It's 10:00 a.m., and I've just taken my first sip of coffee.  Not bad, although this is a little late.  I like watching the sun actually rise, but if I don't set an alarm clock, what can I expect?  
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October 24.  I watched the video of President Obama telling us the combat troops will be home from Iraq by the end of 2011 -- just as he promised during his campaign.  I wish that included the troops in Afghanistan.

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Late last evening, I went out to my bonsai workshop (smile) to work on some of my honeysuckles.  At least that's what I'm calling them until something tells me different.  On the rough ones Nina dug out for me at the end of the driveway, I peeled away old bark and cleaned up a couple of them a bit.  The trunks begin to look like old trees!  Now they just have to keep growing those tiny sprouts that are already showing.  It's time to take pictures of the before looks.  

The other honeysuckle -- the one I know for sure is a honeysuckle -- is a really old gnarly, twisted stump with similar surface roots that I'm about ready to pot.  Last night I trimmed away the top few inches of the nursery can so I could see it fully.  Then I turned it this way and that, propped one side of the can for a different angle.  It's a really fun part of the process.  And it's exciting.  It was already old when Michael (the beekeeper www.thepelhamgang.blogspot.com) and Tony (my late husband ) pried it off a tree trunk in Wilson, North Carolina and dug it out of the ground for me.  Since then, it has traveled to Maryland, California and Tennessee since 1985 or 86.  If it was only ten years old while still on the tree, add 25 years, and my prize honeysuckle bonsai is 35 years old.  Okay, I know -- more pictures.    (smile)  SilverBee