A year after DD was born, we were visiting the Dr for her checkup. The checking nearly completed, Doc looks at me and asks if I'd ever heard of ADHD. Nope. That was over 30 years ago, and to make a very long story short, DD was formally diagnosed as being ADHD, along with allergies to oranges and to artifical food colorants, with a [later confirmed] suspicion that the allergies themselves were contributors to the ADHD. Although medicants were available, the pediatrician was very much against using them, feeling that a careful diet and considerable training in self-control was more effective. The diagnosis was not made after a half-hour's observation, or even after a month. It tooks many months of careful record-keeping of her behavior and a strict observance of diet, along with many many visits to doctors before they determined that she showed consistent symptoms of ADHD, and that the ADHD was seriously aggravated with the intake of oranges and food items containing artificial colors of red and yellow. (And let me tell you, back then labels rarely carried much specific ingredient information and even less on food additives.) So, yes, I do understand that other folks are not very understanding. I'd like a dime for everytime someone -and family were often the worst- gave DD a cup of OJ, and for the next 30 hours *I* was the one trying to comfort and keep safe this small child suffering with literally non-stop movement, who alternated periods of running around the room with crying from the irritation caused by the allergic reaction. Once she got old enough to explain, she said it "feels like biting ants are running around under your skin." BTW, to this day she maintains that is a good description. Somewhat more is known about ADHD today than was known 40 years ago, but there is probably even more that is not known. No one can give advice on the care of a person they don't know. All I can tell you is that for DD (who has an IQ of 150+), I maintained a strict diet that contained little sugar, no citrus and no food that could possibly have a coloring additive. At that time it was known that hamburger and other meats might contain coloring, so even meat had to come from a trusted grower. We started yoga while she was a toddler -- and yes, I think it did help teach her body-control. She had to learn to take responsibility for herself, and I had to learn to let her do it. Until she learned to politely refuse [candy/koolaid/OJ/fruit punch/cocoa/soft drinks/etc] I did run interference, including explanations to relatives [repeated ad nauseum] that if she ate xxx, the food would make her very sick. Explaining isn't frustrating, but having gramma nod in agreement while handing DD an orange slice, used to raise my blood pressure. I finally accepted that gramma and a few others were not/never going to consider DD's needs. So it may have been unfamilial, but I taught DD to eat and drink absolutely nothing that I hadn't okayed first. Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Yes. Did she ever take medicants? No. Did I consider medicines? Sure, especially if she had been up every two hours all night, and the teacher complained that she couldn't sit still for the whole lesson [ah, by that time *I* knew she could sit for almost an hour], and I had spent four hours at the grocery reading labels, and the dogs were trying hide under the sofa so she wouldn't chase them... Being the parent of an ADHD child is not easy. Being the child is more difficult. So, control the diet and provide plenty of opportunities for activity. Praise the child for every success in learning to sit still; and be prepared to explain [ad infinitum] to adults that: certain food/drinks are forbidden without exception; a 5-minute run should be allowed once an hour; swinging legs while sitting does not interfere with the brain's capability to learn; and that being active is far better for the child's development than watching TV or playing computer games. And be prepared for them to forget, not understand, or otherwise think/imply/say that you are wrong. Your reward will come in a decade as others see your intelligent, polite, considerate, responsible child mature into an adult that is a true pleasure to know.

ok! I have mostly veggies though. If I remember correctly doing the black swap, you like flowers. I do not have many flowers. Is it ok that I send veggies? If you cannot use them, I understand. Or atleast let me know what veggies you do plant. thanks!

Wow, Cathy. That sounds like quite a tomato year. I thought I was doing great with over 25 on my Pineapaple plant. Your Big Rainbows look gorgeous. Thanks for the tip about drying them - I will definitely try that. I count 8 right now on my Big Rainbow. One is large, 4 are medium and 3 are small. Strangely enough, although growth started out slow with this plant, it's now my tallest. Here's what it looks like today. I guess the tomato got heavier, because now I see the top instead of the bottom. It seems like the Pineapples are smaller than the largest Big Rainbow. But they are plentiful. A bug obviously liked them too. (Anyone know what kind of bug that would be?)

The Robert Fortune quotes have lots of information I did not know, interesting. What struck me with the Francis Parkman quotes is the fact that only a century later, so much had changed. Really enjoyed the Laurence Peter quotes, all of them. Some I knew, but had forgotten, thanks for the refresher course.