Cath, Magnolia grandiflora is one of the more tolerant magnolias, and is certainly a magnificent tree, but I'm not interested in it. I long for the deciduous, mostly Asian magnolias: M. stellata, M. denudata, the Soulangeanas, the x loubneri group, the yellow-flowered hybrids of M. acuminata. Actually, I plan on getting a Loebneri magnolia: I think I actually have a place, one spot in our thirty-three acres, where it will grow. Magnolias are fairly common ornamental trees down in the Po Plain below our hills, and in our local town, which is located in a valley and has good alluvial soils. It's five miles away and about 225 meters lower than we are, and they can grow plants that we can't. Conditions vary. It's not that I haven't tried magnolias, but much of the soil in the big garden bears a close resemblance to adobe brick when it's dry, and they just can't handle it. The shade garden either has dry unfriendly soil, or it floods, and I don't think magnolias like to be flooded either (roses on the other hand can handle tremendous amounts of winter water). Also much of the shade garden is shady, of course. But I do have one spot I think will work, and I'm looking forward to getting the right magnolia, and then seeing it in splendor in a few years. They are magnificent, glorious trees. Otherwise I may get a pear for one spot where I want a flowering tree. That may not sound obvious, but pears have a heavy noble structure and a massive whiteness to their bloom that makes them, in my eyes, the hill country aesthetic equivalent of flowering magnolias. harmonyp (Beth?) I think you're right about dahlias. I got rid of my numerous family of them a few years ago after a very long drought because I didn't want to water them; and I got tired of lifting the tubers and keeping them in my mud room through the winter, then replanting them, and staking them. Right now the garden has just three or four survivors that have made it through two unusually cold and wet winters without rotting. I have a handsome pink one growing in the cottage bed next to the house where it flourishes in clay and with little supplementary water. Dahlias come in a great variety of forms and colors, many of them very beautiful: rich burgundies, violets, soft oranges, waterlily pinks. They're undemanding about water and soil. They don't get any pests or diseases to speak of. They make excellent cut flowers. One of the things I liked about dahlias when I was growing them in quantity is how they're movable foliage, excellent for filling in gaps when the shrubs are young; and they have big, bold, flourishing dark leaves with never a trace of mildew. They bloom when much of the garden is quiescent too. Now I'm wondering why on earth I don't have more dahlias. I don't quite trust them to be tough enough to thrive out in the big garden, where life is a battle: they're more suitable to the vegetable patch, and I have very little of that kind of space. Perhaps one year I'll be able to conjure up some room for dahlias. They are wonderful flowers. Melissa

compost1311: I get a BIG sense of accomplishment too! And I feel better about my use of so many things over the years (mostly plastics and gasoline--NAH! Who am I trying to kid? TONS of things--that are really bad for the earth that my brothers' kids will live in. I didn't know I was doing damage, and I've recycled plastic bags forever, and been quite diligent...Used poison only once, when an ant infestation just wouldn't quit. (Now I know many more things I could have done. But my dad said to use it, and I did. And I still remember unhappily! But I have urban guilt nonetheless. You're right. It's quite a thrill to do ONE thing right, and do it well. And it's so much fun to read all the theories. :) A brother has been hooked on aquariuma since he was a kid, and I never understood it, because they don't respond or show affection, or feel good physically lto care for, like a dog or cat who reward me with affection...But you using that comparison makes it all clear to me now. It's a CLEAN world that he can control and take care of. Thanks a million for the insight. I wonder if this is what it is for him. It makes total sense. He's rather an aging hippy like I am. Peace, the Beatles, and all that. A lifelong musician. Aquariums fit. It often feels like nothing in the world is truly good and clean and natural and in harmony with Mother Earth. But maybe aquariums feel that way too, just like worm bins for gardeners like me. I wonder what he does with the used water! (I hope they use it in their yard, or is that bad? Ever in quest of compost!) It's another related obsession!

Got my wood at East Teak and the clip fasteners. We used liquid nails and the clip. I have boards that are just a foot or so above ground but well ventelated in some spots and no cupping at all. The screwless look is really special. And if I had a problem, I can always screw them down. This fall will be three years and no cupping issues.

I haven't read any of Suze Orman's books, but I did watch a special with her answering financial questions on PBS a couple years ago. She seemed pretty on-track. We are totally into paying off our house early. We are on a 15 year mortgage right now and always pay a little extra. We are hoping to move soon, so we will have to refigure all of that, but the jest will be the same . . . moving towards paying it off ASAP. We don't have any other debts and hope to own our home free and clear by the time DH is 50 (that gives us 12 1/2 years). We do invest in a 401K, but with the tax shelter, we really don't notice it. It is 10% of our income, but it keeps us in a lower tax bracket, so the actual take home hardly varies. My husband loves watching the stocks and spends a lot of time on such websites as the Motley Fool (A site for people who do their own investiing without stockbrokers), but other than a few very small stocks, he hasn't done much with it. He knows he has to answer to me! LOL! I was thinking about the gal you listened to on TV about investing and saving money. There was a local guy here in Spokane that did a weekly show on investing and financial strategies. He went to our church and in reality he was one of the most financially screwed up people I knew and they even filed bankruptcy! I did some graphic design work for him and nearly had to take him to small claims court before he paid . . . even so we ended up involving the pastor as a mediator! So I guess it was the old "those that can't learn, teach"! It would be interesting to peek into the lives of other "financial gurus" and see if they practice what they preach. Brenda