I am almost sorry that I did not take 'before' pictures. Suffice it to say that the wood was black with mold. We have had no rain in nearly two weeks but the humidity is somewhere around 90% with daily temperatures ranging from 89 to 91 F. This makes working outside a real bear. I stay indoors between noon and about four o'clock and work outside in the morning and late afternoon. While I was at it, I decided to throw in a picture of my bromeliads. I started out with one plant ten years ago and now have them everywhere. I give away so many of them because they multiply every year. See all the mold and algae on the tree? That was also growing all over my deck.

I am watching FOX News to hear the Right Wing response to President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Award. I can already laundry-list the reasons why they think he should not have received it including increasing American troops in Afghanistan. Is this not what they wanted? Did they not criticize him severely for suggesting troop withdrawal before his inauguration? I really do not understand this criticism at all. Obama also stands accused of derailing the up-coming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change because he is more 'green' than previous administrations and rejects many of their concessions. On the home front, not a single Republican endorses the Health Care reform package. Talk about partisan politics! Does that mean none of them have constituents with medical needs?

Next week I have to start the final issue of our news magazine for this year. That will mean that I will again be AWOL from here a bit.