Here's my sermon - again! People are labeling and marketing tc culls that are solid colored as the parent plant. I personally believe it is wrong and irresponsible. Though there is some argument for "reversion" in traditional divisions - the explanation being that the crown, though having mostly the sports cells, still had some of the parent portion in it and it eventually formed an eye and expressed itself - but we don't know for sure that it wasn't another mutation. In tissue culture, it may be possible that this is what happens, but the only thing we know for sure is that the plant ISN'T Spartacus. What if the cull was all green? We wouldn't assume that was Sea Gulf Stream... or some green plant in SGS ancestry - we'd assume it was a chemically induced mutation. There are lots of sports that are the same color as their parent but end up differing from the parent in mature characteristics in size, leaf shape, mound size, flowering, etc. So even if it grows up to look like Sea Gulf Stream (and that is likely) there is no way short of genetic testing to prove that it is "true to type." I understand why the tc labs are doing this - instead of throwing away all the blue culls from Paul's Glory, they sell them as Wheaton Blue... they sell the blue sports of Earth Angel as Blue Angel... etc etc etc. It is economic if not, as I believe, strictly ethical. But I don't understand US. Why do we gardeners balk at labeling these plants the way we should - in this case "sport of H. 'Spartacus'" ??? I think it is much cooler to have a series of sports in my garden, properly labeled, than a list of plants that are "probably" the same as what we've labeled them. If I see that plant in your garden marked Sea Gulf Stream I'll give it a glance and move on - unless it doesn't look right. I've got three mature ones I look at every day. On the other hand, if I see that plant in your garden marked as a sport, I'll give it a longer look wnd more interest. end of sermon In our garden, and to anyone who comes after us, inheriting the plants, the divisions, as gifts or trades... I think it is our obligation to be accurate even if the marketing establishment isn't...

What a timely post for me! My DH and I just retired, sold our large and primarily formal home in two weeks and then moved several states west to be closer to family. We have been house hunting the past two years during visits to this area. We have finally decided to custom build a small home, but highly functional for the way we live. We are also making modifications for our continued aging in place. We almost bought a much larger home with a formal dining room but I just could not see myself using that space. It was nice to have while my daughter was growing up but I really do not wish to have a dedicated formal dining room. I do plan to use my formal dining room furniture on a daily basis. It was my grandmother's and I know she would be happy to know it is being used. I will also have the kitchen island to use for breakfast and snacks. We do not have a lot of family left so small is okay for us. At least, I hope so. I keep on second guessing myself thinking maybe I should have gone with the bigger house that my husband liked. My new home will have a combined living/dining/kitchen area. I hope I will like that. I am excited that the house we are building has a laundry room with a door into the master bedroom closet. You can go from the yard into the laundry room on into the closet and then directly into the master shower. We both enjoy gardening and this is just a handy set up when you work outside in the yard. I am planning on having this whole area including the closet tiled. The rest of the home will be the wide hickory hardwood floors. I live in Texas and it is hot here more often than it is cold so the tile floors will be cool and easy to care for. I am just hoping I will be happy in a much smaller space. I sold a lot of my furniture before the move and I do not miss it. The last few years we lived in the big house, we never used the upstairs. We did all of our living on the main floor and it was quite comfortable. DH and I only have one grown daughter and she has not lived near us in years. We have no grandchildren either and very few family members left. I lived in the Atlanta area when they had a terrible drought several years ago and just could not bring myself to use the whirlpool tub knowing I was wasting precious water. I am trying to be very aware of my water usage since I am in another state that has been undergoing a drought. I hope I will be making a smaller footprint with this retirement home.

A follow up: I am extremely happy with this wireless Logitech DJ. Piece of cake to set up. No problem from the Denon to the slave amp and beyond. Very, very nice remote. I am amazed that I can use the remote to select any song and hear it anywhere around the house (speakers in kitchen, and outside are on same system). WOW. Easy to navigate my 4000+ song library by artist, genre, album, etc. Even plays existing playlists with option to edit playlists on the fly. All with the remote. Very cool. I do think the USB connecting wires could be longer, especially because of the directives to place the streaming unit X feet away from the desktop computer AND from any existing router (sheesh, then give me more than 5 feet to work with already!). I had to relocate some things to eliminate noise. And I get a rare hiccup in the stream. No biggie. Rearranging my USB connections to make this puppy a direct connect out the desktop (rather than hub) may help that. The negatives (short wireless range and only one receiver at a time) are not factors for me in my setup. So it is perfect for what I wanted. Getting Windows Media Player to learn and save Live365 Internet stations was a little dicey for me. Trying to merge Live365 Internet radio (new to me) and the Logitech DJ (also new to me) with the Windows Media Player was a stumble. Had to save stations one by one. But I now can scroll through 27 saved stations on the remote - from Mississippi blues to Reggae dancehall to Celtic traditional to South American classical guitar. Thousands more out there to add if I want. Wonderful. Fabulous. I'm loving this! Almost happy the last local classical radio station folded and led me into this journey. Best $89 I've spent in a long, long time. And thank you Steve for your help.

Oh I'm glad you like the lamp. I just came here because I was second guessing that idea, wondering if it wasn't too rustic with the French Provencal furniture.... Hmmm.... Okay, I'moverthat. I've got it pictured in my head now and it's working. In fact it should work quite well with your bamboo shades and fresh white bedding. Yep, I should remember never to second guess myself. Ha! Just kidding. I know how to get your bed to look similar to the inspiration picture, but need to know what finish it is now please. As for the sheers I was thinking a solid, but with basically solid bedding I'm thinking possibly something like these pretty (semi) sheers. Reminiscent of forhgtv's idea of a Sari. You can find them HERE along with pillows to match. I think the mosquito netting would be awesome. I have one for our bedroom too, but haven't hung it yet since our ceiling fan is near the foot of the bed probably a similar placement to your chandelier. I'm just not sure how it would work when the fan was on. Not sure I want to test it and be woke at night with either toile tickling at my nose or the whole thing falling on my face and waking up thinking we've been attacked by a band of marching Japanese Beetles. If you read the screened in porch thread you'll understand that last fear. And no, the netting wouldn't be too feminine. Well at least not to a girl. Your guy might think differently. That could be yet another reason I've not put up mine. My dear sweet hubby. I can just hear him, okay wait, I can just see him since I'm sure he'd be speechless for awhile as he looked at me with his eyebrows raise ever so slightly, his head tilted down and to one side, his eyes rolled to the top of his head. Then he'd ask if I expected him to sleep under that thing. I'd just give him the sweetest little grin while tilting my head pretty much as his was along with the slightest raising my shoulders. He'll give a big sigh and climb in. Oh yeah, I have that man wrapped around my little finger.