Carol Cloud Bailey: Varieties of crinum lilies a favorite for Treasure Coast gardens

1311967282 55 Carol Cloud Bailey: Varieties of crinum lilies a favorite for Treasure Coast gardens

Q: what time of year does the crinum spider lily produce the bulbils to replant in pots or garden? Where are the bulbils located, where the flower is? Do I wait for them to fall on the ground or can they be picked off the plant?

Nick, via email

A: beautiful crinum lilies are long time favorites for southern gardens. there are several common species grown in Treasure coast landscapes; all of these are large plants from giant true bulbs.

Giant spider lily (Crinum asiaticum) produces bulbs that can grow up to 10 to 20 pounds each. The leaves are sword-shaped, pointed at the end and grow in a spiral. The flowers appear atop of a thick stalk in large groups. Blooms are usually white with a greenish tube tipped with many narrow spidery petals and exude a sweet intense fragrance.

The swamp lily (Crinum americanum) is native to Florida and the southeastern United States. it produces lance-shaped leaves which grow from a 4-inch bulb. White or pink flowers are produced atop tall spikes.

St. Christopher Lily (Crinum jagus) grows leaves that are very upright and pleated compared to the other crinums. The bulb can grow up to 6 inches across and a weigh several pounds. Individual flowers also produced on stalks are funnel-shaped with wide, waxy, pointed petals that curve slightly outward. The flower color is white with dark stamens.

Crinums are most often propagated by dividing the numerous offsets produced by the bulbs. once the pups have grown good sized bulbs, dig up the clump and careful separate the individual plants.

Some crinums produce seeds. The large bulbous looking structures found on the flower stalks after the blooms decline are seed pods though they may look like bulbs. These may appear any time of year after flowering and maybe harvested once the pod is mature. Split the pod open if it hasn’t already, remove the seeds and plant them immediately.

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The Puzzle of Plant-Pollinator Interactions

1311967238 81 The Puzzle of Plant Pollinator InteractionsDaniel S. SongButterfly landing on Scabiosa, probing each floret for a sugary reward.

Daniel Song, a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania, writes from Hovsgol National Park, Mongolia, where he is studying how plants and pollinators form interaction networks.

Friday, July 22

Daniel S. SongCardamine sp.

As the summer wraps up in northern Mongolia, the flowers are senescing and some species from the beginning of the season are already setting seeds. there are sharp turning points throughout the season: Early on, the weather is cold and wet; the middle of the season is hot and drier; and the latter third of the season represents an amalgam of hot as well as cold and wet days.

We’ve noticed a clear trend in the species that emerge throughout the summer weeks along with an equally clear trend in the temporal distribution of functional characteristics. The flowers tend to be smaller and less fragrant in the beginning of the season, and they have short corolla tube depths. The insects in the beginning tend to be flies, which have short mouth parts. The middle part of the season is filled with large nectar-producing flowers with deep corolla tubes, which are visited by bees and butterflies with long probosces. The latter part of the season, with the climate a mixture of the earlier two phases, is filled with butterflies, flies and bees, all contributing their services to the pollination of the flowers.

Of course, flowers and insects are not the whole story.

Daniel S. SongThalictrum minus.

The abundance of flowers and the composition of the flowering assemblages help with understanding plant-pollinator interactions. The flowers that overlap in phenology and the functional characteristics of those flowering together all interact to determine the pollinator visitation that we see. Although population-level studies give us insight into some ecological properties of certain species, they cannot account for the possible emergent properties of the populations within an assemblage. Examining one flowering species may give insight to the visitation frequency of a pollinator but cannot give any information about how foraging choices are made. by examining all the flowering species together, we may be able to extract information (like functional characteristics) that the pollinator may process when deciding which flower to visit. then researchers can revisit more specific ecological questions by scaling back down to the population level (scaling up to the regional or global level is also a possibility).

Daniel S. SongSedum sp.Daniel S. SongVicia multifida.

This “entangled bank” that is plant-pollinator interactions presents an intricate puzzle. Pollination is an important service nature provides, which is why it has been well studied. But some fundamental questions have yet to be answered. Human interest in ecology has skyrocketed because of  recently documented trends in global change. if we want to be prepared, we have to understand, intimately, what the natural world is changing from to precisely anticipate the path of change. New tools like network analysis are coming to ecology from different fields that add fresh perspectives to old questions. why do pollinators visit certain flowers? are there stochastic processes that dictate pollinator interactions with plants? Or do underlying mechanisms determine their interactions? probably each contributes a piece; hopefully the work I’m doing will contribute to the knowledge we are slowly building to figure out this puzzle.

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How to Make Cut Flowers Last Longer

1311967216 24 How to Make Cut Flowers Last Longer

With proper care and attention most flowers will last around 6-7 days with some varieties lasting for as long as 14 days.  here are some practical steps to help extend the life of your cut flowers.

Keep flowers cool

Flowers should be kept in cool conditions and away from direct sunlight, heaters and lamps.  also try not to leave flowers in a hot car. The optimal holding temperature is a chilly 4-5°C.  Obviously these aren’t ideal temperatures for people but if you really wanted to extend the life of your flowers you could place them in the refrigerator overnight or if you were going away for a while.

Store flowers in a suitable container

Firstly choose a suitable container. Choose one that can accommodate the quantity of flowers and also the height. The height and width of the opening can affect the flare of the bouquet. The colour of the vase can also affect the look of your flowers.

Get flowers into water

After only a short time out of water flowers will begin to dehydrate.  therefore it is essential to get flowers into a vase or container of water as quickly as possible.  When you first get the flowers home use warm water, not cold or hot, as this will rehydrate the flowers the quickest.  Warm water will also promote opening of the blooms as most flowers are shipped with the blooms in a closed or tight stage. The optimum temperature is 37.5°C as airlocks which may have formed in the stem tend to breakup at this temperature.

Change the water regularly

Change the water every day, unless its treated with flower preservative then change it on the second day. Use cold water when you change the water to keep the flower cool and extend its life.

Use flower preservatives

Each consignment of Affinity Flowers comes with a sachet of flower preservative. Flower preservative contains carbohydrates to sustain the flower stimulates the blooms to open.Flower preservative also contains additives that inhibit bacteria developing in the water and blocking the cut stems, which improves water uptake.Simply empty the contents of the flower preservative sachet into the vase water.if you don’t have any preservative you could add 1-2 drops of bleach to the water. The bleach inhibits bacteria growth in the water and keeps your flowers looking good for longer.

Remove leaves that will be under water

This is important as leaves that are below the waterline will deteriorate quickly and become a breeding ground for bacteria.  These bacteria will reduce the life of your flowers and discolour the water.

Trim 2-3cm off the bottom of stems

Water is sucked up the stem like a straw.  if there is anything blocking the straw then it will impede water uptake to the flower. Over time the end of a stem can become blocked with impurities from the water. also, if a flower has been out of water for any period of time, air will be drawn into the stem which will block its ability to draw water.take a pair of scissors or a sharp knife and trim 2-3cm from the bottom of the stem. Try not to crush the stem while you’re doing this.  cut the stem on an angle to increase the surface area that the flower can drink through and will prevent the stem from being blocked if it sits on the bottom of the vase. Immediately place the flowers into water.Stems should be re-cut every two days.

Keep flowers away from fruit

Fruit and vegetables produce ethylene gas which is detrimental to flowers. Carnations and delphiniums are particularly susceptible. Try to keep flowers away from fruit and vegetables to keep them in good shape.Similarly domestic gas is also damaging to flowers. there is a story of a flower grower who found it difficult to keep cut flowers on his farm. he suspected his gas supply may have been the cause and a check by a specialist confirmed he had a gas leak on his property.

Keep daffodils separate

The sap exuded from the cut stems of daffodils is detrimental to other flowers. no other flowers should share the same water as daffodils and other narcissus varieties.

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How do annual flowers/plants work in a climate like Florida?

1311967192 39 How do annual flowers/plants work in a climate like Florida?

