I keep meaning to switch my user name again... Ten years ago, I think I was already on GW--I suspect I came on slightly after Andie, because I think it was just about the time the GP started. I had an Internet connection of sorts in the early '90s--something called "Prodigy" that was pretty basic and didn't have much of a graphic interface. I switched to a Mac in '94 and started using the precursor to Netscape. I ventured onto GW when I had a question about black tomatoes. I chose my user name accordingly. Bigfoot was one of the first to answer my question, along with a Robin from Calif. Suzanne, Diana was the dark-haired daughter of a Nobel physicist. I saw her name in the paper not too long ago in a listing of area how-to classes (hers was mosaics). I'm in that group photo of Linda C's too, looking, unfortunately, rather better and younger than I do now. And, Linda C, I fear the martini drinker may have been me. Are olives not a legitimate food group? Ms. Ann Thrope

Hi Tami, I regret that you had such trouble. A few years ago a Canadian lady married to a U.S. service guy reported here that she'd received a bequest from an aunt, sent from Calgary, something over $20,000., I think, and she was troubled because the U.S. bank in Texas or nearby wanted a large amount to exchange the Canadian dollars to the legit. kind. I told her to send it back to Calagary and have them exchange it there, as they'd charge in the neighbourhood of 1%, as they do that every day. She did. Her husband, after retirement, had worked on border patrol near Mexico, then bid on a customs job and got it, due to military preference, and moved to Minnesota ... and his buddies on border patrol, who were trying for the same thing, had green eyes. I told her that she owed me a dinner, some time when I travel near. ole joyfuelled

Well.....guilty. My king size down pillows were $90 each, 20 years ago. Got them on sale...but....I'm still using them....they were soooooooooo worth it!!! :0) Hope your new pillow is a keeper. :0)

Well said. :+) Mimicking the natural point of the healthy leaves can make a trim much less noticeable too. When it's time to water, taking to sink or shower can allow you to use enough water to make use of the flushing action & cleansing properties of the rain water. Apply as gently as possible so the force of gushing water doesn't compact soil. I don't think it's been mentioned yet if this pot has a drain hole in the bottom? Attached drain saucer? Either of these things (pot w/o hole, attached saucer) can be frustratingly impractical, often dangerous. I can never tell how deep I might need to feel around in a pot to find the moisture level, but I do know I don't enjoy doing that, and most of my pots have plants packed too tightly to allow it. Parking a wood skewer in there has a lot of fans. When you pull it out, you should be able to tell how moist, how deep, (depending on soil texture.) I use picking them up if I'm in doubt about whether or not to water. If it feels lighter than when I watered, a drink is probably fine. This is only a concern for some pots that don't have really chunky/porous/airy soil & need repotting soon. Over time, the kind of organic mix I use decomposes from larger bits to tiny bits*. I can tell when it has happened to the point that repotting is necessary when it seems like pots are always heavy after a week or so of no rain or me watering. Potting soil right from a bag usually falls into the category of tiny particles that take forever to dry out (and have no air between them.) That's not good because roots need oxygen & moisture @ the same time to function. With only moisture, there is rotting. Unglazed clay pots are another option, which allow evaporation (and oxygen access) from all sides of the root ball, not just the top and drain hole. *Putting plants outside for summer in hot, humid south Alabama plays a huge role in that. A plant that's always inside would go a lot longer without needing to be repotted, if starting on the same day in the same soil.