Stay calm, Marsha, I didn't mean to imply you're on the DG marketing team, or anything, but although their section on use of material is much less lengthy than the one in the new iVillage TOS (as are their sections in pretty much ALL of their TOS, which is about the size of GW's OLD TOS when Spike still owned it), it DOES have the same gist to it, i.e., that they're saying they can use whatever you contribute however they see fit. It's kind of like some magazines that accept a lot of submissions from readers... For instance, I subscribe to "Birds & Blooms," and I LOVE the magazine... Each issue is FULL of plenty of beautiful pictures and occasionally a useful article or two, as well :) MANY of those photographs happen to be user-contributed, however, through various sections of the magazine where they tell you how you can contribute and in most cases they say something to the effect that "photographs cannot be returned and become the property of 'Birds & Blooms,'" thereby getting a lot of content for free -- or they sometimes will say they'll send you a free "suncatcher" or something similar if they use your photograph (token payment). That sort of thing is quite common among smaller PAPER publications. The INTERNET, on the other hand, is still a rather young and evolving area, and I think this idea of forums laying claim to perpetual use of all material posted on them might be a growing trend, since I now see it on both Dave's Garden and in the new iVillage TOS... Prior to this development, the internet, still being very much a sort of "wild west editorial environment," has had forums like these with sometimes experts and even famous people posting on them as just "regular Joes," sharing their knowledge and expertise, perhaps in some cases even relieved to finally be able to have something resembling "public conversations" without having to worry about being swamped by fans, and so forth, or repeatedly asked for free professional advice because people know they actually happen to be Dr. Phil, or Steven King, or whoever. And NO, I'm definitely NOT one of THOSE people... At one point a few years ago, I had a bit of "local celebrity" status as a weekly newspaper editor, but the biggest thing I've ever published was the cover story for a state-wide public policy journal read by all the lawmakers and public officials in SC... And I'm not aware of any such folks on the Carolina Gardening forum, but I DO know of at least one Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Vermont who is a sometimes (used to be regular) poster on the Ponds forum and wrote that forum's FAQs. He's been featured in pond programs on national programs on Public Television, too. I seriously doubt HE'D appreciate having HIS contributions -- many of which he doubtless gained through years of research and study both in his pond and at the university -- appropriated by iVillage to use for THEIR advertising, without attribution, for free. As for the photographs, Yeah, I've done a bit of "professional photography." I shot many of the photographs for several of the papers I worked for, and I also shot weddings for a while, and got some really good shots... And today, with digital cameras and the ability to see what you have and keep shooting until you get what you want, I can get even better shots (My theory on professional photographers has long been that the biggest difference between most pros and serious amateurs was how many shots they could afford to take)... So nowadays, I'm getting some garden shots I think are of publishable quality, although since I lost my paper I'm too blocked to get up the gumption to go back to free-lancing again... BUT I'd still like that option. And I'm sure I'm not the only one... If you want another example, go to the Ponds and Aquatic Plants forum, click on the Gallery and look for the Fall Ponds Photos (10-17, I believe), posted by Cliff_and_Joann. That lady (Joann seems to do all the posting) takes GREAT pictures and has some of the most beautiful ponds with some of the most beautiful koi I've ever seen... and she usually posts them fairly large. She doesn't deserve to have those "appropriated." No, Dianne. I won't leave (although they may kick me off with all I've been writing, lol). But I may be more selective with what I post and shy away from some of the more humorous or creative posts, or anything I think might look "attractive" to someone looking for something to "appropriate." And Marsha, I think your efforts on this front are admirable, so please don't think I was slamming you. I'm not really all that concerned about the cookies and partners and ads and so forth. I just don't like them laying claim to all our "intellectual property." By the way, it's not just me. I think all of YOU have a lot of "intellectual property" to protect, as well, even if you don't. Take care, Jeff

