Everything you ordered sounds purrrrfect (for cats!). The Aster carolinius grows like a house-a-fire! My neighbor bought his form Plant Delights in a tiny pot, and it reached the top of his fenceline by fall. It blooms in fall, too, and is just covered. Very nice vine. I just bought regular old liatris spicata purple flowering tubers at Wal-mart. I would love to have some of the other native species, but was afraid that they'd be grown in small pots and would take awhile to get going. Do you think that's true? I could get 25 tubers for $4 at Wal-mart, so thought I'd have a pretty nice stand of it. I also bought a couple of the Blue Stars (Amsonia) from them, and a couple from Woodlanders, too. I like to see the variation in what nursery's provide. I did a comparison between PD and Heronswood on my thalictrum flavum 'Illuminator', and the Heronswood plant was much nicer. I also bought a honeysuckle (L. sempervirens 'Leo') which has the red-orange blooms on it. I have a yellow-blooming one that is very old, and grows like a tree up a post in the front yard, that is connected to a V-shaped lath extending out from the porch. The trunk is a good 8" on it, and there are lots of tangled dead wood that the birds just love to nest and play around in. This is the plant that I get the hummingbird clearwing cats from. But, I'm also trying to attract hummingbirds, too, so I thought maybe the brighter color would help. I'm going to grow it in partial shade, but from what I've read, it should do fine there. Also got an anise shrub, too, but not the yellow and purchased the bottlebrush buckeye as well. Had to replace the spicebushes I got last year because they apparently have died. I broke off part of the limbs on them and the cambium layer was deader than a doornail. I just couldn't keep them watered enough last year in our 100+ temps we had for 2 months. So, I am going to grow them in pots this year in front. I pay more attention to them that way. I also got the Sweetbay Magnolia, too. I hope we have good luck with our plants. In Alabama, you are probably in zone 7b, aren't you? I'm in 7a in OKC. Happy planting and glad you're getting settled in now. Susan

I have the Collector's Encyclopedia of Van Briggle Art Pottery that was published in 1993 and updated in 1995. It has many pictures but after checking through twice, I found no unicorns but I did see the stallion that you've linked. If I were to guess, I would think that your unicorn would have been made in the late 1980's or later. I'd base that guess primarily on the glaze color (if your glaze color closely resembles the stallion's). For a little further info on the white colored glazes. "Moonglow" was introduced in 1946. "Moonglow" was altered in 1979 to a whiter shade and was still being produced when the book was published. There were two variations, "Moonglow Mist" (1987-1988) which was a white glaze with blue shading and "Iceberg" (1983-1988) that had a similar color format. Have you considered Photobucket for your pics? I've found it to be very user friendly and I'm technically challenged. :-) I'd particularly like to see pics of the bottom of your unicorn.

