Love reading all your stories! Great thread. My sis & I were 15 months apart and we usually got the same thing every year. One year we "graduated" to 20 inch J.C. Higgins bicycles from Sears cira 1958 or 59. They were identical but we realized after a couple of days that the reason we could tell them apart is because my Dad, excuse me Santa had put the handle bars on Sis's bike upside down lol. Believe it or not, she wouldn't let him change them to the correct position. She liked being backwards LOL. Mother always put a lot of thought into our stockings, the best fruit and candies. Daddy always read from the same Night Before Christmas book when he tucked us in on Christmas Eve. It had this red velvet stuff on Santa's suit on the cover. My birthday is a week before Christmas and I believe that book had been a birthday gift. When you have a birthday that time of year, you get used to birthday gifts wrapped in Christmas wrap LOL. We always were involved with the Mary & Joseph manger scenes at the church, and with the Christmas program as my Dad was the church pianist. I was always Mary, apparently because I was chubby lol. My cousins were the other actors in the play each year. Nice to look back on that period, because I don't see any of them very often now. Mostly when a relative dies, or maybe a reunion once a year. And I remember the year we got Thumbelina dolls (they moved slowly when you cranked them up), my Barbie (it had 3 wigs!), and the year I got a Polaroid Swinger camera and GoGo boots, white of course, LOL. Still have that camera, and it always made terrible pics (black & white only), but my parents went to a lot of trouble to find that one, they were sold out because it was the trend that year. The way they found my camera was because my Dad worked part time that year at the Camera and Craft store, and he was the photographer for the Santa photos. I remember waiting on him at the mall while he worked. He had a full time job, and used that camera store job to buy equipment for his home darkroom. That was a fun experience too, developing film. Now it's mostly digital, but I enjoyed doing that at home when I was a kid. Ended up in printing profession myself and got more than plenty of darkroom work later in life. I enjoyed my kids each Christmas, now I'm making new memories with the 2 small grandsons. They're such a joy! Holidays hugs to you all ~tenderlee

Good Morning Idylls! Another early one, so I can make a quick post. I hear you V...I *live* for spring...it's my season. Oh well, I guess this year I'll live for June! :-) Now I'm wondering about when Sue's surgery is too Cynthia. I *thought* it was for Monday the 16th. I wrote it down in my calendar awhile back, so I wouldn't miss wishing Sue my best the night before, but from what I'm reading here now, I may have written down the wrong date...it wouldn't surprise me. You & Bug have Clivias?!? Oh I'm green! I am not a houseplant person, houseplants don't like me. But, if there was ever a houseplant I *wished* I could grow, *that* would be the one. Speaking of which...I just drooled over all your beautiful plant choices Bug. Your purple hellebore looks a lot like one I planted last spring. To my relief, it lived through the winter, looks to have maybe one bloom or two, but not open yet. I'm just thrilled that it made it. One of my "no-name" hellebores has made about 20 babies from my last count (that is if they didn't die from yesterday's snow). I'll check on them once the snow melts. I want to pot them up and bring them to the next place. LOL about my posting, Bug. You are probably right, but I have *so* much *fun* making them! :-) Eden - I *love* that bedroom you posted...that is sooo just the kind of style I *love*, the soft hint of colors, the lamps, the little chest (armoire?), the curtains, the vase of fresh flowers, well *everything* and that *headboard*! That is the sweetest