but her car was a Vega. I think the bug is way more cool. We were so hip weren't we? Good think you retired!

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  4. Hi Gail,
    Those are superb mosaics you're doing, and the bar top is quite lovely as well as fun! Fernymoss loves doing that kind of stuff, but my artistic inclinations go elsewhere, so I'm always admiring others' work, lol. He's made some pretty cool mosaic stepping stones that I think have appeared somewhere at my place.

    Though I'd rather not be tagged, lol, I like that idea of the six random things. I guess it's about time I work on a profile over at my place ... nice learning little tidbits about you though. :-) We all have them, I'll have to see if I CAN identify 6. Your Ike and Tina adventure sounded like fun, and I certainly never had such a chance in the little (1200) town I grew up in. I was too busy doing school and work. See what a bore I've always been? LOL

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  5. Gail, what fun! Yes, the early sixties were a great time to be a kid. No worries that I can remember...well, maybe boy troubles that at the time seemes to matter way too uch. You can always say, "I knew Ike and Tina when"- name dropping can be lots of fun. I like your mosaics. Great design on the bar top. I would imagine doing that can be a great stress reliever. Thanks for sharing your self with us.

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  6. How lucky were you to mop off Tina's back? That is tooooo cool!

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  7. Gail ~ It was great fun to read this post and learn more about you. I love your mosaics. I too, like to mosaic and in fact, I have been working on a stepping stone this weekend. Well, I was sorting glass this weekend, by the time I finished that I didn't have much time left to work on the stone. Hopefully, I finish it here soon and be able to post about in on my blog.
    And I love that story about Ike and Tina. What an adventure!
    ~Cindy

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  8. cindee,

    My mom was a single parent with 4 daughters and we had way more freedom then most kids! Also, I learned to do laundry before most of my friends did! I am glad you enjoyed the post; this is the second time I participated and it is interesting to see what facts pop up in my thoughts!

    gail

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  9. Bill,

    Yes, I imagine we all have many different aspects to us! Will you participate in the tag? Can't wait to read yours!

    Gail

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  10. anna,

    I have you bookmarked on my firefox page; since I am a mac user I have to use firefox to post on blogger. Blogger and Safari aren't friends! With the bookmark download I use, one can see when you have a new post and link to it quickly! I haven't changed your link on my blog but will!
    Glad you like my woodpecker post!

    Gail

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  11. ivg,

    Had I thought you wouldn't mind I would have tagged you and given you an award that I was charged with passing on, it's not too late! Do post the six! You've already given one...a small town of 1200 that is hard for a city girl to imagine.

    Mosaic pieces are fun to create...I would love to see what Ferny has made...Maybe I need to check out the archives!

    The Ike and Tina adventure was one of many...we had an area called Gas Light Square and all the hippies hung out there...now I would have her drive me over there all the time! We were too intimidated to get out of the car, so we cruised around.

    Gail

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  12. beckie,

    It was an interesting time! It's funny but I don't tell the Ike and Tina story very often; I live with a story teller and his are so much funnier then mine.

    Mosaics are great fun to make. Have you mosaiced? Glass on glass is another wonderful project that is easy to do...old window, clear drying glue and stained glass...that's all! Hang it in the garden.

    Hobbies help with stress...life can be very stressful. It does help and so does gardening.

    Beckie, I am glad you liked my story!

    gail

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  13. tina,

    Well it was different and in the telling oddly funny!

    Gail

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  14. anna,

    and this post, too...where ever was my mind!

    Gail

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  15. Gail, I am so impressed by your mosaics! I'm afraid I don't have an artistic bone in my body.

    This was fun to read about your younger days--seeing Ike and Tina backstage, Wow!! Back in the sixties, Beckie and I and another friend were trying to figure out a way to get to Chicago to see the Beatles, but none of us could drive at the time so we didn't.
    I still like Tina Turner, though--wish I looked that good!:)

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  16. cindy,

    It will be a delight to see your mosaic projects...maybe we should have a show us your garden crafts meme! I like working with glass, my fav is glass on glass!

    The Ike and Tina adventure was fun... It does take on more meaning in light of their fame...we were just two kids sneaking out to hear some music! Boy were we lucky we didn't get caught.