Hey, Jay, do you remember the old Robert Mitchum movie about the NC moonshiners? It was remade not many years ago, and I think Mitchum's son was in it the second go-round. Anyway, Thunder Road is part of the Moonshiner mentality, the beginning of the stock car generation, the present NASCAR elite from NC. I think it has a double meaning for the racing and for the moonshine running activities. I think you are on the right track with Bootleg. What are some other words they used for Moonshine? Shinney? White Lightning? So far though, I think Bootleg is the least pretentious. It also implies a do-it-yourself operation, so good in more ways than one. And, I was reading a book about the building of pocket neighborhoods, where they all named their homes, and realized that I don't HAVE to add "cottage" or whatever other word to the name I choose. And in this book, folks were naming their homes things like ROSECROFT, CHILI PEPPER (the house was painted red outside), etc. They said anything goes as long as it has meaning to YOU. So I thought, what is the most significant symbol of my life with my DH soon to be celebrating our FIFTH anniversary. And the album by Bette Midler called BETTE OF ROSES was important in my life since the day my son died. It was also the album that followed the trail of our reuniting after 50 years apart, and the song describes "When the White Bird flies, from your heart to mine,...." and for this lovely song, we had a porcelain white dove and rose atop our wedding cake instead of the traditional bride and groom. And then I was browsing through the Little and Lewis (Bainbridge Island WA artists and gardeners) website and saw they had a lovely white dove in flight for sale, and it would go so nicely in our landscape, and I have about decided.... Just call it one of these two: WHITE DOVE OR WHITE BIRD No "Cottage" after it at all, just WHITE DOVE.......or ......WHITE BIRD... Which do you think is better? I have several plaques and figurines with white doves, this has always appealed to me for various reasons. But for my life which is avian loving, it is more appropriate than SUN. The house is white stucco. I could very easily cut out from wood or cement board a dove in flight. Not a seagull, don't-cha-know, not a cockatoo, but not ruling out that I could have a great white heron or snowy egret somewhere in the garden too. Or a white owl? Well, so much for that today. No gardening for this gal with the temp supposed to be 99 today, even if it did rain about half an inch yesterday. I saw the baby rabbit out in the garden eating seed heads from the withered tall grass, not cutting it again until there is enough rain. This poor baby must have lost his mama, he looks so skinny. My DH says he has a friend with a HOUSE BUNNY, who is quite house trained and impeccably clean, has a litter box inside. I wish my doxie girl Dixie would be peaceful so this little rabbit could be her friend and all live happily ever after.

We had Johnson Hardwood"s Luxury Plank Vinyl flooring, Public House- whiskey sour installed by the builder after we looked at the product at a flooring center recommended by Johnson. We have lived in the house for exactly 2 years, and for the first year the flooring cleaned up nicely. In the beginning, I had contacted the "technical rep" for Johnson, and he recommended Rejuvenate LVF cleaner as it is low Ph. That is the only product I have used on the floor since we moved in. We loved the floor so much that we paid $7000 to have it installed in our lanai last year. In the past several months, the floor in the main house is blotchy or spotty throughout, and it looks like certain areas have a film. We clean up water and spots immediately, but the spots continue to show when the floor is wet or dry. So far the lanai doesn't have the same problem, but it's only a year old now. I did report these issues to the technical rep at Johnson, and he wants we to contact the maker of Rejuvenate as that product is likely the cause of the spotting all over the floor. He also wants me to find out who the contractor bought the flooring from when the house was built, and I am to provide the name and contact info for the flooring contractor who installed the floor in the lanai last year. I have tried to take photos with my iphone, but only a few of the spots will show up. I clean this floor at least twice weekly with the Rejuvenate and I vacuum it daily as everything shows up on the dark floor. I know I am going to get the run around from the Johnson rep. I am so upset that we paid top dollar for what we thought was a quality flooring only to have it look like cheap vinyl flooring. I wish we had never heard of Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring.

bbstx, thank you so much for sharing your friend's Iceland photos! Beautiful pics that absolutely make me want to go there right this very minute! This suit from Lands End arrived and as it's been awhile since I've had a brand new suit on my body, I forgot how you have to pull and tug to get a 1-piece up and into proper place. Once done, though, it's actually quite cute on and fits nicely. I love how it covers just enough so as to be modest, but doesn't look matronly. That said, I'm just not sure it's worth the $75 I paid for it (on sale). I've also ordered this one (it hasn't arrived yet) -- the "tugless" suit, and while it doesn't have the same level of detail as the $75 suit, it's a good $40 cheaper. I chose the option for the shelf bra. If it fits, I'll just return the other. Anyway, so far I'm pleased with the quality and fit of Lands End.