Hi, thanks for reading my message Joan!!! I posted a new thread, and put new photos in my flickr gallery. I've moved 60 rooted cuttings outside, to grow on in 1 litre pots. I think the odd night time freeze will finish off those d*mn aphids. I've had plenty of blooms indoors, but the plants were weakened by aphids, and so my plans to take cuttings from cuttings did not materialize. IFF I had not aphids and IFF I had no spider mites, then I would have had a few more survivors, AND I would have had much stronger plants. Keeping plants up close to fluorescent lights keeps the temperature nice and warm, which is GREAT for growth, but also GREAT for aphid proliferation!!! Do's and don'ts: Do mix 50:50 sand with the promix, at least in the upper half of your peat pot (3 or 4 inch peat pots). Roots will form nicely, and the stems will not rot (turn black). It is good if the cutting is surrounded by the sand promix mixture. I use a nail to poke a hole in the medium, and use a syringe to drizzle in a measure of rooting get into the planting hole. Do stick 2 cuttings per pot, because if one dies, you're still fine. If two make it, use a knife and fork to divide. Do use a bit of no-damp or some kind of fungicide in the medium. Do not use too strong of a fluorescent light initially and do not keep the lights too close to the trays, until roots have formed and the cuttings can actually use that amount of light. Do keep a humididome on, and gradually crack open the vent as the cuttings develop roots, which will happen within 4 weeks. Do use semi ripe wood, almost all of this year's growth can be submitted for cuttings, as long as the wood is mature enough that prickles will snap off if bent : you can take cuttings from wood that has developed flower buds, you do not have to wait for the flower to open and die, unless you wish to see the bloom. Do use short cuttings, one basal bud, and one apical leaf, so you will have TONS of rooted cuttings, and you will stretch your stock. Do snap off the prickles below the ground level - callus forms wherever the prickles have broken off, and you will have tons of roots. Controversial: I did NOT do any wounding, just snapped off the prickles as above. DO: Jump on any first sign of aphids, and keep spraying every few days with insecticidal soap. DO NOT: mix alcohol with Neem oil: You will kill your cuttings: I killed off plenty :( Do keep your rooted cuttings under 24/7 continuous light for the duration, they will grow fantastically, have good strong roots and thick stems with nice leaves. DO NOT believe anyone who tells you roots only grow during the night time. During the initial four weeks, I used a timer with lights on 18 hours and off for 6 hours, because that may be good for endogenous rooting hormone production, and the cycling of temperatures is good, but after 4 weeks, my cuttings then had NO NIGHT exposure, and grew abundant roots and good strong stems and leaves and flowers. Also DO read George Mander's advice, that is where I learned how to take cuttings, but I do a few things different: No wounds, but besides that just about everything else similar: Do keep the temperature between 70-75 degrees F, although up to 80 is acceptable, and I keep my lights on 24/7 after the initial 4 week rooting period. Best of luck, minis are really easy to root, as is the English rose Fair Bianca, which is what I mainly like, since it is hardy, reliable, fragrant, and the stems are flexible so that the bush can be encourages to spread by Layering, and one plant will eventually give you a nice big patch :) Paul Mozarowski Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures of my 5 month old rooted cuttings, taken in November, and grown indoors, now placed outdoors to grow on in 1 litre pots.

Chicadee's are really amazing little birds. I have put out bird feeders all my life and enjoyed casually watching the birds. Prior to last November I simply lumped all Chicadee's into one category in the same way most people do Sparrows until one day I realized that some Chickadees had a white belly while others had a yellowish brown patch on their flanks below the wings. Out of curiosity I looked in a bird book and learned that I was seeing both Black Capped Chickadee's and Carolina Chickadees. At the time I had 5 Pentax 35mm SLR's and an assortment of 11 lenses, but being on fixed income I couldn't afford more that 10 ot 12 rolls of film a month. In mid October I happened to find a used Pentax *ist DL DSLR body on Craigslist for $200, It had no lenses but all the Pentax k mount lenses that I had for my film cameras were compatible with it. Suddenly film and processing cost was no longer an issue and I began shooting upwards of 500 shots a day. While the outdoor temps were still relatively mild I put the camera on a tripod about 20 feet from the bird feeder then I say motionless in a lawn chair and triggered the camera by means of an external shutter release cable, which I held concealed in my pocket. The first week or so that I did that the Chickadees seemed to get bolder and bolder as they flew towards me, sometimes landing on weed tops about 2 feet from my chair. Then they started landing on my camera and one time a bird actually landed on my head while I sat there. I figured by that time the chickadee's were accustomed to my presence so I decided to take it to the next step. I have to fill my feeder at least twice a day and every time I approach to fill it all the birds fly away. I noticed that while the other birds seemed to fly off, the Chicadee's were only going up on low limbs in the tree about 20ft away and I could hear them chirping back and forth to each other, so I thought, I wonder what would happen if I talk to them? Now every time I approach the feeder I call out in a low voice, Chick a dee dee dee, Chick a dee dee dee, and they seem to call right back and as I am pouring the seed in the feeder they were coming closer and closer. Now some of them came right down and sit on the feeder while I am still pouring the seed. I use a two quart plastic pitcher to carry the seed and on more than one occasion I have had Chickadees land on the pitcher and grab a seed before I get a chance to pour it. I can stand right beside the feeder for 10 or 15 minutes and the Chickadees come and go without the least bit of concern about me. One of my birds books says that Chickadees can be tamed and they have a photo of a Chickadee eating seed right out of a gays hand, That is currently my goal, to feed one out of my hand. While doing some further research in my bird books I ran across a couple very interesting facts. Back in the late 1800's people trapped Chickadees and sold them as cage bird pets. I think the fact that I found singularly most remarkable was how they survive in winter. The normal body temperature of a bird is about 100deg F but in order to conserve energy while sleeping Chickadees can actually lower their body temperature 50 deg F.

