USABA 2009 GOALBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Herschel had just scored a goal and went back to his position to wait for the coming ball. His best game he scored 3 goals to help the team win 12-6. He is still lifting and working to improve. It will be fun to see how quickly he can get better. The USA coach gave him some pointers and tips, so hope he can do well enough to become 1st string.

From l-r. Chris, Hersh, Nick, Quinten, Lewis.This is the team as they got their award for the silver. They were undefeated untill the gold medal match. They lost 4-1 to Pennsylvania. It was a tough loss. They were ranked 1st after the pool play and it looked like they would continue on for the win and National Title. Not this year. Too bad.

For the tournament, the Olympic bus came to transport the teams to and from the venue. All of the members of the paralympic team were there playing with their state team. Utah has one member, Chris Dodds. He and Herschel are siamese twins. They are the jokesters of the group. Florida has 3 members, Pennsylvania 1, and Western Michigan 1.

More Flowers

These are close-ups of the Eden rose. I love it. I chose it for my hedge as I would rather look at flowers and since it puts out such beauties all summer I couldn't resist. I planted 10 in a row. Next year should be really nice.

Here is the neighbors view of my hedge. It is over 7 feet tall. This section are the roses called Bonica. They bloom untill frost. They are about 3-4 inches across and have a light fragrance. The leaves are a great shiney green and look great trimmed. Most rose hedges have bare spots when you trim, but Bonica leafs out nearly to the ground.
This section is the Eden section. These bushes are only 2 years old, so they will fill in like Bonica. Each shrub grows 8 feet tall by 5 feet wide, and it also blooms till frost. They open up a cream with pink edges, then turn a soft pink when fully open. They are cabbage roses, so have nearly 100 petals per bloom. These flowers are about 5-6 inches across and just a hint of fragrance.

This is the Paul McCartney Rose. No, I'm not a fan of him, but the rose is spectacular. Here it is on a dinner plate. Unbeatable form and size. Great petal count and heavenly fragrance. I love the pinks, but for red nothing beats Mr. Lincoln for all of the above.

Here is the wisteria nearly in bloom. The other side is just as full. From a ways away, it looks like a bunch of grape clusters. They smell sort of like hyacinths. Yum!

Too bad they only last a few weeks. This variety, Blue Moon, will bloom once more this year. This is the only wisteria that has a strong fragrance. Double bonus.

I LOVE May!

Here are the pink roses. This variety is nearly thornless, blooms profusley and has a luscious fragrance. Everyone who comes to the comments on how great they smell. I cut a couple of 18" branches off and put in a vase. The blooms are great and you can't beat the smell.

My garden has 28 rows of vegies. Beets, peas, onions, potatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, zuchinni, pumpkins, beans, garlic, lettuce, bussel sprouts, watermelon, sweet potatoes. The rows are 40 feet long. They are double rows, so 14 water trenches. On the north part of the garden, 8 rows of corn are planted and in 2 weeks 8 more rows. Plus there are the 12 fruit trees. Cherries and apricots are first to ripen. We should start picking peas next week.

When I get a day off, it has been once a week with Hersh working for us, I spend a good 8 or more hours weeding, pruning and what ever else needs to be done. It's great! Hard work and good results. My arms are pretty tan now. The legs, not so much as I spend lots of time on my knees.

More tennis. That's the answer.

Love the yellow roses, but not as much as the pink. The flowers are 5-6 inches across. Both roses make great pot pourri base. I gather them in the morning and pull the old petals off and lay on the dining room table to dry for several days. The pale petals are the spent ones, but as they dry they darken up to the same color as the new blooms.
I didn't mention the red roses. They are in front of the garage. They are pretty, but I don't use their petals. They dry black, not too attractive. I do have a red rose I love as much as the pink. It is called Eden and is a cabbage rose. Next week it should open along with the hedge. The hedge is part Bonica and Pink Eden. Love those too. I guess with 7 climbing roses, 4 shrub roses and 20 hedge roses it isn't hard to tell which is my favorite flower.

These are my thornless blackberries in bloom. Can't wait till July! The blossoms are about the size of a silver dollar and the leaves are almost a waxy green.
The Pergola is one of the favorite spots in the yard. It's a nice cool shady place and each year the plants get better. The lilacs just finished blooming, followed by 2 different clematis and the wisteria. The honeysuckle will open next week and bloom till frost. 2 more clematis should bloom in 2 weeks, so my plan has been going well to have something blooming all summer.

Here are some of the plants growing on the pergola. L-R Blue Moon Wisteria, close-up (just starting to open), clemantis (close), clemantis

Here is my Pergola. The rose has leafed out and starting to get buds. It spreads accross the 30 foot span to make a nice shady roof.

Now you know why I LOVE May! June is pretty great too, but may also has the perfect temperatures. Not too hot in the day and the evenings are wonderful. I love to sit on the back patio or swing in the pergola (I take them down on water days). It is a soothing balm for the soul to see and smell all of the flowers. Wish I could include the rose fragrance, it's guaranteed to make you smile. Happy Summer!