Maggie, As for finding the cure for Cloud, I have a book called 'Ducks & Geese in your Backyard' by Rick and Gail Luttmann. There is a section in there about 'Disease of young waterfowl' and thats where I found the symptoms for 'New duck syndrome'. I google for other diseases with those symptoms and found another disease, different name but same cure so, I went for it and it seems to have worked. The Luttmanns also wrote two other books called' Chickens in your Backyard' and Gail Luttmann wrote 'Raising Milk Goats'. They are great books, easy to read and very handy. As for the two pair of geese and the ganders fighting, that wasn't me. You may remember though, about 6 or 7 weeks ago my 4 year old steped on one of our goslings' flipper and you recomended the splay leg treatment if it didn't correct itself in a few days. fortunately it did correct it self but now can't remember if it was Cloud or Gossy. So I'm in a tough spot with no male mate for Cloud and the hatchery I bought them from are out of Toulouse and any other geese until spring. I've been combing the hatcheries to see if I can get another 2 males and 2 females quickly so that in the fall thru spring, Cloud dosen't fly off looking for a mate. I'm in Texas and I'm not sure Toulouse geese would fly off anyway. She haas 5 other ducks the same age as she, and they're a very close group, to keep her company though. Thanks again for being so supportive.

Telly2, I've never been successful with spag n bag. I've taken a plant that is in need of TLC and set it down into a deep bucket. Added a bit of water to the bucket (plant itself in a small plastic container, you don't want the plant sitting in the water). If the plant is really dehydrated I lightly cover the bucket. In the morning the plant comes out and goes on my kitchen window sill, later that p.m., back in the bucket. During all of this, I add 1/2 strength root stimulator to rain water. Watering only about once a week when the plant is close to being dry. The skewer method is good, I still use them in some of my pots/plants. This is an alternative to spag n bag. Of course it takes up more of your time. Whichever method you choose (and I'm not so sure you need to do either), be careful that you don't allow moisture to collect in the leaf axils...this can start rot and that is more deadly to a plant then having it starved for moisture & light. Good luck with your plant and give us an update in a few weeks. You will need to be patient, it will take some time. June, I still don't consider myself a successful paph grower. I'm still learning! But, it is good to finally have some success at growing these beauties. I've sent two delanatiis to orchid heaven and I will purchase another as soon as I get back to Houston for a visit! I did bloom the second plant I had and it was wonderful! I loved the fragrance. I'd love to grow/bloom a malipoense too.....they say it's fragrace is like raspberries! Ah, my lonnnng wish list! Hapy growing, Sheila :)

With one of my cats, I gave his IV at home for about a year and it worked wonders for him. He would just about come and tell me when it was time for one.He would sit there and not move , I put his cat bed up on the counter in the bathroom and he would lay down in it and I had the IV hanging from a coat hanger up high on the cabinet, it took about 10 minutes to put in the required amount and he knew exactly when it should be over and he would turn his head and gently grab my finger with his teeth LOL . Like ok now I am done! This is a gentle warning! Then he would get down and spend an hour licking himself since he had saliva again. When it got to the point that he was not bouncing back with the IV and his levels were very bad the vet said he would not be around much longer. He passed at home one night. All 3 of my kitties died from that darn kidney failure. It is so unfortunate that so many cats end up that way. But the vet said there really is not a lot of pain involved. I hope your kitty can make it through this for a while longer.

Bats are a protected species, at least in my state. They cannot be removed during maternity season (approximately mid-April through August 1, I think). They serve a valuable purpose in devouring insects. In my house, they roost in the attic vents, which are covered on the inside attic side with wire mesh, thus preventing them from invading the attic. Although most of their guano falls to the outside ground, some does fall in the periphery of the attic. Thus, I agree, they need to be prevented from roosting in the attic vents. The apparent solution is covering those vents on the outside with mesh, which, again, can't be performed during maternity season. As far as my original post about the spirea in a pot: it is beginning to get new leaves. So thanks to anyone that tried to help.