Moccasinlanding, I grow my OM in full sun. I have been thinking of starting to move OM and American Prayers to more afternoon shade. I do not grow in the ground here as there is too much root competition from trees so I am able to move my plants freely. I love to add other plants with the hosta. Coleus has been an inexpensive choice and you and I can keep them around in the south for many years. Begonias, heuchera and I am still waiting on some good impatients, also are out there. Great companion plants which have the same growing conditions. Your gardens have been coming together nicely. Watching yours grow too has been fun. I too use the Walmart pot. I stay away from clay as they dry out too fast. Have a great growing day, Paula

Pixie Lou - The gold macaroni wreath made me smile. We still make sure to put a gold macaroni ornament on the tree each year that my sister made when she was 4 (and she is just over the half century mark now.) Your daughter has her own style with flair - something not always found in kids. Here are my buckets. I wanted some height after the last several years' deep snows completely burying my evergreens for most of the winter, and was inspired by Deborah Silver, a blogger who does landscape design and has a garden shop. I used some pagoda dogwoods that I had heeled into the veggie garden too many years ago for them to still be transplantable without a tree spade, so were cut down this fall. I think I need to add a few more ornaments still for them to look really filled. The rest of the ingredients come from my yard (white pine, spruce, red maple) and my inlaws' holly hedge. The buckets by the end of the drive: From December 15, 2011 From December 15, 2011 The bucket between the two main doors: From December 15, 2011 Here is a link that might be useful: Deborah Silver's December 2010 shop decorations

Just a note...the Nkorho Pan has been out of commission for several days and though it is finally back on, it's still not up to par. While it was down, I started spending more time at the Africam Tembe location. I've seen, in just the last few days: lions, a leopard, rhino, elephants, hyena, civit, a zillion different antelope species, wildebeest, lots of storks and ibis (and other birds), zebra, and a very special visit by three very rare African spotted wilddogs. It's nearly 10:00 a.m. where I am, and it is still daylight. Giraffes are browsing in the trees. Two are 'necking'...which can be an aggressive act. The Africams utilize infrared cameras so that we can watch the night-time activities around these water holes. That's when the predators come out. http://www.africam.com/wildlife/tembe_webcam

Well, these photos aren't very decorator-y (DD took them more about the food... and we've been so busy laying tile and installing plumbing in the bathroom renovation that we didn't plan the Christmas decor too much. I feel lucky we even had presents under the tree and the feast, though, so it's all good!) but here's our Christmas Eve table, first. We have paella every Christmas Eve. Excuse the unfinished windows behind; we haven't finished that space yet in our big house reno... and here is Christmas dinner (rib roast from our local grass-fed cow, mashed potatoes and parsnips with carmelized onions (from our garden); sweet peas and carrots (from garden), horseradish creme fraiche sauce, au jus, and yorkshire pudding. DD made an apple-cherry lattice pie for dessrt :) This isn't on the table, but just overlooking it; the gingerbread house DD made: