When we first moved into our house about 10 years ago, I was amazed when I came upon a massive pencil cactus growing on the east side of our house under a mature oak tree. No exaggeration-this cactus had to have been about 25' tall and very healthy despite very limited sunlight. Long story short, I read an article warning of the poisonous sap that oozes out of it. Needless to say, I no longer have the cactus. It's a beautiful succulent but just a warning to be very careful around it if there are kids or cats in the neighborhood. I think this is one of those plants that you can totally neglect and it will continue to thrive. Here's a link you may want to check out just to be on the safe side. http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/Pencil_Cactus.htm

What, no $160 Kapalua, Mike?! Did you see the legendary orange? Get to smell it? We want details! Rcantor, I don't have a Celadine yet, but they let me stick around anyway. Probably because I'm an ace enabler. ;) Moonie, not to confuse things, but BBB does have CE rooted and available now. You can email Brad to ask about size and he's usually good about giving you the skinny before you order. (See how well I just enabled there?) I've seen Bill's big Pu'u and loved the shape of the tree, so I think Carol steered you right there.

The small frame of the tab, composed of a roll of aluminum, has to stay rigid as it pushes in the scored panel on the lid. It is also the little tab between the rolled tab and the lid that needs to stay intact until the scored panel is pushed in, and which breaks when the tab is removed. Sometimes it takes a dozen wiggles, sometime only a couple will suffice. As I mentioned in my post of Sept. 1, I collected 2,000 tabs in a 2-litre ice cream package, filling it about 3/4 full and I didn't weigh it, but it was not much over 2 lbs., 3 lbs. at the outside. It takes about 32 cans to make a pound - with or without the tabs. If you have a scrap metal dealer nearby, they will buy your scrap cans, and some prefer them uncrushed, but others don't care. Around here, they paid about 70 cents per lb., a few months ago. They say that the tabs and the cans all go into the same bucket. Crushed cans occupy about 1/3 - 1/4 the volume of intact cans. Good wishes for the weekend. ole joyful

Thanks, BlackChamois :-) We wound up using the cabinet paint from Schuler in the kitchen only and the house trim paint on the kitchen window and everywhere else - hallway with the pantry, transom, mudroom and powder room (had it matched - I have to find out the color). I was worried but it works, I think because there are bends and curves to break it up visually, and the colors look spot on (the cabinet paint's finish is slightly different). Also it helps that the carpenter is talented and was able to match the original dentil and make it for the new spaces.