Fawnridge wrote, "One other critical tool(?) for the garden - hoses. Man, you can't have enough hose bibs. I now have 4 around the perimeter of the house and I'm still missing one for the entire northeast side of the garden. Every bib has a 50' hose with shutoff valve and heavy brass nozzle. Fawnridge, tell me more! I have been batting around the idea of adding more hose bibs. I've even bookmarked a few how-to sites, but haven't delved into the project. Are you plumbing them yourself with PVC? Did you use a 4x4 post in the ground or attach to the house? Please give details and a picture or two, if you can. I would be most appreciative. Here are some of my bookmarks. (To easily open a link, quickly click three times, right-click, and select Open Link in New Tab): http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r23030205-Adding-a-hose-bib http://www.phoenixpermaculture.org/forum/topics/id-like-to-add-a-hose-bibb-or http://70.85.43.66/showthread.php?t=171924 http://www.pro-handyman.com/home-repair-articles/adding-a-hose-spigot/ http://www.ehow.com/how_5836579_connect-garden-hose-water-line.html http://www.terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?2388-support-for-hose-bib http://www.terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?25699-Adding-a-hose-bib-to-main-irrigation-line Carol

Katie Kitty is safely back home! My neighbor was so upset (she is in her 70's) and she cried when she asked me to send out a mass email to everyone asking them to help find her cat, so I'm very happy to report that Katie Kitty found her way home! Cyn, my husband is a federal type as well and won't get any snow days because he telecommutes so they don't get to take snow days. He doesn't mind though, he'd rather be able to work from home most days then to get a snow day. Are you a teacher? We know several teachers in NoVa, one in Centreville and one out in Haymarket. Our schools are canceled for the week also! LOL Newhomebuilder, I feel like that often with my posts, I wish there was an edit feature on here! The couple who showed up said they thought about calling us to see if the party was canceled but I guess they just decided to forge ahead! I sent them an email apologizing again for making them come out in the cold and ice and they said they had a wonderful time, so it all worked out in the end. I sent them back home with their fruitcake and plate and they said they had a meatloaf in the oven for their daughter and grandson who live with them, so they were fine. Cooperbailey, we have not one but two 95+ year olds on our street! They are both in great shape. The 95 year old woman lives with her daughter, SIL, and grandchildren but she still comes to every event and is just a little hard of hearing, but otherwise doing really well. The other 96 year old is a man and lives on his own, but right next door to his son and his family. He is truly amazing! He still drives, and seems to be fine, has a beautiful garden which he dutifully tends and I think he even has a computer! He also takes his Dachshund to obedience training!!! I hope I'm just like him as I continue to get older, I'm 46 now. A funny story about him when we first moved in and he was a mere 94. One day we drove past and he was laying on his side in the ditch near his mailbox. We drove past and I said to my husband "GO BACK George has fallen!!!" and my husband said that he thought George was just pulling weeds or something. I said "honey, clearly he has fallen, look at him he's on his side, you don't pull weeds like that!" so he agreed and began backing up. When we got beside him I rolled down the window and said are you ok George? He looked puzzled, he didn't really know us since we'd just moved in, and said "I'm fine, I'm trimming" and sure enough he had those old handheld trimming shears that everyone used to have that looked like giant scissors! We left and he went back to trimming. My guess is that one day George will be helping us up rather than the other way around, he's my hero! Here are some pictures of our pups playing in the snow. They look so fierce when they play, yet they love one another dearly! Quinn, he's fast, but not quite as fast as our nearly 10 yr old BC, she is still faster! Quinn giving his "mom" some love! Kat :)

Dingo , I love your photos ! The obelisk is perfect. What I like about this one is how it looks like ghislane de feligonde . But it's also a once bloomer so I'll have to pass . If this one repeated Iike a shrub I would jump on board for sure. Judith I'm glad yours is doing so well for you too !! It's one I haven't heard of so I'm glad to see photos

Summers those are gorgeous! And your Altissimo color is really a standout. Ben - yes I'm winding them around it, but not sure what I'm doing or how successful it will be! I put the obelisk out towards the end of last season and it was a little challenging to wrap them. I have since read to maybe go all one way around. A&B seems to want to be wide at the base, if I had a fence I would put it there. There are some good threads here and on the antique forum on how to train them. I bet Westerland will be big for you in a warm zone!