I have a mock orange, mallow, hollyhock plants or seeds but they are getting rust by this time of year - you could have seeds of that and malva too. I haven't seen sheep sorrel yet but I had it last year, might still. Asters are one of my biggest weeds but I don't know which one it is.

"Bp, when you're out there spreading huge bags of coffee grounds all over the lawn, do you notice that the neighbors start calling in their children and pulling the shades?" One neighbor came over and asked what I was spreading and when I told him, he said something like that was what he thought, but didn't believe it until he asked. Then he told me about some fertilizer he uses that makes it grow so fast in the summer that he can hardly keep up with mowing and watering. I didn't bother pointing out that I thought that was counterproductive. Another neighbor said he might try it after I told him they give the grounds free even if you don't buy coffee. But so far, I haven't seen him actually do it. Many of my neighbors think I'm nuts anyway, since I compost, I don't bag my clippings, I mow my leaves into the lawn and I didn't get the unmetered water. My water bills are already lower than they would be with the unmetered water, and I don't have nearly as many problems with weeds as I'd have with that water (it's not filtered very well and is full of weed seeds). I was walking around this morning and it looks like I'm finally getting sheep fescue and/or red fescue germination. Still not a lot, but at least some of it is germinating.

I had (lost it in July because my house sitter didn't water them while I was away on business for 3 months) a Codiaeum variegatum pictum that did fabulous here. I had to bring it in year one (it was a container plant) for one month, and this past January because of the size I covered it with a black garbage bag with a few holes poked in it to trap heat and allow moisture to escape, stuffed a couple crumpled up newspapers in it and loosly tied the bag around the base of the plant. I took the bag off once a month on a sunny afternoon for circulation, changing the newspaper and a light watering. After the last frost I remove the insulation and adjust the soil if need be. Every year the leaves a lot of leaves fall off in winter, but in spring they all come back, and I pruned in height year one and from that it grew into three main stems between 3-6 inches above the base. I bought it for about $5 and after 2 years it was 3 feet tall. I should have taken it with me.

Thanks, ladies... All these nativities are so beautiful & unique in their own way & I love the sharing of pics & stories! Here's a lovely poem I found on the Internet: Sweet Baby, Jesus, gentle and mild Born in a manger, sweet, Holy, Child, Shepherds and Wise Men came from afar, Seeking a Savior, they followed a star, Sweet Baby, Jesus, sent from above, Son of our Father gift of God's love, In realms of glory, angels did sing Heavens rejoiced as they welcomed a King. Sweet Baby, Jesus, Mary's sweet Child, Light of our life, sweet Babe so mild, There in a manger, Thou art adored, Jesus, we greet Thee, our Savior, our Lord. Sweet Baby, Jesus, send peace to earth, Lift up all hearts through Thy holy birth. Now at Thy crib, as evening draws nigh, Hear this our praises from earth to the skies. Christmas Poem Sweet Baby Jesus poem by � Edna Massimilla. MERRY CHRISTMAS! Jeanne S.