I think there was an omen for me today. I went to the ATM to get some money & it told me that I was $1800 overdrawn!! Panic!! Ran home to get on-line with the bank & discovered they had put deposits intended for two separate accounts into just one account. All's well that ends well, but I'm thinking I should look more carefully at my receipts in the future. And Lilo, I'm sorry about the snow. In the 70's here today, but extremely windy & the cold front is arriving. Tonight it's going to be a Brrrrr!

Oscar and Dorothy likely just saw you key in the pizza number Dorph, lol. Our old schnauzer makes a fool of himself for pizza crusts, and pick-up pizza is as common as hen's teeth in our house. And the week is young yet, Marda. I have six more days to get the date wrong. I came across this quote by accident and had not planned on using it, but I know from just "life" how important it is to reach out and touch those people who are important to you. It's something many of us mean to do, but tend to put off until we have the time. That's a pitiful mistake you can live with the rest of your life. I try to do it now, even if it means scheduling it and making a note on a list to remind me.

I know that life isn't fair but still...NO FAIR! Woke up at 5 am to the radio announcing that it was 80 degrees outside with a projected high of 101 today. Then he kindly reminded everyone to drink plenty of water and not forget that we've had 24 heat related deaths in the county so far this month...make sure you check on the elderly and those without AC! Well, I spent 8 hours as one of those without AC, and I get to do it tomorrow when it's just as hot. There are 2 things I hate about the south...July and August! One of the guys I worked with today came from PA and he couldn't wait to tell me it was 65 when his wife woke up this morning. NO FAIR! NO FAIR! NO FAIR! We had a very brief thunderstorm tonight, dropped at least 10 raindrops which did nothing but add to the humidity. They were the first raindrops I've seen in weeks and I ran outside to stand in them. After a few minutes, I ran back inside so I could breath. It felt like a warm, wet wool blanket was being wrapped around my head. UGH. The gardens look worse than they ever have. Even the psycho plant (as Suzanne calls it) is starting to die. The "survival of the fittest" no longer applies. Nothing is immune to heat and drought. Nothing except ants. And cockroaches. And they seem to find the tiniest crack to gain entrance to the house. The cats do not like the ants but are quite enthralled with the roaches and I know exactly what they're doing when I hear the pitter patter of their tiny feet half the night...cockroach soccer! On the bright side, I haven't had to mow grass in weeks. Last time I remember the summer being this hot, it was followed the a winter of record snowfall. Can't help but wonder what this winter will hold in store. And on an even brighter note, I've been called for a job interview! It's a staff job with the Special Forces in an office where I turned down a job twice before. But this one is as the Chief of that office, something I've wished for for a long time. I'm surprised I was called since they usually promote from within, but it seems my reputation preceeds me. And I have many friends who are happy to spread word of my reputation around. So, I at least have a shot, and for that I'm thankful. Now, if I could have a little luck and land it, I'd be walking on cloud nine! Of course, I'd definitely wear spike heels and pierce that cloud and make it rain! Keep your fingers crossed for me! I've had enough of this fox hole, it's time for me to move on to another one.

Hi fignewbies, taste can be a fairly subjective thing. I have been told more than once that my taste buds are burned out by my wife from eating to many hot peppers.lol Anyway, to me they taste moderately sweet with a mixed/complex mild berry flavor. I would not say they are particularly aromatic. I mean when you cut open a Fully Ripe Desert King you smell it long before it gets up to your nose. The same is not true of VDB. At least not with my nose. There are other very tasty figs to be sure but this is a very good one. Not saying it's the best tasting of all figs but it is very good. Only read below this line if you are a Newbie. ---------------------------------------------------------- To me there are some other important factors like... How many seasons a tree takes to get into reasonable fruit production? Does the fruit have a closed eye to prevent spoilage? Is the variety a heavy producer? Does the variety produce both a tasty breba crop and main crop? Does it produce over a long season? If the fruit are not green does it produce more than the birds can eat? Do the fruit dry out before they are ripe? Does the tree require caprification/pollination for its breba or main crop or for both crops? Do the fruit have a tendency to spoil do to splitting? For others a resistance to root knot nematodes because they have them in their soil. Do the trees you are buying come from an area or a person who is known for selling trees infected with root knot nematodes? Is the seller either a forum member with a good reputation or a retailer with a good reputation as figs are often mislabeled or misrepresented. To me fig taste means very little if the fruit are spoiled. With a closed eye spoilage is not a problem with this variety. For me here in Arizona with our long season this is the best tree I have tried so far. Until last year which was this trees third season the birds were getting more than I was. Last year however it produced more than the birds could eat so I had a steady supply to snack on. Though no large amounts at any one picking. Certainly not enough to make batches of jams and preserves the way I make Hot Sauce or Pickled Peppers. This year I expect much better. If my Conadria ever produces like the VDB I would be in fig heaven as the fruit are very tasty and much larger. It however is not known to produce large amounts of fruit. My LSU Gold produces lots of fruit and the fruit is very tasty. That is if it's not spoiled but most of it is spoiled do to it's large open eye. There are so many factors and variable that I don't think there is such a thing as a perfect fig tree or even a best fig tree. Some however are better than others in some climates and lousy in others. A for instance. I Really Really like the taste of Desert King figs. They produced very well for me and the fruit are large. They have large soft shelled seeds that produce a very favorable crunch that is hard to describe. The fruit is custardy and creamy when fully ripe and the seeds produce just the right contrast in texture that gives them a real WOW Factor. However one of the crops require caprification/pollination if you do not live near the coast/damp climate. That meant that I had a tree in my yard that produced large numbers of large figs that refused to ripen producing a BIG MESS. It was a hard decision but I pulled the Desert King just like I will be pulling the LSU Gold. However from what I've heard from other members. VDB tends to do well in hot and cold and dry or damp climates so it's highly adaptable. If you don't have one and have room for one I would recommend it. Not because its the best fig for everyone everywhere. I admit to wishing I could grow massive amounts of extra large and tasty Desert Kings like I have seen grown by some West Coast Coastal growers. I recommend it but because it tends to meet most of the desirable criteria for most people in most climates. It is not even my favorite tasting fig. In fact out of the roughly thirty varieties I have tried it's ranked fifth on my list for taste. But so far I have pulled three of the varieties that taste better and will pull another before the next season starts. In fact if Conadria does not produce a lot better within the next two years it may go too. So to me with all that goes into choosing a fig and yes taste in definitely included in that. VDB is a safe recommendation to make because it has become widely planted and it seems to be almost universally liked. As Forest Gump once said. "That's all I have to say about that."