I've been lurking here for weeks and this bowling ball holder problem forced me to join up so I could share my idea. I was having trouble finding anything cheap...uh, inexpensive. Now I make holders out of two 6" azalea pots (they're squattier than regular pots). I glue them together bottom to bottom with liquid nails, then reinforce with a fat bolt and washers thru the drainage holes. Seal and spray paint and add a few appropriate colored flat marbles to accent the ball. Of course, right after I bought 8 pots to make 4 holders, I started finding big candle holders every time I went in a 2nd hand store. Fortunately, I have friends who are so taken by the whole idea, they bring old bowling balls to me. I started doing these last August and have made 6 and have 7 waiting for their transformation. I love this group! jan

Thanks much, sandplum1. sunnyca, re the drainpipe and pot. I'm the one likely to trip over it as his gate comes open and slams back in the wind, get tired of listening to it, he's sometimes away for long periods. So I go out at night w/flashlight and secure it with a bungee cord. I'll think about how I could bring up about the pipe in a non-combative manner because he had a quiet party the other night w/much coming and going; even a young person could trip over it. I wouldn't have one going over my side walk like that, don't remember how the older neighbors who died had it. I'm the one who's worried about getting sued if I don't get my huge, beloved tree taken down this season, 'nuther story. The crazy thing about that house is that I toyed with buying it when it was all run down and razing it so I could have a double lot to grow more beautiful plants than I can. The old couple who were friends died, and it was $40 thou, most places here top $100 thou and more surrounding, nice neighborhood. The spec buyer (not current neighbor) put up this enormous garage, I hate the thing, big as a small house, helped to hasten the ruination of my huge maple tree by digging so deep for foundation and chopping up important roots not 4' from that tree. Then to add insult to injury, left cow pies of concrete in my yard and ruined my driveway. I didn't notice the driveway was messed with (excavating and grade) until later when I tried to drive up it to put things in garage, don't use garage for car but often parked my car there in the summer. I have a permanent easement across the property for access to my driveway I can no longer use, tore out something on my muffler. So I fume over it, but am not the type to pick fights with people. I got a feeling that the home spec guy's father or fil could play hardball, big in with the city. They never displayed their building permit like I do, called the city to see if they got one, said they did, and that the garage met specs but was max. I do not believe it. Other neighbors wanted a taller garage almost a block away and another one huge trelliswork on their property, and I get papers I have to sign off on as did other neighbors. It just makes me mad, try to be a good neighbor, tolerant, laid back, and maybe they don't know the grief that has caused me; it's not my property. And I was nice enough to let them have access to my yard to build that garage, and they didn't even have the courtesy to ask. So it's life, and I just have to vent about that sometimes, and have enough problems of my own, but you get that with neighbors even in the country. If I start something difficult involving people, my anxiety goes on overdrive so bad I've ended up in hospital; that's why I tend to be passive, don't meet things headon. I have read about old ladies growing pot believe it or not. Hard to tell if that widow was in on it or not. And I not only runon sentences and paras, drift OT, and get too chatty, then go quiet for long periods because I'm busy w/something else. Good luck to all those who want a coatrack like mine! I'll check more at that link when my headache goes away. Should be outside working now, lethargic, and wasting time on computer.

I was given a blue glass gazing ball that is supported by three frogs embracing. The guys who gave it to me used another term to discribe the frogs. It took me over a year before I finally displayed it in my back yard garden. lol Now the glass covered bowling balls are another matter. I have quite a few tucked here and there. I also covered croquet balls with glass beads and put them with the bowling balls. I have left mine out all year and some are cracked so it's best to take them in for the winter. Go to your local bowling alley and ask if they have any balls they no longer use. They are usually free. Connie

Just today I rediscovered the 6" green gazing ball that I found years ago in the garden of a former house. We have naturally shed antlers on the hearth of our living room fireplace, and with a little positioning, the gazing ball fit into them perfectly!