Thanks paxfleur and Frank for your comments. Oh, Frank, I love your Candyfloss, it's so beautiful! I wish mine would turn out to be Candyfloss. Also, you know, I think I've got seriously infected with the "amaryllis fever"... I went back to the market for a 2nd trip and got another bulb, which I tried not to buy in the first trip... This one has two almost-spent blooms but there're still 2 buds, and one more scape coming up too. I love its deep red color and I had to go back to get it, although it cost wayyyy toooo much ($2.50). I guess maybe because of the Lunar New Year coming up, flowers are more expensive. Here's a pix of my second buy. Maybe Red Lion? Can you identify, pls. Thank you. And then, to make everything worse, when I was buying some pots... I saw a cluster of 5 budding amaryllis bulbs in a big pot that was selling for $10.00! I asked to have it for $8.00 and they agreed! I couldn't carry the pot home on my motorbike...so hubby will have to pick it up for me tomorrow! I'll post a pix when I have it at home. Wow, I'm going to have lots of hippis for Tet holiday (Tet = Lunar New Year) which is coming up in two weeks time. I'm so glad I went to the market today! Xuan (feeling so great!)

Aw thanks everyone for the warm welcome back. I missed chatting with you. I used to have kind of a "meh" attitude about Florida and now I can't for the life of me figure out why. It's so easy on the eyes. And really nice folks there - although maybe they're just so nice because they're living in paradise. /Eileen. I hear you about the furry babies. I have been out of town so much lately that my cat is punishing me. ._.' So great that you have 3 sisters down there! I definitely hope I get to retire near my sisters someday. /Poseidon. "I agree, joni is one of those people that you just do not forget meeting." You just could not have put it better. That's what I keep trying to explain to people about her. I can't quite put words to her, but she's one of a kind. /Pug. It is exactly like that. I felt like Homer in that episode of The Simpsons where he is in The Land of Chocolate. All those little planty faces staring up at you, and their moms nearby so you can see exactly what they will look like when they are of an established size. It should make it easier to decide what you want, but really what happened to me was that I suddenly saw the appeal of all the plants I'd previously vetoed when merely viewing them online. Unfortunately Kelly has been busy addressing some health issues. We recently heard she was making some progress and I'm sure she'll be on here again eventually. I miss her too. /Renee. Whoa a vacation with both Bulbophyllums and Hoyas?! That's pretty posh. :) I hope you're able to make it out to Sarasota/Siesta Key. My sister really wanted me to drop her off in Siesta Key while I was visiting Joni but unfortunately for her, she slept in and I wasn't going to wait any longer! :P /Ima. It's a really pretty area, so I think it would make a fun day trip. If your daughter takes you, maybe as a thank you gift, you'll be faced with the same conundrum as I was: what a person's First Hoya should be. I went with polystachya, but Joni's suggestion of merrilli was a really good one, I thought.

Happy New Year to all my gardening friends. PEACE on earth, including Gardenweb. May the New Year bring love, happiness, forgiveness, joy, Wisdom, and Beauty beyond what you hope for in your gardens. Here's to New Beginnings. Cheryl

Me again. I especially like this show because it so closely resembles my family. I had 4 brothers and 4 sisters. During the Depression we lived in Texas, and the meat on our table at meal time was whatever my DF and DBs had shot, or caught in the river, including frogs. Duck calls and fishing lures were toys for us. I still remember my DF's voice saying Grace at the table. None of the men in my family had long hair or beards, but my grandfathers did. Styles change. The Robertsons have chosen to stay with that Redneck style. The present state of TV is degrading and I feel sorry for the young people, to whom TV seems to depict normal people living normal lives, and that will become the life they choose to follow. Killing animals for food is not to be compared with just killing animals for trophies. Sue