We bought two of these at HD several years ago. One just completely broke and is unfixable (is that a word?). I have looked on line and the only ones I can find now are either a tan color that I don't want or require an electric line. Several google links go to places that no longer carry the type I want. Hammacher Schlemmer had one, but says it is no longer available. Has anyone seen one that is solar powered with LED lights along the ribs?

Bob: I think what you remember was someone saying he/she saves old patio umbrellas and when he needs to shade a plant, he will open it on top of the plant. You may get them from freecycles or cheap from garage sales or swap meets. If you are handy, you can make a box frame out of cheap wood, place the frame on the plant and drape some of the shade fabric on the top and side that sun hits. You can even staple the fabric to the box. Good luck, FJ

Being in south Florida, You'll find a heat recovery unit for your A/C much more cost-effective than solar hot water....Rather than 'hot water for free', a HRU is cost-negative...r.e. the more hot water that's used, the lower the A/C bill goes. In hot climates a proven strategy that works well is a heat recovery unit attached to your AC unit. It provides free hot water and also increases the efficiency of the AC a couple of SEER points by reducing head pressure (and electricity draw) on the compressor. You're paying for your A/C to move a great deal of heat out of your house, you might as well use that heat to provide you with hot water. Adding one of these to an older AC unit that still runs well is a good way to cut $30-$50 off your monthly power bill during AC season (which here in cent Fl can be about 9 months). The neatest thing about this solution is that it's cost-negative. In addition to being free hot water as opposed to other 'high efficiency' heaters that still consume energy, it actually lowers your cost of air conditioning. Here is a manufacturer's site for two of these and a power company document about it as well. The second mfg site has a neat calculator for your savings...but my experience shows it to be somewhat under-optimistic. I don't think it's taking into account how a hru will improve your AC's efficiency. There are claims that they don't work with higher efficiency unit, but I have two HRU connected to 13 SEER heat pumps that provide plenty of hot water. http://www.trevormartin.com/about.asp http://www.turbotecproducts.com/EPhome.html http://www.p2pays.org/ref/11/10104.pdf Gary

For several hundred to over a thousand, there's plenty of Italian majolica and other ceramic. The import stores have always had knock-offs of that. I also saw copper, wood. Just about anything you want. Google "umbrella holder." Have fun looking! This is one of the more original ideas I've heard of as a gift a lot of people might like. Some might want golf umbrellas in it. Some might want sun parasols. Some might want walking sticks instead. Baseball bats? Here is a link that might be useful: ceramic?