Hi Naomi! Glad you took the plunge and joined in on the action. This is a great bunch here and you won't regret it. I think there are a few forum regulars in your neck of the woods. My name is Betsy and I live north of you in Palm Coast. Near the east coast - south of St. Augustine. I currently work fulltime but am losing my job on May 2nd due to a corporate buyout/downsizing whatever they want to call it. I wish I could stay home but unfortunately that cannot happen just yet. I like all that nature has to offer. ~Betsy

Heeyy, Deanna! You're sure up late for a workin-gal! LOL Hard to adjust to the time change, I bet! :o) To answer your question, that's a sport of my 'Francee'! She sported one set of variegated leaves one year, and I thought it was just a passing *fancy*, but when it showed up with more of the same type of leaves the following season, I divided it out! It held well, that summer and then I moved it to a bed where it got less sun, unfortunately (to avoid the tearing of the cream margins) and it failed to demonstrate the same vigor and variation. I don't know if that had that much to do with it, in reality, but by this Spring, it had reverted back to mostly the 'Francee' look! One leaf was all chartreuse with the cream margin but the rest were 'Francee' all the way! :o( 'Buff24' found a registered sport, that had the same look as mine, already named-so it apparently is a fairly common sporting habit! I understand, that 'Francee" is fairly prolific in sporting--a *fertile myrtle* maybe? But, then I guess it's not a matter of 'fertility' but mutating, instead?? Don't think I have that understanding down pat yet! Apparently, (according to one of the pics. at 'the Library') the registered 'Fancy Francee' is also very unstable! Here is a link that might be useful: 'Fancy Francee'

For all the hot!!! climate mater growers thats havin truble growing stuf in the heat not jist maters Id like ta set yah thinkin bout usin surround wp. The only thang yah hafta bes careful bout is gettin it on blossims. Itll make yore leaf surface a dad gum site cooler with out takin away eny of the goodies the sun duz. It mite even hep with small critters and the dad gum sickies that maters do git.And this here stuf be bout as hurtful to ma nature as a cool breeze. Ifn it pleases you to , look it up on the dad gum i net . Im not tryin to sell it , i jist know it worked for me. Ifun youd like i kin go inta more detail. talk at yah later , enjoy a mater.

Here's a visual for you...it's Saturday morning, a young mother with Snugli and baby in tow, 8-track blaring and the vacuum. You know the rest of the story. Congrats on overcoming the many obstacles. You know what they say? "And I'll survive, I will survive, I will survive!"