Gardengal, I think you've just hit on a very important aspect of selling plants... the display garden. The helpmeet works for a garden center and they don't have one. It's terribly difficult for him to "convince" someone that, yes! the Baptisia will attain 4' and it will need a lot of room, or that the Epimedium will spread slowly and steadily to create a lovely, bullet-proof groundcover. We too, live in a pretty garden-savvy area and while I have to travel between 20 and 75 miles to visit the places that carry the really "choice" items they ARE available. Moreover, the places I regularly haunt are very receptive to suggestions and actually appreciate them. I watched their stock go from the basics to really very comprehensive and rock solid hardy for our area. Lacy., wish you were closer I could give you a generous shovelful of Epimedium rubrum today... :(

I always thought brush washes were quite a bit smaller than that. I google imaged "famille rose fish bowl" there are quite a few on there, but I couldn't find one like yours. Do you have an antiques dealer or auction house that deals in Asian Antiques near to you? Truly good Asian antiques are doing really well right now, so it would be a good time to figure it out. Sometimes it takes a long time to figure out exactly what you have. I have a vase that I've had for a number of years, every once in a while I try to do some more research. One day I will figure it out, maybe....;-) mfrog

I know all about Dachshunds - the good, the bad (back/neck disc issues). We have had 5 - my 2 special guys being SUPER Alpha - but Benevolent with their Dachshund siblings and the cats. You need to know the temperament of the Dachshund - at age 2 it will be apparent to the current owner - if the pup had been with you prior to puberty you would know this already - and if you do take the little darling in it will probably take a couple of weeks for true temperament to show itself. Personally, I love the Alpha Dachshunds - smart, stubborn, loving - and I was very fortunate to have had 2 of them. The love of my life - passed on Sept. 13, 1997 - leaving behind 3 Dachshund siblings and 2 cats who missed his leadership - and the house felt empty - as silly as that sounds considering the menagerie we had. Then we heard about a little/big guy - who was also Alpha and like our first guy, was having difficulty finding a forever home because the people who took him in thought they were getting a funny, "stuffed toy" type of dog. Many Dachshunds - especially these days are mild-mannered, but then, not always the case. So not the best beginnings. So we adopted him, brought him home and peace was restored. We were very lucky to have found a second soul mate - not quite as close to our hearts as our first guy - but pretty darned close. Of course these 2 special guys were the ones who had worst case back/neck disc disease - and they did have the surgeries. I am very familiar with Boxers because our current dog's groomer has 2 Boxers, loves Boxers - and of course many of her clients are Boxers. Both of her Boxers are of even temperament - but as with any breed, temperaments can vary. I went to the Woofstock dog event in Toronto a few years ago and had my Dachshund fix when I saw a whole group of people with their Dachshunds - all discussing their tummy issues and I couldn't believe how mild-mannered all of the dogs were. My guys did not have any stomach issues - just the opposite - and boy can they eat. We had a Beagle prior to adopting our first Dachshund and figured the Beagle was piggy #1 - not so! And smart - especially our first guy. In your particular circumstances, if the pups get along I would probably take in the Dachshund. And as I am sure you are aware Boxers have their health issues as well. We decided not to get another Dachshund because of the back issues we went through twice and I just couldn't do it again. But Dachshunds will always be the dogs of my life. Re the steps another poster suggested. I would have to disagree based on my experience and recommend ramps instead. A ramp to the bed and to the couch etc. You could move it around. They are easily obtainable these days at stores like PetSmart (even in Canada) due to the number of small (teacup) dogs these days. I would severely limit the climbing of stairs etc. But bottom line is that while you can minimize risk, you can't prevent back disease if it is going to happen. There are many Dachshunds who never experience a back event - but others that do. I don't know the size of the Dachshund you are considering - but I wouldn't go with a teacup - would want the dog to weigh no less than 8 lbs. Ours weighed 10 - 12 lbs (others might disagree, but a dog needs to be able to step up a curb). I once met a 2 lb. designer Dachshund and felt sick - fully grown. I really hope you are able to give this pup a home. I don't want to scare you off by the possible back problems - it is just that we did not luck out with our 2 special guys - I know that sounds awful - as we loved all of our Dachshunds and did not treat any of them differently - it was just that they were our soulmates - the other pups had no back problems. I doubt that there is a Rainbow Bridge, but am hoping that there is. We now have an American Eskimo who gets nervous when we meet a Dachshund because he senses the bond - particularly with the Alphas. They love me - what can I say! Please report back if you take in the big/little guy - and remember Dachshunds are small in stature only. They get along famously with Dobermans. Actually a baby Dobe (before the ears are cropped) resembles a fully developed Dachshund. (I would not bring a baby Dachshund into the house until fully formed if a cat lived there since they do look like mice.) By the way, my 22 lb. Eskie (a boy who looks like a girl) gets along very well with the Boxers - one being one of his many girlfriends.

Wow, this whole thing is a blast from the past! A whole heckuva lot has changed since 2014, I am here to tell ya. Finished the kitchen as planned, except for the hole in the floor which didn't get repaired until...DXH was ready to put the house on the market. In 2015 DXH experience what can only be lightly-termed a "mid-life crisis" that left his career, his wife and his family in shambles. He filed for divorce which was finalized in 2016. That year I moved down into Indiana where it is considerably cheaper to live and bought an older farmhouse on a much-older farm. Excellent bones, lots of cosmetic projects and very few necessary upgrades. Just my kind of project! Except that...I was working again out of necessity. So a lot of my planned projects got tabled. Then I started my own landscaping company in November of 2016 (shoot me now?) and things REALLY got busy. Then, because I had not enough to deal with or excitement in my life I unexpectedly started dating. In 2017 I married Michael and now we both live on our chaotic Funny Farm, lol! I have such fond memories of that project, not just because it was fun and rewarding and aggravating to accomplish but because of the camaraderie of the Kitchens Community. We are wrapping up our working season at Iron Oaks Landscapes and winter is Fun Time. I am hoping to pick up a painting gig for the winter to earn some income and stay busy. We have focused so much on getting the outside cleaned up (farm was left o rot away, literally,) and money is pretty tight so no immediate fun projects pending but plenty to look forward to! I hope some of my old pals are still around on here. You all were SUCH an inspiration to me, and became a virtual family. I am sorry to say my lovely mare had to be put down in the Fall of 2015, and my gelding I had gotten to replace her was sold when my life blew apart. I am horseless but happy. Life is good, God is great. Cheers!