Julie, that's a funny story. You're a trooper, love the way you and NDN split the detective work, the tasks, and got the boys to the party. :) (the big honkin' TV on the cedar chest sounds about right for this house, too). Do I recall that you don't drive? Mary, I know what you mean about the testosterone factor in the the building trades. It's not appreciably different in the marine trades. ;) The best way to deal with it, IMO, is to simply tune it out OR smile and tease them right back. I get called, "dear", "hon.", "cupcake", etc. at least once a day and have for years now. It's not uncommon to hear some crack about the "nice view" when I'm on the floor doing a layout. My take on it is that they like me, respect my abilities, and it's just their way of showing it. It doesn't really bother me, personally. Any chance you will be able to share some photos? I know I have to be very mindful of sharing photos of work I've done for customers. Yeah, I think Maine could be a fun destination, Mary. We have oodles of time to set a date that will suit everyone who would like to come and I'm able to get time off pretty much whenever I want to. So start looking at your calendars, everyone, and we'll figure out how much time we want to devote to it and what we'd like to do. Monique and Les. have highly recommended the Maine Botanical Gardens. Sue, I'm impressed that you were a 4-Her, too. I didn't know you had rabbits! is it true they eat their droppings to get some vitamin or nutrient they can't synthesize for themselves? The AWS usually has a few rabbits for adoption (some of them are huge); I had no idea you can get them to use a litter pan, but DID suspect that keeping a sharp eye on their busy little mouths was pretty important. I always wanted a guinea pig but Mum and Dad nixed that idea repeatedly... . It's going to be a real "wash out" this weekend. Wonder if Saucy's kids and husband have planned a camping trip? Had I had my wits about me I'd have taken a few shots of the swamp maples in the marsh area that are beautifully colored up. Cross your fingers that Kyle doesn't blow the leaves off them before I can get a pictures. They're really pretty, but there's still lots more color to come. A quick spin around the yard the other day revealed the extent of my garden sloth... it is clear that I have no need for aspirin to deaden any pain. lol I was fast asleep by debate time; I'll have to rely on the "post game wrap up" this morning on NPR (the Today show is the lamest excuse in the world for a news program).

Sure, I move mine around to find the ideal spot, protect from suspected strong winds, I have even laid them down on the ground when there are severe wind warnings. A 2 wheeler, small pick-up, husky young son, neighbor kids, anybody with muscle to help heft them around. Once mine are in bloom I don't like to move them too much for fear of knocking off the blooms. If there is no sun by the patio, they may not like that, but just for a few days while it's blooming, I think it should be okay. But, I'm no expert....

Here is what I do here in Sayville. My brugs are in 16 to 20 inch pots. In the spring I heel them into the ground (bury the pots about 1/2 way to prevent tipping/falling over). When frost threatens, usually late October, I cut them back, my 8 to 9 foot tall standards become 4 feet tall.........and into my basement they go. There is a bit of light from the basement windows, not much really. Basement is in the lower 60's temperature wise. I give them a half gallon of water once a month, this seems to be enough to keep them going, but, not to get them growing. There might be shoot or two here and there, and I usually get a bloom or two (boy, does the house smell good!). If the shoots get too wild, I just cut them off. Come April 1 I water every other day in the basement, this gets them awake and it is out the door and on the patio for the summer on May 1. Bloom for the 4th of July. Cuttings, I pot them up into 6 inch pots and grow them slowly on my window sill, I stick the cutting into the mix, water the heck out of it, then I keep them dry, minimal water (they will root and become semi-dormant, I really do not have room for them to grow much inside) and will pot them up in the spring. Potting mix is ProMixBX. Feed is Peters 20-20-20 supplemented with Epsom Salts and Milorganite. I feed the Peters weekly. My wood for cuttings, I am picky here, I use the semi hard wood, it is not completely green, not completely brown. Seems to root well, but not rot. Brugs root very easily. Just take it easy with them. I have rooted parts from just the tips to "instant standards" which is a long straight branch shoved into a pot. Just pinch the leaves off the branch which will allow it to root, takes about 3 weeks and you are off and growing. Think of them like little green people, I do. That 12 inch plant in a 6 inch pot will become a 5 foot tall blooming specimen in a 16 inch pot in about 3 months in my yard.

Oh, it makes us so happy to get are angels to bloom. This is my first year and I only had one named brug, Audrey Hepburn. She barely bloomed in our high heat, but when it was time to bring her in she had 82 buds and almost no leaves. Every bud bloomed out. She was beautiful. I put her in a bedroom we are working on and we had to shut the bedroom off, the fragrance was so strong at night. She is white. I had quite a few that I don't know what they are, they bloom out with a touch of peach on the edges, then turn darker. Some even go to orange. I call them a peach apricot but have no idea what they are. They have also bloomed inside. I was kind of disappointed this summer, but not now. All my hard work and watering was worth it. Love them!!!!. Patsey