Frank, I agree with Josh... you do have a right to be disappointed if what you were shown is not what you received. You did pay good money for the bulb, after all. But looking at it another way, the ending is happier than any of us might have imagined... and a whole group of people get to enjoy the beauty that is Naranja! It also gave us opportunity to talk a little, and to get to know each other better. I found someone who can sympathize with what I go through, and I can sympathize with his situation. I didn't know before this thread that Josh has MS. And before this season, I didn't know what a great person you were, Frank, and what a wonderful sense of humor you have! You always make me smile, and more often than not, laugh... you have a unique way with words! :-) Having nursed my 73 year old Mother through leukemia, I know how difficult it is to care for an ailing parent. I wish you and your Mom the best, Frank. You're at a difficult crossroads in life. My Mother was almost lucky that her cancer was acute... she didn't suffer long. I'll always miss her, but reality is what it is. It was her time, and we were fortunate to spend several very wonderful months together before she got really sick. I'll always treasure those memories. Life has a way of throwing those curve balls at us, and we can either stand tall and take the pain, gaining strength and wisdom from it as it adds to our character... or we can curl up in a little ball and miss out on the beauty and all the little things that are mixed in with misery, pain and hard times. Every day I want to curl up into a little ball and cry... but where would that get me? Nowhere fast. And so, I put on my big girl shoes and face whatever the day has to bring. Some are good, some are great, and some aren't... but that's life. Today, I got to see that my common Red Lion has pushed its first scape past the neck of the bulb, and it won't be much longer until those lovely red blooms start to show themselves! And, I dug out two books that I haven't read yet, so I'm looking forward to sitting down tonight with some hot coffee and my reading glasses... Certain Prey and Chosen Prey, both by John Sanford, await my perusal. Oh, and we had some excitement today as one of our water hydrants burst and started spraying water all over the sidewalk and garage! Another project that was doled out to some local idiot claiming to be a professional... because the owner couldn't wait for my husband to get to it, moving through his long list of projects that need doing. Apparently, the guy didn't set the inner rod correctly, and it broke the outer casting. I don't know... I'm no plumber. My poor husband is out there as I write this, waist deep in a cold, muddy hole... playing with hydrant parts and piping. He's less than thrilled, as you can imagine. But I digress... Frank, you did a great thing bringing that bulb to the home for your Mom and her friends to enjoy... it was almost a blessing in disguise that you weren't happy with the color saturation. So, you see... things always have a way of working out... I call it karma. :-) Do not be a bit sorry you began us on this journey! It's been both fun and a learning experience... and I always enjoy a chance to share a little more, and learn a little more. And, Josh... in life, we have choices... and we can choose to take what we've been given and make it into something good. It all depends on how we look at it. My disease and injuries have given me something I never would have thought... a chance to slow down and truly look at and enjoy the wonderful little things we never notice when we're so busy, and we take life for granted. For example, during growing season, I force myself to rest often... and I see tiny little hummingbirds building a nest, or drinking nectar from the flowers in the garden. I watch praying mantises hunt, and I enjoy the scent that hundreds of different roses make when they're mixed in a garden setting, and a breeze brings it all to my nose. At night, I see bats against the moon as they hunt their prey, and I hear the pair of giant owls talk back and forth in the woods across the road. I'm very lucky. Really very lucky. If I had a different life, I'd never get to see or hear or smell or enjoy any of those things. I'd be too busy rushing through my days, barely noticing what Nature tries so hard to show me. As I get older, I realize how short life truly is... and how little time we actually get to be here, in our lives. I don't want to ever regret my life. I don't want to miss the important things, or the beauty, or the love and friendship being offered all around me. Nobody ever said any of it would be easy... but... it doesn't have to be as hard as we sometimes make it, either. So... take a deep breath... and be glad you were given the opportunities that you have, and the ones that await you. Life is sometimes ugly, and messy, and hard... but it's just as wonderful, and just as lovely and joyful.. as long as we are willing to give a little in order to receive a little, and we take the time to let all the good in. Ok... my fingers are tired, and they hurt. I'm going to go pour that cup of coffee, grab my glasses, and I'm going to bury my mind in a good story. And lest I forget, the pictures offered by Josh are just lovely! Sweet Lilian is one of my personal favorites. And everyone else, like Donna, has brought interesting and wonderful perspectives to this thread. I'm glad to be a part of it. :-) And... I would love to go on a Clivia growing journey with you, Frank... I've got two mixed in with my bulb collection, and they are part of the Amaryllidacea family, if I've got the spelling right. It looks wrong, but you know what I mean, I'm sure. In case anyone is interested, I'm including my 2011 garden photo album... link below. If you go all the way to the last page and view it in reverse, you can see my year in sequence... as the gardens came to life and grew. For some reason, PhotoBucket tacks on new uploads to the first pages, and not the last. I don't know... Anyhoo... everyone have a great evening... I'm off to read! :-) Here is a link that might be useful: 2011, Jodi Style!

