Well, I did not get all that I wanted done today. I did get the Venice cashed out, and opened three new commission files. I did some work on show filings, and ordered materials from Rainbow. During work on the computer, I noticed someone poking around my orange trees. It turned out to be a Citrus Field Surveyor. Her name was Denise, and we walked the entire property inspecting our trees and discussing dooryard citrus. She said that all looks well, I should not use as much fertilizer as I am currently applying. However, she did say the trees are free of Greening, black spot, blight, and any number of other pests. She assured me that at some point in the near future, my trees will get the Greening. This disease is carried by a small flying insect. Once the bug bites the tree, it is only a matter of time before the tree produces a sour, bitter, mis-shaped fruit. It takes years for the disease to manifest itself, but once it happens, the only recourse is to replace the tree. She said that they are trying to develop a tree that will not contract the disease, but that is far away. For the time being, I am safe. What I do not understand is, I have some very old trees that are perfectly fine. By all rights, the trees are so old and beyond their prime that I should replace them, but I do not because they have been around for so long (long before I got here) that I feel as if it is my place to care for them in their old age. What I do not understand is how these old, sad, worn out guys can stand up against all of the diseases that inflict the newer trees. It is a mystery to me.

Sherry went into LaBelle, and I stayed in Studio doing prep work for the warm glass inclusions needed for commissions and inventory. I cut up all of the dichroic squares, and began firing. I can run 4 tiles at a time, and when in full production, I will be able to do three or four runs every 24 hours. At this rate it will take me the better part of two weeks to complete all of the firing I have scheduled.

Once all of the warm glass prep work was done, I began grinding dichroic bevels for 3/2 suncatchers. When completed, I have 220 bevels ready for foiling.

Sherry got home, we put groceries away and started dinner. All in all and great day.