OK gardners, I experimented with planting potatoes in a stack of 3 tires last year and learned quite a bit about it. First, some fundamental about potatoes: 1- potatoe do well in an exceptional acid soil, with PH of 4.5 to 5.5 2- Number two, potatoes , although can apparantly grow in hot weather, but they will not produce tubers if the soil temperature exceed 74F. So where I am, Atlanta, Ga area, from july till the end of August is too hot for potatoes. That is why my tire-tomatoes yield was poor. I got about 5 good size, five medium and five tiny potatoes.I planted toooo late, like in May. This year, after learning my lesson well, have planted my potatoes in march. As of now (March 27 they are out of the ground. I plan to harvest them in July, or when the soil temperature reaches and exceeds 75F. Then I will plant a fall crop to be harvested in late NOvember or early December, before heavy frost. my advice: - check your soil ph. It should not be more than 5.5 - plant them as early as you can. - Avoid over feeding with Nitrogen. -add compost/organic matter/wood ash to your soil. - Avoid hot summer. WE know now why potatoes grow in places lik Idaho, New York, Northern California!!!??? The South is not an ideal place for growing potatoes. But stil I do it as a challenge. This past winter I even made maple syrup. It is probably unheard of in GA. You have to play by the rules of mother nature, you cannot fool it!!

Before I got smart and bought a metal bird feeder, the squirrels destroyed every plastic feeder I bought. They would chew holes in the plastic, eat the wooden dowels, and then devour the bird seed. The bird feeders were hanging on a black metal shepherds hook. One day I mixed hot pepper in Crisco and coated that pole. They would climb 2 feet, then slide back 1. They would jump from a tree and spin as they hit that slick pool. Then the pepper would start heating up their paws and they would shake their paws trying to get it off. Then they would try to eat it off of their paws and start shaking their heads trying to get it out of their mouth. They looked like they were having a seizure. I laughed until I hurt. By night time, I had fewer squirrels. Next day, I had them again, but they didn't look like the same ones. LOL

It more screams Cinco De Mayo but I made a Taco Buffet for my family last year and they loved the break from traditional Easter fare. This year I am doing a Prime Rib with roasted brussel sprouts and baked potato bar. Again not traditional but after Christmas we are a tad hammed and turkey'd out and my family wont do lamb so that option is out from the start.

Thanks for your posts. While you were posting I was looking into cork flooring. I currently have tile and while I like the look, it is hard on my feet after a few hours. Lavastone will probably be out of reach. The cabinets are already spendy and I will probably have to settle for something less expensive on the countertops. Cork flooring worries me in a humid environment. We have no heat, no AC, just fans and tradewinds. It's certainly not as humid as the east coast and the south. I read that it naturally repels insects. And oh, it sounds so comfy on my feet. There is another product which is a combination of cork and recycled rubber. I also liked the Marmoleum with its great array of colors. The salt spray (we're about a quarter mile from the ocean) shouldn't be a problem if you wipe the cabinets down now and then. It's the same with our painted garage door, a spray now and then to keep debris off keeps it looking good. Inside the house, the upkeep will be even less. I'm leaning towards darker lower cabinets (either chocolate, graphite gray or iridescent blue, and lighter uppers I like sea glass or or biscuit. I saw a kitchen with the iridescent blue and loved it....but will I in a few years? I have an actual paint chip brochure and the colors on the website are a little off on my computer. Seaglass is the palest aqua...really just like seaglass. You can also order any Viking appliance in any of the colors. The only appliance I need to buy is a range hood so I might go with Viking. Still struggling with countertops. Kind of like a solid white or stainless.