Thanks Bea Folks, I've just about finished my trade list. At least for most of the seeds i'll have to trade with. As for my own breed and harvested tomato seeds from this year i should have enough for quite a few trades. Some however i might only have enough for one or two. I will continue to update my list in the coming weeks I truly do love this site, cause of the trading list aspect of it. I just wish that people could contact me by Personal messages like they do on other sites. It makes things so much easier. So if anyone is looking to reach me faster go to the Baker Creek one. Thank you everyone! Dave Here is a link that might be useful: My Updated list

I've always found it a fun thing to position myself near a mockingbird going full tilt and try to rapidly name as many of the calls as I can. Kind of like that game Outburst I guess. Lisa1310, it just occurred to me that I could try to whistle the first few bars of "Can't Smile Without You" by Barry Manilow and see what happens. Of course, the results might be something similar to that Looney Tunes cartoon where the construction worker digs up the box containing the incredible singing frog, makes a big production out of it and when the curtain falls and the frog drops to the stage in coat and tails and tophat, singing the Michigan Rag, then instantly quits as the curtain opens and the audience boos the guy offstage. Only takes a bit of imagination to envision a mocker doing that act...

Jaybird ... unless you know all the in's & out's of the Israeli coming to your luncheon, I would just keep things very simple. White tablecloth's & napkins ... blue as an accent color but I sure would read up alot. Here's a little bit I found @ a site on food customs. Jeanne s. "Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. Food plays an important role in nearly all Jewish celebrations. The Sabbath, observed on Saturday, is ushered in on Friday evening with a family meal including an egg bread called challah. At the Jewish New Year the challah is baked in a circle, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life. Apples and honey also are eaten, symbolizing the wish for a sweet new year. Hamentaschen are traditionally served at Purim, the celebration of Queen Esther's triumph over the evil Haman, who was trying to annihilate the Jewish people. These are cookies filled with lekvar (prune preserves) and baked in the shape of a triangle. Some believe hamentaschen symbolizes the tricornered hat of Haman; others think it is his pockets, and still others think it represents his ears, which were clipped as a sign of shame. During Passover, Jews abstain from eating all leavened foods (bread, pasta, etc.). Instead they eat matzoh ,a flat, crackerlike bread. This is in memory of the Exodus from Israel, when the Jews could not wait for their bread to rise, and so carried it on their backs to bake in the sun. Passover also is observed with a ritual meal called a seder. Four glasses of wine, representing God's four promises to Israel ("I will bring you out of Egypt;" "I will deliver you;" "I will redeem you;" and "I will take you to be my people"), are drunk throughout the evening. Other symbolic foods at the occasion include boiled eggs (symbolizing new life) and charosis (a mixture of apples and walnuts, representing the mortar the Jews used as slaves). On Shavuot in the late spring, dairy-based treats are served. Because cooking is forbidden on the Sabbath, a traditional Saturday meal is cholent , a thick stew that is left in the oven to simmer overnight."

I'm corning our own flat cut brisket this year-- used a recipe from Bob Appetit-- the brine contains Lager-- it's brined for a total of eight days-- will be interesting to see if it's as good as Dad's old corning recipe. Also planning to do a Beer Cake-- it's originally a German recipe but hey if it's got beer it COULD be Irish. Home Cookin Chapter: Heirlooms , Traditional & Ethnic Gugelhupf Bierkuchen (German Beer Cake) ======================================= 1 cup molasses 1/2 cup butter at room temperature 1 (12 ounce) bottle beer 1 cup raisins, plumped and dried 2-2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder (double action) 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon EACH, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger (I use 1 teaspoon cinnamon) 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or filberts, toasted Glaze (see recipe below) . Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9 or 10-inch tube, bundt or gugelhupf (sometimes spelled Kugelhopf) pan. Combine the molasses, butter, and beer in a saucepan and heat only until the butter melts. Stir in the raisins or currants and let the mixture cool for 15 minutes. Sift together the dry ingredients. Stir in the nuts. Pour the cooled beer mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour the batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated 350° F (180°C) oven for 45 60 minutes (I check at 45 minutes, mine took 50 minutes). Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack. Let cake cool a bit before drizzling glaze over it. GLAZE: Mix 1 cup icing sugar and enough maple syrup (or liquid honey) to moisten the icing sugar to the drizzling stage. Pour glaze over the top of the cake and let it run down the sides.