Okay, so annuals generally only flower for one season right? They die in the fall/winter and then would need to be replanted again the next year. How does that work in Florida when it doesn't freeze and the weather is generally warm and sunny year round? do they just keep on living similar to a perennial?

not exactly you have to cut them back
after a season's growth

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Zinnias

zinnias flower 1 Zinnias

Zinnia flowers are actually an herb that belongs to the aster family. They are named after the German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn. there are both annual and perennial zinnia plants.

Zinnia Scientific Name — Zinnia Elegans

these originally came from Mexico and are notable for their single, long-stemmed flowers that are available in a variety of different colors.

These popular garden flowers are available in more than 100 different varieties. They have leaves that are opposite and usually they don’t have a stalk. The leaves range in shape from linear to ovate and in color from pale to middle green.Their flowers also come in a variety of appearances including a single row of petals and a dome shape. The colors include white, chartreuse, yellow, orange, red, purple and lilac.

Some of the things that zinnias symbolize include absent friends, lasting affection and goodness. This is because when the Aztecs first saw them, they were so unattractive that they called them an eyesore (which is what the name means in their language). Today they are Indiana’s state flower.

Whenever you plan to grow zinnia flower seeds you will need to find an area that is well drained yet both moist and fertile. This will allow the flower to reseed itself with a new zinnia seed every summer thereafter. You will also need full sun and good fertile soil for growing zinnias. Once you find somewhere to plant your zinnia you will want to place one seed per one square foot. begin by raking the seedbed slightly before planting your seeds. Now add a general-purpose fertilizer (repeat monthly), water and you are done. Caring For ZinniasZinnias are relatively easy to care for. You will need to remember to remove all of the dead flowers in order to encourage new growth. it is also a good idea to trim back the stems to keep your zinnias looking nice.How to Harvest Zinnia Seeds Since zinnias will not survive a hard frost, you may want to select a few dried seed heads (the center of the flower) that are mature and place them in a paper bag. Label your bag and store it either in your cool basement or in a jar in your refrigerator.

Some of the most common diseases and pests of zinnias include:

There are a lot of different ways in which zinnias are used today, including:

  • In gardens as a cutting bed, border or container
  • In butterfly gardens
  • By autumn brides who will mix them with chrysanthemums, gerberas, asters and garden roses.

Click thumbnails to see pictures:

zinnias flower 2 s Zinnias zinnias flower 3 s Zinnias zinnias flower 4 s Zinnias

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Life After Phillips Flowers – Following My Passion to Build a New Dreams

1311966334 18 Life After Phillips Flowers Following My Passion to Build a New Dreams

 as I sit here on the eve of the premiere party for "the Arrangement" TV show in which I have been fortunate to participate, I find myself reflecting on the past 20 months of my life.  What a ride it has been!

Living my entire life surrounded by the floral industry has made it grow into a major part of  who I am. my family founded all American Phillip’s Flowers in Chicago in 1923 so I grew up learning every aspect of the flower world. my father was a second generation owner so I did what came naturally – follow in dad’s footsteps. I worked part-time in the flower shops throughout high school and college, basically whenever I was home from school or had free time.  in 1986 began my full time career with the Phillip’s Flowers.

After 20+ years of working with the family business and running things as they had done for decades before me, I wanted to expand the flower company in sync with the trends of our culture. in 2008, I organized my ideas for an online bridal flower planning website that, I thought, would allow the family to take Phillip’s Flowers to new heights. I brought the concept of this online community to certain members of our family and I was denied approval to move forward with this ground breaking project. Maybe it was their lack of understanding of the opportunities to expand online or maybe they just didn’t like my ideas. either way, I started the project on my own anyway.

I discussed my ideas with some web developers I met through a friend and they all loved the concept.  They wanted in and wanted to work for me to bring this business to life. from here the dream of bringing Your Bridal Flowers (YBF) to life was now a reality.

I was still working for the family business out my office in Chicago and the team working on the new project was based in Detroit. the employees I hired to work on YBF consisted of a Director, Creative director, three writers, two programmers, an advertising sales representative and marketing manager.   this allowed me to continue running the multimillion dollar operation for the family business while bringing my dream to life.

I worked night and day on this web company working to make this entrepreneurial dream come true.  it was quite the juggle managing both businesses, my family, and what little time I had left for a social life. Especially since the new business required me to travel to Detroit.

