2010 Iowa Hosta Get-Together - NEW DATE

[renaldo75]

I see that you have absolutely no faith in me, Ginger!! And rightly so since I have yet to take a pic this year that wasn't in a MN garden.
But I'm going to try to remember on Sunday. Still best to have Jim as the designated photographer for the day though.

There will be no 'stealing' of hostas after a selection is made in the swap. I hear that sort of thing happens in MI, but it will NOT happen in Ioway!!
We're more civilized out here in the tall grass prairie.

Marlys - if you bring 'Boomerang' I can guarantee it won't go home with you again this year. If you're really nice, you could have visitation rights though.

What I want for my birthday is to have everyone have a safe trip here and back home again, and have a wonderful time talking hostas with people they
usually just get to 'see' online. As my daughter put it several years ago [slightly paraphrased]: You'll be among your own kind.
And that couldn't be more true in this case. [But I'd take 64 million bucks in a heartbeat if I should happen to win Powerball the nite before.]

Tell Ron there should be enough cold beer here to keep him entertained. And the convenience store is very close if we run out.

Linda - I still haven't decided for sure what I'm putting in the Hosta Swap pile, but I have several excellent possibilities.

Jim - I had never heard that phrase until you typed it. It's a good one. I'm guessing it originated with old chicken farmers.
Can't wait to see both Idiot He and Idiot She!! We'll determine which way the wind is blowing on Sunday and site you accordingly.

[Ginger]

Realdon I just calls um as I sees um I sure hope you get your birthday wish! Have a wonderful birthday and tip one for me!

G

[Lessadragon]

I hope you all have a wonderful time tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you. I know I will meet Reldon next weekend, so maybe he will have some pictures to share with us.

Lynn

[Marlys]

OK! I've had several phone calls now coordinating the Pella-bus to Ankeny leaving at 10:00 AM tomorrow morning. 7 passengers could all fit into one van but what about chairs & swap plants? Where will they fit in for the ride. Maybe it will be a boy's van & and girl's van.

Food! Robin is bringing chocolate brownies for Ron even tho it's Reldon's birthday. Marlys' famous Frog-eye fruit salad is waiting in the fridge to be mixed together in the morning. Betsy, well it's always interesting to find our what Betsy brings for food. She has a fabulous vegetable garden, and being a vegetarian more or less, and being from CT, makes her food selection a little different than us Iowa Farm kids' favorite foods. Connie D always brings deer bologna & cheese. She can cook, I think. Although her husband used to do most of the cooking and one of her now, adult sons. The men just have to load the chairs. Now tell me, what's wrong with that picture? Reldon are we suppose to bring our own paper-ware? And do you need extra water I have a case in the basement left-over from the convention yet.

I'm getting excited to see everyone again. It has been too long since I've seen some of my hosta friends, like Jo & Sue D. It's been a year all ready since our last Hallson reunion. And Jimmy Mac & Lois, I haven't seen for the longest time and Hosta Rod too. I am hoping the Pepper 1 couple will be there too. I never get to see enough of my hosta friends.

I am planning to wake up to low humity and 65 degrees in the morning. I can dream, can't I? We had over another inch of rain over night last night. And over 3" in two rain falls earlier this week. I hate it when my glasses steam over when I walk out of the house. Ron just told me Josh has posted flood pictures on facebook of the Wapsipinicon River near his home. The lake here will be rising again too with all the big rains north on the Des Moines River. No drought problems in the garden this season. But now southern blight / crown rot is spreading throughout the garden. I need to go buy some more Bayer 3-in-one to combat the situation.

Looking forward to the Iowa Hallson Reunion tomorrow. Wish I could make the reunion in Cement City MI too. I'll be there in spirit though. I'll be the spirit in the long flowing robe named 'Blue Angel'.

MM

[renaldo75]

Paper-ware.... is that like toilet paper?? I have plenty of tp and I have plates and napkins & cups & forks & spoons & knives.
I've got water [but if you want to bring the case you didn't leave here on the 10th that's fine]. I have Coke and Diet Coke.
I have Citrus Green Tea and Diet Citrus Green Tea. I have Bud Light & Corona Light [bottles]. I have my Zippy Meatballs ready to put in the oven.
I've got 3 kinds of sliced meat & 3 cheeses and buns for sandwiches. I've got other 'stuff' too.

