Folks I realize this post may be somewhat off of the plant topic, but I found a few of these posts just really highly interesting, and would love to follow up and maybe hear a bit more! Mike El Paso - MIKE WROTE: "I was driving down Montana when I saw the orange trees I have pictured. Its funny, I have driven down that street hundreds of times and never noticed them before. " ---If you dont mind me asking, is that anywhere near Yarborough and I-25? That is the area I stay in when I am in El Paso, and know that Montana isnt too far away(at least I think that is the case!). I would love to see them myself the next time I am in EP! MIKE WROTE: " In my opinion EP enjoys one of the nicest climates in the country. The winters arent frost-free, but they arent bad at all having endless clear sunny days with highs in the 50s and 60s and only a few nights of low temps below 20F." ---It is interesting to hear you say that, as in my many visits to EP (probably about 8 in the last 2 years), I have felt that as well. It almost seems like it is closer to Phoenix-like temps in winter, and Albuquerque-like temps in the summer, which is a perfect combo (more mild than ABQ in the winter and more temperate than PHX in the summer). I know that the averages have Phoenix and EP starkly different in the winter, but I monitor temperatures very closely, and at least since I have moved to Albuquerque and started paying attention, it seems that EP is generally 10-to-12 degreesAT LEAST (sometimes 15+)warmer than Albuquerque in the winter (and from a Midwestern fellow, it isnt exactly terrible in ABQ in the winter either!). (As I write this, the official temps are El Paso: 70, Phoenix: 63, Albuquerque: 48, Denver: 15.ABQ certainly spared the Denver frigidness, but not enjoying the El Paso warmth!). MIKE WROTE: "As Im sure you all have surmised, I really like it here, great climate, great scenery, very friendly family oriented city with low crime, but El Paso does have its down side. For one theres not that much in the way of job opportunities and unless youre associated with the military the health care situation is less than average. Another down side is that EP doesnt have much to do entertainment wise. There are very few parks, and surprisingly though the city is rich in Hispanic culture, there isnt much in the way of cultural activities or many sites celebrating El Pasos heritage." ---I cannot tell you how disappointed I am with the lack of job opportunities in EP! As much as I love living in Albuquerque, I am heavily interested in relocating my family to El Paso. However, I too have observed the job market in EP as being relatively non-existent! It really surprises me how bleak it is, considering the size of the city (and its growing naturealthough admittedly not growing as briskly as ABQ). I dont think the entertainment aspect would be a major concern to me, but at the end of the day, you still have to work (unfortunately!). MIKE WROTE: "San Antonio has the River Walk and La Villita, ABQ has Old Town and the Balloon Fiesta and Santa Fe is just the charm capital of the South West. Then theres El Paso, which as a city has a very large identity crisis. The city has nothing in common with the rest of Texas in fact its much more New Mexican (it would make so much more sense if El Paso county was annexed to New Mexico). It would just be nice if EP would embrace and celebrate its heritage and create its own identity, but then again if it got to trendy and commercial we would lose that sleepy border town charm that makes El Paso the ultimate land of mañana." ---I couldnt agree more with youwhy isnt EP in New Mexico!? I think NM would benefit greatly as a state by having EP on our side of the ledger, and I think EPs profile would be enhanced greatly too in terms of attention and recognition. I realize this would never happen, but I have often wondered this too. EP just seems to have so much more in common with the Albuquerques of the world than the Austins or Dallas/Ft. Worths, etc. Querqus ABQ - Hi, I noticed you wrote: "I agree. Maybe El Paso can keep it's borderland / outlaw charm AND start to embrace it, WHILE growing more attractively and thoughtfully. It might also help for some to get over their Phoenix-So Cal envy... " ---I have to say, I could read your insightful posts on this board for hoursI always find them incredibly information-packed. Again, realizing that this is a plant-specific board, based upon your last post, it appears that you have some good experience with EP. Id be interested if you would have a chance, if you wouldnt mind elaborating a bit on your last post here specifically the first paragraph. I dont know if I am even understanding it properly, but it sounds like: a) many in EP do not embrace the borderland element of their citys geography?, and b) does EP in manys opinion not grow thoughtfully, or more specifically, attractively (I know that I have heard from many what an eyesore / how "ugly" EP isand I just have never understood that, as I have always found its natural layout to be so beautiful). At any event, if you have a few minutes to post some more, Id love to hear more on that paragraph. From someone who loves EP so intensely visiting for now and maybe someday a relocater Id love to learn as much about it as possible along these lines. Thanks all, as always! Just incredibly insightful and fascinating information. I am very "sold" on El Paso! (Albuquerque isn't too shabby itself, though!)....