    Gail

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  17. Fun reading little snippets about everyone. We should start feature where we tell one little thing about ourselves every (pick a day).

    You are very talented with mosaics. The bar top is wonderful. I tried a stepping stone. To give you an idea how bad it was, it is now mosaic face down in the garden;)
    Marnie

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  18. marnie,

    Sherri was an excellent teacher...she was there with all the tiles, the equipment and she helped me build the wooden bar top. That is the way to go...getting expert help! If I had a garage or large storage space I might do more concrete work..it is messy! Try glass on glass, it is very rewarding and not messy...you will be so pleased with your crafty side!

    gail

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  19. I love mosaics, I've always wanted to do a pebble one somewhere in the garden.

    You washed Tina Turner's back? I'm in awe! Love her! LOL

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  20. Hi Gail, Your artsy side is apparent in the mosaics, just like your blogging. The mediation sounds very stressful, how does anyone keep doing that for a long time? The burn out rate must be sky high. The freedom we all had a kids back then may never return, for good or bad. Thinking back, as you say, we probably barely escaped many serious situations. And I too, like Phillip, am in awe. What a great story, and so well told!

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  21. Phillip,

    It is easier then one thinks! A pebble mosaic would be perfect for your garden! I am glad you liked my Ike and Tina story...gail

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  22. Frances,

    Well said Frances..."The freedom we all had as kids back then may never return, for good or bad." Sigh!

    It was quite an adventure to sneak out to see The Review! We went there a couple of other times to dance but I was a shy teenager, really, and liked the shows better!

    Crafty is fun, as you well know! Your avatar is very crafty and creative! Have you crafted any mosaics? Glass on glass?

    Mediation is stressful and it requires a great deal of detail work. I prefer helping people figure out how they can be the best parent and co-parent with their ex then fight over stuff!

    Gail

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  23. I will keep your mosaic skills in mind when custom building my house with in-ground pool and wrap around bar! You can install the bar top! Great work there!!!

    Ah, every teenagers dream, cruising around in a Bug and seeing Ike and Tina! Wow, that must have been exciting!

    Did you ever have any happy endings during your mediation times?

    I saw the arch from the interstate while driving cross country! Maybe some day I will see it up closer…

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  24. Hi Gail, I thought I left another comment but guess the hotel internet was fluctuating at the time, very frustrating. I had to come to the house to load some photos, even here the wireless has little burps and goes out in the middle of a photo upload, or leaving a comment! Anyway, to answer your question, no, I have never done mosaic but like it very much, stained glass too.

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  25. Gail, You are just the one I need to ask for an opinion! I have done just a bit of mosaic, but look forward to doing much more! I have a short concrete "wall" that I'd love to do a combination mosaic using pieces of flagstone with "river-like" mosaic around and between them.
    Now, my question: Should I use an adhesive with the heavy flagstones? Or would I use morter? I surely don't want them to fall off! ;-)

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  26. By the way, your mosaics are Just Beautiful!!! Way to Go!!! :-)

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  27. skeeter,
    It's a cool site that arch...I like to take photos of it from the car window! It's worth a trip to see it and the museum underneath! While you're in St Louis...see the zoo, best I have ever seen and MO Botanical Garden is also wonderful! That's my hometown tour!

    Yes that vw was fun! and cheap to drive!

    Mediations...yes I did have satisfactory endings...no one got back together, though! I was mediating divorces. They did eventually become better parents which is what I thought they needed to do!

    My dream house is a modern house with a butterfly roof that channels the water to a cistern, a green roof on one section to help with run off, is made of no maintenance materials and is designed so well it can be small!

    Try to do a mosaic, it's fun!

    Gail

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  28. Shady,

    I would use a material that can temperature changes and I think concrete makes the most sense.

    Do you know how to do the indirect method? This is a good technique to attach the river in semi-completed pieces to a stone or concrete block wall.

    This link might have the directions and more help.
    http://www.mosaicartsupply.com/mosaicfaqs.html

    Thank you for the compliment! I used a glue for them...but neither go outside! I like goop marine glue and I do use weldbond when working glass on glass!

