Ahughes (or anybody else), if you're interested in a trade or SASBE, check out my exchange list... Esh-ga, thanks for the good wishes on the winter-sowing. So far done 65 containers, including 38 native species and several cultivars of native species. Its been fun, and I can't wait to see how well things germinate and grow! Winter-sowing affords the opportunity to grow lots of natives that would be difficult or impossible to get at nurseries, or exorbitantly expensive to buy as plants. I bought lots of native seeds (and a few non-native) this winter and offered extras on the Seed Exchange forum. There was a lot of interest in native seeds, which was nice. But I was dismayed to see people trading invasive species like Euonymous alatus (burning bush) or Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven). One poster even explained on her exchange page how she grows Oriental bittersweet and keeps it contained on a trellis so it's okay! Yeah...only if she strips off every berry...if she saw how it's strangling native trees around here, she might change her mind!

Jane, so glad your pneumonia is starting to improve. I"ve had that a few times and it's no fun. The air quality has not been good here, and thats in the mountains where we are supposed to have "clean, pure air", so I have been having to use my aburitol almost every day. Breathing problems run in my DM's family,nearly all of my 8 aunts and uncles as well as my DM had asthema or COPD and I think I just inherited that from them. It is raining here today, so the air doesn't feel hardly so bad, but it sure workd on the artheritis; my optomologist (SP) told me one time "that getting old was not for sissies" and I think he knew what he was talking about, probably from experience sense he is a few years older than me. Summer did fly by didn't it? I really dread winter snow and ice, but I really believe that I feel better in the winter than in the summer. I guess it goes without saying that spring and fall are my favorite seasons.Take care of yourself, and get plenty of rest so you will get to feeling like a spry "teenager" real soon. Prayers, Janet

I too thought you were in Mexico again, Jen, with a margarita in your hand and sand between your toes. :-) beache and amysrq, thanks for the nice thoughts. My computer croaked in mid-December and it took me a while to get another one. (Freecyclers tend to have an interesting definition of "working" when it comes to computers...) While the library has computers for public use, lines were long and time limited so that by the time I got through basic email and "business" (one of the drawbacks of being on electronic payment and paperless billing for everything!) there was no time left for fun. Hey, has anyone else been here long enough to remember that there was a lot less downtime, lost posts, and general messed-up-ness when Spike ran this joint? (That'll probably get me a Friendly Reminder, eh?)

Hi extremely patient GW virtual decorators, I took rosewindÂs advice and found a few inspirational bathrooms and/or powder rooms. I love the last two bathrooms the best!! I found them on Rate My Space and what I like about them is their simplicity and clean lines. I included bathrooms with pedestal sinks and/or bead board with the same clean lines. This is my dilemma, aesthetically speaking, should your home be decorated in a cohesive manner? Can I paint and decorate this room as a separate entity of its own or should it blend with the rest of my home? What IÂd like to do is paint it either grayish blue or grayish green so that the molding and baseboards pop. IÂd then paint the mirror frame metallic silver and change the toilet paper dispenser and towel ring to match the mirror. IÂm still not sure what to use to store extra toilet paper. IÂve included pictures of my entry, dining and living room since theyÂre the rooms surrounding this one. The powder room is to the left of the stairs if youÂre facing it from the outside. All this trouble for one teeny tiny room. Thanks