Hiya, Looks like you really have your work cut out for you. It might be really helpful to visit some established gardens in Vegas to learn more about what really works down there. I visited the Gardens at the Springs Preserve when I was at a Landscape Confrence 4 years ago, and have remained on their mailing list. I can't belive the scope of classes, tours and demonstartions they offer, it's absolutely wild! It is under 4 acres and is very walkable, and everything is well i.d'd Looks like it has been established at least 10-12 years, so you can see some nice, fairly mature specimens. I believe it is sponsored by the SNWA(S. Nevada Water Authority.) Reno needs to catch up I'm afraid; we have a botanical garden at Rancho San Rafael park, but its pretty feeble by comparison. Larger than its Vegas sibling, but less info is disseminated.Maybe things will change w/ the new director Bill Carlos who recently came aboard. Here is a link to the Gardens at the Springs Preserve: http://www.springspreserve.org/html/gardens_visitor_information.html I don't know what the topography + architecture is like at your parents new house (probably a stucco ranch, flat as a pancake?) but you might want to introduce some mounding with some rocks/boulders. Quite a few interesting gropundcover and perennial plants will enjoy growing in this type of situation, plus it makes it easier for your folks in that they don't have to bend + kneel so much. Also investigate container gardening (on a separate drip zone). I saw some really cool planters in Vegas, that thrived in a patio setting. Some were very elaborate and had ornamnetal grasses combined with different annuals that trailed out of the pots.Very luscious! Good luck in your gardening adventures down south! Here is a link that might be useful: Gradens @ Springs Preserve

This past weekend for a Superbowl party I made a crock full of Norwegian Meatballs, that were a big hit. (They were supposed to be Swedish meatballs but they turned out slightly different than what I intended. :-) The sauce turned out fantastic, but was a little too thin. I bought two large bags of frozen fully-cooked meatballs (making sure they weren't italian style meatballs) and microwaved them. The sauce was as follows: 3/4 stick butter 1 large yellow onion chopped fine 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 cup flour 6 cup beef stock 1/4 cup medium dry madeira 3 dashes worchestershire sauce 1 pint sour cream melt butter over medium heat, add onion and pepper, cook for about 15 minutes making sure the onion doesn't start browning. Add flour cook for another minute or so. Add remaining ingredients except for sour cream. Cook until sauce thickens. Use stick blender to puree sauce until onions are reduce heat, add sour cream, stir until well blended, pour into crock pot over meatballs. The sauce was really good, but a little thin. I think perhaps a little more flour and also perhaps some paprika for color and flavor.

Great picture Carol. I have a funny story about a mountain sheep probably on the exact same road you saw this one - I was driving around those bends so slowly and cautiously as I was afraid of hitting any of the wildlife that abounds there. I was so intent on the road in front of me that I didn't notice one of these guys on the cliff above. What a shock to see those huge horns in the passenger window as he lept from the cliff down into the road, literally right into the side of our rental car! Fortunately, he appeared unhurt, albeit a little dazed.

They ARE charming. But they're also a little spooky. In the first photo, the lighting, the position of the girl, and the boy in priestly (altar boy?) garb add to the feeling of uneasiness for me. The second photo achieves a kind of sad creepiness by juxtaposing the wooden boy's very focused stare with the reflection of the live people, the people he is watching. Or maybe I've just seen too many "Twilight Zones"? But they're excellent photos that really suggest stories (or story-telling)