Greg, glad you can see all the names now. To respond to your earlier question, I don't know how these would grow in the ground. I have 2 Dyckia-in pots. Don't have any Hechtia, though. Also, if you want to see albums of previous year's events, I have other albums at Picasa. I believe if you click on my name near the top of the page, it will take you to the page with all my public albums. I'm happy you're all enjoying the pix & appreciate the time & effort. It's a labor of love. :) I don't usually have TIME...and I get sidetracked easily with my crazy busy life...my middle name changed from "Sidetracked" to "Hectic". LOL! So finishing processing pix is a miracle! But...THIS time, it worked out! I still have my cartjumper album to do! :P Gay, wish I could make it to Phoenix for your show in April. I'll be looking forward to YOUR pix & to see what ribbons YOU take home! Penny, glad I helped you out of feeling grumpy! We'll just have to plan to meet at the next show (June? Mark your calendar)! I think you made Jordi's day~about his Eulychnia. :D Yes, these shows are a good way to see "real" plants, not just in books. That Adro. has been hard to photograph in the past. I love when it turns red. Which Echeveria book did you get? Glad to supply a "fix" for you seedmoney (Julie?)! :) As for my cartjumpers, another album is coming-not sure if today, but soon. Ryan, good! I was hoping for the virtual tour effect! I recall you asking Norma about her Adro. herrei before. It IS a special plant! I got mine from my dearly departed friend, Al. Rian & Keith, Glad you like. You're welcome! Jurgen, I was so happy to see you again! It had been too long I was away! Glad to have some of your plants as my cartjumpers! I am happy to have known your "spirals" from when they were youngsters! I'm sure I have pix of them too! The Eulychnia is a very special plant, grown by the Master!! Now, I must take the dogs for a walk while there's a break in the rain. =D

Interesting question for me because I have considered replacing part of my lawn with iceplant for several years. If we have another dry summer -- and it's certainly looking that way right now -- I will probably do it. My house is on a south-facing hill, and the grass really struggles in dry weather. You might want to consider iceplant rather than sedum. I have both of them in my yard, and iceplant is much faster growing and blooms for a much longer period of time. It has a coarser texture than the small sedums, but it attractive. The flowers are spectacular, bright magenta red/purple similar to thrift and bloom from spring to frost (although heaviest in spring). The variety I have is Delosperma cooperi. It is fully winter hardy around here. I also have a yellow-flowered variety, but it is not as hardy and only blooms for a short period. Finally, I don't think sedum or iceplant would take much foot traffic. A little wouldn't hurt, but most succulents don't like being stepped on.

Luvs, as you know, my Too Long to Do List has taken on gigantic proportions and become the blob like in those horror movies, who swallow people and towns. LOL. I want to make so many things, tho heaven knows where I'd put here any of it. LOL. But I just can't stop myself from finding and saving neat photos and ideas. I'd probably actually get more made if I stayed the heck off here! Kathleen, I also am so NOT ready for Christmas. I LOVE Fall and want it to last. Just seems when I can't sleep and go looking for decor pix, not that much comes up for Fall, or I already have them in our album. Darn. That's sad some of your friends stopped decorating, tho I did that a couple times years ago. Right after Jason was burned and my Mom died. 2001 and 2002 were emotionally draining, and I just had no heart for it at the time. Seemed like no one came over, my DH doesn't care one way or the other, and it was a lot to work just to entertain the cats. LOL. But now my mind set is much better, and I'd do it no matter what I think, simply because it makes ME feel good and happy to see. Again, I owe a lot of that decorating mind-set to THIS Forum. Its fun to decorate now for ALL the holidays, instead of just Christmas. I keep remembering this came about ALL because of stumbling across Judith's stacked plates!!! Funny how 3 little cake plates could change one's life so much! Everyone here really has added a lot to my life, and opened up my little world. Being housebound quite often with the Fibromyalgia, it means more than you know to have all of you. I never dreamed I could have so much fun with my Invisible Friends (at least not since I was about about 5). LOL hugs, Karen

Arts and Crafts houses are gloomy even on bright days in Southern California. I don't think there's any way to be really true to the handcrafted style without. It's lighting lighting lighting, as you already know. I don't think dark counters will really make it that much darker--that is, even with light counters you'd still need lighting lighting lighting, so go with what you like ;)