    Thank you for the kind compliment, it means a lot to me coming from you!

    gail

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  29. You wild thing! Sneaking off to see Ike & Tina - too cool. I love your mosaics. I'd have to say it was a fair trade. I wish my lame mosaic efforts looked half so good. My husband used to mediate on the side (no time now), & just recently he suggested that I should get into it. I'm interested, but not doing any family or domestic cases.

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  30. Rose,

    I know I left a comment for you but today my comments have been disappearing! Frustrating!
    I never thought I had a creative bone either...mosaics are so easy...well, even I can do them! Thank you for your sweet compliment, really!

    I saw the Beatles at Busch Stadium...let me tell you that they were about the size of beetles from where our seats were located! A stadium full of screaming girls made it impossible to hear anything! So even though I saw the Beatles I'm not sure I saw the Beatles! I would have loved to see The Doors but couldn't!

    Gail

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  31. mmd,

    Do it! Get the training, get the certification and do it!
    I take it your practice area isn't domestic issues! They can be very ugly! If I had the skill set, I might have trained for civil mediations! I am glad to have retired my mediation practice!

    Thanks, I'm glad you like my mosaics...they were lots of fun to do. I would love to get into making concrete countertops for my house; but no workshop or garage!

    So, did you sneak out when you were a teen?

    Gail

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  32. I love your mosaics - would you please show some glass on glass ones? I think I might like to try that.

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  33. That was some fun information about you! Especially about seeing Ike and Tina. How fun! I loved St. Louis when I went. Really cute downtown, but I don't think I'd like to live there. The arch was fun to visit, though!

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  34. dp,

    It's not a city for everyone! I love to visit there but live here! Isn't the arch awesome! It was a wonderful experience watching it be built....especially when they put the last section in.

    Gail

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  35. Kim,

    I'll add a glass on glass mosaic to this post.

    gail

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  36. I got tagged also, but by Christopher C. Odd thing is, Tina Turner is mentioned in mine as well, though your encounter is more interesting.

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  37. Gail ~ I see you added a photo of a glass on glass piece. It's rather stunning. I wanted to ask you, and I see you said in one of your comments, that you use weldbond for glass on glass. Do you then grout the joints ?
    I'd like to try it. Do you just use a clear pane of glass ?
    ~Cindy

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  38. Les,

    That is an interesting coincidence...maybe Tina is putting energy out into the universe and we are picking up on it...a new tour? An album?

    Glad you stopped by!

    Gail

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  39. Neat Gail! Can you show us mere mortals how to make magnificent mosaics? LOVE them!

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  40. I think that everyone needs a friend like Linda--and what a fun story that is! :)

    Your mosaics are beautiful, Gail. I especially love the glass window... very nice.

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  41. cinj,

    They are very easy and if this mere mortal makes them so can you! Thanks cinj...they are fun.

    gail

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  42. Blackswampgirl/Kim,

    Thank you...

    Everyone does need a friend like Linda, she was fun!

    Gail

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  43. cindy,

    I did use grout on the joints and I think that had I used a black mortar it would have looked like stained glass! Mortar color is tricky...I thought I had a dark enough one!

    It's an old window with clear glass that I just glued the glass to, it couldn't be easier. I had the carpenter who built the porch frame an opening that exactly fit the widow...it's hinged so I can change the light bulb behind it.

    The most difficult part is deciding on the glass. The choices were endless!

    Gail

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  44. What beautiful mosaics. Do I like the bar top, LOVE IT! You are quite the artist.

    Gosh I have never been so close to greatness. I do admire Tina Turner. I bet you girls were so excited. I can just imagine how that club was hopping.

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  45. nancy,

    Thank you...they were fun to do. I suspect that you are very creative, I have seen your photographs and read what you have written!

    Have you posted photos on your blog of your crafts? I would love to see them!

    Gail

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  46. Lisa,

    I knew nothing at the time, except we were at a club listening to music, my mom didn't know and the show was good! The club was hopping. Ike's review had him, Tina, his band and the Ikettes...I think that's what they were called. A lot of people on the stage!

    I'm glad you like the mosaics, they are easy to do and fun.

    Gail

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  47. Gail, your mosaics are so colorful and beautiful! I used to do stained glass but put it aside when the kids were small due to safety concerns and lack of time. I've been thinking about giving it a try again. I think I like the mosaic idea even more.

