We've had a lot of the regular anoles around too. I would put an over ripe banana on the rail of our deck, the flies came to it, and so did the anoles. Little bellies were soon distended with lots of flies. I saw one anole eat five flies within a few minutes. There is another kind of pink and black/gray spotted little guy not a native who hangs out too. Locally they are called Buddy-Roes, and I looked them up but promptly forgot what kind they were. Good to have them around. This is in zone 8b as well.

Wow! If anyone says we are having a greenhouse affect, I will, blank my pants! lol Those temps are just ridiculous! Whhat gives? I can't beleive the snow you had Mike and for that area. Good golly! looks like you are just about to engulf your greenhouse into an igloo very soon as I did..lol Now, what's next, tornados? I is such a good feeling to ee the temps in there that warm right, those lucky trees. I lost my heat last night, ran out of oil. It was 55 in my home this am and it was 68 in the greenhouse. I almost slept in there this am.. Mike: The one thing that ALWAYS scares me, especially this time of the year is loosing the electricty while asleep or not home! Luckily, that is the one thing I can be grateful for. Pgde!!!! Now that is a bad dream you had! Oh wait, is that the real Macoy? Ice hanging from the fountain way down there in Tuscon? Your kidding, right?... What about your trees? How are they doing? Wow, and yet beautiful.. Unbeleivable... I will come back and show a few shots of my snow too, since it hasn't stopped for over a month. A snow storm about every two days! Mike

I think you have gotten some very good advice here from everyone. I don't have much to add in terms of that kind of advice as I have not been through all of this. However, it sounds as if you are truly wanting to make sure the estate is handled fairly for your remaining siblings who you DO care about. I know you said your dad is manipulative, but can you possibly set some personal boundaries and do this because it needs to be done, and done right for the future of your siblings, especially for your brother's sake? Think of it as a business transaction, your goals are to learn A, B, C, ask for D, E, F on your brother's behalf and see if he is willing to make those changes? Get in, get out, and don't look back until the time comes for you to be the executor if that is how it must be for you. It may not be easy or pain-free, but if you feel that strongly about the distribution of the estate, you may need to endure some of that pain for the comfort you would have in the end knowing it was handled fairly and your siblings are taken care of. I don't envy your position, it is difficult, but sometimes what is right isn't what's easiest. I wish you strength during this difficult time.

Nice link Bourbon! I do know about the Champaca. I've tried sprouting the seeds a few times without any luck lol. I may just order a plant. Its another one I would have to put in the greenhouse though and I am running out of room. One of the reasons I started adding more roses is to have more color in the yard during the winter months here plus I don't have to put them in the greenhouse like many of my plants. I really need to move further south! Champaca is also called The Joy Perfume Tree. Chanel no 5 is supposed to mimic the Ylang Ylang tree. I am probably gonna get shade for this but I don't really like Chanel no. 5 lol. I do like the smell of the Ylang Ylang tree. Something must get lost in the transformation to perfume. I haven't smelled the Joy perfume yet. This is a great website to search and read about tropical plants. I have only ordered seeds from here because a lot of their shipping seems high but its a good resource to read about stuff. https://toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/garden_catalog/cat.cgi?uid=Michelia_champaca I also have a couple Michelia figo aka banana shrubs which I can leave out in the winter here. It smells just like bananas and vanilla. They aren't as widely grown in North FL and they were when I lived in Louisiana but they should be.