Hey, I like that caption! Maybe I will do it just because you suggested it. They usually want them out of the camera, and I shoot RAW now (.CR2). Won't worry about it tonight and will read their latest rules. Ho, my planter. I didn't want to drag out the extension cord and my drill, so I tried to drill the holes with hand screw starter. Promptly lost one of the screws to the brackets and couldn't find it. Came in the house and found a longer set that would work, but my screwdriver is getting stripped. Then I decided the holes weren't deep enough, so I came in the house to find a drill bit and electric drill, and ran my 2 cords out the window. Together they weren't long enough. So I went to the hardware store for the third time this week and got a THIRD section to extend my extension cord, some new phillips screwdrivers, a set of screws (for ONE screw) I lost trying to clean my light fixture glass whatever they are to replace the lost one. I went higher on the ladder than I usually do. Loosened all the thumb screws and couldn't get the shades, that's what they are, or whatever off. I have no clue why, even took out the light bulb. Looked and looked for the screw on my hands and knees and cannot find it. When I vacuum, I will. I'm exhausted. I think I am majored screwed up today. I don't know why I had such a run of bad luck. I also stumbled and spilled out all the plants I got half price I was going to put in the window box, had to gather them up and put them back in their pots and trays. I finally got them in the planter, but they look sloppy and I like to do them right. Maybe they will fill out. If I wait for some guy to come and help me, it will never get done. I am NOT handy with tools. Sorry to dump on you. I haven't been able to take many photos lately which is less stressful. This summer I have to have a lot of repairs made and will not be able to get them all. It is really making me a nervous wreck trying to keep so many things going.

Traditionalgir, you are SO very wrong. For one thing, my feelings aren't hurt. Not sure where you got that idea. You have to have thick skin to be on this board, everyone's been treated this way at one time or another. And it's posts like your that keeps people lurking for years before they add another layer of skin. Too bad, really. Sofa table topic, I wanted ideas on how to decorate the top of it. That was all. Instead I got replies telling me to take it back to the store etc. Hardly any ideas on how to decorate it. Mantel topic, - Ditto. I need ideas on how to decorate the mantel. I got replies telling me to tear it down. THIS topic. - Ditto again. I wanted advice on COLOR ONLY, and look what I got instead. I did not ask for unsolicited advice, and that's when topics can get nasty. One of our long time favorite posters left because she did a topic similar to mine, and people were merciless with her and the room. She wasn't asking for advice on her room! I don't know why that's so hard for you and others to understand. If someone needs info on color, don't tell them to get rid of their furniture like was said to me above. It's not nice and it's crossing a line. So when I ask for advice on whether or not I should anchor a rug, I will TAKE that advice, but I did NOT ask for any advice on anchoring. So don't come telling me I won't listen to advice, when I was more than open on getting advice on COLOR only. Whew! Back to COLOR. :) You can't tell from the picture of the back of the room, and other rooms, but there are colors that will blend in with the new rug. I love the dark red that surrounds the rug, and I have a shelf of pink depression glassware in the back of the room, and other Victorian accessories I have in storage. The back of the room has a bit more feminine things to it, the front of the room is just a man cave. Now I can bring the whole room together. The Persian in the back of the room has some burgandy/rust designs in it with the muted turquois background. Love it! This new rug isn't a Persian, because it will get a lot of traffic and play time on it with the grandkids. Spills, etc. Now, If end up not liking it, I will ship that baby back, pronto.