Renee, I now know that skinks don't eat roots and I know that toads don't. They do however make holes and I do know that air pockets in your soil are not good for the plants roots. These holes are numerous and destroy soil stucture. At first I thought maybe whatever it was was eating the roots but I no longer think that. I think the actual holes could in fact be causing damage. I don't consider ACE a big box store at all. These are small buisnesses and they do hire people who actually know what they are talking about which is why I like to shop there verses Lowes or Walmart and I would never ask those people advise on plants cause they know squat! This women is a master gardener with 35 years experience and knows what she is talking about (everything she says line up with things I have read). I also come to these forums as well (use to be on here a lot more at one time) in fact I have a link on my blog for this and the antique rose forum because there are so many wonderful people from all over to get there opinion or advice from and I think it's great. Very helpful people on the Garden Web! I have a bad feeling now though that is may in fact be voles as I dug up one of my antique roses that hadn't been doing good (with 2 holes near it) and it roots didn't look right. So I am going to try this method and see what I come up with. Easy and cheap without waasting money on traps and bait or having to buy harmful bait to gget rid of them. Wish me luck! ~Meghan

Part one I have a friend whose parents were among the founding members of the botanical society here, her name is Martina and she loves all growing things. Her mother passed away in 1996 and the botanical names of many of the plants she inherited are unknown to her although she grew up with them. Her parents are Austrian and called their plants by their Austrian names, sometimes translating the Austrian to English. When I first met her 4 years ago when she was dating my friend Charles. He brought her over one late afternoon for a visit, she'd brought a staggeringly beautiful plant with her that had been on my want list for a long time. Charles had it with him, he took her to the backyard and came to the door with one of it's flowers in his hand. I couldn't believe it when I saw him standing there, and tried to take the bloom, he was holding it out. He pulled it back and asked me what it was in a kind of challenging way. I thought he knew what it was and was testing me, lol, I said "It's a Gloriosa "Rothschildiana" of course!" Welllll, it wasn't a test, Martina really wanted to know and was such a warm, adorable, lovely person that we bonded almost instantly. Down through the years we've just gotten closer and closer. I love her to pieces. I wish I'd known her mother, she sounds like a rather wonderful humanbeing. I did meet their mutual friend, Nell, who is another wonderful and unique individual. Martina's a hero for introducing us. Her plants are amazing and she is passionate about them, and about life in general. She's 73 years young and can outwork most men I know. She's tough and knowledgeable and compassionate all at the same time. I think the world of this lady. Part two About the same time I met Nell I found Gardenweb and hooked up with a member in Mobile. We hit it off instantly, we had a lot in common and each was doing things that complimented the other. She's so wonderful, I don't know how to tell you how much I think of her. She's beautiful and smart, frank and earnest, honorable and ingenious. Our first meeting was at the botanical gardens' fall sale, we had a great time because we were kind of kept busy answering the questions of the other shoppers there, we didn't get much shopping done, lol. She went back on the last day of the sale, she knew the left-over plants would be marked down. One of the plants that hadn't sold, marked at $8 a gallon, was a bunch of Clivia miniata, it was marked at $2. a gallon. Ginny already had plenty of clivias, including some nice yellows, but she was knowledgeable enough to know that she shouldn't pass up an opportunity like that so she bought a couple to give as gifts, one was for an old friend, the other was for me! I couldn't believe it, I had wanted one for sooooo long, it was such a sweet, thoughtful thing to do and I hope she knows how much she means to me. I've had this clivia ever since, it's such a nice plant, such lovely long, orchid-like foliage. The whole growth...

Hell All, Thrilled to see a thread on Trellis Yarn, just started this shawl over the week-end, inspired by the shawl a friend knitted and was wearing at a luncheon. She has completed one in every color. It is tricky getting started, I've made three attempts; now its going pretty good, but just discovered a dropped stitch!! threejsmom thanks for the suggestion to change to circular needles, going to pick up them up today, and also tackle the dropped stitch. I'm new to the Knitting Forum, I usually lurk on the houseplants, orchids, etc forum. law

I have an odd relationship with games-- every once in a blue moon I'll play a game obsessively for a 1-3 days and then I wouldn't play a thing for a year or two. I really dislike the ones that feel juvenile-- but thanks to this thread, I am now playing Pepper Panic. I tried CC.. didnt love it.. moved on to Pepper Panic and well.. "my name is Funky and I am a pepper addict!" I'll soon give it up though-- I am going to bed later, letting laundry sit longer, cooking more simple meals. I hate when I let a game affect my life!