STAR DATE 4/26... SACRAMENTO

Dear Happy Iris Folks...I can't believe I only have one more day of
convention left!

Quick update:

AIS BOARD MEETING

The Board is considering a request that phone numbers be made part of the
membership list... someone suggested e-mail addresses too

There are over 700 calendars left so they have been put on "fire sale" -
$2/ea, or $1 each for quantities of 5 and up (NY folks - let me know if  you
want any...they have a pile here)

Flight Lines (excerpts from robins) will be back in the Bulletin in July.
 Excerpts may also be taken from here... I'm not too clear on that.

I believe I already mentioned the term limits discussion which was presented
by the RVPs to the Board.  The Board considered the proposals which will now
undergo rewrite.

Terry Aitken announced the following section conventions:  1998:  Spurias,
Phoenix, 1991:  JI's in Portland, 2000:  JI's in Michigan and HIPS in NY.
 2004:  siberians

Last night we had our Geek Rendezvous.... folks, it was STANDING ROOM ONLY.
 People are hot to know how to get on this ... and we weren't really prepared
to tell them (except for Karin who was extrememly prepared).  Jim Wilson
passed out his homepage address... Mike Lowe gave everyone an overview - Jay
Hudson came in to check it out...it was GREAT.  Watch for lots of people to
jump on within the next couple of weeks.  The other great thing that happened
is that AIS is aware that we need to have a presence on the world wide web...
so they have appointed a crackerjack committee.  The word is that they are to
study the issue and make a recommendation to the Executive Committee who will
give approval.  Their budgeted amount is VERY low due to AIS's cash
problems... so anyone with any ideas or offers of help, please post it here
and we can get it to the proper people... probably through Scott Aitken.
 Very Exciting stuff! 

 Everyone loved the "iris in cyberspace" pins that I made up... wish I had
had a way to supply those who didn't know about it.  I can see where I need
to find a way to make sure every geek can proudly display his geek-iness.

Did I mention I managed to sneak out to Roris Gardens with the work crew who
was cutting irises for the welcome banquet?  I had the place virtually to
myself and wandered all over.  I made the following notes:  seedling 88116B
is a heavily laced orchid TB by Paul Black with a slight light area on the
falls.

Keith Keppel has a neat BB 89-153B - mustard standards (French's
mustard...not that dijon stuff), purple plum velvet falls which bleed into a
wide band of the same mustard color on the falls.

But...the seedling that stopped me in my tracks was a Keppel
plicata...Hershey chocolate colored standards, tight and ruffled...almost
glowy - the fall ground was an amazing shade of apricot with the same Hershey
chocolate stippling.  You'd have to see it to believe it!  If I saw a
painting of that iris, I would think the artist was smoking something!  The
bad news is that I probably can't grow it...but it is an exquisite iris!

Dana Borglum has a siberian there...the only one that's in bloom...in fact
the siberians at Roris are HORRIBLE.  Most of them are ex-irises with only
their name plate as a reminder...and what's left is pathetic.  They do,
however, have a massive planting of japanese iris...some with golden
foliage...that looks wonderful!

I looked a spuria in the eye...lordy those things are tall.  And speaking of
TALL... I saw a bunny as big as a DOG...with long ears and long legs.  I'm
told it's a jackrabbit...I've never seen anything like it!

The weather is still glorious!  Today we went to some of the gardens in the
"Chico" area...I won't bore you with all the detail.  Tomorrow is Santa Rosa.
 There was a judges' training on spuria that I attended... but mainly it's
just fun stuff from here on in!

Hope you all deleted this .......

I just read this over....sounds like "Ma Kettle goes to Convention"

Kathy Guest
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