Stage Rat, thanks so much. I googled it and that is what it is. I will go right out and dig it up. I don't want those in my flower beds. I wish all my flowers looked that healthy though. I forgot to mention lesons learned about which containers worked best for me. My favorite is the round containers that I get cakes or cookies in (also an excuse to buy them). I make newspaper pots, and they are so much easier to plant out than to try and get the babies out of a milk bottle or 2L bottle. I think the newspaper helps the soil also. I tear off the top as I am dropping them in the hole so that they don't wick away the water. All of mine that were planted that way are doing the best. Also, I put a small water bottle in the center and use plastic shower caps (16 for $1) from the dollar store on top of them--it works great. The second favorite is the 1/2 size stem table aluminum pans from Sam's. The shower cap fits on them also with a small water botter to hold it off the babies. I think I will learn many more lessons from the responses to this thread. Thanks again for helping me ID the plant. Also thanks to everyone who shared their lessons learned. It is a great help. Jeane

Debbie, Gigi, Carol & Scarlett: I like the Sunset books too! One of the first garden guides I ever bought (about 25years ago!)was Sunset's "Garden Color, Annuals & Perennials". I had forgotten that there was a small encyclopedia in the back that included info on how to care for each plant. A very nice little book! I also received the Sunset book, "Cottage Gardens" for Christmas. Beautiful photos and helpful info on many plants. Marylu, I agree with Haziemoon. Great idea about having an ongoing wish list! Georgeanne & Bibliobeth, there are certainly never enough flowers or books at THIS house! Nan, The "Rodale's encyclopedia is excellent. I highly recommend it to everyone! As for garden magazines, I am definitely hooked. They are piling up now, unread next to my comfy chair. Waiting for a snowy day when I have time to read them! Leslie, you HAD to mention English Garden magazine! I'd never heard of it before and a flyer came in the mail TODAY with a reduced rate, and since you spoke about it in such glowing terms, I just had to get out my checkbook and subscribed on the spot! It's all your fault. Haha! I agree with you about Larry Hodgson's books. "Perennials for Every Purpose" is such a great book. The way the plants are divided up by growing conditions, such as wet areas or shade is extreemly helpful, especially when I am unloading a trunk load of newly purchased plants, and can't remember which plant likes which conditions. Honeysucklecottage, I've never attempted to grow herbs, but I'd like to try next year. Rob Proctor's book will be first on my new "Wish list", along with the American Hort. A-Z encyclopedia that Lynne suggested. Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. I hope others will add their fav "how to" book. Patti

I think there is a way mothers talk to a child that encourages talking......every time you pick him up say "up"....not I am picking you up now"...as you put his shoes on, say "shoe" not....shall we put your shoes on"....then graduate to "shoe on".....and "shoe off". He sure should be saying more than that by 24 months. Talking baby talk to a 15 month old actually helps them learn to speak correctly......and once he has learned the basics, you are free to say.."Look! There goes a red car!"....but he needs to learn to say "look! Car!" first. I have an inlaw's inlaw's child ( got that???LOL!) who is 2 and says almost nothing....no sounds.....no squeals of delight no giggles. He has been in speech therapy for a couple of months and is now saying things like "down" when prompted.....but is still very quiet! Once I called someone with a baby a few months old.....and she answered the phone in a hoarse voice. I asked if she had a cold, she said it was the first words she had said that day....because, she said, there is no one hre to talk to but the baby. Talk to your baby! They thrive on interaction! Linda C

I'm fond of how-to information, which appeals to my need-to-know personality as an information geek; and luckily that type of information is so readily available these days. I started in my mother's kitchen as a child, reading a few cookbooks and booklets that were more than just recipes; good basic training as a kid in 4-H, and bless a really great Home Economics teacher in high school where I caught the cooking/baking bug in earnest. The public library has been a good friend for ever and always - I can check out the shelves at the library and come up with videos, DVDs and great instructional books on nearly any subject concerning cooking and baking. And all those years of watching the pros on TV. I've purchased DVDs from King Arthur Flour on several subjects. I have Shirley O. Corriher's "Kitchen Secrets Revealed!" (I also recommend her books, CookWise and BakeWise). I've watched "Good Eats" videos and DVDs by Alton Brown since they were first available on TV and also checked them out from the library. I also have a bunch of books by Harold McGee, starting with "On Food and Cooking - The Science and Lore of the Kitchen". The Cooking Channel web site has "tons" of videos (http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/). So if you want to know something, it's out there.... I'm also a life-long believer in continuing education. There are so many classes available. I've taken classes in Greek Foods, Irish Foods, sausage making, home-canning, dehydrating, nutrition, how to write a recipe, even using a microwave oven back in the 1970's, bread classes of all kinds.... And then the old saying - knowledge isn't knowledge until you share it with others - which has led to a near lifetime of teaching food and nutrition classes in our community. Everything from 4-H, Girl Scouts, to elderly men at the senior center who were now in charge of cooking for the first time in their lives.... I couldn't begin to guess how many people have taken "Bread-in-a-Bag" classes - both youngsters and oldsters. General basic nutrition and cooking classes at the Food Bank. Cooking with commodities classes, using commodity foods distributed to low-income individuals and families. These classes have been well received and are great fun. I love food science and consider it a "good read", so you'll find a lot of technical manuals and college-level text books in my personal library. I want to know why something works or doesn't. As a Foods Judge at County Fairs I need to know judging standards, but also why one muffin, pie, cake, cookie, biscuit, loaf of quick or yeast bread, etc., isn't as good as another. What went wrong or right and to be able to share that information with entries in the competition. Those are technical skills not found in a recipe, but take years of self-study. Anyway, it's not just one thing and you'll have to find your own comfort and interest level. I've also had some very good mentors through the years. I'm always endearing myself to someone who knows - so I can learn from them. -Grainlady