Awwww Kylie - thank you!! :) Dorothy - Glad they're doing well! Lots of pics next year!! Elizabeth - I'm jealous! :)) You do need a GH though! Your love for plants always shows in your pics & in your posts! Pics - we want to see the GH when it's up & ready! Brandy - Not sure 'how' the room will look in February! lol! It looks ok for now! Keeping my fingers crossed for things to 'make it' until April! I'm glad your cuttings are doing well. I hope they ALL make it & bloom like crazy for you next Spring! Karma - I'm trying! :) Hope you're feeling better! Your typing looks ok! :)) Kristy - Yes - on the 'Rattail Cactus!' Got six cuttings from a forum member (the other forum) last fall for postage. They all made it! She's growing like a trooper! lol! Bonnie - Hoping they STAY 'neat & healthy!' :) It's a long way to April! Karen - I have a few duplicates of some - mostly the doubles. Hoping they all make it & I can pass them on to some of you guys & gals in the Spring! Shawn - The German brugs are still in quarantine. They have the entire front double windows in the living room! ALOT of sun! lol! I guess I'll have to get a few pics! :) TJ - I'm hoping there's one that I may get to register in the future! I have something in mind for a name already! I have one (Theresa's nephew - slight joke there!) that I've babied & pampered since last fall. It's a 'Double Peach x Herrenhauser Garten' and I'm hoping he'll be the one! He should bloom in 2009 - so we'll see! :) But if not - there are about 15 others that may fit the bill! :) Eloise - I love the 'Sphagnum Moss' method! It seems to work well! The cuttings looked bad (drooping) right after transplanting them into the potting mixture - but after a few days they perked up! They seem to be doing well - now! lol! Your cuttings will take off - give them time & a little extra love! :)) Lucy - Yes! I've thought about them in their full-grown stage! lol! It's going to be a sight with me trying to find just the right spot for them in the yard next year! lol! Of course - I'll have to ship a few to some of you guys & gals in the Spring! :) I can't plant them all! Joyce - Green fingers & toes?? lol! Too funny! I checked - not! But I do try hard to keep them green & alive!! :) The lights are the regular 4' shop lights from Home Depot. They ran $8.97. I then bought the plant grow light bulbs separately. I think the bulbs were $12.99 or $14.99 each. Not too expensive - but worth it. And they do the job! That's what counts! Sandra - How are your cuttings doing?? And the Epi's?? :)) Brenda! Brenda! Brenda! :) - A zillion one gallon pots?? lol! Maybe! And I think I'm losing 'Lucerno!' I know - you're going to kill me!! He looks pretty bad - but I'm still hoping he pulls through. 'Brenda's Beauty' on the other hand - is doing great! Yay! Dave - How are your cuttings doing?? Hope they're doing well for you! :)) Everyone have a good day today! Love the fur-babies & give them ALOT of hugs! :) Mike

This is just a reminder to get your plants ready because it's almost here. We're all on the discussions forum talking about it. Don't reply to this so we can keep the reminder on here.

I did get the gifts that are done wrapped last night - that felt great!! I found another gift for my friend in WA too, and that was about it, since three people called to chat last night, about an hour each time. Whew! But one was a "merry christmas" call from a friend I never see anymore (she's busy with her kiddos), and the last one was DH, who's been out of town all week, so they were good calls. ;-) My mom was the other caller, and that was a *very* productive call...I've been wanting to make her a sweater for christmas (and can't find the pattern I had picked out), but she mentioned last night that she *loves* vests, and wants to go shop for more later next spring. Needless to say, I *have* a simple vest pattern handy, and all the yarn I need to make her a couple vests in different colors & textures (some chenille, even), so voila! They'll take less time than a sweater too - problem solved. :-) My sis stopped by last night too (geez! LOL), and her afghan was sitting in the basket by my chair...hope she didn't notice it! She was dropping off ornaments, and informing me our christmas present from her would be delivered today and should be eaten soon. I think dinner tonight will be yummy - she sent things back from her trip to Seattle last week, and it requires refridgeration. :-) Tonight I won't get anything done - after DH gets home we're going to pick up a new tree (fake) my MIL bought Monday but couldn't get home in her car, and we'll take it over and set it up for her, so we'll spend the evening decorating at her place tonight. *Tomorrow* night I *will* get some more christmas crocheting done, even if I have to lock myself in the house and turn off the ringer on the phone to do it! LOL How is everyone doing so far?

Thanks guys, I love working in my flower beds. I change them around every few years, because it seems like, even if if I have some things I really like, after a while I don't really appreciate them so much, so I change things up. To the outside world it may look like a huge hodge podge, but it is my stress release. The hostas on the left side of the picture have all been changed over to monkey grass this year, because that area is in the full sun, the hostas look great in the spring but as summer drones on they start looking pretty bad and the monkey grass just looks beautiful all season. After a couple of years it will be huge and gorgeous.