I have plenty of mosquitoes too. They love me. And I'm sure they'll love everyone else just as much. But I've got 'stuff' to spray & wipe you down with.

I don't think Jimmy Mac & Lois are gonna be here. I don't know about HostaRod. I know that Ken Harris won't be here, but he'd been planning to attend.

It's tomorrow already. Should be fun!! I'm not sure where my camera is but it's after 3am so I'm not looking for it...

[Marlys]

OMG What a fun party today. Reldon is the best host and his zippy meatballs were well, delicious. All the food was wonderful, especially the Carrot Cake from the Cheese Cake Factory. It was heavenly. I of course, ate my desert first. You never know when some some disaster might happen and you might miss out on desert.

It was 65 degrees this morning. Great Weather Perfect day with Hosta Friends in a beautigul shade garden. Just doesn't get any better. Plants & gifts were exchanged along with Hosta Hugs.

The Hosta Games on the other hand were, well, challenging! It was more like a short course on the life and times on Eric Smith and Hosta 'Halcyon'. And we were even suppose to know all about his friend in Germany and names of plants that never even really exsisted. What's that about So today was a learning experience too but really a fun day.

Happy Birthday again FB & you too Roxanne last week.

Thanx! for really a good day Hosta Friends.

MM

[Chris_W]

Did you get ANY sleep before the big day Reldon?


Thanks for the update Marlys. Sounds like you all had a great time, but I'll also be watching for pictures

Chris

[renaldo75]

It sure was a fun day!! Marlys is mostly accurate in what she wrote. I would question her assessment
of me being the 'best host' though. I think she's just trying to score points.

I was still printing my 'Six Degrees of Hosta Separation' quizzes and other related Halcyon info after I logged off of here.
I printed plenty. I'll bring the rest along with me to the get-together this weekend. There are 13 questions and every correct answer
is worth a point except for #13 that's worth 5 pts. BUT I have so many bonus questions that there are 51 points possible.
Roxanne was the winner with 17, Linda P was 2nd with 11, and Connie was 3rd with 7. For some reason they seemed to think
the questions were difficult. And Marlys kept telling me the answer for some of the more obscure questions was 'who gives a s**t'.
**SIGH** I told them that they all had lives, and I didn't so it didn't seem that difficult to me.

To answer your question, Chris - I went to sleep at 6am and the alarm was set for 8. I turned it off and slept for another hour and 15 min.
I had a bit of an 'OH S**T!!!' moment when I realized what time it was. I'd told people they could get here as early as 10am. Fortunately
jgh/Jim & Sheila didn't get here until about 10:30ish. And I was nearly awake by then after consuming a coke. Thought about starting
out with a Corona, but didn't know if that would actually wake me up or just keep the buzz that I had all nite going.

[ConnieD]

Reldon,
What a fun party and I love the hosta I got for my 3rd place win. Thank you for everything. I love the Zippy Meatballs and forgot the recipe on the table. Did you post it anywhere?
Connie

[renaldo75]

I'm glad you had fun, Connie!! I sure did. I didn't post the recipe but I have more copies of it. Or I can email it to you.

[LucyGoose]

Post the recipe please, Reldon!

[LucyGoose]

I was still printing my 'Six Degrees of Hosta Separation' quizzes and other related Halcyon info after I logged off of here.
I printed plenty. I'll bring the rest along with me to the get-together this weekend. There are 13 questions and every correct answer
is worth a point except for #13 that's worth 5 pts. BUT I have so many bonus questions that there are 51 points possible.
Roxanne was the winner with 17, Linda P was 2nd with 11, and Connie was 3rd with 7. For some reason they seemed to think
the questions were difficult. And Marlys kept telling me the answer for some of the more obscure questions was 'who gives a s**t'.
**SIGH** I told them that they all had lives, and I didn't so it didn't seem that difficult to me.

