She said it was in the Burpee catalog some years back (not a really long time ago) and she contacted Burpee but they don't have info on seeds they no longer grow. Thanks for any help you can give. I never saw it in the small heirloom catalog that Burpee put out for a few years and if it was in the regular catalog not that long ago then I doubt it's an heirloom variety and I also doubt that Milky Way is the real name since Burpee hasn't had any hybridizers in many years and renames peppers they get, primarily from Petoseed, as unnamed ones. Which is why Burpee gave her a mysterious answer since they don't produce any seed at all. I also checked the NCSU list of pepper varieties and it isn't there either. Why does your friend think this pepper is an heirloom one? It seems to me there would be some record of it somewhere if it were, but not finding any references whatsoever and now knowing it was from Burpee, I think I see the picture more clearly than before. Sigh. Carolyn

Joseph, is Beach of the Milky Way otherwise known as Hamaginga to the Japanese? If I can figure out how to post an image here, I have a pic to share with two blooms side by side on the same vine that look just like your 2nd and 3rd blooms. I grew this vine out in 2007 from seeds from Emma labeled Shibori, and I never saw any blooms that looked like your 1st one. I wonder if we'll ever figure out what conditions/enzymes/circumstances lead to such a variety of blooms on one plant? By the way, I do remember that your Bloom #2 showed up first on my vine, and it wasn't until late in the season that your Bloom #3 showed up on my vine. Could you tell me when your Bloom #1 showed up, in relation to when the other two showed up? So, ruminating out loud, maybe it could be a developmental thing as to when a certain flower pattern appears, according to what stage of growth the vine is in, between germination and natural death after going to seed - ?? wonder what else? Doncha love flowers with mystery? Karen/Bluespiral ps - My mg pic is on my hard drive - is there a way to post an image from your hard drive on GW? ps - Sorry for all these questions, but when a single vine produces such a variety of patterns, how on earth do we establish identity for that vine? I strongly suspect there are probably other morning glories that also produce a wide disparity of patterns/shapes/colors just on one vine. ??? ppps - apologies to whoever's post this might cross - not ignoring you - just windy

starlightfarm - Using a candy thermometer is probably the easiest and most accurate way to know when your mixture has hit the soft ball stage. If you do a lot of candy making it's a good tool to invest in. There's a mark on the gauge that let's you know when you're there. And it's pretty easy to go beyond soft ball into the hard crack stage if you're not paying close attention. This recipe isn't so ticklish, though, and I made it without using a candy thermometer for more than 25 yrs. In fact last year I didn't have one and went back to the method of testing that my mother taught me years ago. Someone who is more knowledgeable in this regard may chime in and offer better or clearer instructions, but I'm happy to tell you how I do it. Keep an eye on your mixture after it comes to a boil and reduce the heat so it continues at a rolling simmer. Stir continuously, but not briskly with a wooden spoon. Have a clear short tumbler of very cold water next to the stovetop. When this mixture has boiled for 6 mins. do your first check. That means pull the wooden spoon out, let the majority of the liquid drip back into the pot, then hold the spoon sideways over the tumbler and allow a few drops of the liquid to drip into the water. At first you will likely find that the drops dive down and flatten out on the bottom and pretty much disperse into the water. Not ready. Empty your glass and refill (sometimes I line up about 3 glasses before I start testing, so I don't have to deal with cleaning them out during the process). Boil a minute or 2 longer and test again. You will find that the consistency thickens and the mixture darkens toward amber as you continue to cook it. You will know you have reached the soft ball stage when the little drips turn into a ball shape when they descend down into the water. And when they land on the bottom, they will still have a bit of plumpness to them. Put your hand in the glass and pull one out and try to roll it between your fingers. It should have the feel of a very soft, pliable dough that you can roll into a "soft ball." You're there! You'll know you've gone too far if, instead of the drips from the spoon floating down in a ball shape, they descend as little icicle shapes and when you come to pull them out they are hard and may even crack. That's what you want for some recipes, but not this one! Hope this helps! I won't be at all offended if someone else can explain this better & wants to offer advice.

green_go - I can certainly sympathize with you! My four dogwoods survived, but this is the only one that bloomed. Wolf Eyes has lots of deadwood and look like it just barely survived. My two white redbud trees also barely survived and neither bloomed. I thought both were dead but some of the top branches have re sprouted. Another winter like the past two would likely kill off the redbuds and Wolf Eyes. I've lost several small Japanese maples over the past two winters and the survivors have been damaged. Since this summer is forecast to be cool (like last year), Lake Ontario will not have a chance to warm up much. So that means this coming winter is likely to be another nasty cold one! Are you near the lake?