Well, that is quite an imaginative fantasy. Nice period flavor, but didn't some pan-continental railroads already get built?

Nice pictures! I pulled all my passion flower up this year to keep from having butterfly chrysalises hanging all over the house. Your vinca, as I call it, looks nice and healthy. That is a pretty color.

I talk too much, preoccupied with a family situation, can't write about that here, this is my great escape from it all, the web, photography and gardening lol. Then it whaps you between the eyes anyway sometimes. Oh, and I am tired. My story for today is that I had a pretty custom hand railing installed for my newly poured back steps, don't dare go into the cement pouring story, would be up half the night. When they dug the post holes, they took the clay and dumped it for fill where it isn't going to get done with good topsoil unless I order it and do it, and the cement guy should have done it but haven't heard word one from him, and he's upset because of what I paid him and then got those expensive rails rather than ones from Menard's because they are cheaper, and lesser quality. I didn't want that clay in there because I want to plant things and dig there. So I filled two kitchen wastebaskets with the darn stuff, now have to figure out how to get rid of it, can't even lift the can, I used a bucket and dumped it in there, will probably have to use the bucket to get it back out of there, covered with plastic and stones so if it rains, it won't be a soggy mess. . .always something to deal with around here. I'm kind of po'ed that things work out the way they do. I suppose I should have said something while they were here that I didn't want that clay in there, but I was already upset that after spending all that money, the rails aren't quite true. Sigh. I told them I wasn't too happy about it, but went ahead and paid them. The cement guy did call and offer me some fill, but I only want just enough to do what needs to be done, do not want another pile of anything sitting around and I really would like his lumber out of my garage. I'm ticked off at him at this point, he patched and never came back to smooth them. I'm TIRED of fighting with this stuff, and I try to be reasonable and keep my end of the bargain. I think that is a bougainvillea up in the steam pipes, it's very old unless they've replaced it. It's a lovely shade of pink with almost peach shades. I wish they would grow in my zone outdoors. I've never seen a pineapple growing like that either, and that is the only bouganvillea I've ever seen. I think they're lovely. Thanks much for the comments.

gmom- Yes it is a coconut. I think she split it with a saw. She had all kinds of tools for rocks as she was a rock hound. Possibly she used some of them. Scooped it out then glued it together. Painted it, glued little cork feet on it and thin leather ears. Pipe cleaner tail. Go for it!! Good luck.