OT: Canadian Invasion

From: Irisborer@aol.com

In Western NY, we are fortunate to be perched on the Canadian border.  We are 
able to do things cooperatively with that country (anyone remember the JI 
Symposium held in Hamilton, Ontario??), and we try to attend each other's 
events whenever we can.

But Canada's a big place....  so imagine my surprise when I rolled into the 
Annual Iris Picnic and found none other than SANDY IVES and MAUREEN MARK... 
along with their two charming medians (Emily, age 9 and Roger, age 4).  Sandy 
and Maureen live NOT in Niagara Falls, or even Toronto..... but 
waaaaaaaaaaaay over there in Ottawa!  A full 6 hours drive!  (And even so, 
they were an hour earlier than I was to my own picnic).

Actually, Sandy had threatened to come, but I was confused whether he meant 
to the picnic or sale (sale is in two weeks).

We had a lovely picnic and a fun-filled auction (they placed an auction order 
with Paul Black and he sent a huuuuuge box of late models and intros), but I 
only won one of them, a yellow called VIBRANT.  

Anyway, the interesting thing is that Sandy and Maureen's daughter, Emily is 
an IRIS HYBRIDIZER!!!  She set her first pod this year and she was heating up 
the auction with her bids (Sandy claims she's into her allowance till Y2K and 
beyond...)  Emily is also interested in joining the WNY iris club (where we 
have a small but earnest Youth Group), and so she shall.   And I also intend 
on finding a few special irises (and one daylily) to present to her at our 
sale on 7/31st.

Sandy and Maureen are very active in matters of the iris.  Maureen is 
involved in the iris hardiness project started on this list and both she and 
Sandy are on the planning committee for the 2003 Siberian & Species Iris 
Convention, to be held cooperatively with the Western NY club and the 
Canadian Iris Society.  And it's going to be a blockbuster convention.

Pretty soon the last weenie was shriveling on the grill, the last raspberry 
was fished out of the fruit salad and we were all anxious to plant our newest 
acquisitions.  Sandy, Maureen, Emily and Roger rode into the sunset and vowed 
they'd be back someday ....

Kathy Guest in East Aurora, NY who needs to plan her strategy for iris 
turnover, to allow for orders to be placed.  Might be simpler to dig a new 
garden... in the neighbor's yard.


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