I appreciate the responses very much... Picklespickles, I think you might be right about starting over. It would be hard on me to do, but the thing is I am not sure if we could at this point. You mentioned getting another female or two. WeÂd love to but donÂt know where we could find them and donÂt know of anyone needing a couple of ganders... personally I could never eat the culprit (those who can, thatÂs great) and besides, heÂd make a mighty expensive Christmas dinner! lfrj, I donÂt think she was compromised in any way as far as I know. Just that morning when my dh let them out they were all strong and vigorous. This happened a couple of hours later. During the day they have a large grassy area for ranging behind our house including a 2 acre pond. My kitchen window overlooks it so most of the time theyÂre in my sight. We put them in a secure enclosure every night and they are glad to go there. We have lots of coyotes around and some creature has tried to dig itÂs way into the enclosure several times so I think it gives them security... also we had a small pen right next to them where we were trying to nurse a badly injured goose back to health (coyotes had gotten into our neighborÂs pen and killed all but her). This pen was sturdy and heavy but I went to let them out one morning and something had dug its way under her pen and killed her. I felt pretty sick. Must have done it for pleasure because only her neck was injured besides her former injuries. My geese had some less serious injuries as though they had been terrorized. The largest gander seemed to have a broken foot (the wire of the pen was bowed out on the side nest to the small pen and I think he must have kept hurling himself against it wanting to help while the other trauma was going on), three had missing toenails, all their beaks looked roughed up, etc. For days they didnÂt even want to come out which was very unusual. But they soon were back to normal, altho the gander limped for quite awhile. I wonder if your first theory could be right. IsnÂt this a little out of season for mating behavior or can that happen anytime? Maybe she wasnÂt receptive? Now I am worried about the other goose if the gander keeps up this behavior, which I see no reason why he wonÂt. There is a lot I donÂt know about geese, I guess. IÂd thought we were somewhat experienced.

Hi Kelly, Yeah, it does look like the one on Alan's page!! My leaf and petiole look exactly like that as well. I have another one that grew with no bloom that is very different even though they were theoretically the same....go figure....the hazards of importing I suppose....like a box of chocolates :o) Dan

Thanks for all the comments and information! I've been overwhelmed with other business the last few days, but I got to look around for some information last night and found some very similar pieces through ARTFACT.com. Tomorrow I hope to get to the library. TrueGrits -- It's interesting that you say you have an almost identical secretary, as we spied one very similar at our neighbor's home down the street. It's very odd to come face to face with something so similar to something that you know (Or thought!) is in limited supply in this world. Although I guess this was a very popular style, given all the examples I've seen. Also, interestingly enough, last night on Ebay, I found an auction from January for the exact same book we have that dates to 1695. It sold for only $1500 or so. :( It's actually the one peice we've considered selling, but not at that kind of price! It's truly an amazing book by Otavio Scarlatini; here's just a portion of the description: "describing and depicting the human body in its details and in its entirety in every aspect conceivable, from the anatomical, rational, moral, mystical, political, legal, etc. point of view, and furtherrmore as used in emblems, morals, mystics, proverbs, language symbols, prognostications, pictures, statues, history, rites, reflections, customs, numismatics, dedications, signatures, literary allegories, epitaphs, fables, wonders, medicine, dreams, etc." Can you imagine? We got our copy from DH's brother who got it from his father who was a well-known editor in NYC in the 70's. He apparently got it from a writer friend in lieu of payment for something (?)...don't remember the details, but as I recall, there's a typed letter in the book. Or maybe that's to the writer from whomever he got it from? Dunno... Anyway, here's a link if anyone's interested: Susan Here is a link that might be useful: Homo et ejus partes figuratus & symbolicus, anatomicus....

Thank you. I fertilize spring, summer, fall with a good granular citrus food and water once or twice a week in that time depending on the temperature. I water in the winter every other week if we don't get rain. It's on a slight slope which helps with drainage as we have gritty clay soil, a mix of clay, silt and decomposing granite. And I leave all the leaves that fall under the tree as mulch. I lost the two avocados I planted last year. I think they had issues when I got them, they were on clearance. (for a reason obviously, lol) But even though they didn't last, they did bloom a lot and this tree in the pic had a ton of fruit because of it. So I've been wanting to id this tree so to know if it's A or B flowers. I just want to get one more avocado tree for the other's replacement, so I need to know which to get, A or B.