I'll not try Cl. Mme. Caroline Testout right now then,... I'm a beginner, and I think having stiff canes and big thorns on something I'm trying to train over an arbor (or even a wall) would be hard for me. If I get her, I'll try the bush form and just let it be a bush. Melissa, thanks for more info about training Crepuscule! that sounds pretty good! considering that I'm using pinks and hot pinks... would Crepuscule match ok...? The pictures I see online vary a lot. Sometimes it looks light yellow, sometimes peachy. Or would Cl. Lady Hillingdon be better for #4? I've heard people describe that one as being kindof a glowy light yellow, so that could be really nice with the other colors. I suppose I'm leaning away from using a pink climber in the #4 position since I'll have a pink climber on the front porch and a pink sakura tree (though that only blooms spring). I love sages and such, and I'm definitely going to use some sages and lavendars in the front with cl Eden (and I'm guessing I'll use Duchess de Brabrant under Eden) If I have room, maybe I can use some in the back, too? Right now I'm a little unclear on how much space there is. It's hard for me to imagine the size of the final roses and whether they'll tolerate some purple and/or yellow flowers growing with them...! a lot of people have had purple clematis growing along with their roses, but I think in this sunny spot that probably wouldnt' work. I'm lucky in that my neighbors have not done -anything- to their yard yet. There's nothing there but dirt. So I guess I can hope that they won't put a tree there? (or send them a plate of cookies with a request? haa...) As of yet, I don't have any neighbors on the south side at all. #9, I think, in the afternoon is getting shaded by the house. so probably not super scorcher? It sounds like based on what you guys said that I could probably use a Hybrid Musk,... sometimes you probably just have to try things, right?

Peter, my pond goes through this a few times a year when the oak trees are at their worst littering (which they seem to be always doing) stages. Even in spring, when it's just the pollen and catkins, the water gets that clear "strong tea" color. The water test results remain in the desirable ranges. Four years ago I was advised it won't hurt the fish and they certainly seem to be doing fine, so I just live with it. As you said, it does look more natural. Are there any trees nearby that could be dropping anything from pollen to twigs into the pond and is there any way to exclude that? A partial water change might lighten the color a bit, but you want to be careful about stressing the fish with changes in water temperature and chemistry. I hope someone has a more promising answer for you than I can give. Diane

Hey Carla! I'm gonna give you my 2 cents as well. I live with 16 cats( and 11 rescue dogs) in the house. All are spayed or neutered. All are rescued strays. Some are related, most are not. All came to me a different ages. Some were born with me ( took in a pregnant mother), some were young, some were old. There are 6 females and 10 males here. I have 4 that will pee in the house. 1 old male does spray. 1 is just so feral that she freaks out, hides and then pees in my stove burners! 2 are siblings, a male and female, that suffer urinary tract trouble. The female is actually being x-rayed for stones tomorrow. They stopped using the box when it started to hurt. They associated the box with pain and thus avoided it. Needless to say, they both have seen the Vet numberous times for this trouble. I believe the problem is just hereditary with them. Looking into their mother's possible mates, I feel strongly that she bred back to her own father. The entire liter has had problems. I was able to do this because she was a stay that my mother was feeding and she was able to give me this information. The other female that freaks out so bad is also from this mother so we are not surprised that she a little mental, as some of the others from that litter are. I truly believe that all 3 of these cats have litter box issues because of their inbreeding. The 1 male that does spray came to me as an adult male tom cat. He has the big cheek patches from fighting and is FIV ( feline AIDS) possitive. He is now neutered, but does spray. I agree with quasifish that this is a behavior issue due to stress. I think he objects to there being so many cats in the house. There's only one problem with that, all my cats are people's "throw away" cats. Cats that people have dumped or abandoned. Most have problems, physical, behavioral or mental. There is no other home for them. No one wants them but me. So we have to think outside of the box to solve the problems. How I solved this one is I gave them their own room, a spare bedroom. It has a window and we removed the door and put up a screen door so they could see out and get air flow. This works great! They love their room where they only have to deal with each other and it enables me to keep an eye on the 2 with urinary trouble. If they stop using the box, I don't have to wonder who did it. The floor is vinyl for easy cleaning and the walls are painted in a semi-gloss. Everything wipes up with ease. But honesty, since Caleb (the sprayer) was put in the cat room, he hasn't sprayed. I have floor length drapes and have never found a mark on them. Now understand it is a cat room. It has beds everywhere, toys and things to climb and claw on. Everyone seems happy. All eat well and maintain a good weight. Also know that I clean houses for a living. I am a bit fussy about how clean things are kept. So to end this book, I would have to say that in my experience I don't think you have anything to worry about with this kitten. The chances of him being a sprayer are very very remote, or pretty much nonexistant. Just neuter him before 6 months old and there won't be any troubles. As for asking your Vet questions..... I used to work for a Vet and you need to remember he/she is a paid employee! You are paying them to help you and answer your questions. If this Vet or his/her staff is making you feel uncomfortable about asking for information then you need to fire their butts! That is what they are there for. That is what they are being paid for! I don't work at my Vet clinic anymore, but I call them all the time and ask questions! I even call the emergency clinic and ask them questions! If they get offended then they are a lousy clinic! As for sexing. When they are young or a male has been neutered young it is a little tougher to tell, but I will do my best to describe the difference. Pick the kitty up and face him to you, butt first. First find his rectum. It is right below the tail. Just below the rectum is his genital area (where he pees from too). In males there will be a little bit longer distance between the rectum and genital area. This is to allow for the testicals. In females, you will see that the genital are is a little bit closer to the rectum and there will be a very faint line between the rectum and gential area. If you need to, look at you other girl cats to see what I am talking about. I found a good picture, but I don't know how to post it here. So, if you email me directly, I will send it to you. Axelsrose2001@aol.com Hope all of this helps. Susan

I had the same thing happen but my response to an older post was only like on page 20. I didn't reappear on the first page for a day or so and no one else had added a post after mine. I thought it was really strange. I also have had other weird things happen recently. I put in a new post, saw it a little while later at the top with no response. Went back a little while later and it wasn't there at all, not on page 1, 2, 3k, 4, 5, I stopped looking after that cause the dates were way past. The next morning it was there again with like one response. Now I know posts move down quickly when not responed to but not beyond page 5. I even had my hubby look for it and it was MIA. Seems wierd things have happened recently that make are new to me.