Chris, thanks for the offer to share. However, at this time, it is just an idea. I am thinking about what I will do and won't actually work on it until fall. Too hot now. We reached 100 yesterday and probably will again today. Nancy, I like OUR FRIEND TOM WILSON and it reminds me of some of the Wilson introductions also, especially CONNIE BURTON. Laurel, my gardening journey has been circuitous. When I was very young, I liked flowers and had a few simple things. I then lived in an apartment for many years and did no gardening. Took up photography as a hobby and flowers were some of my favorite subjects. Planted some flowers, mainly roses, but a few other things such as daylilies and irises, at my parents home, so it would be convenient to photograph them. This rekindled my interest in gardening. When I retired, I built a home in the country, with lots of space. Had visions of all types of flowers. Planted trees and larger things first. Just after getting to the point of planting flowers and planting about 50 daylilies, I ran across a discussion on the internet, regarding hybridizing. I decided to try it and got a little carried away. After getting rid of lots and lots of daylilies when I had daylily rust, I am now building up again. I am just thinking it might be nice to have a small area with several clumps of the same daylily, rather than mostly the one, I have for hybridizing. GG, I don't envision any fantastic color matching. However, I expect some like FOOLED ME, will not be in that garden. I like FM, but think it a bit bold for what I have in mind. Royce

Just stumbled upon this site researching dragon flies. I lost my wife to Metastatic Breast cancer 5/12. Shortly after, I read a story on MSN.COM about a bride who lost her mom and how dragon flies appeared at the ceremony and one landed on her shoulder while walking down the isle. I started to pay attention to this creature at home. Last summer while on my deck, I noticed a Dragon Fly came by. I hung around awhile, landing on the railing or circling my deck, then as fast as it appeared, it disappeared. This happened almost every time I went onto the deck. We had a West Highland Terrier named Sophia. This was my wife's dog. This dog would follow her everywhere. I always commented that if my wife stopped too quickly, she would land up her butt!!. A year after my wife was diagnosed, Sophia also developed cancer. She was gone in a week after the diagnosis. My wife and I were heartbroken. So we searched for another Westie. When we found a litter, my wife said "The first one that gives me a kiss, is the one I want". Well we brought Maddison home in July of 2011. My wife passed away less than a year later. One day this past summer, I was on the deck and Maddison was in the garden searching for varmints. A Dragon Fly appeared, flew around the deck, circled me, then flew down to Maddison, circled her. As fast as it appeared, it was gone. It gave me the chills. I now have a girlfriend. She was experiencing problems at work and it was really disturbing her. She was still at work and I was mowing the lawn. While mowing, an idea suggestion popped into my head. I figured I would talk to her when she got home when a Dragon Fly started circling me the entire time I was mowing. It suddenly dawned on me that this insect was trying to tell me something. I stopped the mower to come in the house to call my GF, and that fast, the Dragon Fly disappeared. I now look for a Dragon Fly every time I am outside. I have a new appreciation for this creature and feel blessed when I see one. Oh, and one more thing. I have read that Dragonflies stay close to water. Well, the closest water we have around here is about 1/4 mile away.

Since i'm a lover of *all* things historic, I absolutely love the house! Like nova, when visiting a city I love to walk thru the historic neighborhoods and go 'ga-ga' over the homes~my favorite place has been Wilmington, NC. The price seems a bit on the high side to me. A frind of mine who lives in the Dallas/Ft, Worth area bought a home about 6 years ago, very similiar, but BIGGER, and it was *only* $350K. They probably dropped another $200K on restoration and furniture, but that's usually an expectation if it needs updating to preserve the history. Tricia, sorry you weren't able to get the home. My dream has always been to have a 'regal lady' or even a Greek revival will do. I need to tell you a funny story:I just got back from Austin, and while there, came across an all brick, TDF, Greek revival. I told my DD, *that* was the house I wanted, would contact a real estate person, and send a letter to the owner, asking if they were interested in selling. It just so happens the home is in a small town, where they have a farmers market once a week. On my second week there, we went to the farmers market, and talked to several of the vendors, admiring their products. One of them was a lady who made soaps, lotions, etc., and also, beautiful hand-painted/home-made paper greeeting cards, made by her mother. I started looking thru them at the different pictures, and she pulled one out saying, 'this one should be in the front'. I about peed on the ground when I saw it was 'the house'! I told her I had been by the house several times, and *that* house was the house I wanted to buy, and asked if she knew the owner. When she said 'that would be me', I swear I felt the pee running down my leg!!!(sorry about being so discriptive) She gave me her card, and said I can come to look at the house anytime. By the way, she moved there two years ago from of all places, CA, and I didn't ask, but probably paid cash AND got a deal. If you've seen the movie/read the book, The Secret, I DO believe the universe told me I had to move on, and couldn't be daydreaming about a house that would never be mine. ;o) patty_cakes

I never thought to actually take them somewhere else. I usually use an adobe programme to keep them on and print and email them from, but Sonny uses Lightroom as he loves to mess about with them and he finds it a good programme. We both have our own computers but the printers are set on Sonnys computer. He uses an Epsom 1290 for the photo's but we also have an Epsom 1200 and a HP Lazerjet 6L. I think we have about 5 or 6 computers on the go at once all on servers. I never know which Sonny is using as he has 3 monitors on his desk at once. He is a computer geek really and luckily it got him a job about 10 years ago after quite a lot of years unemployed where he taught himself all about them and his other love was photography so now he can put them together to make lovely photos. But it is also a talent I feel, as not everyone can make them look as good as his even with the same equipment. I certainly can't. At the moment on his gallery 2008 for July he has a photo of mosquito larvae which look so strange. They are in an empty flowerpot that had filled with water. They are certainly worth going for a look. Here is a link that might be useful: Alisons nature reserve/sonnys gallery