Deanne, it sounds like your brother will be very motivated to become active again. I can imagine the ERs must be flooded with fall injuries. I know you guys are all pro's at winter, but please be so careful driving...and walking! We've had a conga line of ants greeting us in the shower every morning, so I sympathize with the aphis/gnats and glad to hear they're under control. Our little blighters are looking for water, is what I'm told. We've got an uber strain of Argentinian ant that's outcompeted our native ants. My neighbor Holly, former Back Eastie from Maine, has a pest control guy out once a month. I saw him masked and spraying her garden gate area a few days ago, clouds of spray wafting across the street. I completely understand the impulse to have nothing crawling in the house. Pest control should probably be relegated to the categories of religion and politics, never to be discussed. Lovely morning glory, prairiemoon, and good luck finding that dentist. Funny how the new year's resolutions never include stuff like tracking down and buying all black-colored flwrs in existence but run more toward exercise, dental care. But there's nothing to compare to the high one gets AFTER a dentist visit. The sweatered greys spelling out a new year's greeting was a treat, such nice manners! We never watch the Rose Parade, so foolishly missed the Port of LA float. Not a sport fan in the house either so we're out of the loop there too. DH loves attending the big football parties and tries to blend in, but his unpracticed sports commentary always betrays his rookie status. My BIL's enthusiastic commentary is fascinating to listen to when he's watching a game, much more entertaining than the game itself. Kathy, I'm taking notes on selling and moving house. I can't believe you're ready to list. Good work. Look at you, Saucy, "planning a scuba trip," and to warmer water this time. What a blast. All decorations still up here, with the house just beginning to smell piney. Probably means the tree is near to being a fire hazard. Friday will be tree recycling day with the trash, so down it comes by then. Can't wait to hear of the veggie garden plans, Martie. If anyone has any harsh words regarding taking out a beautiful mature noisette climber, let 'em fly. I can't believe I'm contemplating it, but I know from the past that once the thought first crosses my mind, the rose's days are numbered. Cons are it takes up about 1/8 of available growing space, nothing much will grow underneath its arch, a self-sown Euphorbia cotinifolia has sprung up nearby to 8 feet throwing all proportion out of whack. Blooming is decreasing to really one big spring flush. I think the soil's exhausted, which might be a self-serving excuse but I itch to dig over the entire bed and amend it. Bigger leaves are needed in that particular area (Canna musifolia?). The pros are obvious and needn't be listed. I just can't seem to stay committed to roses, which causes much shame. I saw this flash of gold driving across town and tracked it down for this blurry photo. A man with jet black hair down to his waist walked by as I snapped the photo and said "Nice orchids." Maybe some of you grow epidendums as houseplants? I've never been able to grow them like this:

Brenda, Happy New Year! So happy to hear that your finger is healing nicely. I hope the 30 days go by quickly for you. Hey, we all (well some of us) make typos and we don't even have an injured finger, LOL! As you head into tax season, I wish you great success so you will be able to vacation afterward :-) That kind of heat wave (40s) would freeze me up like a popsicle!

I second all you have said Alison - good luck everyone! Pondwise, 2005 was very eventful for me - and not always in a good way! I'm looking forward to seeing how much my baby fish have grown and, hopefully, changed colour come April. Out of the wind it has been a mild day today and the fish have been swimming very close to the pond surface. It was lovely to catch a glimpse of two of the babies as well. I plan on cleaning the pressure filter on Thursday prior to going on a week's holiday and will leave the pump and filter operating during my absence. Apart from fishing out the blackening water hyacinth plants for composting I can't think of anything else that needs to be done. So I guess I'll join everyone else and hibernate for a month or two :) Tricia

Compare with Phyla canescens. Here is a link that might be useful: Phyla canescens in Oz.