UPDATE: Things are looking up! To started with, I'm pretty sure It's called cereus peruvianus. A name is always good :-). Secondly, I started having a poke around it this morning and OMG the bugs! So I did give it a good hit of systemic. No point trying to save it if It's being eaten from the inside out! Next thing was a clean. And good news, I think It's in considerably better condition then first thought. The scaring is all old, and I picked at a few bits today and took the tops off to reveal solid green dry flesh! It's healed so well already :-) There is a very small piece that is infected with rot, so tomorrow that's coming out, then I will attempt to deal with the base. I think (at this stage) I'll try to keep him all one piece. So will see how it goes tomorrow. Will post (new and shiny) photos in the morning :-)

Go back and read the titles and descriptions and you'll find out. ;) I can't give you the answer because it will give it away for everyone else. That turtle goes all over my place. I find him up in the potager and way up in the statue garden too. He gets around! Here's a picture of another Ornate Box Turtle that frequented my place several years ago: Same species, but with the yellow head instead of black and orange. I think he is very pretty! You can tell this one is a male - he has orange eyes. Females have yellow to brown colored eyes. I took a series of photos of this turtle, too. My big fluffy gray Tabby, "Puddy Tat", was very intrigued by him. as was my dog, Mike. I got quite a number of very cute pictures of them. I can post them if anyone is interested in seeing them. We have another land turtle too. It is called, "Three-toed Turtle", for obvious reasons. Only three toes on each foot. They do not have the pretty colors or patterns on their shells - kind of mulkety-dung-green-brown, like the color of an army helmet. Think of an army helmet with legs, a head and a skinny little short tail, and you pretty much have it! (hehehe) My close-encounters with the wildlife are part of what I enjoy most about working in my gardens. ~Annie

Beca, It was good to meet you at plant world. Sorry I was so rushed with having to get my daughter to kindergarten. Well you lost one tomato to your kittie when that darn rabbit came in and topped all my tomato babies as well as the bell peppers and morning glories that I've grown from seed. Sometimes I feel like surrendering to bugs bunny but I do love to garden. I forgot to give you the agave I had but if I seen you on March 31 at spring in the desert college nursery I'll give it to you then. Maria

Candy, I love your bargins. I too have developed the urge to rationalize what I buy at TS s, ys or other bargins. I had never been a person to spend money on things just for me, untill the last few years, when I discovered thrift shopping. Now that my family is grown and I have the time to really enjoy broswing and shopping, it is easy to tell myself that I deserve "IT" for all the years that I worked and didn't indulge in anything that wasn't a necessity. Telling DH that I can find a place to stash it is another matter though. Karen said she might have to get rid of her clothes, I"m thinking of emptying the food pantry. If I cook, then I just have to clean, so that might be a good thing. I never bought cloth napkins until Ifound this forum and didn't own any napkin rings. I did have a couple of tablecloths, 2 that I crotcheted and one red one that I embroderied for Christmas. I had 4 sets of dishes before, but that has grown to several, although before I thought I had to have 8 or 12 place settings, now I am looking more at 2 or 4 because of the storage issue. I am also hung up on serving pieces and they are what is so hard to find storage for, since that don't stack well. I envy your 50% of sales, I ask here and they told me that they tried to keep their prices so low thay didn't have to have special sales, but it is funny how the different stores price things so differently. One I go to in VA. when I get a chance prices all their dishes 4/ unless marked otherwise, where the ones in NC are plates .50, cups&saucers 4/$1. Like you, I bought other decorator things at ts, but until I found you galls, I seldom bought dishes, maybe just a bowl or serving dish.I think we are all a pretty thrifty bunch though, don't you.... all the things we get for so little money compared to our friends who don't hesitate to shell out $$$ for a new purse? Janet