For Turface, do an online search to see if you have any Ewing Irrigation Stores near you (Anaheim, Garden Grove, Lake Forest, San Clemente, Santa Anna) - or John Deere Landscapes dealers. The Horizon Dealer in Orange (714) 279-8154 should have it, too. Ask for Turface 'MVP' or 'Allsport'. I'll check a thread over on the container gardening forum that's dedicated to helping growers find various ingredients. If you're lucky, maybe someone in your neighborhood already using the gritty mix will pitch in and help. You can substitute coarse perlite for the granite if you have to, or if you find a suitable sized pumice, we can make that work, too. Call around, for the bark (pine/fir/redwood), but I'll look for that, too. The size of the ingredients is important. It may initially be a pain to locate what you need, but if you're willing to do the legwork (with whatever help we can be), I'm sure you'll be well-pleased with the results. I gave a presentation after a pleasant luncheon this afternoon to a local chapter (Saginaw, MI) of a national organization (Women's Farm and Garden Association). I talked about many of the things I regularly share here (the topic was caring for houseplants) - the response was very enthusiastic - great audience participation and involvement, with the most questions asked being about soils - and particularly about how to make them. Though I never got to that part (ran out of time), a promise to provide recipes and instructions was extracted. It was a really great group - very friendly. I'm still excited about the positive response, but most of all I'm thrilled as a result of getting to see 'the light go on' over and over again as the ladies (and a few gentleman guests) sort of rearranged some of the pieces of the container gardening/houseplants puzzle and gained understanding in areas where there may have been some confusion or even a void. I'll never grow weary of seeing that 'AHA moment' - it's tremendously rewarding - I'm still pumped. ;-) Al

How forgiving your tree is depends in large part on what approach you take to reverse its decline, and timing plays an important part in determining how enthusiastically your tree will react to your ministrations. Let me know if you want to make a plan that will begin with eliminating the mealybug problem and entering into a discussion about what's going on in the root zone. In addition to my offerings here, it's likely I'll offer some links to short (short in comparison to a book, but longer than the average GW/Houzz post) articles/posts I wrote, which you can read at your leisure. Sound like something you're up for? Al

D`Ann, here's all I gots on the China Doll: 1. Davesgarden.com info. 2. A little blurb of info, highlighted for easy finding on webpage; I think the China Doll's location is southern Louisiana). 3. More outdoor info, talking about the blooms; located in Texas. 4. Couldn't refind the original website of the man who wrote this quote...I put the addy into the internet archives (courtesy Wayback Machine)...and got this, and did find someone else quoting him...copied from this source: China Doll is often sold as a small indoor plant at many places. This is what happens when you put one in the ground in Zone 9B of southeast Texas! Produces a beautiful tree that is right at home in any landscape, especially tropical or Oriental. It was used quite extensively in southern Florida during the 1930Âs but is almost nonexistent in Texas. The binnate leaves having numerous green leaflets are quite distinctive. It would make a beautiful specimen tree. Had I known this it would have been planted in a more prominent place. The tree pictured is about 18 feet in height and still growing. Quite a few years ago it did die back to about 1 foot above the ground when we had an unseasonably cold winter that reached down to 20 degrees F with an ice storm. The tree revived itself by producing 4 new trunks. This winter it went through 5 periods where the temperature reached 27 degrees F and hardly lost a leaf but the trunks are 3.4 to 4 inches in diameter now and more heavily barked than that previous cold winter. Hopefully this will protect it from future bitter cold. 5. In Santa Monica, is a statement how they're placing China Dolls for street trees next to their sidewalks. Just interesting info (also, highlighted to find easier on the webpage, scroll downward). Sure thought more info was saved on my laptop, too, but dunno where I put it. I planted a China Doll, full sun, in Feb., or maybe that was March of this year; it has three trunks, one 3ft., one 4, and one six feet. I skirted up the lower branches today because of wind damage, and under-watering it (needs good rain really badly!). My plan was to skirt away, originally, just not so soon. Dunno how well it will do but you know I'm hoping for the best! :o) ....best wishes for you too!

Aunt Jen, I proudly display my collection of dolls....always have. I'm almost 65, so that tells you the age of my dolls. AND, many of my dolls belonged to my mother, who is 87 years old. I have a Madame Alexander baby doll in her christening gown...She's just lovely. I was given her when I was about 7 or 8 years old...so early - mid 1950s. And some "character" or "story book" dolls from the late 1940s/early 1950s. What's really unique about my collection is that most of my dolls are from foreign countries. Uncles serving overseas in WWII or the Korean War, brought me dolls when they came home. So these are very old dolls, made in their native countries. I have dolls from all over the world that arrived in my home from the late 1940s - mid 1970s. When I was growing up in Denver, I occasionally lent my dolls collection to the local library for them to put on display and it always received rave reviews because people loved seeing the native clothes of people from around the world. When I remodeled this home in 2005, I had the carpenter build a custom case to show my dolls...with proper over head lighting and everything. They're still crammed in the case, but are much more easily viewed than in any other cabinet. I'll take some photos and attach them here soon. I love my dolls, and I proudly display them....even though the rest of my house tends toward formal/traditional/Oriental decor. Free your dolls from their boxes and proudly display them! :)