I've been using the same fertilizer from Sun Bulb more than 20 years. The product is called orchid plus. On the package it indicates no urea. A few years ago the AOS endorsed it. Written on the package. For what that is worth. It is difficult for me to get my arms around what is right or wrong. I do know that my plants seem healthy and strong. The question is if I change what I do will it improve the plants. That means change anything including feed. So I decided to call Sun Bulb and they sent me an email from Robert Palmer, their master grower. This is his response about urea. Dear Harvey: Tina asked me to contact you about the no urea in Orchid Plus. Using a fertilizer with Urea tends to drop the media ph very low after extended use. It will not harm your orchid if you are using a fertilizer that contains Urea, we are not making that claim at all. Many orchids are grown mounted or in the case of vandas in a basket with no mix or media whatsoever. In these cases all fertilizer runs off on the ground immediately . This does not allow for the urea to be converted to the ammonia(NH4+) or nitrate(NO3-) ions. Urea can be taken through the foliage but the plant responds better and faster using nitogen in the nitrate and ammonia forms. Roots do not take up nitrogen in the urea form. Low temps in the winter especially slow down the conversion process of nitrification by the soil microbes. I hope I have explained this properly to you. Using any fertilizer is better than using nothing even if the fertilizer contains urea. Sincerely Robert Palmer I believe that from now to the end of time this subject will continue to be debated.

You can put some chicken wire between some of the bottom/support rocks and it will stand up..If the ground moves or settles under the rock wall it will crumble..So make sure you are building the wall on a stable settled foundation. We have a school near here that was build in 1940 the school has a rock wall built of sandstone and the wall still stands...Not sure if that is because of the amazing mortar or beceuse the site was stable or a combination of both...Some of the mortars that have synthetics in them are excellent long lasting bonders. Granite rock is VERY durable...

alaskadiver: Well I printed the info on the link and showed it to the gardener. He said he is pretty sure that is the snake they found behind the waterfalls! He aksed if he could keep the information to show his crew that it was not posionous...but since it said it could climb some 40 feet up high in the trees---now he's going to have to worry about his guys staring up in the trees while they are working on the various yards! :) You mentionted "if our pool borders a river..." well,... Armand Bayou & Nature Preserve (http://www.abnc.org/, borders our neighborhood!! It is a very large Wildlife refuge and wilderness preserve (2,500 acres by us and NASA). So I guess along with the deer that come to our window, we will have to put up with a snake sometime. We have lived in this house for almost 20 years and have only seen the occasional water snake. Thank you so much alaskadiver, for sending the information regarding the snake!! barco & tresw: Thanks for the 'good' info on the pressure washer. Starting with a wide spray pattern would be the way to go...now to find someone to do it! I'm still a little 'apprehenisive' of spending any serious amount of time around the waterfalls!!! So today was the last day of school for the boys & I have a housefull of swimmers celebrating. Hands off the rocks for now. Thanks again for all the input!!!! Now some time for summer fun...oh to be a kid again!!! :)

NO, to the mirror. If it were less detailed, the round shape might work OK, as the size isn't bad. It's not the charming pair of diamond earrings with the jeans and T shirt look that you were after. It's more the WTH tiara with the T shirt and jeans bit. The thing that jumps to my vision immediately about the fireplace is that truly odd split mantle. I think if you focused on replacing that with something in the proper scale and rusticity----and all the way across the fireplace---that you could decorate the mantle much more successfully. Minimalistic, on any accessories, but a large scale picture, and maybe a couple of pewter candle sticks for some appropriate shiny bling.