A small word about "State Certified". It doesn't mean anything. All states require incoming stock to be state inspected. As I recall, my state requires larger nurseries to be state inspected, whether they ship to other states or not. State inspection consists of an official from the state's ag department making one on-farm visit during the growing season. When nurseries advertise "State Inspected", or "State Certified", they are merely advertising what states require virtually all nurseries to do.

I even take exception to the wording "let my Mom make a ..." I'm very close friends w/ my Mom & would never think abt "letting" or not letting her do anything. As she's 26 yrs. older than I, I may have my opinions, but I try hard not to tell her what to do or not to do (even tho' we sometimes disagree). Sounds right to me that you make a stocking for DS, to hang at your house, after all, he's your new baby son. Grandma can make one for him to hang at her house, if she doesn't get it done, no harm no foul, you'll still have yours.

Sigh, the only gift card I received was from my brother for Home Depot - and he put it in a three dimensional maze I had to solve before I could get to it. come to think of it they do have lots of gardening and how-to books. I only gave books to a teenage first cousin, once removed. He has started reading science fiction so I gave him two Heinleins -- Red Planet, a juvenile, and The Door into Summer which the grandfather he never knew loaned to me when I was a kid. And Bester's The Stars My Destination which is currently my "best science fiction book ever written." We will see how he likes the classics. Woodnymph, sorry to say L'Engle's Certain Women has been completely forgotten by me except for the title -- and that is probably from seeing it on the shelf. Rosefolly, I'd love that Edith Head book myself. I remember reading a fascinating bio of her decades ago. Have I ever mentioned to you that the dvd of Double Indemnity has some extras about the costume design. Apparently Stanwyck had a broad behind that Head had to design for. Who knew?

An agave won't need water and would look good all year long. Try to get a really striking one, like the ones that have yellow, or white or light silver. Use some type of gravel or rock around the plant to give it a polished finish. If the thorns at the tip of the leaves become a concern, you can tip them off periodically. Another option could be Hesperaloe. You could even plant different colors of the same plant. I know they come with pink, red and yellow flowers. Just an idea...