Thanks for all the compliments! Here I wasn't sure if purplemoon would covet the bunny or the gnomes. he-he Although knowing her, she might have those gnomes too. Actually I got the gnomes last year at the end of summer and was using them to pose on the top of the vase so you could see what the top looks like. Walgreens always carries some adorable gnomes and little figurines that are usually 2 for $5. The Restore (Habitat for Humanity resale stores) are great for buying tiles and grout for mosaicing, hardware for decorating birdhouses and the like, old sinks for water features, wooden shutters, glass ceiling light shades for mushrooms (or garden ladies' hats), old windows, balustrades, paint brushes ... and that's just the stuff I can think of off the top of my head. Ours also has old furniture and cabinets. I have looked longingly and some old cabinets and bathroom sinks thinking they would make a great potting bench. The only thing they price ridiculously there are their lamps. I saw a blue lamp that would have made the perfect base for a gorgeous totem but they wanted $20 for it and then it would have been 1/2 off but $10 is still too much for something like that. nonacook, I know what you mean about the dollar store things. I often see little figurines that look like dollar store finds at the locat thrifts and they want 99 cents or more for them. Our GW can be high too. You have to watch for sales. Our local GWs have a discount card you can get for free. They send you notices of sales or discounts you can get with your card. I have to get to GW before the end of the month to use my 25% off birthday card they sent me. My favorite second hand stores? The junky ones in old stores with low overhead and no frilly display racks and shelves. But I agree, rummage sales can be the best buys. Just takes a lot of lookin'!

"Look beyond the plants to great out doors." Ariole, that's hard to do, your plants are very very nice. The plant in pic 1 with red flowers is beautiful! It's really bursted w/blooms. Your plants are quite unique..For instance, what is the plant in bottom pic with a brown top and green bottom. The pot looks brown or dark-color. It's in the front row. Another rarity is the plant on bottom pic, two plants to the right from the plant I asked about. It looks like long mushrooms..lol..Is it a cactus, succulent? Do you know their types? Your back yard is sooo pretty, woodsy, even with the snow..We in cold states can't get away from it, ya know? Temps are unstable everywhere..Fl, suffered with freezing temps for a long period..Snow is in places it never snowed before. Here in Il, one day it's 60F, then rain, snow, and freezing temps! 2 wks ago, we had a few days nearing 70F. It was so nice I placed a Gardenia tree out front..That didn't last long..now it's in the 20's..sigh.. 18 days, spring is officially here..Toni

MG- thanks for the response. No green cambium. "Cut branches at an angle to shed water" - this is good, general, advice. Something I'd never considered. "The large branch on the left is particularly awkward" - agreed. It's modern art. Really though I have some folks coming to do some tree work so I was trying to make it patently obvious to leave this alone. "Probably 5 years until it looks decent" Well, I have time (Lord willing). It's not in a good spot for me anyway, so no big loss. I'll leave it be with some mulch and see if there's some miracle. I'll update if anything happens. Thanks again for responding.

Snow expected here on Sunday, LOL Pineapple: The second one went from fruit to overnight drying to rooting mix. it is currently browning the tips of the leaves, I might have left a few to many on it, but time will tell. The first is still in water. I noticed a mildewed spot and when I cleaned it off, found an ulceration. I have rinsed it off and changed the water out. It is back in the water cup, with the water level kept below the ulcerated spot. I will now check it daily till something one way or another happens.