First you'll see a swollen node, then little leaves growing from the node, then eventually roots from the base of the leaves. Some phals just tend to do this depending on their parentage, with or without stress. I have one phal that does it every now and then, but the other dozen or so don't. You can remove the keiki when it has enough roots to support itself, say 2 or 3 roots each about 2 to 4 inches long. How long it takes the keiki to get to this point depends on your growing conditions and the general health of the mother plant, but for me it is usually takes about one good indoor growing season -- about 6 to 8 months. In a greenhouse under better conditions, it could be shorter.

Or...you could order the impress aluminum labels from the manufacturer for a very good price at http://www.amekron.com I find that they hold up way better than the flimsy ones from other suppliers that have only a single hole for the stainless steel wire. Since I've been using the Amekron labels I haven't lost one. The old ones have littered my landscape as they inevitably fall off after a few years because the wire works its way through the thin aluminum. Charley

Words cannot hurt you, only you can hurt you from words. That's fact. If you can't, for lack of a better term "control yourself" or probably better, reason with yourself you're in for a world of hurt in this life. Some people look for things to offend them. That's also fact. They look for ways to be offended by something. It's not what someone said, it's what they wanted to hear so they can manufacture some outrage. Be careful you don't get into that trap. When someone says something, were they right? Is there truth to it? If not, why should it bother you? If it's not true, did you tell them? If it's true, should you do something about it? Do you take yourself too seriously? I look at whether I am pleased with myself or not. Am I doing things in a decent way? If so, why would what someone said bother me for more than a few seconds at most. When I look at it that way, I usually can find the humor in it. Humor cures a multitude of ills both physically and emotionally. And of course if it was true what was said, then it's a fact. Why should anyone be upset about a fact? Embarrassed perhaps If someone says "your farts stink" well, if they do, maybe it's embarrassing but that's it. Can't be hurt by that. If they didn't, ask yourself is it worth making a big deal out of it? There's another old saying (that only is true a small percentage of the time) about if you let it get to you the other person "wins". Not sure about what the "win" really is, but I do know when someone can get a person's goat, there's a large number of people who will keep on doing it whether for laughs or whatever. You can help them or not. Not knowing what the problem really was so it's hard to address your situation but I also use a few criteria in addition to what I've already said: If I'm feeling really bothered about it, I'll sit and try to evaluate it realistically - can I do anything about it? If so, do it. If not, you're only beating yourself up by letting it bother you. Again, you will hurt yourself, not them. If I'm really stressed about something, I have found that deep breathing exercises work well for stress. Inhale slowly for a 5-10 count through your nose, hold it a few seconds and exhale slowly through your mouth for same count. It's good for your health physically and mentally. It helped me with panic attacks and sure helps for blood pressure. Then comes the time when it's time to forget about it. Yes, often easier said than done, but it can be done. Distract yourself. Watch a comedy, read a book, work on a hobby, call someone who makes you feel good, cook, clean, take a shower or bath, pay some bills or spend a few minutes with a pet makes a big difference. Each person has their thing(s) that work or don't work for them. And sometimes go with the song lyric, "lost the friends that I needed losing". If their association makes you feel bad and you can't deal with it any longer, why not get rid of the relationship? But be sure it's not YOU beating yourself up and blaming them since it could be the same thing happen again with someone else. Good luck.

Thank you all for your advice and pictures. I just LOVE them! After a weekend of being laid up again (fell off a machine at the gym and totally wrecked my back but am finally feeling a bit better now), I am hopingto get out there and prune this coming three day (can you say YEA!) weekend! Still on the fence about my climber as she is throwing out all sorts of laterals right now so this could be a good bloom year unlike prior years. She may have just had to have more time to come into her own. However, I am seeing that there are all sorts of little oak trees and other plants coming up through my rose bushes due to the mulch and birds. UGH! I may have lost my Sharifa Asma because of it if I can't pull them out. I have a feeling my garden is going to be very sparse this year due to a bunch of new roses going in to replace my old ones. Evelyn and Ambridge are reverting back to rootstock, so out they go. I have oak trees growing up in my Sharifa Asma as well as Evelyn, Mary Webb and now one of my Brother Cadfaels! I also have another unidentified bush growing up in my Peach Blossom. So it looks like I pretty much get to start from scratch all over again. Looks like an expensive year!