Ken, you must have read Diane Keaton's book. I have it on audio version, she reads the book herself. That's the second time you've mentioned "it ain't pretty" which is why I think you may be familiar with it. (thong was the first).....hehehehehhe Well, I'm glad you said it, because my eyes were bugging out. I thought maybe the hosta chosen were all miniature or smalls. TNC, you have been saved from a terrible heart attack when your hosta explode in the spring two years from now. Ask me how I know. :) So welcome to the forum. Ken is serious about taking a 10 foot string and drawing an arc in that corner. The hosta you have will end up making your dogwood disappear except for the limbs up top. Or almost. Google the names of each hosta and you can identify the posts related to them, read the ones you wish, and learn what happens to each plant in or near your zone. We have a few folks growing hosta in TX, so you should find something helpful about the eventual size of each hosta. Don't read the promo card, but read how big it becomes in your growing zone. What to watch for in your zone. I'm in zone 9a. It is interesting to me that more high zone folks are becoming interested in hosta. That is great! Hosta are on the move, and the direction is south! I always knew the hosta had a game plan for climate change. :)

MM, after watching all the neat changes that blogger does with decorating her hutch, is what makes me want one to play with so badly. But I honestly have NO place to put one. I am thinking maybe here in my "dog den" (my 6 Whippets, my TV, and my computer. LOL) when my 18 yr old fish kicks the bucket. I want that 50 gal tank gone and its either put a loveseat there, or a hutch. My dogs vote for the loveseat of course. LOL. Trouble is, I've heard of these kind of fish living for up to 30 yrs. LOL. (he's a freshwater scavenger, Plecostamus, and looks like a prehistoric monster. His shark buddy died last year at same age. Anyway, he's here till the end. ;o) Lynne mentioning decorating your curio cabinet. I do that for Christmas with several of mine, but never have for other holidays. Can't seem to bring myself to pack or sell my many collections. MM, leaving you with my favorite quote... "You just gotta learn to dance while Life is throwing chainsaws and chickens at you.... after the first few cuts and pecks, the rest is easy." hugs, Karen

Thanks, everyone! Glad you enjoyed the pictures. Bebe, you called that one right. Those strands took me 15 mins. apiece, and that was if I didn't make any mistakes (I made a lot of booboos since each strand had its own pattern). The math/pattern alone on that was tough enough to figure out. I started out thinking I'd bead fringe for the whole thing, but quickly changed my mind. If you're not insane already, doing that job will put you there. lol I'm putting the surgery off till I finish the toy box. Both hands have bad osteoarthritis in the thumb joint, and hurt all the time, so I'm eager to get them fixed!

You did a nice job. Regarding the wire brushing, you have to wire brush 24 to 48 hours after it sets up in the mold. It's too hard to do if you let it set up longer. For most planters/troughs I unmold and wire brush in 24 hours, wrap back up in plastic for a couple of days and then put it in a water bath for a few days. You do not have to dry slowly over the Summer. Unless the alpine plants are sensitive to lime you should be able to plant right now. The soil usually buffers the plant from the lime in the trough. You didn't use any sand? What did you use for an outer mold? Did you use an inner mold?