OK, you all are making me laugh! Low cal venison stew? Votives in the eye sockets? Sheesh! You'd have to be serious off-kilter (as opposed to perfectly sane and rational, like me) to come up with something like that! :o) Thanks for the link Meldy! I think chickadees, nuthatches, wrens and titmice, all of which are abundant in our yard and build nests in our trees, are our best bets. I don't know where I got it or if it's even true, but I am working on the belief that birds will peck away at the skulls to get calcium they need to strengthen their egg shells. I hope so. I'm ready to have them and their broods back in my midst...

Ingrid, Lady Ann Kidwell, as a full-size shrub, can take your breath away. The blooms nod and dangle, swaying with the breezes and, though not "classic", have a pleasing form. She is relentlessly cheerful in the worst of heat waves and is among the most frequent bloomers in my entire collection. She also, in certain weathers, has a color of purple that is as good and true as any in the rose world. The foliage is clean. I had to have her after seeing the wonderful specimens at the SJHRG, which look great every single time I go there (no small feat for a rose). I love her, but I do have her over in the "bold color" section, where she holds her own!

moving down

" Are you taking my picture ?"