I HATE THOSE GAMES! .....Shower games, wedding, baby, and even HOSTA..... ......Please let me sit next to a smart, really nice perston who will let me cheat....

[Patrushka]

I'm glad everyone had a good time. I love Marlys' answer for the obscure questions.
You better not sit next to me Kathleen. I'm horrible at these hosta quizzes.

[Marlys]

Lucy G - You better sit by 2 smart people for Reldon's "Halcyon Quiz" for sure It reminded me of those horrible pop quizzes in high school that were always on Monday morning when I hadn't 'cracked' a book all weekend Bad connatations to say the least

Hint: Know what the word "Halcyon" means. I knew that one. I actually got more right than Connie D but I cheated (or so Reldon said). He disqualified me & he won't let me tag along to MI this coming weekend cause, he said, it's 12 hours and I would talk "non-stop" & he just couldn't take it. And he said all of this right in front of everybody. And he calls himself, my friend.

Hint 2 - Prepare for Reldon's "Six Generations of Halcyon" quiz / test / game by reading "The Hostapedia" front-to-back. Also memorize "The Hosta Handbook". And search the "Hosta Library" for Halcyon and all it's known & unknown sports, seedlings, cousins, aunts, & funny uncles. Then search the AHS data base for all registered and unregistered relatives of every relative of the hosta 'Halcyon'. Do likewise for the originator of the plant, Eric Smith. Know his name, date of birth, social security number, & who all his freinds in Germany were / are. Also know the names of the half-brothers & half-sisters of hosta 'Halcyon' that never really exsisted but were named just in case of who-knows-what. And if that isn't enough know the names of introducers of other famous hosta people that were in any way remotely involved in the "Life and Times of Six Generations of the hosta Halcyon". Also know the sports, of the sports, of the sports, of the sports, of the sports of hosta Halcyon and it's sport's sports. And know who is a seedling of Halcyon and who is a seedling of the sports of Halcyon. And GOOD LUCK

It worries me Roxanne knew all of this stuff. She said she read it. Like I read stuff but do I remember it

MM

[pepper1]

We had a great time! Thanks for hosting it Reldon! Your gardens were beautiful and we enjoyed walking through the different 'rooms'. We look forward to a fall event as well!

[renaldo75]

Well gee thanks, Marlys - for giving away ALLLLLLL of the answers. It won't be any fun at all if they get to look up all the answers first.
And you say you're my friend.......


Still laughing and wiping the tears away.

Lucy - you'll be put in an isolation booth for the test. There'll be no cheating!! *stern look*
And speaking of cheating - it was Marlys herself who told me she'd cheated on some of the answers.
Since she was sitting next to Connie I have a pretty good idea of where some came from too......

Thank you, Kathy - I'm sure glad that you and Gary were able to get here. And glad you finally got to see the gardens.
I'll let you know when the next date is - I'm leaning toward September and hopefully some cooler temps.

[Judi]

Reldon....

Thanks so much for a great day. The people...the food....the garden...the fun....loved it all!

I was very glad to be able to sit in your garden and relax. During the convention, you had such a short time to take it all in and missed alot. You have done a great job with your gardens in such a short time.

See you all in the fall!

Judi

[Patrushka]

Thanks for the study guide Marlys. Now, I might get a couple of answers right. I looked up halcyon and, to my surprise, I did not know what it meant.

[renaldo75]

Thank you, Judi!! I'm so glad you and some of the others from the Harshbarger group could be here.
I'll make sure you spread the word to some of the more reclusive types next time around.

Are you SURE you know what it means, Pat???

[Hosta12_Ia]

I had a great time, too. Sue and I drove past his place a couple of times before I saw someone carrying a hosta and I yelled "stop, back up". It is amazing how much Reldon was able to accomplish is such a short amount of time. Hosta friends, old and new, good food, hosta trades and good weather = a grand day! Thanks for hosting Reldon. (Just so you all know, Reldon gave me crap ALL day....and I didn't do ANYTHING to deserve it!). That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Jo