Thank you for your kind words, its a 75% "food for eyes" and 20% "food for the table" (5% for weeds..). I've only put the Gladioli pics as they qualify the "bulbous plants" category of this forum, there are some other plants in bloom including: Salvias Marigolds Dahlias Sweet peas Dianthus Gazania Phlox Chrysanthemums Cosmos Antirrhinums Nasturtiums Crown of thorns Vinca Duranta Petunia Bellis Four 'o Clocks Begonia and Impatiens.. food plants include Tomatoes, Spinach and Bell peppers, I have harvested the Peas already... Izhar

OoEeee, nice plants, Rian! In the 1st pic, is it K. 'Napolean's Cap'? The 2nd pic plants look like K. 'Oak Leaf' to me. Nice 'Fang' & xG. 'Fred Ives'! I'm chuckling about the bird stealing your ponytail palm leaves for the nest. Nope, never heard of a Weaver bird! Thanks for my LSNFT item! Loved all the Aloes! I think I'd better get my crytopoda in the ground. You waited SIXTEEN years for these first blooms??? Yikes! I'll be dead before I see some, at that rate! Yowser-what a difference in growth on those thraskii! Thanks for the show! =)

Hi Mike, Exactly a week ago today, we hada frost warning. I was a little concerned because we hada heavy rain storm the day before. Norma had told me that keeping the jades outdoors during cold weather was fine. Like you said, she had said that they had to be kept really dry. The temps here got to 34 degrees. I went out and checked the next day to see if there was any damage. I didn't see any signs of any damage at all. Now, a week later, I am still seeing great growth on them and nothing appears to have suffered. I really do believe that these plants are more tolerant of harsh condtions. One thing you could try if your really skeptical is choosing maybe 2 jades. I would choose 2 that you would not be really upset about losing. I know that is a tall order in itself. Water them and leave them out over night and see how they perform. I think you will be surprised. I have only brought mine under cover a few times and the month of Spetember and early Ocotber were very rainy. I was slightly concerned of root rot and other problems. I do have a lot of my jades in a very porous soil. Some are in striaght turface which I have found to be better than the other mixes. I just have to feed them since there is no nutrients in the turface whatsoever. Let me know how things work Mike. I will be keeping some of my jades under that 600 watt HPS light. I do have some window spaces for other jades but the ones that are getting nice colors I want to keep like that. Andrew

Kay,Blackie stays close to me when I am outside,and I really have to watch where my feet are going,as she will walk a few steps in front of me,and suddenly just lay down right in front of my feet,wanting my attention.She the cat that came here about 7 -8 years ago,so skinny and starving, and I went in the house to see what I could find her to eat, and I gave her some sliced ham.I didnt have cat food.She decided to stay and make this her home, so after she had some kittens,I had her fixed.I have one of her babies in the house,its the one that got hit by a car and lost a hind leg.I tell you what tho, that cat can move with 3 legs. Thank you Rita.Its not too hard to get a good picture of the Hummingbirds.Just have to stand still for a few minutes.They are pretty use to me out there watching them. Debbie, Mine are gone too., now.I will have to go out and bring the feeders in and get them washed up and put away for next sping.Like you, I miss them ,too, already. Julia,Thats a bummer, to have snow already.I can handle the snow, but,I hate the ice storms we usually get every winter. Val, Thank you for that nice comment. Thanks, Cindy. The hummingbirds here are now gone, too.It will seem like forever, waiting for spring again and the birds come back.I some times sit on the front porch a hour just watching the Hummingbirds fight over the feeders, when there is enough for all of them. Jean