In September of 2008, my family discovered I was working on my own business and the reaction was not well received.  Long story short, pursuing this dream basically ended my relationship with my family. the family said, they did not think I should be the captain of two ships and asked that I resign after a lifetime of working for the family business.  I was told to   clear out my office by the end of the week. after over 20 years of work and a lifetime of being a close-knit family, they gave me three days to pack my things and be gone. To this day I no longer have any real relationship with any of my family who worked within our family business.

Unfortunately, by the time I left Phillips Flowers,  I was also preparing to close YBF too.  the team just could not deliver what I needed. I was nearly fed-up when the second development team I hired still couldn’t produce what I wanted after the sites were rebuilt for the second time, they were still far from what my vision was for the business.However, my partner, Myra love and I were able to work together to design a new site and a new vision was born for our entrepreneurial success.  my determination to be successful pushed me harder and hard to find the team that would make this dream come true.another year later and thousands of dollars later, Your Bridal Flowers was revised and recreated.  I built an entirely new team with Myra and built the ultimate bridal flower planning membership website. YourBridalFlowers.com is now alive and was packed with everything needed for planning the perfect wedding flowers.

Beyond all the bumps in the road I have come along way to get my businesses to the point that they are at today. besides YBF, the Russ On Flowers Network (ROF) is a network of businesses operating in the floral industry that serve both consumer and business niche opportunities.

•             RussWholesaleFlowers.com – a direct-to-consumer flower wholesale company offering flowers and floral supplies from all over the world.

•             RussOnFlowers.com – Online flower blog educating visitors with all the knowledge and expertise of flower expert, Russ Phillip.

•             YourBridalFlowers.com – an extensive bridal flower website featuring detailed information and a variety tools for planning wedding flowers.

•             FlowerHookup.com – the exclusive place for hip, rugged, and new-age flower arrangements designed by Russ Phillip.

This entrepreneurial path I chose has cost me nearly $500,000 in personal investments, my relationship with my family, my relationship with my wife, as we are now divorced, and relationships with anyone who would not stand behind me as I have striven to make my dreams come true. I have learned many hard lessons that have sculpted me into the person I am today; and I am proud that with all the difficult obstacles life thrown my way, I am still standing here stronger than ever.

  • Life after Phillips Flowers -  Following my Passion to Build a New Dreams
  • Chicago Flowers
  • Chicago Wedding Flowers

************************************************************************************

Thanks for visiting Russ on Flowers, your flower expert. Russ Phillip Jr is committed to providing information and education to bring the flower experience to your home. And if you are in the market for any discount flowers, discount flower arrangements, cheap sympathy flowers and more check out RussWholesaleflowers.com.

If you want the best hip, custom flower arrangements delivered anywhere in the US, visit FlowerHookup.com and check out Russ’ signature arrangements!

************************************************************************************ Russ Wholesale Flowers600 S. County Farm Rd #202, Wheaton, IL 60187 (630) 784-0890 – (877) 923-2769

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The tragically predictable end of a fragile star

1311966305 96 The tragically predictable end of a fragile starA losing game

Jul 30th 2011 | from the print edition

IN A way, Amy Winehouse, who was found dead at her home in north London on July 23rd, lived her career backwards. Barely out of her teens when she released her first album, “Frank”, in 2003, she already had the knowing tone of a performer with a lifetime of heartbreak behind her. Then, in her 20s, she set about acquiring the tragic worldliness that the timbre of her voice conveyed.

Compared with the anodyne, identikit bands churned out by talent shows, Ms Winehouse was an unusual pop idol. She started off close to jazz before switching to soul with her second album, “Back to Black” (2006). her new sound, tailored by her producer Mark Ronson and nodding to her hero Ray Charles, was out of step with the fashion, but that helped to broaden her appeal. She wrote most of the songs on “Back to Black”, and they made her a global success.

