Here's my update from the not used and not yet blooming lists. Four o'Clocks--Are blooming nicely now, but whenever I look inside, there's no nectar. None at all! I haven't seen the hummers at them, and this is probably why. They look great, but how disappointing! Blue Lobelias (Lobelia "Fan Blue")--I just saw a bird visit these this afternoon. I'm not sure if she got anything, but she dipped into a couple flowers before zipping over to the feeder. Interestingly, this summer I've been experimenting with making feeders out of Sculpey clay which closely imitate the hummingbird flowers in my garden. I made a blue Lobelia last week that is very realistic looking. I'm hoping that my feeders are habituating them to new colors and forms. It's hard to say because I'm not doing a round the clock study, but it seems like they didn't touch the lobelias until I put that feeder up. I put the feeder up a few nights ago, and when I got up the next day they were already using it without hesitation. I wonder what their reaction was when they first arrived in the early morning and saw a purple flower, instead of the usual red ones I've been making! I'm sorry to say I wasn't up early enough to see their astonishment. All of this probably deserves its own separate post, because it's pretty neat trying out all these different shapes and colors of flowers. I'm going to try making a nasturtium next. Cardinal Climber and Cypress vine--They're blooming sparsely on bushy, 20 foot vines. I just started fertilizing them with some "Bloom Booster," but they still aren't getting as many flowers as I would like. Maybe they don't like this ridiculous heat wave. Thank God it's finally cooling off. This afternoon, a hummer flew very near the vines, which made me think they might be getting used early in the morning. It seems I'm never up early enough to witness this, and then the blooms are kaput by the afternoon. I've still seen no action at my annual verbenas, my red petunias, mixed color snapdragons, Pelargonium geranium, Dianthus chinensis (although they might be sneaking into these), Impatiens, pompom or cactus zinnias, or my Oriental lilies. Bummer! I'm still waiting on the hardy Hibiscus (bunches of buds), and the Lobelia cardinalis is just beginning to bloom. They will be my last new flowers of the season. I'll let you know!

Anybody on here have grape arbors? I don't know about elsewhere, but the wild vines are also taking a big hit, and not just the Japanese beetles...there is also a smallish tan beetle with maybe a very slight pattern around the thorax-almost like a bean leaf beetle but there is no characteristic triangle behind the head-- really chomping down on the leaves as well. Not sure what that one is but I only see it on the grapes so far.

Hi there. I'm kind of a minimalist anyway but here's my two cents. I have a bad back so a changing pad on top of a dresser was a must for me. I repainted a dresser from the second hand store... so cute! and topped it with a contoured changing pad with a terry cloth cover. There's enough room on the dresser to store wipes and wipe solution (I use homemade), and some other baby items. (I registered for the pad and two terry covers and got them at my shower.) I actually liked my boppy a lot. I'm tall, and to hold my baby up to my breast to nurse was uncomfortable, pillows slipped out from beneath my arms. Someone gave me a boppy and it saved my back. Now that Jake's bigger, I don't need it any more, he sits in my lap and reclines back to nurse. but we prop him up in the boppy for play time on the floor. You don't NEED it, but I liked it. I like my bouncy chair I was given. I registered online at babysrus (they have product reviews you can read). It's a handy place for him to sit when I'm in the shower. When he gets older and we start solids I may use it as his high chair. I ordered a clip on chair from ebay for 8 bucks, I really like those and don't care for the big bulky high chairs. (We have very limited space.) A sling!!!!!!!! I have a nojo sling which you can get at babiesrus for 30$ or so (but I bought mine off ebay for 6.30). It takes a while to get the hang of it, but once you do, it's soooo great! DS loves his and it's so much handier to take him into the store instead of lugging the heavy infant seat. If they are sleeping, you can just slip out of the sling yourself and lay baby in his car seat or on your bed or whatever... I can't say enough, they're great! I haven't used my stroller yet b/c of the sling, so I don't know if that's an immediate neccesary, I'll probably use it when he gets toddler age. That's about it, we cosleep so we gave back the borrowed bassinet and his crib isn't even set up :) I should probably sell his crib sheets on ebay or something. :-b Oh, he likes his baby bathtub too, but he's getting to big for it so I bathe him in the sink or jump in the tub with him myself... (that's so fun!) Diaper Genies... I used two when I was a nanny, hated 'em. And the fillers are expensive 5-6 dollars a pop. If you want a no-smell pail get the Diaper Champ, we got given one and it's great, uses regular kitchen sized garbage bags. Now that we've switched to cloth diapers we line it with a laundry bag and still use it for the cloth dipes. No smell! But still... they're unneccesary if you're on a budget. Oh yeah, we got enough disposable diapers to last through his second month. Got a ton of newborn packages as well as size one. BUT, we've switched to cloth dipes... they are so easy now with the waterproof fabrics all in one, they work just like 'sposies 'cept ya wash 'em. We're saving about 60 dollars a month using cloth. I've made some too. Check out http://www.diapersewing.com/ if you sew... they are really easy and you don't need a serger. Also, check out the diaper auctions at WAHMall.com even if you don't plan to cloth diaper, you'll be amazed at what they look like now! I thought all cloth diapers were like the ones I wore as a baby, prefolds with a messy plastic pant. :-P Okay, I'm rambling now, I'll stop! :) HTH! Jae

Newhostalady, I think that you might have hit the nail right on its head!! Truthfully, I don't remember ever hearing of Belicia even though there was a short thread on her right here on this forum. [https://www.houzz.com/discussions/hippeastrum-belicia-any-knowledge-dsvw-vd~2866081[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/hippeastrum-belicia-any-knowledge-dsvw-vd~2866081) The color on yours appears a little different and to me more pleasing as well as the wider petals that appear a bit more curvy. I dare say you've found your correct ID yourself!! Yours appears to be prettier than any other pictures I could find. I wonder if any of these made it to the US? Donna