Not really all that daring. First off all, I do appreciate the use of my hands and was not willing to gamble away one of them. Even though this was the left on and I'm not a lefty, I used it today without any protection repotting and some construction, no problem, total healing has taken place. My point really is that our bodies are quite capable of healing them selves given half a chance. I'm a retired physician, my son in law and the neighbor at the campsite both are orthopedic surgeons so we had enough talent there, just no instruments like sutures and needles etc. The Jack Daniels and the beer made up for that deficit. My daughter, also a physician represents the opposite end of the spectrum. She freaked out and would have me admitted to an ICU and the wound sutured in an OR, damn the expense. Their 4 little boys are the most protected yuppie larva you can imagine. Them eating an apple is an experience worth watching. First the apple is washed, then sprayed with Veggie Spray, rubbed in this and then washed again. Then it is polished with a paper towel and cored with a gadget she has that eliminates the center and makes little apple wedges. These go on a plate which is carried to the table where they are eaten. To just grab an apple and start munching on it is unheard off. She had nightmares about my hand and wanted me to start heavy duty antibiotics. As long as there was no pain, no red swelling and no fever, these were absolutely unnecessary. She is amazed at the results and can't believe that modern medicine is not really needed to get good results. Nick

They will keep growing from what I've seen but always displays the look of chlorosis esp toward the end of the summer. You'd have much better luck with central Texas source. The only place I know of that sells it is Madrone Nursery in San Marcos where you can get them pretty cheap. Montezuma cypress trees at the neighborhood park has nice green color growing in alkaline soil on top of limestone rubbles so that's another option for you to try. Another option is to get montezuma-bald cypress 'Nanjing Beauty' from Botany Garden Shop online. It's reported to tolerate as high as 8.5 pH. This is Nanjing Beauty at Dallas Arboretum during December. Holds its green foliage into January before displaying winter color. The director there told me it has grown very fast. I just planted one in my rocky limestone soil so time will tell how it'd do in alkaline soil. I guess this is central Texas bald cypress??? The foliage is very green unlike other bald cypress trees around it in that neighborhood a couple miles from me. I have 4 or 5 seedlings in the container and has same deep green color as that one. It caught some of tree experts attention and wanted seedlings or seeds from that tree. Very low germination rates unfortunately. I was talking to Texas fellow from Denton on Texas gardening forum about cypress and he said that his bald cypress looked bad but his montezuma cypress was doing pretty good with no chlorosis problem. Might as well just give up those cypress trees and start over with cypress trees I suggested.

Thank you!! The pre-1850 date helps me pinpoint the grandfather who made it. I guess there is the possibility it was made after 1850 using old nails but the odds of that are probably very slim. Thanks again, Liz

It's amazing that BIRDS can take down an airliner! A friend of mine was flying back from Europe many years ago and there was an explosion, an engine blew out. Pilot came on and said no problem, they have 3 engines left and all is well. It was a 747. A little while later another bang, yep, another engine... shortly after a puff, and a 3rd engine gone... So like she said, contrary to what some claim, a 747 CAN fly, and land safely with only one engine. She said it was a remarkably smooth landing too. FWIW, she said she didn't want to fly again for a while. At least a couple months. Then she did.