I'm so sorry to hear that! None of my plants are special like that, but I still feel for you. For alot of us, they really are like children with leaves (spines, branches, etc). I'll admit I'm lucky. I've never had a plant stolen from me, but then again, I don't have any outside nor do I invite people into my home. I just told my hubby about your plant and he said 'who would steal a plant!?' but if there was drinking at your party, then I can kinda see it. He once got drunk (long long time ago) and stole one of those free newspaper boxes (not just the newspapers, the whole box/container) you see on the side of the roads, and took it home with him. Why? 'Cause he was drunk. I'm hoping the didn't realize what they were doing and when you talk to people about it, the guilty person/party will come forward and give it back whilst begging for your forgivness.

There is another thread that may have some helpful information. I am not savvy enough to post the link, but the title is: diy venatino marble backsplash done - pics. Here is what jalsy6 said about his installation: I did seal it once before grouting. Then it said to seal it once after about a month...I still have that to do. I had kind of a panic attack when I was installing it, as I didn't realize that when the back of the tile comes in contact with the wet thinset it makes the marble look SOOO weird and splotchy! Luckily I did some harried research on the web, and it is normal, and once the thinset dried it looked fine. Just an fyi if you use these tiles. Make sure you use thinset for marble, not mastic.

Hi, Patty. Just catching up on the forum. Everyone has offered wonderful and understanding suggestions, but I'll add some of my thoughts and garden info in case they're helpful. My last garden was at least 4x the size of my current one. (I just checked the city map.) I live on a 5,400 square foot lot, but the house, garage, deck and oversized driveway probably swallow 3/4 of the lot. Like you, at my last residence, I grew countless bulbs, perennials and shrubs (many of which were roses) that I wished to keep. Before leaving, I made a list of all I wanted to move and begged favors from any gardening friend who would help dig. The most precious plants I dug myself. I acquired a gazillion nursery pots in advance in addition to a pile of potting soil. This reduced the bed creation and planting pressure. Like you, I took cuttings and hoped for the best. With traveling OGRs like Gallicas and such, I sliced stolons and tagged the canes to be dug and moved later. I've been trying to decide whether or not to share this on the forum, but I will since it's best to be prepared. My former garden is gone. It lasted through several years and two owners who enjoyed it, but the current owners ripped out everything. Yes, everything. With that said, I want to emphasize that the latest owners of my old house are executives that seem to have purchased the home for its proximity to downtown. They did not buy it for its historical value or its garden. I think there's a very, very good chance that your property will attract buyers who appreciate 100-year-old farmhouses and heirloom plants. Your place has that kind of magnetism. You could even offer to take a tour with the new owners to identify everything. I made that offer with my last garden. :-) Even though my current garden is a postage stamp, I manage to grow about 70 roses. I grow them in ground and in pots. I grow them over and under, vertically and horizontally. I am eliminating all my grass. The remains are disappearing this summer. All that's left are either seating or bed areas. Someday, I'll post photos of my multi-layered, hodge-podge green space. It's amazing what can be crammed into microscopic patches of dirt with a shoehorn. I'm both a collector and designer, so I'm highly motivated to smash plants into any crack in the composition. That's my abridged story. However, I've saved the most important piece for last. After a few years, I began to positively celebrate my small garden. I've learned to hone my values, to make choices and feel content with the results...and I live a more balanced life. The upkeep of my last garden was almost overwhelming at times. My current beds are a tangle of bohemian chaos, so who can see the weeds during periods of neglect? I culled out my highest maintenance roses and enjoy the ones I have more than ever. There are plants for all seasons, and each one is a special event. Really and truly, Patty. After the period of adjustment, I've never looked back. Ever. Best wishes for your sale, purchase and move! Carol