But the writing was already being scrawled on the wall. the refrain of the album’s opening track—“They tried to make me go to rehab, I said ‘no no no’” —sounded at once like an ironic comment on celebrity excesses and a straight bit of autobiography. Ms Winehouse had begun her long, terminal spiral of booze, drugs, a bad relationship that became a worse marriage, arrests, overdoses and, despite the famous lyric, occasional bouts of rehab. it was a familiar narrative, this time played out at gruesomely high speed and chronicled remorselessly by the tabloids.

She died of a suspected overdose at 27. towards the end she was almost unrecognisable from the bouncy, suburban young woman who first rose to fame: stick thin (apart from the surgical enhancements), with an erratic beehive hairdo and multiple tattoos; a cartoon of immoderate loucheness. She hadn’t released an album for five years. her recent comeback tour was cancelled, after an agonisingly shambolic performance in Belgrade.

Her recorded output being so small and her life so short, commentary on Ms Winehouse’s death quickly turned to broader issues, such as the relationship between creativity and suffering (“Back to Black” was made during a separation from her dissolute partner), the dangers of drugs and of their open consumption by celebrities (though her habits looked less like hedonism than wilful self-destruction). In Camden Square, where Ms Winehouse lived, beer cans, vodka bottles, cigarettes and photos of her carousing in local hostelries were this week crassly scattered among the usual paraphernalia of public 21st-century mourning: flowers, cards, teddy bears, people taking photos of themselves.

Perhaps above all, her life was a lesson in the dangers of early, overwhelming fame—and an admonition to a popular culture that, like a primitive religion, revels in the destruction of its gods.

from the print edition | Britain

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Potted plantings bring woodlands indoors

Last Updated: July 22. 2011 1:00AM Martha Stewart: Living MarthaStewart Potted plantings bring woodlands indoors

Every year, a group of friends and I travel to Mount Desert Island, Maine, just before summer begins. we spend a long weekend eating, hiking and visiting nurseries, and then planting the containers that adorn the stone terraces, retaining walls and stairwells surrounding Skylands, my home there.

We also fill the many faux-bois planters I have collected and that I keep inside the house, bringing, as it’s said, the outdoors in.

These containers are charming when planted with mosses, lichens, ferns and small seedling trees, which grow in profusion everywhere on the heavily wooded acreage that surrounds Skylands. I also have a cutting garden that provides masses of flowers for the vases and urns in the living room, great hallways and dining room. when cut, those lilies, delphiniums, dahlias, roses, Japanese anemones, lupines and other flowers can last an entire long summer weekend indoors.

But it is the large and small woodland tableaux, planted in beautifully made concrete bowls, birdbaths, baskets and other shapes simulating rustic wooden containers, that are admired and remarked upon most by visitors to the house. when one learns how to plant and care for these mini forests — and understands that little harm is done to the mosses, which are returned to the woods at the end of the season — the plantings become even more attractive.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of these potted moss gardens is collecting the materials. It requires us foragers to look at and study the woodland floor and to discover the incredible variety found there.

There are many materials that can be used to create these potted woodlands.

Mosses: Plants in this botanical class, Bryopsida or Musci, thrive in moist, shady places. Although mosses have no roots, mature plants can have leaves and stems. In Maine, we have pincushion moss, plume moss, fire moss, bog moss and many other kinds, varying in color, thickness and texture. Mosses reproduce by casting spores. Any moss can be picked up in a mass and laid down on rich compost; the plants will live well indoors for months if misted regularly with water.

Moss alternatives: There are a number of beautiful mosslike creeping plants readily available if you don’t have a nearby source for true moss. Selaginella, baby’s tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) and Scotch moss (Sagina subulata ‘Aurea’) are convincing substitutes and also make good houseplants.

Lichens: Although they often inhabit the same environments, lichens are not related to mosses. Lichens are composite organisms formed between fungi and algae or bacteria. The lichens that grow at Skylands include reindeer, yellow-green, bighorn or powderhorn, sunburst, and woolly foam, among others. they bring a totally different texture and color to these arrangements.

Accents: I also dig up baby ferns, newly sprouted from a recent dissemination of spores from a parent plant; interesting decaying roots and stumps; baby trees sprouting in the understory; and even oddly shaped rocks and pieces of wood.

