It might be too soon to give up. I've noticed that deer will often eat fresh young foliage of even deer-resistant species. Once the plant gets to be a certain size and the evergreen foliage builds tannins, the foliage becomes less palatable. This is true here of Myrica californica, for instance. We've had good success carefully screening the plant with hardware cloth for about a season. It might be worth a try. I have A. marina outside my fence exposed to deer, and they can't browse it because the head is too high. Our deer aren't very large. Once the tree canopy gets over their little heads, it will be safe. OTOH, deer love A. uenedo.

Tweetypie, interesting you see different color in the roots within your garden. I wonder if the lighter roots are a genetic difference? If that is the case I wonder if some hybridizers might set dk roots as a cull criteria in a breeding program- that is those who breed for the overall plant appearance, not just the flower. Maybe not a very important criteria but if lighter roots help give the perception of plant health, maybe some have decided it is worth making a criteria to boost sales. Interesting thought to ponder. Will have to investigate to see if one type of roots is better from a growth/plant strength perspective than the other. gonegardening, LOL at myself, no, I don't have property yet, just a large city lot in a rural town and it's probably going to run out of room for dl after this season. In addition to all those dl I've purchased this winter, I started just over 400 seedlings. I've carefully researched (as much as one can online) most of the plants and seeds I've ordered with the hopes that they might, after I observe them in my climate and growing conditions, be suitable parents to start out with. I don't expect most to be ready for any hybridizing in their first year though I may keep some pollen if they put up scapes. They will all need time to settle in before being put to work. Yes, perspectives change over time. That's part of life. Sometimes it is forced by circumstances, sometimes its a phase, sometimes its just a change in preferences. ` I also hope to hybridize other plants so space will be at a premium in no time. I'm actively looking for an opportunity to buy property suitable for growing, potentially for retailing, and in an area that meets other family needs.

Morning! Big day today.....ultrasound at 3pm. DH is going to meet me at the hospital. We are very excited as you can imagine. Hopefully i'll have a pic when I get back. Sharon..thank you! The advice is great. I've been wondering about twins 'cause i've been gaining so much weight and just have a funny feeling. It doesn't run in the family. DH would just pass out, lol. The U/S will show us how many are in there today. ; ) I've been taking prescrp. vitamins since Jan. I have 2 huge ones I take everyday and always take them with dinner. Otherwise I would probably gag. : ) I emailed Deni to put you back on as "active" status, lol. Yippee! If you have my email address, would you re-send all your info. such as address, birthdate, and current email? Just want to make sure we are all upated. : ) Thanks! Or you could just send it to Deni if you have her email addy. MamaG......we want wedding details!!!!! Gay.....are you still here with us? If so, we need you to email us all your current info. Do you still have anyone's email address? Sherri.....please please forgive me but I don't know what list you are talking about. I re-read all the posts and totally can't remember. Was I supposed to send you something. A plant list?? I'm so lost. : ) Ohmygosh Dianne......Ben is so cuddly cute! And very handsome in that hat! Love it! He's going to have nice eyebrows....I can tell. : ) And Shirly, Dawson sure is growing up! He has a gorgeous smile. I'll bet he loves coming to your place. Your Fall gardens look beautiful. Jo, any baby news today? Thanks for the m/s advice (Thanks to Mary B. too). I have Saltines by my bedside, but they are not doing much except making me thirsty, lol. I'm trying to be sure I have something in my belly all the times, but i'm still feeling yucky. I'm just grinning and bearing it, lol. Ugh. Marea, what's all this "bird daylily" talk Sharon is speaking of???? MaryB, the construction world is amazing. We have blocked/bricked so many patio homes this year it's just unbelievable. They seem to be all the craze around here. Townhouses too. If you like no maintenance and easy living then I guess it would be perfect. I prefer a yard and privacy myself, lol. They do go up fast. I got some pics for ya'..... The block were delivered and within hours DH and the crew arrived to start work..... Walls started going up very quickly........ It's very busy on the jobsite with stuff all over the place so I found a safe spot and planted myself in a chair and watched... That bump-out in the front w/ all the windows is like a dream come true. I can't wait to...

>Heavy black was worn for so many months, followed by 'half-mourning' for another length of time. Letters and envelopes and hankies had black borders round them, widows wore special 'mob-caps' and 'widows weeds'. Young people couldn't attend parties, weddings were held-over. I've heard many stories about these rules, and always thought they were hard hearted. People all grieve differently at different times. Setting up a set of rules and keeping people from enjoying life for a year just seems cruel. Tho perhaps the routine of the rules helped, much in the same way that people in mourning often return to work sooner than later, for it gives them some structure and reason to get up for the day. That being said, We follow rules of mourning in Judaism, and I am so used to them that I almost dont think of them as rules. You sit shiva for 7 days - you don't leave the house, you don't work, you let others serve you and feed you, take care of the kids, deal with relatives and such. Then each Friday for a year, you attend service to say Kaddish (mourners prayer). There is also a service at the end of the first month (and I can't for the life of me remember the reason for it...)At the end of a year you have a service at the graveside. I like the pattern of knowing what comes next, what to expect, and the slow way that you are encouraged to re-enter the world. Doesn't mean grieving is over in a year of course. Just a way of structuring the mourning a little. > He never understood how people could talk casually and even laugh at them I was 19 when dad died. After the funeral, we all were at our home to sit shiva. I remember running to my room in tears, because all of the family and friends were standing around talking and laughing. I couldn't stand it. It took me awhile to realize that such talk is what is done to share memories and bring comfort. But I don't think I left my room till most people left. I cry at movies and books, but otherwise am pretty unsentimental in real life. So I was sure I would be fine at my wedding. Everything was going fine, no major stress, I was happy and excited, and then my sis put a kleenex in with my bouquet. Told her, I don't need it. She only smiled. Well, as soon as I kissed my mom (who walked me down the aisle) and took my grooms hand, that was all she wrote. I was sniffling most of the service....