Wow, Gene, that's beautiful indeed. You should have won the competition with this picture! I wonder if it is just me whose eyes are getting worse with age and do not allow to recognize all those fine details just by looking at a plant. I often make a picture - as much macro as my camera allows it - ...

Hi Daiv,

you're right about the baby. But perhaps you didn't see that the little one is staring at the spines of a Stetsonia coryne. Of course such a little one can't have seen something like that before.

Greetings,

Polly

Hi MIchiel and Harald, I don't think "nature is disappearing" as Michiel said but it is changing - perhaps because of the increasing temperature. Here in Saarland we found insekts from Africa. Two years ago there were gigantic moths or butterflies to find we never had seen before. At the m...

Hola Miguel, thanks for those beautiful pictures. You're absolutely right, one cannot resist them. The 9-rib-one looks interesting. I've never seen one before. The "Vulcano" I like best! That are my colours! How old is that plant with 9 cm flowers? My astros are still too small/young, but ...

Hi again, Taliesin,

6,7,8 I agree with Gunhat.

9 looks like M. backebergiana ssp. backebergiana to me.

greetings,

Polly

Hi Taliesin,

the first one I don't know.

The last one is a Ritterocereus pruinosus, I think.

Greetings,

Polly

Hi Harald, my suggestion for your wife is Mammillaria carmenae and Mammillaria giselae. I've got both and they flower and flower and flower. Those tiny flowers move me to tears. Here is my M.giselae http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/3450/10003587qn.th.jpg And here is my M.carmenae http://img56.imag...

Hi Deefar, as for the mealy bug I'm with Daiv: Squash it! But the picture of the moth is a great shot! It looks like a bat, doesn't it? I like that photo very much and took a copy for my hard disk. I've never seen a moth that clear. How big was it? What kind of camera do you use? I would like to mak...

Hi Adam, look at this hole in my Stetsonia coryne: http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/2035/lochinstetsonia6wj.th.jpg It was made by a bird! Perhaps a hippy bird tried your pachanoi? The hole in my cactus looked worse last year after that attac. I treated the hole with charcoal powder. Perhaps you sh...

Hi Daiv,

E. sciurus is what I thought at first sight, but it gets taller than 6 cm, so I thought it couldn't be.

I'm very curious about other meanings.

Greetings from Polly

Hello Harald and Bill, yes, the translation was very good. At least it was that what I wanted to express. But Harald is right, it is nothing but a dream. Anyway, I am sure I would be able to do it. I worked as a nurse in Spain some years ago, and they gave me the job because of the knowledge in Engl...

Hola Harald, para ir a Bolivia, quedarme ahi, buscarme un trabajo y vivir muy feliz entre todas las sulcorebutias mi castellano esta bastante bien. Sobre todo a mi me gusta aprender. Toda la vida estoy aprendiendo y cada noche antes de dormir pienso de lo poco o mucho que he oido o leido nuevamente....

Hi Harald, I imagined the expression on the face of a judge when I ask for getting divorced because of "irreconcilable cactus differences". :shock: The cars would be no problem, Harald, because I don't like them, but to leave my cacti collection is impossible! I even don't like to go for h...

Hello Bill,

that is unbelievable beautiful! Can't wait to see the same spot with flowers all open.

Greetings from Polly

Hello Daiv,

here is a link to the website of Nobby, the guy who helped me with my ferocacti

http://www.ferokaktus.de./

Although the homepage is in german language you will see that Nobbi is a real specialist.

Greetings,

Polly