thing! Hope you find just the right gate/trellis and will post your creation when it is all completed. I can see that being Cynthia's style too...in fact it reminds me a lot of some of the restful, beautiful home pics Cynthia has posted. BTW Eden...I *love* that pic of your GT and SS together...what a beautiful combo! Chelone So sorry about the headache with Lamee? Did I spell that right?...You know...that *sparkly* cloth! :-) Can't help it but hearing about *sparkly* things gets my blood going. Paul tells me I'm a lot like a crow...attracted to bright, shiny things...LOL! BTW Mary...what is that *gorgeous* flower in your BD pic to Kathy? YumMm! Oh before I forget...I wanted to share this with Deanne & Drema: Up on the top shelf to the left is Deanne's Fuchsia and next to it is a pot of about 6 of Drema's coleus. On the bottom shelf to the right is a glass of Drema's cuttings! :-) I know the pics are poor, but can you tell which Fuchsia this is Deanne? It's been a blooming wonder and a real joy. A close up of some of Drema's coleus cuttings. I don't want anyone to be misled. I'm *not* a houseplant person. The only reason these plants are still alive is because they only have to be in the house for the winter....LOL! Actually the poor begonias are crying to get out of my hands and into a container outside...hope spring comes soon! Okay...gotta run...mom has an appointment at 08:30 and I'm not even dressed yet. Hi to anyone I missed. Hope you all have a great day! Ei

Sue, Here's my list of glossy-leaved hostas. The ones that are shiniest are indicated with an asterisk. Let me know if anyone has any additions or comments. Thank you. Don GLOSSY-LEAVED HOSTAS *extremely glossy Abiqua Jim Dandy *ÂAbiqua Recluse ÂAcademy Mavrodaphne ÂAcademy Shiny Vase alismifolia ÂAustin Dickinson ÂAutumn Joy ÂBeauty Substance ÂBennie McRae ÂBest Man ÂBetsy King ÂBetty ÂBig Puck ÂBirchwood ParkyÂs Gold ÂBlue Prince ÂBlue Princess ÂBobbie Sue ÂBorder Bandit ÂBorsch #3 ÂBottle Glass ÂBottom Line ÂBridegroom ÂBubba ÂButternut Hill ÂCalamity Jane ÂCanadian Shield ÂCandy Hearts ÂCanterbury Tales ÂCarolina Sunshine cathayana ÂChallenger ÂChampion ÂChange of Tradition ÂCherries Jubilee ÂChickadee (Avent) ÂChildhood Sweetheart ÂChivalry ÂChristmas Cup ÂCinnamon Sticks ÂCitation *ÂCity Slicker ÂClassic Delight clausa ÂClokei ÂCody ÂColesburg Frogger ÂConcord ÂCordelia ÂCorkscrew ÂCreature from the Green Lagoon ÂCrusader ÂCurls ÂDaisyÂs Mom ÂDarwinÂs Standard ÂDavid A. Haskell ÂDaybreak ÂDon Stevens *ÂDevon Green ÂDiana Remembered ÂDionysos ÂDixie Chick ÂDon Juan ÂDon Quixote ÂDon Stevens ÂDouble Vision ÂDust Devil ÂEarly Times ÂElatior ÂEmbroidery ÂEmerald Crown ÂEmerald Gem ÂEmerald Necklace *ÂFagen ÂFairway Green ÂFalling Waters ÂFlower Power ÂFortunei Obscura ÂFountain ÂFourth of July ÂFried Bananas ÂFried Green Tomatoes ÂFroggy ÂFrost Bite ÂFrosted Mouse Ears ÂFruhlingsgold ÂGala ÂGaucamole ÂGeisha ÂGleaming Glory ÂGlorious ÂGold Banner ÂGolden Anniversary ÂGosan Gold Midget gracillima ÂGrand Slam ÂGreen Acres ÂGreen Fountain ÂGreen Lantern ÂGreen Machine ÂGreen Platter ÂGreen Sheen ÂGreen Velveteen ÂGreen Wedge ÂHarpoon ÂHeaven Scent ÂHirao Majesty ÂHirao Splendor ÂHis Honor ÂHollyÂs Dazzler ÂHollyÂs Honey ÂHollyÂs Shine ÂHollyÂs Velvet Piecrust ÂHoneybells ÂHoosier Harmony *hypoleuca ÂIce Cream ÂInnovation *ÂInvincible ÂIron Gate Glamour ÂIron Gate Supreme ÂIwa ÂJingle Bells *ÂJoseph *ÂJosephine ÂKelsey kikutii kikutii caput-avis kikutii ÂKifukurin Hyuga kikutii leuconata ÂKinbuchi Tachi ÂKira ÂKisuji ÂKomame Albomarginata ÂKorean Snow *ÂKryptonite ÂLady Isobel Barnett ÂLakeside Accolade ÂLakeside Black Ice ÂLakeside Black Satin ÂLakeside Coal Miner ÂLakeside Dark Dancer ÂLakeside Ebony Echoes ÂLakeside Emerald Lights ÂLakeside Explosion ÂLakeside Lollipop ÂLakeside Looking Glass ÂLakeside Meadow Ice ÂLakeside Premier ÂLakeside Roy El ÂLakeside Slick Chick ÂLakeside Sparkle Plenty