Ed, pecan trees sounds familiar to me. The only real TREES in our garden are three pecans. Which brings the squirrels of course. Yes, the heat and bright sun at the lower latitudes makes a difference in the color. We get a darker tan with more direct rays, and hosta get faded. Hmmm, wonder if there is a spray to keep the color from fading.....well, why not....all sorts of new products on the market due to technology..... We walk a fine line between enough and too much. It makes the container grown hosta a very attractive option.

Thanks so much Christy and Annette. I have a few hostas, but have never noticed hummers at them. I finally have some pictures (VERY PICTURE HEAVY) sorry: PLEASE help me!!!! Here they are with descriptions: Please excuse any mess you see, my yard is a very slow work in progress... A SouthEast View of my house and yard - (There is a large tree directly behind me and the camera that helps block a lot of the sun). If you look closer, I have dug up a large area along the whole deck for flowers. You can see it better in the next picture. NOTE: Please excuse the bad looking deck, it is in progress of being sanded and stained. I KNOW, that is a Crimson King Maple (non-native, it was here when we purchased the house). Every winter (a little at a time), I plant on limbing it up so more sun can get in). I just expanded my planting area under the tree (another Work In Progress) and just planted red and white impatiens (can't see them yet, just planted), also have a couple of hostas, a Jack Frost (my FAVORITE plant), some ground cover, birdbath, the trunk of a tree with fake rabbits sitting on top and a fake large mushroom in it. It is really beautiful, you just can't see it very well right now and plants have not filled out yet. This is a closeup view of in front of the deck where I want to put my Lady in Red and Coral Nymph (right there in that corner, it gets the most sun, but still not tons) My Lady in Red all planted in its whiskey barrel. I will be planting my Coral Nymph in a whiskey barrel too when I get paid in a few days. This is the view of the house & yard from the opposite side above. There is a Tree directly behind me in this picture also (not fully grown yet). My house and this tree helps block the East Rising Sun but some early sun does get in. Here is a little bed I was going to make, about 10x12. Sorry about the mess, I am trying to kill the grass and of course the ground will have to be evened out. I was going to put my hummer flowers here, but it surely does not get enough sun (a couple hours sun and some dappled). This picture is facing the right side of my fenced in VERY LARGE back yard (where the dogs and the squirrels hang out). Picture taken faces Southwesterly. This picture was taken off my front deck (looking out onto my two large conifers (Junipers) and my bird station. The area where the bird station is only gets dappled sunlight (extremely shady area) Pictures of flowers I purchased, big letdown (almost). Coral Nymph, Salvia Splendens, Aquilegia Swan Lavender and Swan Red & White (the red and white is pink) Columbine Hybrids?. Apparently, even though listed on the back of the tags on these, they ARE NOT attractive to hummers I have learned, Yarrow Moonshine (just because I wanted it so badly because I love yellow flowers), but it is going to be a big letdown because I hear this absolutely needs full sun, and some Creeping Jenny (which I know I will find a place for). Two hanging plants I purchased: Fuchsia (which later I learned will not attract hummers), because it is not a certain kind of Fuchsia, but I just love the colors on this plant and will buy it every year, it is just stunning in real life, much better than the picture taken......and Pansy's which I learned will also not attract hummers. Again, please help me if you can....or maybe I will just plant all hostas in my yard......I like/love hostas just not everywhere :(