    I've come clean to my mom about (some of) my teenage antics. . .little did I know she was more aware of what we were up to than she gave away at the time! I had a friend with a bug too (red too. . . was there any other color? ;-) She paid $200 for it, and we often had to get out and push-start start it when it stalled at stoplights. She sold some of her college savings bonds while her parents were in Florida on vacation to buy the car. I can only imagine the conversation when they got back home. Oh, the memories we made in that car! The 60's and 70's were amazing times to grow up in.

    My mom has done lots of mediation, not with divorce cases though. I did lots of mediation in my former life as an HR manager, can't imagine mediating divorces! Sounds very stressful, but I imagine it was rewarding in those cases where you were able to get the parties to focus on being better parents.

    I enjoyed learning more about you. It must have been challenging but interesting moving to different parts of the country as you have. I've never lived more than 20 or so miles from where I was born.

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  48. Entertaining it certainly was. Thanks for sharing Gail and I'm green with envy (well it's a good colour for a gardener) about that Ike and Tina concert you went to.

    BTW like you I love mosaics and think your bar top and brolly holder are very pretty.

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  49. Your post sure was entertaining, Gail - especially the Tina Turner connection and the idea of 15-year old Gail riding around on a school night in a red VW... none of my friends had cars so no such adventures here.

    What a cool quote at the end of your post - We do not remember days; we remember moments. Thanks for that one!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  50. Linda/gardengirl.

    Stained glass is beautiful...I would love to see some of your work! Glass on glass is tons of fun and since you really know how to cut glass (!) unlike me...you can create lovely windows or what ever you want! Boy did I get some cut fingers! My window is indeed colorful...I just decided to have fun and mix it all up!

    My mom and I never talked about anything I did...she wasn't big on the past! Her last years we talked about politics! She was on the internet and was extremely well read.

    I have a great deal of fondness for the 60s and 70s! Fun music, fun times, so much to experience and learn.

    Retiring from mediation was a good thing, it was time...12 years was enough! It has been fascinating to watch the growth of mediation...it was often therapists who mediated divorce issues, but it has grown into quite a good business for retired domestic attorneys here in town. Mediation and HR are a good marriage!

    I like head gardener at clay and limestone best of all my jobs!

    Really, no more than 20 miles from home? That is foreign to me and my husband. The history, the people the town, such breadth and depth of knowing!

    I do appreciate your thoughtful comments!

    Gail

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  51. Gail, This was a very fun and enjoyable post... kind of like sitting down with you on your porch with tea and having you tell me a little bit more about yourself. I love it. I also LOVE to do mosaics. How about that? I took a course locally and truly fell in love. I've got all sorts of stuff collected to get busy on it but never take the time. I keep thinking I want to do one of my garden benches or the bottom of my birdbath. I LOVE the old window you've built into the porch... way cool.

    Anyway... so amazing you lived in Tampa... did I know that before now? What middle school? Where did you live? I was born in Tampa! So was hubby and all my kids!

    I learned to drive in a VW... it was black though --not as cool as red and it belonged to my older brother. He used to let me drive before I was 16 ... if only that was worst thing I did. Not so. My teenage years are not much to brag about.

    The Ike and Tina thing is pretty cool, too.

    Great post!!!
    Meems @Hoe&Shovel

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  52. Yolanda Elizabet,

    Thank you! I have a little garden green envy when I see your roses!

    Wasn't I lucky to go with my wild and fun friend to see Ike and Tina Turner! I don't think kids today can have such inexpensive adventures! Gas was cheap and I'm sure it was a few dollars to get into the club!

    Gail

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  53. Oh my gosh..guess what? I have tagged you again...I do apologize..can you give us 6 more things?

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  54. Annie,

    She was the only friend with a car! Everyone else borrowed the parent's car. So what did you and your friends do for fun and how did you get around?

    Some quotes are keepers and that is a one...

    Gail

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  55. What a well-made and colorful mosaic, you are multi-talented!

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  56. Here I am, eight years into the future, admiring your lovely mosaic pieces. Gail, I personally give you permission to do something big and wonderful for your garden. You obviously can!

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"Insects are the little things that run the world." Dr. E O Wilson