My next-door neighbor Joyce Kurtz has the most extraordinarily beautiful Peace rose. Yesterday's showers made it even more lovely, so out came the macro lense again.

The subtle gradations of color from pale pink to warmest yellow are magnified in the raindrops. This has been one of the best springs in memory for roses, and this beauty will continue showing off its' blooms until September.

I am so fortunate to have Joyce as a neighbor and friend, not only for her lovely roses but for her kindness and thoughtfulness in all that she does. At Christmastime she bakes the best cookies and shares them with all her neighbors, and I, for one, look forward with anticipation to that time each year. She treats me just like a part of her family.

Her husband, Ed, was the garden keeper and I still miss my long talks with him about everything from how to grow the best tomatoes to controlling the yearly influx of Japanese beetles (he used a jar of kerosene and I use a jar of white vinegar). He knew I hated the squirrels (aka Tree Rats) who wreak havoc on the garden and my potted plants and would patiently listen to my ranting tirades. June 28 will mark the fourth year anniversary of his death following a bout with cancer. My heart always goes out to Joyce as the end of June draws near, as I know she still misses her best friend and companion of some 50 years.

I made Ed a promise before he died that I would cut the grass and care for the garden for Joyce, but I admit I am sadly lacking in his instinctive gardening skills. Their front lawn has gone from the pride of the neighborhood to a sorry patch of withered grass and thriving dandelions, the result of my setting the lawnmower blades too low to the ground. I have my work cut out for me and would appreciate any advice on how to rid the weeds and bring back the lush lawn of old. 

I don't think I've ever really taken a closeup look at a tomato leaf unfurling as it grows. Yesterday I took the macro lense out to the budding garden and captured these incredible photographs of a bug's-eye-view of the lovely leaf in all of its glory.

A few days of sun has really helped the tomatoes and peppers. I was beginning to think all the rain and cool weather would start to rot the roots, but it looks like all the vegetables will survive. As usual, I have planted things too closely and the zucchini and summer squash will grow to shadow the beets and carrots. I always seem to forget how big these garden giants become.

I'm trying a new heirloom tomato this year called "Hillbilly." It produces a yellow fruit with red stripes. I like the yellow tomatoes for slicing and eating rather than the red ones, which will go for sandwiches and sauce.

I knew it was a bad omen for The Morning Call yesterday when I saw the expandable banner ad belonging to barrister Rick Orloski on top of the paper's Web site. Seems I was right. Many things are looming on the paper's homefront. With two big events coming up next week, the Tribune bankruptcy hearing in Delaware and the start of contract negotiations for the press room, workers in manufacturing are getting their share of upheavals at the local level.

Quality Control and Composing got the news Monday that Vice President of Operations Rick Molchany will be leaving the company on Friday, replaced by his Baltimore Sun counterpart Stephen G. Seidl, Senior Vice President, Operations and Technology. Seidl will be responsible "for manufacturing and circulation operations for Tribune media properties, The Morning Call and mcall.com." Seidl visited the Call on Tuesday. No word whether Molchany's departure is voluntary or not, but insiders say it is not, adding that Molchany was the biggest advocate for keeping the paper local. The Sun and TMC's daily operations will now be under one veep, Seidl. 

Another blow to manufacturing came yesterday in the departure of Tim Frankenfield, Manager of Quality Assurance. Frankenfield told employees his job had been "eliminated" as he left yesterday afternoon. So who's left in charge of Quality Control and Composing? Manufacturing Director Paul Lynch will be the local liaison between the two papers. Composing room workers are devastated by the changes as they see more layoffs looming in the distance. "Everybody is just scared for their jobs," one worker said. "We're all young, we're not ready to retire yet. We're all scared."

The movement of operations control to Baltimore follows the plan from Tribune-on-High to regionalize manufacturing between the two papers. Even TMC Publisher Tim Kennedy must answer to the Sun's Publisher and CEO Timothy E. Ryan. The Sun is currently beefing up its packaging area to begin printing and inserting for the preprint sections of The Morning Call. Meanwhile, TMC is changing its page depth format from 21 inches to 21.65 inches, the Tribune standard size used at the Sun. Most of the Call is now laid out in "modules" which are made up by Tribune. Ads have to fit in these modules, so advertisers no longer have the choice to place their ad with a certain story running in the paper. A module comes in as a half page or quarter page and the ads are squared off to fit the holes.  

Pressmen can expect a fight when contract negotiations begin next week.  The Sunday night run for Monday's paper uses only one of the two presses. Likewise Monday night's run for the Tuesday paper, and they no longer edition ads for those two papers, meaning less workers are needed to handle the single pressrun. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are the only days ads can be placed in one of four editions. Editorial content, however, is now only one edition for the entire week. So what does all this mean? It means that less workers will be needed in the pressroom, especially if the preprint sections are moved to Baltimore.

Hold on to your hats, guys, it could get ugly.