try saying it 3 times fast!

Oh, pshaw on you Greg -- I meant to say leucothoe, which is a mouthful in itself.

I figured that!

beautiful pics, deb!

Bonehead said:Pussywillow - bringing in for some color and to get some rootings, plan to use them as a summer screen between us and neighbors.

• Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)
• Uploaded by Bonehead

Such a great picture Deb. What kind of camera do you have? Mine is an old hand me down from one of the boys.

Spring: I have two cameras, neither is anything special. When I gave up film, I've gone through several inexpensive point-n-shoot digi's and can't say I like one any better than the other. They seem to get dropped and/or misplaced often, or just quit working for no apparent reason. It is never cost effective to fix them, so I just replace them. I don't spend more than about $100, and my only criteria is they must have a flower (macro) setting, and use AA batteries. It's also nice if they use an SD card, although that isn't a deal breaker. I also prefer a colored camera so I can spot it easily. Currently have a Nikon CoolPix L26 and Fugi FinePix AX. I've been using the Fugi lately.

You are taking very fine pictures with it.

I have mixed feelings about Pussy Willows. They're beautiful and the catkins feel so soft and wonderful, but when I was just 2 or 3, I loved the soft feeling so much that I put a catkin up my nose. My grandmother immediately turned me upside down, poured a big container of cayenne pepper into my nostrils, and then sat me rightside up again, at which point I sneezed out the catkin and had a nosebleed for the rest of the day. I always remember how awful a peppered nose feels whenever I see Pussy Willows.

Did you ever put anything up your nose again Zuzu?
Wow, I can't imagine what that would have felt like.

No, Lynn. I learned my lesson. It probably saved me from becoming a cokehead later.

Smart grandmother.

Zuzu, you always know how to make me laugh!! Cute (yet scary sounding) story!!

Things are starting to pop:

Bittercress - Cardamine trifolia


Pieris 'Valley Valentine'


Oregon grape - Mahonia aquifolium

I love Oregon Grape. I used to use the berries for jelly making.

some more color----

forsynthia--->
camelia-->
hyacinth---->
Dicentra spectabilis) 'Gold Heart'---->

Duane, so nice to see your beautiful spring blooms, thanks for posting.

Very nice Duane!

Beautiuful Duane. Your Gold Heart is huge. Mine has never even thought of getting that big.