Well, that's over with, or, 6 weeks to training camp

I'm sad about the Cavs but not surprised because, well, this is Cleveland, and we all carry a perpetual sports sadness with us. Somehow, somewhere, we got the malochhia from some Sicilian widow, and now we can never win the big ones. At least now there's essentially a break from sports around here, since we've been off the Tribe since, I don't know, 2004 or so, and football doesn't start to heat up until mid-summer. Then I get to listen to groans of "the Browns stink!" for 16 weeks. Awesome.

For Jim, or, Take That, Crankshaft

So Grobles and I share hosta every year, which is a nice tradition and saves everyone's plants. Hosta do need room to spread out and fill in, otherwise their root systems seem to get a little cramped and they don't do as well. This year my plants sprung up overnight and are more massive than ever. My front plants are enormous and I already see opporunity to split in the fall. I planted those large purple things in photo 2 last fall as an experiment (they're bulbs) and am so happy I did because look at them! Big full heads, great color. I needed something tall and not green in that corner. Also liking my solid-stripe effect along the drive....not everyone's choice in design but I wanted to mix it up.

Jim joined a garden club, a la Crankshaft, so these photos are especially for him.

http://www.chron.com/apps/comics/showComick.mpl?date=20090327&name=Crankshaft