Questions should be sent to Martha Stewart Living, 11 W. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10036. You may also e-mail questions to mslletters@marthastewart.com. Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number.

newspaper go red Potted plantings bring woodlands indoors Subscribe to Detroit News home delivery and receive a SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER.

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space jack − Phoenix Caterers, Cooking and Lots of Services

1311965456 74 space jack − Phoenix Caterers, Cooking and Lots of Services

When participating in a catered function, we’re all wanting forward for scrumptious foods and satisfied dining using the some other acquaintances. with all the help of Phoenix caterers, you can surely make your guests delighted and satisfied. all occasion coordinators dream about getting acknowledged with his occasion arrangements. Most of the time, it is the meals that brings magic in any occasion.

Nowadays, individuals are expecting far more out of catering companies. People today tend to compare unique catering companies which they’ve knowledgeable in unique events. That is the reason why most catering businesses do every thing to compete to other people. Phoenix catering adjusts for the alterations and new trends. nevertheless, they may be also attempting to stick to their roots and offer you the men and women what created them extremely popular within the final 3 decades. They may be supplying us using the meals, appetizers and drinks which filled our folks back then.

There are a whole lot of cooking, baking, pastry and meals preparation approaches getting thought in modern culinary schools. As time passes by, our meals also evolve. Gone would be the days when catering companies only offer you their regular foods. Nowadays, they go in fusion with some other cooking traditions in unique regions on the globe. If you’re going to call Phoenix catering, you might be overwhelmed using the array of meals alternatives. That is fantastic news if you want a thematic occasion. you may locate Asian, European, Caribbean and Mediterranean cuisines. the contrasting kitchens will surely fill your visitors’ senses.

These days, catering will not be just about meals preparation. Caterers Phoenix also offers a wider range of some other companies. They’ve morphed into occasion planning and organizing. Naturally, they do not intend to replace celebration coordinators but operate with them as an alternative. with good quality caterers, you can guarantee that every thing functions properly within the occasion. often, catering companies really need to keep within the venue throughout the celebration. They offer drinks, finger meals and also other satisfying treats for the guests. They are once they enter the image and help organize the occasion. They help out in planning, venue decorations and not surprisingly, table arrangement. They won’t leave you hanging but will be certain that your acquaintances will have pleasant experiences all day long.

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Persecuted lesbians forced from home

1311965396 71 Persecuted lesbians forced from home

A lesbian couple targeted by arson and homophobic graffiti say they are now too afraid to stay in their Northland home.

Juliet Leigh and Lindsay Curnow have lived in Mangawhai Heads for seven years but will move back to Auckland after they were targeted by another hate message on Tuesday.

“It’s really creepy and it’s frightening,” Ms Leigh said. “At night, when the security lights come on, we always wake, and any little noise always wakes us – it’s really spooked us.”

Ms Leigh, 64, told the Herald she was furious when she saw “God hates dikes + qeers” sprayed across the couple’s back fence in black paint.

“I had this absolute rage. how dare someone? how dare they do that? They don’t know us. They’ve got no idea. I was so upset.”

In January, a week after the couple found seven abusive messages scrawled on their house, shed and cars, the shed was burned to the ground, causing about $100,000 worth of damage. in it was an office and equipment they used for their floral business, Blooming Bulbs.

“We thought it might have gone away – that people had proved their point after they burned down the shed – but obviously they’re still out there with a hatred towards us. We’d really only just gotten over the first attack,” Ms Leigh said.

“This person, whoever it is, is a coward, a bigot and absolutely brazen.”

the couple, who have been together for eight years and entered a civil union four years ago, have sold their bulb business and hope to move to Auckland as soon as they can.

“It’s sad, because the magic has really gone out of Mangawhai for us.”

Ms Leigh said they had already planned to move back to Auckland, but the recent attack has accelerated their desire to do so.

she said the police had no leads as to who attacked her and Ms Curnow.

“We have absolutely no idea who might have done this to us.

“In this day and age, it’s hard to believe this sort of thing still happens. Where’s the humanity? Who can show this much hatred?”

Following the January attack, they said, they were inundated with offers of support from locals, including flowers and comments in the street.

By Amelia Wade | Email Amelia

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