Hi, Ebby. I see why you want to know more about it-- the colors are exceptional. And the texture silky-shiny, which I always love. I checked OrchidWiz and the RHS, couldn't find anything. That's where it usually ends for me. However, my Wiz is not up to this minute. Sometimes breeders don't register something right away. I think there's a fee, and it can add up to big money if you're breeding lots of different things. So they wait, put it off (like we do sometimes with expenses). Below is the RHS url in case it might be helpful to someone. Hope someone else can be more help. Here is a link that might be useful: Orchid registrations

We finally cooled down a bit (were in 95-100 degrees last week), got a little rain too. I thought my daylilies were going to be done today with the exception of "Sears Tower" which is finally sending up 2 scapes, BUT I found some more 1st time scapes coming. Seems my MLa season bloomers will be Aug/Sept in this climate though it is very hard to tell since everything came from different zones in the spring and their bloom cycles are all mixed up this year. Mariachi, Prairie Tornado, and Carnival Flair look like I may actually see their faces this year after all. At least I might be able to collect pollen for next year. And I confess...still making a few impulsive crosses. Edward, I agree with gonegardening...I have a whole collection of pollen in the freezer for next year. When is your avg killing frost? okbt, 15 Sept is our avg first KILLING frost. We frequently have a few lighter frosts before that. Good to know about covering the pods with bags though. Petalpatsy, fairysoapgirl, I had to quit for a few days when it was hot like that too. I went out really early in the morning and could make a few crosses if the pollen was ripened but sometimes it just doesn't cooperate. Frozen pollen came out on a few days too. I'm already going through daylily withdrawals.

Secondary bacterial infections are a very common sequela to inflammation of any body system. If Kitty's GI tract was inflamed for any reason, such as food allergy, that makes it much easier for bacteria to overgrow and cause problems. Most animals (including people) have Campylobacter in their GI tract, and it does not cause any problems. Inflammation causes changes on the surface of the affected body system making it easier for it to be colonized by opportunistic invaders, such as Campylobacter. Once the invader is colonized it can reproduce and the numbers get out of control, causing clinical signs. Don't worry about the campylobacter too much- it was probably always there and probably is still there just not in detectable or problematic numbers. There are lots of reasons that kitty's GI tract could have been inflamed, allowing the campylobacter overgrowth. Food allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, parasites, dietary indiscretion (eating something she shouldn't have), stress, and medications especially antibiotics (not so much metronidazole, but the penicillin derivatives are notorious) among other things. Although not having an overgrowth of campylobacter is good, not having ANY GI flora is bad. All animals need GI bacteria to help digestion. I hope they meant that she doesn't have any more bacterial overgrowth, not that she doesn't have any bacteria. I agree that this isn't a recurring problem. She didn't have a bacterial infection in September. And she's had diarrhea since December, which is a continuing problem, not a recurring one. The only thing recurring is you having to take her to the vets. Is kitty spayed already? If not, it may be a good opportunity to get her spayed, do an abdominal exploratory, and take some intestinal biopsies while they have her under anesthesia and are in the abdomen anyway. It may help figure out what is going on, and even though I think a tumor is highly unlikely, that would be a good way to both look and remove it. If she is spayed, might consider doing an exploratory anyway. It sounds like you are getting more and more worried, as anyone who cares as much about their kitten would be, and it may be worth it just to go whole-hog and find out once and for all what is going on. Sometimes it's worth just going in instead of playing around with treatments and tests forever. If you didn't want to do exploratory surgery, then I would definitely deworm. Then try canned pumpkin on the food in case of fiber-responsive diarrhea. If that doesn't work, then try the elimination diet, which would help food allergies. If that doesn't work, maybe try tylosin in case it's antibiotic-responsive diarrhea. If that doesn't work, try some low dose steroids to control inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. There's still plenty of trial and error treatments to try... Gaining weight is a good thing. When animals have chronic diarrhea, we usually worry about them losing weight. It's also good that she has an excellent appetite. You are right to worry about your kitten. If the vets are not as concerned about her as you are, that is a SURE reason to not trust them. After all, if they don't care, why are they vets?

Holly K. Think about a travel trailer...you take your own comfortable bed with you. (we are saving up for one!) This is a very interesting topic. We downsized last year from the home where we raised our kids to a "no mow, no snow" house, that is newer, but actually the same size as our old house. A better layout for adult kids, as there are 3 full baths, offering more privacy. And we will be able to have single level living (with potential for a caregiver living space) once we are really old. Some of our friends thought our moving was so daring and bold...it did require us to be open to change. And the home is newer and more open, so fewer things. We got rid of a lot, which I found very freeing. As to decor and clothes and technology. In my opinion, keeping current with things that are a part of you interacting with the world, especially like phones and computers, are essential to being a person who is engaged and informed. Keeping "current" with fashion and decorating is more toward the hobby/special interest end of the spectrum. Though to be sure, ones appearance may fall more to the being engaged in the world end(in particular if one is working it can be quite important to keep up to date, or at least to blend in/look appropriate). And there are some occupations where home entertainment is part of the job. In that case I do think that keeping up current decor is important. Aside from that, I think that generally as I get older, I am more confident to say I want to do this, and I really don't want to do that. (For example, want to have my hair look really up to date; won't wear high heels anymore). (Want to have gray walls, No Chevrons Please!) But I really enjoy knowing what is new/stylish/on trend,even if I won't buy into the style. Enough to read the magazines when I get my hair done, and some online mags, and weekend newspapers.