This is probably gonna earn me some coal in my stocking, but I'll risk it. This game is open to everyone. Here are 30 song titles, and your job is to be the first person to correctly post all 30 titles. Each day I will post an update with 1 letter of the alphabet in its correct place within the titles, so be checking back here daily! The first person to correctly post all 30 titles in their correct order will win a music CD with all of the songs on it. There will be no second prize. Anyone involved with this swap, excluding only myself, may try to win. So, get out your thinking caps, play yourself some Christmas music, and have fun!!! I'll be back with the letter "w" tomorrow! MUHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!! -Dan 1._/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ 2._ _ _ _ _ _’/_ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ 3._ _ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _/_ _/_/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4._ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5._ _ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _-_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6._ _/_ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 7._ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ 8._ _ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _./_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 9._ _ _/_ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ 10. _ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ 11._ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ 12. _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ 13._ _/_ _ _ _/_ _ _/_/_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 14._/_ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ 15._ _ _ _/_ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _/_ _/_ _ _ _ 16._ _ _ _ _ _ _ 17._ _ _/_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ 18._ _ _/_ _ _ _/_ _/_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 19._ _ _ _ _/_ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ 20._ _/_ _ _ _/_ _ _ _/_/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ 21._/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ 22._ _ _ _/_ _/_ _ _ _/_-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 23._ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ 24._/_ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 25._ _ _ _/_ _/_/_ _ _ _ _ _ 26._ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ 27._ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _/_ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 28._/_ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _/_ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 29._/_ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 30.’_ _ _ _/_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I'm so glad to hear that the seeds I sent out are making it to their new homes and two more cards with fantastic goodies have arrived to my home. Alana (poisondartfrog), thank you so much for the Argemone! I've really been wanting to try some of these but have been having a heck of a time finding seed. And the Pentapetes phoenicia, oh my goodness - this is the first I've heard of this species but as soon as I received the seeds I started reading everything I could find on it and this is most certainly my kind of plant. How absolutely gorgeous and I'm obsessed with the Monticello gardens and Jefferson's work as a gardener so it's so perfect. And last, but most certainly not least, the Ipomoea nil 'Sunrise Serenade' - this looks like an absolutely stunning variety. I'm doing a fence of Ipomoeas next season and this will look gorgeous there. Maria (elf7), thank you so much for the gorgeous card and the round carrots are absolutely perfect! They grow fantastically in the rocky soil here and I also love to grow them in containers and hanging pots. They're incredibly amusing. And I'm putting in a cutting garden and very much look forward to growing the dahlia zinnias there. ~Amanda

I've always dreamed of having a 'log cabin' ...so this is as close as I've come .... I hate when I lose something & this log cabin eluded me today! Had to go down to the garage & look thru all the totes again...yes, it was in the very LAST ONE!! & I was sure I had unpacked that tote along with MANY on the porch... the Woodland vignette: Does that Santa look familiar to anyone? ~~giggle ...and here's a view with that 'Spring Wreath' moved over to this wall ... looks very Woodsy, I think! This spring wreath was gifted to me & I made the burlap bow & hung a blingy deer ornament in the middle. ;-) I'm about half done out there...so if we have some more warmer days, I should get finished! TFLookin', Holiday-ers. Merry Christmas! Jeanne S.