Hi everyone! Carol-I've tried to go back and edit my member page, but GW keeps kicking me back to the sign in page. I'm in zone 8 TX. Rhodium-I'm way ahead of you! I started cutting and pasting onto a Word document weeks ago. If anyone ever wants to write a design book, I've already got the first 10 pages or so started! Karin-we're already addressing some trees! We have a Hackberry that's planted under the wires of a utility pole, and are already discussing it's demise. It's not touching anything yet, but it's also filled with mistletoe, so it's got to go! The prior owners had planted Crape Myrtles in the foundation beds (!!) so we've already moved those. I guess I shouldn't give the impression that we haven't done any landscaping at all yet...about those Crapes...we have a large berm next to the driveway, and it was planted with boxwoods. The neighbor told us that the prior owners had those shrubs planted on the side of the house, and in the middle of summer (!!!) dug them up and planted them on the berm. Needless to say, the boxwoods died. We need the berm for drainage, so we took out the shrubs, tilled the whole thing up, added a lot of compost, etc., regraded it, and planted the Crapes along the top of the berm. I've planted some Knockout roses in between, and had started to fill in with some perennials. It's going to take a LOT of plants to make it not look like a hot mess, but I'm going to hold off and see how the Crapes and roses do. The berm has to stay one way or another, but what goes on it is still being negatiated. I was reading a post by Laag way back, and he said something about getting the bones of the thing planted (with unity, structure, etc.) and then funk it up in between. I was thinking about what the basic structure of those berm plantings will be, and I think I need to fill in with a few more roses, and add some small evergreen plants to keep it from being a pile of dirt with sticks in the winter. The beds around the house are going to stay as-is until the gutters are in. Even after ammending the soil and adding mulch, two of the beds turn into a bathtub after a heavy rain. There's no sense in killing plants by putting them there, and it would be a shame to put in anything, only to have it trampled by the gutter install.

Shoot, where to begin. lol First, I accidentally typed Episcia instead of Epiphyllum. Sorry about that. Time to get glasses.? Pic 1..Karen's correct..it's Starfish Pagoda, Stapeliad. I didn't see the broken piece until pic was snapped. It's removed. Stapeliad is a succulent, not related to Epi's, right? Its leaves, (what I see) resemble Epis.. Mentha, #2 is definately Cryptocereus, common name Ric Rac Cactus. I'll take your word for #5. lol. I'll Google 'Rhipsalis grandiflora pictures.' Nan, Googled Monadenium ellenbeckii..it's hard to tell. Pic 3. Went to WP's site..he has the Hot Dog/Candle Plant available..4.00..It's marked Kleinia (Senecio) Articulata (US) Can Senecio be an Epi? Pic 4. Found Mistletoe Cactus on Accents site, but the pic differs from mine. Googled, MC, several pics popped up, different varieties. Mike looks like Rhapsalis. Did a Search for Pic 8 on WP's, after typing Cucumber Plant, it directed me to Accents nursery, where the plant was purchased. It's marked Cissus, Cumcumber Plant. #5 was sent as a leaf from someone on GW. lol No idea. #6 Dragon's Fruit. Mentha, yep, Hylocereus. Is DF an Epi? #7 was purchased at BlackJungle. Mentha, you're saying there are two different plants in one pot? Great. Should they be separated? I don't have Pumice, Turface, aquatic soil (gravel?) or LECA. What's their purpose? Any substitutes? Should Epis be grown similar to orchids? If so, I have required ingredients, except large bark. Pic 3 and 8, Cissus. Both plants sprout leaves..Foliage started growing the last couple weeks. Leaves may not be noticable on the pics but they're there. Karen, all succulents are in south and west windows. Two grow lights run several hours per day and night. As for soil, those in 4" plastic square and 2-4" plastic round are original pots and soil. I know, they need repotting. Shame on me! I'll get to it today. I don't use peat in succulents & cactus mix. Any peat you see was potted by the sellers. Nan, the Cissus has grown a lot. I'm not sure of its age, but when it was shipped it was no larger than 5-6" tall. It didn't hang at all, foliage was semi-erect. Cissus grew longer, but two years ago I removed a few sections, rooted, to make compact. If it hadn't been for that, there'd be two, long hanging stems/cucumbers..lol. Karen, this winter was cloudier then the last three put together..Thankfully, days are growing longer, but it's still cloudy, despite the time of year. Soon, plants will go outside..more light, fresh air. Thanks to all who responded. I have another plant that needs ID'ing. It too might be an Epi. Mentha, thanks so much..Do you have Epi pics? Toni

Over Thanksgiving I finished the book I had brought and found one at my sister-in-law's place. Titled City of Thieves, it is a more-or-less true story of the author's grandfather's experiences in the siege of Leningrad during World War 2. It was especially interesting to me since at the same time my wife was reading a book her aunt had recently finished writing named I Was A War Child which was a memoir of her family's experiences in Paris during World War 2. My wife and her sister would discuss stories from their aunt's book -- how her family had trouble keeping their art gallery operating, or a period when they had nothing but beets to eat. I would mentally compare their stories to the ones in the book I was reading -- how the protagonists building was shelled into rubble and how the residents were buying slightly sweet dirt from beneath a burnt food factory or "candy" made from glue boiled out of library books. Given a choice, I think I would have preferred Paris. :-)

Yes, Richard Paul Evans is a very talented and inspiring author! I've read most of his books, as far as I know, but haven't gotten the Mistletoe Secret yet, waiting on our library to get it. There are 5 books in The Walk series, he also wrote The Christmas Box, it was among his earlier books. It was made into a TV movie several years ago, starred Richard Thomas (who played John Boy Walton). Right now I'm reading "After You", by JoJo Moyes, the sequel to "Me before You". I also like Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks. I love to read, and I read a lot, currently going through a stage of preferring light, romance type things. But I hate that so many contemporary authors seem to think they have to use the F word on every page. So I lean towards authors that keep their writing clean! Debbie Macomber is another of my favorites, also Dorthea Benton Frank. Rusty