My problem is not about marriage! Mine is about my eldest, who loves to degrade me, talk about me to her friends, get them to believe she knows me SO WELL, that whatever she says about me is absolutely the truth! She will tell me, she is JUST TRYING TO HELP ME,that I have problems, that no one knows about but her, then she blasted me on an internet page, (not in private) but so E1 could read it, about something I did 2 mos ago and saying the current incident is THE SAME thing but that she stood up for me anyway, when another family member I now live with said I lied,(which I didn't). Anyway,twice, she had asked me to live with her, to help me financially, after becoming disabled and was struggling but both times, it was a disaster, and of course,(I got the blame) even though I stay to myself, respect others in the home,tried not to get work dumped on me. But both times I got accused of not doing ANY of that! And of course,also, SHE IS ALWAYS RIGHT! If I would have my own opinion on ANYTHING...she would correct me, telling me and others how WRONG I am! We have mutual friends and I think she is also jealous of that! One of my other daughters has told her to stay away from her and her family, that she was no longer welcome in their home because she related her husband to someone else, that he is totally not like at all. A mutual friend on an internet site, doesn't talk to her anymore, and I recently asked her why that was, and she said she HONESTLY didn't know, she just quit talking to her? I just read the post on: "TOXIC Relationships"! And believe me, most of it has been going on for about 3 plus yrs. between us. I have stopped talking to her in the past, due to this behavior toward me but if she approached me and apologized,(which isn't often but she will do it, if there's a benefit in it somewhere)...or so it seems?...I have given her the benefit of the doubt and we have started hanging out again! It's funny how the very things she accuses me of, she does herself but somehow, the WAY she does it, is still better than me! I just moved out the last time at the end of Feb 11 and moved in with another fam. member because I had no where to go. She didn't ask me to move out but it wasn't pleasant, so decided it was best for me! (all involved)!I think she's jealous as I said about a mutual friend because I had asked her to go places with me without my daughter and so? Her and I get along! my daughter has told me to SHUT UP in public and embarrased me, and our friend said "respect her, that's your Mom". And she'd say, "I'm just playing"! For some reason she had gotten into this bad habit of saying this and even has said it to her husband making him mad too! However, she has gotten over that mostly! Her and her husband had their own problems and needed help, that's ok but now that they are, she advises others, as though she's all fixed and can/should tell others their problems and "learn from this" is what she likes to say now! I have made my mistakes ,I'm human but when I did said I wouldn't do it again and didn't but this last thing she decided to advise me on was similiar but not exactly the same thing happened but she isn't SAYING it but doesn't believe me about it! And when I told her she was wrong about it and me, she just kept going on and on about it and I asked her to quit, that I can kick my own butt all by myself. That I already felt bad about the situation and her rubbing it in wasn't helping!BUT she just kept on, so I said what I had to say and decided it was best to not talk to her and had to delete her off my internet page so I don't get her messages! It's too tempting for me to reply and I just don't need her "helpful" advise or hurtful words! I have felt like crap over all this happening! This is my eldest daughter! I've asked her to respect me, even if she didn't like things I DO! I don't go out of my way to say hurtful things to her! But even in common talk, she will begin YELLING..just to say something like she's anticipating a neg. reply before I speak, so I am already on the defense myself and YELL back! It is utterly ridiculous! ANd I have never liked it! But I can't get her to see her part in it! Even her best friend said,I dont argue with her, cause she has always GOT TO BE RIGHT! And her room mate that lives with them asked me a couple of times,"Why do you argue with her, just ignore her, smile and say BLESS YOUR HEART"!(but she either tells her off or kisses her rear end) and my daug. makes extra money off her for staying there? Well back then, I didn't realize the arguing is what she wanted to prove her point as to why she is always right! But if you tell her that, she will say "No she doesn't need to be"! SO, once again, I am having to just stay away from her,& not talk to her! It feels awful! But if I say look Im done, I can't take this anymore, you won't quit, she will say, "why do you treat me so mean"? "I do everything for everyone and this is how I get treated by everybody"! Gee, I don't know..hmmm!So here I am, on the net, looking up this problem to see, if I am wrong! But from what I've read, it is on her! Her own LOW SELF-ESTEEM, and she needs to do this! OMG, this is heart-breaking to me! She had me convinced for so long, that I was just a terrible Mother and making all these mistakes. Not when she was young, she had the utmost RESPECT for me! But as an adult, she has turned against me! And I honetly don't know why! She once said, she just didnt trust ANYONE anymore after her 2nd husband molested her kids!(13 yrs.ago and lots of counciling). That is where she lost trust! I can understand that but why me? I didn't do those things! Sorry this is so long but it DOES help to get it out! Without burdening my friends and family of hearing it ALL AGAIN! AND she doesn't WANT anyone TO THINK ANY OF IT IS HER FAULT! Never, ever,NEVER!!!! SO, I guess I do just have to stay completely away!?? That is so sad!She can seem so very caring and giving but I tell you, it will benefit her in the end! I did the best I could with what I knew raising my children, I have 4. 3 girls and one son! And the others don't treat me like this! And I'm not sure she treats them anywhere near how she does me! I don't hear all their conversations! Other than the other oldest(my 2nd) telling her to stay away since Thanksgivng I think? Or just around Christmas! By the way, she is 42, not a child! Anyway, thank you for letting me vent! Don't know if anyone has any comments or has had this kind of problem but it would be nice to hear whatever will help!? Thanks... CS

I've been a member for years. I mostly just read. I'm a mom of three, work part time, and I'm a musician on the side for fun. I'm quiet in a large crowd, fairly anxious in general, my friends call me chop chop, and I have a very healthy sense of humor. I'm also quite opinionated. I like coming here because sometimes I just want my own personal water cooler - I'm quite entertained at times here! :P