Yes, Datura. I grow a hybridized version of it in my flower beds, but I don't allow it in my veggie garden since my hubby has problems identifying plants as it is and I don't want him to make a Datura salad. !!!!! A friend came to see me last year, bringing along a lady that I did not know. We were touring around the gardens when she darted into my flower bed and yanked out my hummingbird vine stating loudly "oh God, morning glories, they're a terrible weed." I gave her a dirty look and asked her to stay out of my flower beds as she'd just destroyed my hummingbird vine in her ignorance. We weren't 30' further around the yard when she grabbed my datura plant and started yanking, shouting that it was a witchcraft plant used in black magic and that she'd be back tomorrow with white sage to cleanse my yard. She didn't get my datura uprooted and I frog-marched her back to my friend's car and told her never to return. So, Jimson weed/datura has beautiful flowers. Grow it away from your edibles to prevent confusion. Beware of crazy women who think they are white witches invading your property to purge you of evil weeds and cleanse your spirits with white sage. [granite now pushes back from the computer and chuckles, remembering the whole stupid event. She then frowns and checks for strange women with long frizzy hair, sandals, and loose dress without proper undergarments lurking around in the bushes waving fronds of silver leaves]

Thanks so much, Debra. That was really interesting. I love the form of Awesome Applique more than that of Blue Eyed Bandit after seeing these different views. Since it's a Semi evergreen, I hope to own it someday. I notice it is a 2007, so it will need to be out a few more years before I can afford it. Does it usually look as pretty as the pictures you sent? Does it have pretty foliage? thanks.

On the subject of bringing along pillows from home on trips, no, I'm not concerned about bringing bedbugs home on them. We check our pillows carefully for them before we pack them up to travel back home. As a matter of fact, we're leaving tomorrow morning on a trip to visit our daughter at college for Dad's Weekend and will be staying at a very nice hotel that we've stayed at many times before. Very clean, very reputable place, but I still can't imagine putting my face down on one of their pillows. For driving trips like this, we pack our pillows together in a separate small suitcase. We never leave home (on overnight trips) without our own pillows!

I thought I'd drop back in and post an update re: my foot issues & quest for sandals. The custom orthotic inserts I had made have been a bust so far. IMO, they are far to aggressive / rigid. I feel like I'm walking over a golf ball in my shoe.... imagine a teeter-totter.... that's what it feels like, my foot is rolling up and over. Hard to explain. I'm planning to go back to see if they can be adjusted but between my vacation schedule and the pedorthist's, I don't have an appointment until next Monday. Because I've been unsuccessful so far with the custom orthotics I did not buy the pair of sandals that we talked about at the beginning of the thread. I've ordered / bought 7 pairs of sandals. I'm having great luck with the Vionic sandals (3 pairs) which, if anyone is wondering, I find run very large. I wear a 1/2 size to a full size smaller than usual in the Vionics. All three are very casual, basically an updated structured flip-flop. I have one pair of Spenco that I like but they're not as comfortable as the Vionics for me. Not quite enough support. I also find the pair I ordered very, very casual looking, more so than the Vionics. I've mainly been wearing the Spencos around the house and out in the yard with the dog, etc. I'd wear them to the beach. They seem to be okay for that but I don't think I could wear them to walk any distance. (edited to add: I also find the Spenco pair I bought run a bit small). I'm also having good luck with this pair of Naot sandals. I ordered a pair from Walking Cradles that I sent back - I found them unattractive and awkward and they were too small. I also bought a pair of Wolky sandals, a brand I had never heard tell of before. They were recommended to me by a clerk in a shoe store. I'm a bit torn on these ones. I like them, and I find them comfortable to walk in as far as my particular foot issue goes. But it seems by feet are also swelling a bit, from walking a lot and the heat I suppose, and the strap across the top of my foot digs in after a bit. The straps are adjustable but even at their loosest they end up too tight. I'm hoping they'll stretch a bit with wear. In hindsight, I wish I had tried them on in a 1/2 size or even a size bigger. The orthotic insoles that are sold at Costco have also been recommended to me by several people so I may try them in my sneakers. I'm still working to find something to wear specifically for walking - - I often walk the dog 2 - 5 km and I still don't have anything that is great for that. At least with Costco I can return them if they don't work out. I've also been going to massage and physio, working to strengthen by foot. All in all, it hasn't been too bad so long as I'm careful regarding my footwear. Some days I even manage to forget about it. :)