Is that on new culms only? Is it on every culm? Does it eventually branch out? Do you see any evidence of insects there? Do those growths come off? If so, if you break one open do you see insects inside it? I don't have any ideas what it may be right now, but trying to get more info.

I hope your daughter will recover soon from her health issue. That must have been a scarey time for all. I wish her congratulations on her new engagement. Is there a date set yet ? It sounds as if you have had a few "strange" (for lack of a better word) last few Christmas's... :( Your son wanting to spend some time with the parents of his deceased friend tells me that he is one very great kid...and I also know that the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. You must be really proud of him:) I hope your next Christmas will be spent at home with your family without any problems :) My Christmas was lovely..quiet and peaceful. My son and his new wife came over Christmas eve and I enjoyed having them for the evening. My oldest son lives in BC and he spent his Christmas with a girl he met out there...And they seem to be serious. He called first thing Christmas morning and we had a great talk. My daughter drove up to NB and had Christmas with her dad...and she called me Christmas morning as well. She had to cut her trip a bit short to miss the big snow Moncton and Fredericton had yesterday. I usually cook a big Christmas feast...but not this year. Instead...My friend and I went out to a wonderful Christmas Day buffet at the Ramada Inn...and I ate my fill there. Everything was yummy...especially the seafood casserole with all the lobster in it...and the dessert table was amazing !!! The best part was just getting up and walking out after the meal...no clean-up and no dishes :)) I think we just may have started a new Christmas tradition !!! We received a turkey through my friends workplace..so I may cook it for New Years. All in all...I had a great Christmas...even thought the cats totally wrecked my tree...and I didn't even mind. I guess I'm getting mellow in my old age :)) It was a lot of fun watching them play in the tree and they had a fun Christmas too :)

Lisa, yours has more all white leaves then mine did. But mine did have the variegated leaves and also the brown leaves in the beginning. The only prunning I did on it, was to train it to be a standard. I got it as a very small plant. Yours was already a standard when you got it. Since mine is in the ground, it grew to 15ft tall and the trunk, like yours, is as big around as your upper arm. And yes, I did see the little chick in the pot. :o) Maybe that poo keeps it variegated. lol It was covered with beautiful yellow flowers, but I want the variegation back. lol Where is Eric from Lou or Jerry from the zoo? Did I do the right thing? I guess it is too late now, if it was wrong. lol

All but 2 of the old cushions are really bad. When I opened the cover to see about possibly rewrapping & reshaping, the foam was in crumbled pieces. Some are quite worn down and have taken the shape of items they were sandwiched between while in storage. These posts reminded me that I have an old set of Lloyd Flanders cushions from my wicker set in my attic. The fabric covers are worn and faded, but the innards are in great shape, which is why I kept them. I was told at the time that LF doesn't sell covers only, so I replaced the whole cushion set. These didn't come to mind because the side cushions are curved, but now I'm thinking I can somehow "square off" those edges. Still pondering....