You wrote: "By the way, this plant attracts a lot of ants and some kind of insects." The "some kind of insects" are aphids. Lots of them. That's why the ants are there. To obtain the sweet sticky honeydew the aphids excrete.

Hi Plllog! "That is, I know it's possible, but might not be in your budget." See, there's the crux of it. This little beverage center idea of mine was not in the original budget. (Nor, alas, were new drywall in the livingroom and halls, the gorgeous walnut top on my used cabinet island, the matching gorgeous top that will soon be on the new media cabinet and the near full gut of the bathroom.) And we're still determined to get through remodeling our ugly duckling without taking out a loan or dipping into savings. Conventional wisdom says: Wait until the coffers are full again but that's so hard to do. First off, I'm a cheapskate. Even if the goose who laid the golden egg waddled up onto my deck and built a nest, I'm not sure I would willingly pay someone to mess up the walls I just paid to fix. Second, I'm not quite cheap enough. My new kitchen is starting to look pretty good but, gosh, it would look so much better if the microwave and coffee maker didn't take up so much room on that one counter. I'm willing to spend a little bit more to change that, especially since I'm going to have a piece of countertop leftover that should be just the right size. Still, it's nice to know that it's possible. Maybe when the coffers ARE full again I'll put a tile counter outside on my deck to shade the golden goose should she happen to wander by ;) Thanks for your help!

Here's a tip for anyone going on a cruise or vacation. Write down a list of what goes in all suitcases and carryons. Keep the list in your purse so you can refer to it during the trip. And when you're home unpacking, make sure everything on the list gets put away properly. I call it "reverse packing". I once made a list and used it for several years. Hey, travelling with two kids (any age) is not simple. And for stupidest goofs-when I was visiting family in Buffalo NY one winter, I left my winter snow boots in the motel. I placed them next to the TV, intending to wear them. Somehow I left without them. I called the hotel the next day but they couldn't find them. Who would (steal/ throw out) a well-worn pair of boots ?

Sarah Please do not get upset if we tell you that it doesn't look it's best. While you have this plant for 10 years, grew it from seed and it is still alive, obviously you did something right but we do not think it has been growing under ideal growing conditions. In 10 years, it should have grown much more, especially for opuntia - they are usually fast growers. There are miniature opuntias in existence, but yours is not, miniatures grow only few inches tall, they are just about ground covers. Healthy plant should support itself, without sticks and/or being tied. There are some marks visible on the plants - could be just natural corking, but it is difficult to judge from the photos. Could you take photo in better light and perhaps close up? Many opuntias grow paddle-like leaves. There are others that have cylindrical growth - but I am not sure yours is that type (maybe?). Here is Austrocylindropuntia subulata:You can see totally different shape, also different spines. The top part of the shorter plant on right is more round, that makes me think it wants to be paddle-shaped plant. It would need more light to grow more compact and wider segments. It is difficult to supply enough light indoors, many of us have the same problem. Plants grow stretched - etiolated - looking for more light. Changing soil yearly is not needed (the plant above has been in same mix for over 2years now and I am not planning on changing it). Succulents like to be in gravely mix (closer to what they grow in in their natural habitat), that offers excellent drainage and air exchange. You asked for ID - sometimes the plant has shape that is more difficult to ID. BTW, there are almost 500 species... So, the comments are not attack on you, just tips-remarks on the plant as we see it. We are all plant lovers here, and ask questions all the time. There is something in every post, even just 1 thing, that could help.