Had a great time at the Hallson's gathering!

[HostaDesigner]

Fun day! It was great to meet up with people I hadn't seen in a couple years. Had a great time. Once again the food was perfect...oh the memories of the incredible pulled pork. The plant swap and auction is always fun. Good thing Shawna came...I got one of her plants in the swap, and bought one in the auction! In fact I've already collected its pollen and dabbed it on 3 plants this morning. I couldn't stick around for the crafts. I hope those were fun!

On a side note, hope everyone had a safe drive home. I drove thru three bad storm cells traveling west. Major lightning, wind, rain and chaos!

[boops]

Wish I could've been there-looks like everyone was enjoying themselves. Beautiful flowers in the pics, love the greenhouse pics. So thats where they all start out!

[Linda P]

Thanks for the pics, Mike! LucyGoose...still carrying that fan? Wow.

[kHT]

Thank you for sharing the gathering with us all. Just like being there.

[Chris_W]

Thanks for the pictures Mike. Wow, the lilies look amazing, and I look like a lunatic in that first picture

[Chris_W]

And unfortunately all that rain you drove through had dried up for the most part before reaching us, so we only got enough to wet the leaves of most things. Will help to keep from watering for only part of today Glad you arrived home safely!

[Chris_W]

The hostas pictured on the table with the checked tablecloth were the auction plants, and this year they were:

Pooh Bear
Funky Monkey
Embroidery
Amber Waves of Grain
Tortifrons
Snake Eyes
Streaked sport of Spartan Glory
Bridal Falls
Touch of Class
Powder Keg
Aomori Gold Star
Fingerprint
Sport of Kiwi Full Monty (blue with a blue center and a white strip in between)
Clear Fork River Valley
Streaked Seedling with Christmas Tree Gala background
Siberian Eyes Seedling
Golden Needles
Miss Susie
Streaked Seedling of Unknown Parentage

Thank you for all the donations and bids! This helps to make this event so successful each year and we truly appreciate the support

[LucyGoose]

Wow!! Great pictures Mike!! For real, you have such talent!! The one of Chris's side view is a really, really good one of him!! I had a lot of fun as I usually do...I have to tell you that I loved making those Fairy Houses.....I totally love them!! And yes, I am still hot Linda!! I was able to win Golden Needles in the auction...I did not do the trade.....so what if I said I was not buying anything... ... .....But I just ended up with 4 plants/hostas, that is really good!....This is one get together I will always remember for sure....The kindness of one young man made my trip so sentimental.....And can you believe I am forgetting his name.... .. .. ... .....Linda gave him a ticket to go up to pick from the table....he came to me with the last necklace of Pia's that had not been taken and said "somebody really wants this necklace".....I feel a little chocked even writing this....so he gave me the necklace.....I always love to get something from our Little Pia....My little Thank-You to him was I gave him a hosta ornament I bought, that Wayne's wife made.....so he got something to go home with too....Great Day!!!!!

Chris, Thanks for all you hospitality.....I love you and Brian!!

Mike, thanks for sharing these pictures.....

[boops]

I'm glad no one posts pics of me-my daughter is blackmailing me with a pic of me last summer doing a Keg Stand said if I posted any pics of her she would show it to my grand daughters

[thy]

Chris... not a word about the first pic But the one where you are sitting is a really good lookin one

Thanks for telling me it is a fan Kathleen is holding, I thought it was a tihngy

Lovely pics of plants, specially the lillies - thanks for sharing

But I neeeeeed names, so many Hallsonites I can not recognise... and some I can

We do not have any metal at all here, so for getting it we had to steal it- the Vikings were very good at that sport or trade for it and amber was what we had for trading.
Some people are rally good at finding it on the beaches, me... Nope never found just a tinu piece ....

Great to hear you had a splendid day... wish it was me ... see you one year
Pia

With a special thank you to Lynn and Art

[LucyGoose]

We do not have any metal at all here, so for getting it we had to steal it- the Vikings were very good at that sport or trade for it and amber was what we had for trading.
Some people are rally good at finding it on the beaches, me... Nope never found just a tinu piece ....

Great to hear you had a splendid day... wish it was me ... see you one year
Pia

It is a beautiful amber necklace!

Yes, I would love to meet you in person someday/year!

[rockNhostas]

Looks like a great time! The pics are wonderful! Wish I lived closer.

The lunatic in the first picture just looks a little enthusiastic, that's all. Don't we all get "that look" around hostas?

[Eleven]

Mike, thank you for the great pictures! And I'm glad you're already getting use out of Aomori Gold Star I'm already planning on stopping by that nursery again today to see if I can get one for myself. I have a thing for yellow and green hostas.

Kathleen, that kind young man's name was Brent. I think the odds are good we'll see him at next year's gathering.

I know I'm glad I finally made it this year. Thank you all so much for being your friendly (hi Linda!), exuberant (lookin at you, Kathleen), hosta-addicted (sport-fishing much, Mary?) selves. Can't wait for next year!

[LucyGoose]

Brent......I hope I remember his name...TY!!

Me? exuberant?..... .....I was toned down! ..

[HostaDesigner]

Glad you enjoyed the pics. It's always fun to shoot. I was down in the new shade house shooting lilies when Brian yelled down "Mike, auction time!" Hopefully I wasn't holding up the whole bunch!

[Tigger]

*Like*

[Chris_W]

Thank you again for the great pictures Mike. Would you mind if we share some on Facebook too? And more lilies are opening today but I'm certain I can't get the same high quality pictures as you did!

[HostaDesigner]

By all means Chris, use them however you'd like!

[Patrushka]

Thanks for the beautiful pics Mike! I showed them to Jon. I think I only took four myself. I haven't uploaded them yet.

I had a great time and enjoyed the company of old and new friends.
The Fairy House Gourds were so much fun. Everyone was so creative.

Pia, the necklaces are beautiful. I have a little amber cross from Jon's mother. I did not know about the lack of metal in Denmark. I would also love to meet you some day.

Thanks for the hospitality Chris and Brian. You are always wonderful hosts.

[Chris_W]

The greenhouse with the baby hostas is a new addition for us this year and this is only part of our hosta production. We have another area too where we start the 1st year hostas and then we have the growing areas out in the ground where we finish them. This year the production is going really well and we have some great plants coming up for next season.