I spoke too soon about the rabbits, lol. Last night, I was in the garden, and spotted a rabbit in the back corner of the garden. But, it didn't look like the typical beige rabbits we saw at the old house. It was white and black, and didn't seem terribly afraid of me. Turns out, it belongs to a neighbor 2 doors down, and had escaped the bunny hutch in the backyard! My next door neighbor (who recognized it) and I managed to shoo it back to the gate and it snuck back under - apparently the same way it had gotten out. (The rabbit's owner wasn't home at the time). Fortunately, while it wandered around most of my garden, it didn't seem to notice my nice young lettuce or other tiny vulnerable plants. Dh did mention that he immediately knew it wasn't wild because it was too plump (he was watching out the window), so maybe that's why it wasn't bothering my veggies. I just hope it doesn't come back!

Oh,stinkhorns are horrible! I have the orange ones. I think they came in with some mulch I put down last year. You need to dig around the stinkhorn and find the underground tuber. Use a plastic bag or disposable gloves to remove all the bits of the tubers. According to our extention service, there is nothing you can do to prevent it. You can spray the area with a fungicide, but it probably won't do anything for the stinkhorn. Just keep up with removing them. You will be able to smell them before you can see them. They are really driving me crazy. Linda Leaf

Hester, the only plant in there that currently struggles with the lack of a little shade is the agapanthas. Originally I had some different plants in the area but have tried to change to things which handle the lack of shade a little better. Thanks! kayjones, I'd love to see it. I've been working on this area for years. I slowly expanded it each year. Here's a pic from a couple of years ago: Tom, that is the guara aka whirling butterflies. The newer ones from this year are a dark pink and the ones from last year are a lighter pink and just starting to send up flowers. I believe they also come in white. They do attract butterflies and bees although I don't notice them as much there as on tall red pentas or a butterfly bush. I have noticed an iridescent green sweat bee (had to look it up to identify it) repeatedly enjoying the plant.

I have had the Elux Icon Speed oven for 8 years now. It has been trouble free, except for a screw that came loose that holds on the handle, (was easy to fix). As you mentioned, it does not broil, most of the time we do that outside, but I can use the broiler in my regular Elux oven. We like potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams here, and it sure is nice to be able to do them in 14 minutes (including preheat), compared to the regular oven which takes 45-60 minutes). The Elux "defaults" to the microwave mode, just enter time and push start, and we have used it a lot as a mircrowave in the 8 years we've had it. We could do just about anything (except broil), that we could do in our regular oven, and I've baked turkey thighs, stuffed tomatoes, meatloaf, desserts~~~you name it. It came in handy as a "2nd oven" during "Thanksgiving", (for some of the "side dishes"). I've found that for reheating poultry and fish, as well as French fries, that these "Somewhat tricky to reheat" items come out best when reheated in the speed oven using "Speed Cook"~~~they don't get soggy like they would if you just nuked them or tried to reheat in a regular oven. You can watch "The Great Potato Race" on UTube, to see a comparison, (well actually a contest) baking potatoes using the Miele and Electrolux Speed Ovens. The Elux was easier to use as I just chose potatoes, entered how many and the Speed oven did the rest. With the Miele, the user had to enter preheat time, (alto he did not use preheat), He had to enter temp, cooking time with convection, cooking time using microwave, etc etc. The Miele Speed ovens do enjoy a good reputation here in Garden Web~~~~but~~~~~I would invite you to google "Miele Speed Oven Reviews" before forming any opinions about the Miele. (Likewise do the same for "Electrolux Speed Oven). Wife still likes her large oven, so it does get some use(Large oven), alto there have been very few times in the 8 years that we've had the speed oven that which we cook would not fit in it! Anyway, to "Sum It Up", My Speed oven is one appliance I will never be without, ( I even do my toast in it)~~~We don't eat enough toast to merit buying a toaster, and the toast comes out great~~~You just have to "Flip it"! The other appliance I could never do without??????? My Elux Icon Induction Cook Top~~~~~We love that cook top!!!! Gary