LOL @ Fi guy's sweater! Great topic, C3D! *baby anythings *animal anythings *the sound of my cat purring from across the room when I turn to look at her *the smell of freshly mown grass (yeah, typical) *the smell of the season's first wood-burning stove *new plants, old plants, plant anythings *dirt under my nails no matter how much I scrub *laughing until I cry & my stomach hurts *British accents :p And so many more! Brenda

Those are beauties! You can stake them, or for patches put stakes throughout them and make a mesh of twine. I do that for delphs and it sort of works. They are somewhat short-lived but with a patch that size if you let them go to seed there will always be more volunteers.

Mike and Ray, Now that I have re-read this thread I have to say this. 1. I am not a religious organic freak. I feel that you can't be successful at growing by using some chemicals. When you do that you kill the beneficial insects and their environment. Plus it is not like using chemicals really kills bugs, disease or weeds down to nothing. Every year when the potato fields around me spray to kill their taters thousands of CPBs walk into my potato patch. Obviously they still had them despite their pesticides and they have weeds that don't die despite their herbicides and they don't feed the soil but use fast to break down fertilizers so their output isn't what it could be. I think it is more successful to try to establish a healthy eco-system by not using chemicals or monoculture. 2. So we are all market gardeners I take it. I assume that all of us hear the question- "were chemicals sprayed on this produce?" or maybe "do you grow without chemicals?" etc. Customers want to buy chemical free produce, that is why they come to the market. So for those who adamently uphold their love of chemicals, do you admit such to the customers? Do you tell them how you think people who want chemical free produce are crazies who are too fanatical about their food and that you couldn't grow any food without chemicals? My guess is you don't. You probably tell half truths about what you use and not defend your using chemicals/conventional farming. I guarantee around customers you guys would be all about using natural methods!

Kate--Honestly, the sealer on my marble is doing a great job. No stains! We have polished on the perimeter cabs and honed on the island. There are a couple of tiny pitted parts on the island that, to my hyper-critical eye--seem to be a bit discolored, but everywhere else the sealer is kicking ass! SJMitch--The sink is a custom job in Belvedere soapstone from M. Teixeira. This is the second sink I had made by them (we had a 40" Cobra in our last kitchen) and, as I've posted elsewhere, am really happy with their work. The sink is counter depth--meaning 25" from apron to wall-- and 9 & 3/4" deep (exterior measurement). One 40" bowl and one 20" bowl. LOVE it! Makes cleaning up for a slob like me much better. Just pile all those dirty pots and pans and rags in the big bowl and I still have the small bowl free for...more cooking! Belvedere was not my first choice in stone (would have love something light like Python) but it is the hardest *and* the cheapest. I think it looks great with the carrara counters and white tile with gray grout. While some people are like, "Whoa, girl. What you doing with such a big sink?" I personally think bigger the better. but like I said, I am a slob. Here is a link that might be useful: close ups of sink on delivery day