Since I don't like "sweet" with my meat or fish, I only use maple syrup in traditionally sweet foods. Mostly desserts or . Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Maple Cream Fudge ================= 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup cream 1/3 cup of butter 1/4 cup of maple syrup pinch of salt vanilla . Add the two sugars, butter and cream maple syrup and salt into a sauce pan. Place over medium heat. Stir while bringing to a boil. Lower the heat and continue to stir slowly while the mixture cooks. After about 7 minutes, test by pouring a small amount into some cold water. You want it to form a soft ball. You might need to cook it for another minute or two. Remove from the heat, add a couple of teaspoons of vanilla and start stirring. It takes about 14 or 15 minutes for the fudge to cool and thicken. Pour into buttered dish. Option: Replace the cream and cup of white sugar with one can of Sweetened Condensed Milk and increase the maple syrup to 1 cup. 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup white 1/2 cup white corn syrup 1 cup butter 1 cup cream pinch of salt vanilla Cook to almost hard ball stage. Let cool slightly, stir and then pour into butter pan or mini muffin tins. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Maple Mousse With Walnut Praline ================================ Source: Marg (Friend) 1 Tablespoon Gelatin 1 1/4 cup cold water 2 eggs beaten 1 cup maple syrup 1 Cup whipping cream - whipped . Soak gelatin in cold water. Beat eggs and combined with maple syrup in top of a double boiler. cook stirring constantly over boiling water until it coats a spoon. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Strain if necessary. Refrigerate until thick. Whip cream until stiff. Whip gelatin mixture. Fold in whip cream until well combined. Pour into 3 1/2 cup mold and refrigerate until set. Praline 1 cup walnuts 1 cup white sugar 1/4 cup cold water toast walnuts at 350 for 10 minutes. Do not burn Add water to sugar in heavy sauce pan and stir until sugar has dissolved. Cook until sugar turns a golden brown. Add nuts and immediately pour on to a buttered cookie sheet. Let set for one hour. Chop coarsely. Sprinkle chopped praline over each serving. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Butter Tarts ============ 1/4 cup butter at room temperature 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup maple syrup 1 cup walnut halves Optional - 1/2 cup currants or raisins water Blend together the butter and brown sugar. Beat the eggs lightly and stir into the butter and brown sugar and add the corn syrup. (You can substitute Corn syrup for all or part of the Maple syrup.), add vanilla and raisins if using. Fill tart shells about two thirds full. Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until pastry is golden. The filling in these tarts is runny. Do not over bake or the filling will firm up. Let tarts set in the tins for about 3 minutes. Remove carefully and cool on racks. Makes about twenty 3 inch tarts. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table ==================== Source: Foodtv.ca Anna Olson Dough * 2 cups all purpose flour * 2 tbsp oats * 1/2 tsp baking powder * 1/2 tsp salt * 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled * 2 tbsp sour cream * 2 tbsp maple syrup Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, oats, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter the texture of coarse meal. Stir sour cream and maple syrup and add to dough, Mixing until it just comes together. Chill dough for 15 minutes.

Hmmm I'm inclined to make a chocolate cream filling with whiskey added..then a white chocolate cream filling.. But here's a recipe from Hershey's. Chocolate Mousse Pie 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 2 T cold water 1/4 boiling water 1 c sugar 1/2 c Hershey's Cocoa 2 t vanilla (I'd sub the whiskey here) 2 c chilled whipping cream 8" chocolate crumb crust In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand several minutes to soften. Add boiling water; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved and mixture is clear. Cool slightly. In a large cold mixer bowl stir together sugar and cocoa; add whipping cream and vanilla. Beat on med speed, scraping bottom of the bowl occasionally, until stiff; pour gelatin mixture and beat until well blended. Spoon into crust. Cover; chill 2 hours. Here's another: Cocoa Cloud Pie 6oz cream cheese softened 1 c confectioners sugar 1/2 c Hershey's cocoa 1/4 c milk 2 t vanilla extract 2 cups chilled whipping cream 8" packaged crumb crust In a large mixer bowl combine cream cheese, confectioners sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Gradually add in cream, beating until stiff. Spoon into crust. Cover and chill several hours or overnight. Here's yet another way to maybe do it. Chocolate Grasshopper Pie 8" chocolate crumb crust 3 c miniature marshmallows 1/2 c milk 1/4 Hershey's Cocoa 2 T white creme de menthe 2 T white creme de cacao 1 c chilled whipping cream 2 T confectioners sugar In a medium sauce pan combine marshmallows, milk and cocoa. Stir constantly over low heat until marshmallows are melted; remove from heat. Stir in cremes, cool to room temp. In a small bowl beat cream with confectioners sugar until stiff. Fold cooled chocolate mixture. Spoon into crust. Cover and freeze serveral hours or overnight.