When it's too much work, takes up too much space, isn't yielding enough, is plagued continually by pests/disease, gives me no pleasure. There are so many plants to choose from, I don't bother with trouble.

Agreed. If you can plant for a fall crop, why not try butternut or some other c. moschata? All of the squash in this family are pretty resistant. I grew Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin, last year (and am again this year). It's now carried by Sandhill Preservation Center. Anyway, we have borers here, real badly. But this one never suffered from them. Plus, it withstood 9 weeks of 100 F + temps and never wilted. Most of the c. maximas and c. pepos are not good at resisting borers. I've tried a couple of c. pepos which are okay with borer problems. Scarchuks Supreme, an acorn squash, was specially developed to resist them. It still gets attacked. But generally, it survives and produces. Another is Dolma Kabak, a vining summer squash, from Turkey. It puts down roots all along the vine, and can survive being "hit." But the c. moschatas rarely are penetrated by borer larva. George Tahlequah, OK

Paper Towels: On a vertical stand next to my sink. I like having them handy. It is an inexpensive one from Target. In the past, I had them hanging under the upper cabinets. After we remodeled, I needed a new solution. I didn't think the countertop one would be stable, but it is and I really like it. I enjoying being able to grab the whole roll and take it to another room if I need to. Wet dish towels: I have a Rev-a-shelf hanging rod thing on the inside of one of my cabinet doors under the sink. I only use it occasionally though. Usually I have a dishtowel folded in half laying/hanging right on the counter where I stand at the sink. I use it for drying my hands, fruit, dishes, etc. throughout the day. It dries quickly. I have a dish drainer on one side of my double sink, so anything I hand wash usually just dries in there. If I've entertained and have extra hand washing with more dishes on a towel on the counter, then those go on the racks under the sink until they dry. Sometimes if I have one that is really wet and yucky, I just throw it on the tile floor in my laundry room (closet). It is the only tile I have in the whole house (I like to take advantage of it.) :) Cutting boards: In a vertically divided cabinet in one of my lowers. Plastic bags: I donate them to a food bank, so I throw them in the trunk of my car until I see my friend who takes them for me. :)

I grow Nicotiana, flowering tobacco, of many varieties all over the place here and have never seen galls on any. (By the way, if you teach plant biology and want a surefire, fast-acting pollen for pollen-germination exercises, Nicotiana never fails.) The bacteria is around, however, and I have had maybe three roses infected over 13 years here, two of which I discarded. The big (and I mean "big" in every sense of the word) is my 'Mrs. B.R. Cant', which started showing symptoms of crown gall (or something very like it!) about 8 years ago or so -- a big, crusty swelling at the base and then various "tumors" along the canes. My heart sank. I kept meaning to take her out, but delayed and delayed because she occupies a large amount of real estate (being 8' tall and more than 14' wide now) in a prominent position on a hillside, which I would then have to re-do (sigh), plus I absolutely love her. And, anyway, she has never seemed to suffer any decline in growth, bloom, or overall appearance during all this time (which I keep waiting for, but it hasn't happened yet), so there she stays, the exception to the "rule".