CG>There below me (I was supine, you will recall) on the ceiling
  >were HOLES! Gaps in the very fabric that stops the people in the
  >penthouse above me from dropping in for supper.
Hey Chris, thanks for the smile.  Such an ardent re-user as your self
surly took joy in the opportunity to re-use empty pockets of air or
should I call them holes. :-)
Last year I had had enough of one of the trees in the front.  That
sucker had made it's way into the sewer pipe and every 6 months I had to
get the pipe drilled out or I would get a truly nasty surprise all over
the basement floor.  This tree was a pine and was looking pretty bad.  I
think it had been around for about 60 yeaars.  It was planted too close
to the house and any hardy burglar or wirey teenager could have used it
to get onto the front porch roof.  The neighbour's cat regularly did
this and would start a hissy fit with my cat in the upstair window in
the middle of the night (eeiks what a fright at 2 AM).
Well I sacrificed the tree.  I traded the trunk and larger branches of
the pine for good quality maple chips that I used in the garden and gave
several bags to friends (started with 27).
The leftover branches were tied and strapped to the front porch railing.
From the side garden I pulled the dead, almost bleached to a golden
white/yellow stems from some Solomon's Seal plant. (They are tall
with elongated leaves growing on either side of the stem all the way
to the top and they grow back every year). These stalks still had the
leaves on and were bundled together and attached to the greenery with
bows I made from leftover lawn chair webbing (This stuff is weather
proof and the one I had was white with gold threads.) I had a string of
plastic beads that I had used inside before but the paint was chipping
off exposing a dull white plastic underneath. These beads were wrapped
into the greenery and because you weren't up close you could not tell
they were loosing the pearly white paint.
The top of the tree came inside and became the sorriest looking
Christmas tree I have ever had. Somehow though it is my all time
favorite because of where it came from.
So it cost me $800 to down the tree from which I got all those goodies
and I don't have to spend $200. every time I need to drill out the
basement drain and no ugly stinky surprises when I forget to drill the
drain.
Susan
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 þ SLMR 2.1a þ 
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** A related thread FOLLOWS this message.

FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 208 HOME & GARDEN Ref: EGKI0778 Date: 12/16/97
From: TIMOTHY DUEHRING                                      Time: 02:12pm
\/To: SUSAN MERCER                                        (Read 2 times)
Subj: R: A second use ....

Susan,


SM>The leftover branches were tied and strapped to the front porch railing.
SM>From the side garden I pulled the dead, almost bleached to a golden
SM>white/yellow stems from some Solomon's Seal plant. (They are tall
SM>with elongated leaves growing on either side of the stem all the way
SM>to the top and they grow back every year). These stalks still had the
SM>leaves on and were bundled together and attached to the greenery with
SM>bows I made from leftover lawn chair webbing (This stuff is weather
SM>proof and the one I had was white with gold threads.) I had a string of
SM>plastic beads that I had used inside before but the paint was chipping
SM>off exposing a dull white plastic underneath. These beads were wrapped
SM>into the greenery and because you weren't up close you could not tell
SM>they were loosing the pearly white paint.
SM>The top of the tree came inside and became the sorriest looking
SM>Christmas tree I have ever had. Somehow though it is my all time
SM>favorite because of where it came from.

    Martha Stewart, eat your heart out!
    
    
Timothy Duehring
tduehrin@execpc.com
FIDO=1:154/280
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* UniQWK #5098* "Let's see them figure *that* one out!" - Hobbes
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> LAST Message In Thread <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 208 HOME & GARDEN Ref: EGK00002 Date: 12/12/97
From: DEBBIE FORD                                           Time: 5:23Aam
\/To: MARILYN BOISSONEAULT                                (Read 2 times)
Subj: Knobby Trees

Check out what Marilyn Boissoneault wrote on 10 Dec 97  10:36:29:
 Marilyn> Yes your messages are getting out. I'm afraid I just don't know
 Marilyn> anything about knobby trees.  They sound interesting though.
 Marilyn> Perhaps if you went to your local nursery they could help you.
 Marilyn> If it grows in your area they should be familiar with it's needs.
        Thanks Marilyn...but the problem is that I have never seen one
around here before nor heard of it. The "parent tree" is in southern Calif.
and I live in northern Calif. a big difference in climate and all. As for
the nurseries around here...well..I think that they would look at me as
if I were insane..(BG) The tree seems to be doing ok so far..but of course
it is in the dormate state right now.. It has only planted 2 and a half 
months ago..about four days after our wedding. We have been getting some
frost more now...and that is my concern...it has been dropping to 26 or
so at night..I know that it isn't cold for some parts of the country..
but for the Sacramento Valley of California that is getting on the cold
side...burrr...we aren't aclimated to it..8-(
        Thanks for getting back to me....
                         Debbie Ford
                        ford@syix.com
... The power of love is only as mighty as the heart.
--- DLG Pro v1.16
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