Will, I was extra careful with my walking trough this garden, I didn't harm non of his plants. There was only one lady we would like to see that day, Will's girl friend but unfortunately she didn't show up. Mybe she red the day 1 journal and she didn't like me to make her famous in the conifer world ;0) Indeed, the white needled Picea abies is 'Elegantissima'. Dave, I can't remember the amound of tequilas we had but we decided to continue share our information about conifers with eachother. Somebody has to do this when the older generation isn't around no more... Mike, thanks for showing us your beautiful garden pictures. All colours together will make it look like a living painting! Garen59, do you've Dutch blood in you? Garen is Dutch for tread... For sure we are not Conifer Gods, but we felt like we were in heaven :0) Nate, the Picea shirasawae 'Mt. Yatugatake' is a special and very rare conifer indeed. Till now it's the only cultivar I know of this species. Some background info of the one's at the pictures: Abies procera 'Danish Column': Found by Jason Hupp from seed he bought from Danmark. This cultivar was first named as 'Hupp's Fastigiate' but in that time it wasn't availlable on the market yet. Picea shirasawae 'Mt. Yatugatake' The species Picea shirasawae is native in Japan and was first named as Picea bicolor var. shirasawae. Picea pungens 'Victor' Found by Jerry Morris as a flat growing specimen which arose as a seedling. He also named a Picea pungens 'Victor II' but this one is found as a witches' broom. Picea abies 'Catharine's Golden Heart' This is one of Bob Fincham's seedling selctions which arose as a cross between Picea abies 'Gold Drift' and Picea abies 'Acrocona'. Bob sold this one to Will including the rights to gave it a cultivar name. Will named it 'Catharine's Golden Heart' after his mother. This conifer does have a shape which is in between it's parents, also it produces cones at an early age. Will, thanks you for having us at your beautiful gardens and we hope that you'll continue your great topics at this forum!

8/2--During the day found some Slevin's Bunchgrass Lizards, Yarrow's Spiny Lizards and a Desert-Grassland Whiptail. Like Keith I had a good night on the roads. I found a gorgeous and very large green Mojave Rattlesnake (3 feet plus with 10 buttons on the rattle) at 7:45PM. I was thrilled as it was my first live Mojave in the wild. Twenty minutes later I found a 15-16 inch subadult Mojave rattlesnake. Toads were also in force and I saw many great plains toads and a couple of spadefoot toads. 8/3--no interesting herps today. Saw an Arizona Woodpecker and a Sulfur-Bellied Flycatcher for a couple of lifelist birds. 8/4--hiked to the top of a mountain with my wife and dad in the Portal area and nearly slid off a steep point where the trail was partially eroded. My mom had turned back because of the hazardous trail quality in some places. Saw lots of lizards and had fun seeing the species change as we gained in elevation. Start of the trail was dominated by whiptails, then Striped Plateau Lizards and a Clark's Spiny Lizard and finally Mountain (Yarrow's) Spiny Lizards. Saw an enormous 55 inch snake skin at lower elevation on the way back. I imagine it belonged to a Western Diamondback by size alone. If it is a Blacktail Rattlesnake it is a remarkable specimen. My mom saw a Green Rat Snake down at lower elevation. Wish I'd been there for that instead of going on the mountain ledge balancing tour. The night road cruise that night was disappointing and only produced two DOR snakes. A Western Diamondback and a juvenile Mojave.

I would do what you suggested and let the cat out of its box from time to time, but I would make very sure not to open the car doors while the cat was loose in the car, and it would probably be a good idea to prevent the dog from going near the cat. Maybe have one person take the dog out of the car (before you open the cat's carrier), and walk the dog, while the other one stays in the car and gives the cat a chance to do its business. Under no circumstances should anyone open a car door while the cat is free. By the way, the cat may well retain its "business" of both sorts until it gets into its new home and feels comfortable. I once flew from Boston to Tokyo with a cat and arranged to spend one night in a hotel in L.A. just so the cat could use its litter pan, but it didn't. No ill effects, however! I was quite worried at the time. As to the food, many cats only get to eat once a day and are fine with that, so do whatever you have to do to minimize the need for it to "go". Feeding well in advance of the trip will also help prevent motion sickness. During the trip, I would offer it water once in a while, though. You are also aware that once you get to your new home, the cat shouldn't be allowed out until it has really settled in--say for a week or two, right? (Because they sometimes panic and go off trying to find familiar surroundings.) Of course, if it is always an indoor cat, there is no problem with that, anyway. I hope all goes well with your move. We brought two cats here from Japan when we moved, and have had no problems.

Eld6161, the dark haired one on the left is my daughter. Nicole, it's all beef. Later in the night we ate what I'm assuming is more expensive beef because the fat content was much more. That platter was also much smaller. The beef on the table was very marbled with lots of fat too, much more than in the US. Very tender and delicious. Lauren and I shared Wagyu at a market. I think it was 2 pieces lol.