Happyintexas, I don't know where you're at, but it's worth the trip! It *is* a little expensive, but even if you don't make a purchase, you'll get lots of decorating ideas. There are several other little shops in Brenham, and further down toward me in Giddings. I'm 15 minutes from Austin on the outskirts of Manor, off 290E. Let me know if you come this way and i'll meet ya! I'm about an hour away. ;o)

My computer was hit by lightning. I took it to a repair place and they said they could not fix it. The insurance company gave me a new computer. I gave the old one to a friend's teenage son. He got the computer up and running and sent me a disk of my precious pictures! I save some to photobucket , but i was pleased he could get the other ones. So if your computer crashes - don't give up on getting photos out. Take it to someone who can. Hubby got a new camera for Christmas and the first thing I did was take a photo of an address label. I just hope an honest person would find it.

Wow that's a tough choice haha. All of these nurseries (Annies included) are within a short driving distance. Annie's to Ace would take no more than 30 minutes on a day and time with no traffic congestion. Berkeley Horticultural and East Bay Nursery carry a similar selection of plants. Berkeley Horticultural is bigger though and also carries a wide selection of fruit trees, and a wider selection of natives and roses than East Bay. East Bay Nursery has a larger succulent section. Dry Gardens is small but has an amazing collection of truly unique succulents. They also carry really cool plants that are drought tolerant, as well as restios and bamboos. Ace Garden Center has a more "typical" selection of plants for California, but they do carry really cool plants that may be hard to find from time to time (Parajubaea cocoides, Doryanthes palmeri...) They do stock a lot of Annie's plants as well, so if you're going to Annie's, maybe this is one you can skip. I would make a stop at Dry Gardens because it specializes in succulents, and at Berkeley Horticultural because you will have gotten your succulent fix at Dry Gardens anyway (instead of at East Bay Nursery). Tell us which ones you choose and what goodies you find!

Nope - you will be watering from the top - the water in your rocks will become peaty and very soon wiil develop green algae - because the container is transparent - and it needs light. Better - double pot - plant your baby in a solo cup with a wick - and then you can use your transparent container for the outside pot - this way you will be able to keep the bottom cleaner. I.