Last week I raked up a over dozen tall garbage cans of fall tree leaves in a nearby park pathway. The park has many different varieties of trees, the path has many people walking and cycling year-round. Fall leaves get crushed and blown to a curb beside the path, where earthworms and other primary decomposers break them down further. By springtime, it's almost halfway to becoming leaf mold. Layered with cardboard, UCG, paper and household kitchen scraps, it's already breaking down beautifully on my gardens. Neighbours here understand and appreciate composting and many have thanked me for helping keep the park tidy. Seems to be a win-win situation for everyone. And it adds many new earthworms and worm cocoons to my garden every spring. All the best, -Patrick

Lee, you should get a scooter too, then you and DH could race thru the mall. LOL. I should use one but I'm so sure I'd take out a display (probably a glass one at that) that I'd rather limp along. LOL. Betty, I love all your 'plans', great list. Even down to some day becoming a bag lady. You've got things covered and lots of fun shopping with all of us to boot. I think that is just wonderful your little Eli has grown his own watermelons. And heck, he loves kale. I'd like to meet this boy! Hope you are getting strength back from that awful flu. Sounds like Alfred didn't catch it, that's great news. Luvs, that's my favorite Smiley. I tend to open mouth and insert foot, so I should wear a button with him on it. I want to go shopping SOOOO bad to those stores that are a bit of drive (Marshalls, plus opposite direction a TJ Maxx and new Hobby Lobby beside it). But am having a time this past week just making it around the house and taking care of my Dad. My legs and back are REALLY starting to p__s me off. Excuse my blank, just tired of staying in a bad mood and doing nothing. hugs to all, Karen

I've been paying with plates a lot lately and I'm still trying to figure it all out....I'm glad you showed picture of cutting in strips...that never occured to me and that looks easier than cutting around and hoping for the best! Loving those blue plates! Can't wait to see what you create!

Lol, I was thinking about a tablespoon give or take total of other dried stuff, so probably not overboard. And Im pretty sure storage time wouldn't be a problem. I get the store brand in the big cans by the dozen when they go on sale, and they disappear around here before I can blink. But the stuff is just too darn expensive, so I thought I would try canning my own this year. I always end up with extra tomatoes after regular tomato product canning, and last year they went into making a lot of sauces out of the ball book. Since I still have a lot of those, figured veggie juice would be on this years agenda.