I agree Strawberry! And it really helps to put something in a bush picture that includes scale (like a person) I have been reading what others in the general area have said about the size of their plants, most seem to be bigger than listed on hmf. I hate to put a plant in that I will have to fight with for space or peer over the railing and point it out. Everything I got is own root, so it can be in the main garden with the chickens or up by the house and protected. I would also like some nice views for the neighbors and a thorny reminder for midnight fruit pickers that the grocery store is a better spot for picking fruit. Plus I want a nice view from the house to the garden. Lots of place to put the ones I picked out, and if they are not suited to the prospective location....well shoot means I need to order a few more right!

I am not familiar with Indiana geography. However, you are probably near a Target, Home Depot, Lowe's or Walmart. As the holidays approach, all these stores will have them. Most will have plenty left after the holidays at a greatly reduced price, but that's another story for another day. If you can not wait that long, your best shot might be contacting a local nursery. I agree with wanting to buy plants in person and not on line. However, I am in a major metropolitan area and availability is not an issue for me. In terms of starting, also known as rooting, cacti, knowledge is the key. Not much different than learning how to drive with a stick shift. If you do not know how to operate the stick shift, the car isn't going to go far. What I am trying to get at here is if you do not know how to do it, you can not expect success immediately. Trying to root cactus can be tricky. It is much easier if what you are trying to start has roots. I assume your pieces did not have roots. Pieces of cacti that do not have roots are very susceptible to rot, especially if they have not had an opportunity to "harden off" or "calous over" on the bottom. This is there one defense against preventing moisture from entering. If they were still soft on the bottom and were watered, this is why they rotted. If they had roots, the roots could absorb the water and help the plant grow. In conclusion, please do not view my comments as condescending or scornful. Not intended in that light in any way. Notice I did not ofer any advice on how to root Christmas cacti, I do not know how. However, I have attempted to give you some basic information on cacti care. I, too, have lost plants this year to rot, it is not something that happens only to first timers. I hope this helps. Good luck.

What is it about fishing that makes it so wonderful? I bet I could write a book (literally-- no pun intended) on this one question. When I'm on the water, every emotion comes into play-- The anticipation of the day when I'm leaving the boat ramp-- will it be a nice day? Will I be able to pattern the fish and catch "the big one"? Sitting there with a few dozen other boats, waiting for "blast off", the adrenaline building up, and then your number comes up, and the throttle stick gets jammed forward. In an instant, you're going across the lake at 60 miles an hour. It's the closest thing to flying that there is! At the same time, looking around at your surroundings, just enjoying the absolute beauty of it all, feeling the warmth of the morning sun, thanking God that you're alive to appreciate this!! Once you get to your "spot", (and this includes fishing from shore, as well) there's the aniticpation of the bite-- a complete paradox of feelings-- you're waiting for that first "tap tap tap" on the end of your line signaling that age old instinctive battle of life, but at the same time it's a very calm, peaceful time, when it's easy to get lost in yourself-- almost like a focused meditation. Then there's the hit, and the battle's on-- you've got a milliion things going thru your mind, all focused on that fish at the other end-- Is the knot on the lure going to hold? I hope the line isn't too chaffed? Will he measure? Is it a "PIG"? Then, depending on whether YOU win, or the FISH wins, it's either complete elation, or frustration, and either way, it's time to do it all over again. Also, either way, you feel a very special connection with nature that's indescribeable. There's also times when God sends you very special gifts, that have nothing to do with fishing. Things like a beautiful sunrise over the water, as the mist is rising in the new light. Or the time a couple of ducklings decided they wanted to follow me for a couple of hours. Or the best one-- as I was silently going along the edge of the lake one morning on the trolling motor, I came around a point, and there was a doe and her fawn taking a morning drink, and as I came around the point, the doe picked her head up completely startled and I'm sure, wondering how the heck I could have snuck up on them so quietly! but the best part was that once she realised there was nothing to fear from me, she and her fawn went back to their "breakfast", as though I wasn't even there. An absolutely beautiful sight. This is only beginning to touch on what I love about fishing, and why it's very literally what I live for.

Too funny! Great minds and all ... I found it on Spruce London (see link below). Go to Furnishing Fabric By The Metre then give yourself a half hour or so to browse. Their fabrics are gorgeous. I tried to find that particular plaid again, but the site is loading very slowly for me. Here is a link that might be useful: Spruce London