ÂLakeside Twiddle Dee ÂLavender Lace *ÂLeather Sheen ÂLily Pad *ÂLittle Blue ÂLittle Bo Peep ÂLodestar longipes longipes latifolia ÂLucille ÂMaekawa ÂMajestic ÂMetallica ÂMid Afternoon ÂMidnight Moon ÂMidnight Oil ÂMikado ÂMikawa-no-Yuki ÂMing Treasure ÂMinuteman ÂMistress Mabel montana montana macrophylla ÂMoonlight Little Dipper *ÂMoonlight Sonata ÂMustang Sally *ÂNapoleon ÂNiagara Falls ÂNick Balash ÂNirvana ÂNorwalk Chartreuse ÂObsession ÂOld Coot ÂOlgaÂs Shiny Leaf ÂOne ManÂs Treasure ÂOlgaÂs Shiny Leaf ÂOoshima-jishi Hachijo ÂParadigm ÂParhelion ÂParty Time ÂPatent Leather ÂPauline ÂPeppermint Ice ÂPeridot ÂPeter The Rock ÂPiccadilly Finale ÂPlacemat plantaginea plantagenea ÂAphrodite plantaginea var. Chingbanyuzan plantaginea ÂMing Treasure plantaginea ÂVenus plantaginea var. japonica ÂPlug Nickel ÂPlumb Bob *ÂPolished Jade ÂPotomac Pride ÂPrairie Magic ÂPrima Donna ÂPucker Up *ÂQueen Josephine ÂQuilted Hearts ÂRachel ÂRain Forest ÂRainbow Falls ÂRainbowÂs End ÂRaleigh Remembrance ÂRazzle Dazzle ÂRed Sox ÂRed Stepper ÂReflecting Pool ÂRevolution ÂRhapsody in Blue ÂRingtail ÂRippled Honey ÂRisa ÂRising Sun ÂRock Princess ÂRosedale Spoons ÂRoyal Standard ÂRoyal Super ÂRuby Slippers ÂRudolph rupifraga ÂRustyÂs Glimmer ÂSaishu Jima ÂSanta Claus ÂSatin and Silk ÂSatin Beauty ÂSavannah ÂSavannah Supreme ÂSea Bunny ÂSea Lotus Leaf ÂSee Saw ÂSentinels ÂSeth Becker ÂShade Finale ÂShawmut ÂShimmering Silk ÂShining Tot ÂShiny Penny ÂShiny Substance ÂShirley Vaughn ÂShow Stopper sieboldii ÂAlba sieboldii spathulata ÂSilberfeil ÂSimple Division ÂSioux ÂSir Logan ÂSitting Pretty ÂSleepy Hollow *ÂSlick Willie ÂSlurpee ÂSmokey ÂSmoothie ÂSo Sweet ÂSoft Shoulders ÂSoul Brother ÂSpotlight ÂStiletto ÂStingray ÂSugar Plum Fairy ÂSum and Substance ÂSum It Up ÂSum of All ÂSum Total ÂSunami ÂSunbeam Green ÂSurfer Dude ÂSurrender ÂSweet Bo Peep ÂSweet Susan ÂSweet Winifred ÂSweetness ÂSwirling Hearts ÂTaffeta takahashii ÂGosan ÂTall Paul ÂTama No Yuki ÂTamaryu Iwa *ÂTambourine ÂTardiflora ÂTatsumak ÂTemple Bells ÂTerpsichore ÂThe Hulk tibae ÂTitanic ÂTossed Salad ÂTotally Wacky ÂTracyÂs Emerald Cup ÂTrade Winds ÂTreasure Island ÂTucker Valentine ÂTweety Bird ÂTylerÂs Treasure ÂUndulata Erromena ÂValerieÂs Vanity ventricular ÂVenus ÂVictory ÂVim and Vigor ÂWarpath ÂWarwick Ballerina ÂWarwick Sheen ÂWatermelon Rind ÂWet Umbrellas ÂWhiskey Sour ÂWhite Fairy ÂWhite Knight ÂWhite Shoulders ÂWily Willy ÂWinter Snow ÂWoodland Blue ÂWrinkles and Crinkles ÂXanadu Sommer Time ÂYakushima Mizu ÂYellow River ÂYin yingeri ÂYoshie ÂZoundsÂ

O.T. to Melaska, We're an equal opportunity cheese consumer here--I even seek out and buy Limburger, which is still made in Wisconsin but DH draws the line here. There are a number of very affordable gorganzolas and blues made in Wisc. and Minnesota. Also lots and lots of cheddars in Wisconsin. Wisconsin marketers produce a cheese-beer road trip map that is my guide. I love it. Have hit about a third of the dairies. I can get aged cheddars at Burnett Co Farmer Coop for no more than $7/pound, which has spoiled me. They've worked up some specialties also which we're really enjoying. They do a mail order business. Moozarilla is their yogurt cheese that is very white and gets a lot of comments. Alpha Morning Sun and the Wood River series are nicely done. I'm not sure their parmesan would be up to your standard, but maybe. They've won awards for provolone for a long time and for string cheese. "The Splendid Table" on NPR turned me on to Roth Kase's gruyere from Monroe, WI. Best quality gruyere made in USA. Prairie Breeze, made in Iowa, is also showing up in specialty stores here. A real hit at wine tastings. We send boxes of cheese and wild rice to family in Fairbanks in Priority Mail boxes. No California cheese need apply, despite all their marketing. Here is a link that might be useful: Burnett Dairy Cooperative in Alpha, Wisconsin near Grantsburg