Seedling grapes are not guaranteed to be self pollinating. They are really not guaranteed to have any specific predictable character. If this one produces any quality fruit at all, someone got very lucky. Furthermore some varieties of quite a number of species are only partially self pollinating, with a much better fruit set if another pollinator is available. If you continue to get only partial clusters that may be the case. It is probably too early to tell. You may need a few more years of growth to know for sure. To get quality fruit at all out of a seedling is pretty lucky. This plant may well be worth saving; most seedlings aren't, since most parentages are complex hybirds, that resort unpredictably. But it may also need a pollinator and will almost certainly need proper pruning to produce the best flowering. It takes years of evaluations before most fruit varieties of any kind normally even get named and most of those don't even get released. It sounds like you are starting to get good fruit now and that normally improves as the vines mature. I would say that all your first signs are very encouraging.

Here I am, fighting the tryptophan! Except for a few areas of the Deep South and southwestern deserts, basement insulation is recommended across the continental US. Source: U.S. Department of Energy--Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy But say you don't care, whatever the reason. Then, unless you are in the far, far North, poly on a basement wall--top to bottom--is an invitation for moisture problems. Your basement feels dry now because the uncovered walls are permitting drying both to the exterior and interior, depending on the season. Once you apply poly to the wall, you are inhibiting the outward drive--warm to cold during the heating season. But in the summer, the drive to the interior is trapping moisture behind the poly and while some of it may condense and run to the floor, much will not and will feed mould growth on the wood and masonry walls. Note too that this simplified view ignores the fact that: 1) the poly will not be a perfect vapour barrier; and 2) other mechanisms of vapour transport--groundwater leakage and capillary wicking-- will short-circuit the tightest poly barrier. Here is a link that might be useful: Basement Insulation Systems

My DH must be wavering because his priorities are shifting. NOW he says he's concerned that it will look too busy (range on perimeter), I'm thinking it's OK but Buehls ideas are so much more interesting. Originally I wanted the window to be the focal point of the room, but I've shifted. Being the windows would be a west facing, I would have to pull down window coverings which would ultimately get filthy from all the splashing, rinsing etc. from the sink. Add in the window coverings would have to be simple, there would be no "fun" in the room. Enough about my thoughts, because I'm totally on board. Lascatx. after Steph2000 asked me about my actual storage needs, I realized after all the calculations we had enough. I want drawers throughout this new kitchen for precisely the reason of not having to bend down and under to get at things. Buehl, my DH and I have already had MANY discussions about how we use the kitchen for various things done in the kitchen. He sees at least that he doesn't use the stovetop as much as he thought he did. He can't seem to separate cooking and prep from one another though. He admits that he is only thinking about the main course for dinner and not the salads, vegetables, sandwiches, etc. Not only this he barbecues out more things then not (main reason how he became the primary cook). Buehl I'll also point out to him that we don't need to make the island nearly as deep as we had before (no grease splatters). We were tight on space before. We can now entertain the extra deep countertops and uppers. Even though were on the shorter stature, doesn't pulling both the bottom and uppers balance it out fairly equal? Option G will not work since the wall is 15 1/4' before a ton of new windows start. Option F already has 14.5' of cabinets. Actually I'm not going to calculate it out, but being the limitations of the cabinet sizes, we may actually have more cabinet space with the range on the perimeter instead of the island. Option F is wonderful!!! I must ask, what kind of design software you use? Lavendar, we have only ideas floating around and nothing as concrete as a range. We are going modern but still haven't decided on the cabinet fronts. Mostly we're looking at blackish cabinets, but then I sometimes dream about a medium wood. We are BIG on windows!!! The only reason we thought Buehls idea would work is because we still kept the same amount of window view. My DH is more concerned about making it too busy instead of making it more impressive. All in all, I think I'm going to have to be patient with him coming around. It's not that he is against Plan F as much as he's struggling with how much he loved our previous house kitchen remodel with the island cooktop. We dealt with the dripping veetables etc, etc because we loved prepping in the open space on the island. Now that we have can "have it all", I want it. Thanks again for everyone's help! This kitchen is going to cost a LOT more then orignally planned but I'm always about value. This new kitchen is of IMMENSE value to me.

Heh. The chicken wire comes out in full force late fall when the annuals and veg are done for the season. Sit there all winter-mid/spring till the greens come back into the ground.... They feral cat's don't do their business where there is foliage - and or at least I don't spot it. Well for the most part, I did find one spot this morning where one did right next to a boxwood, as I can see where they *dug up to bury* their bizness. They are creatures of habit....I found one spot where they popped. Grabbed some tree branches, made X stakes in the area (supposedly they don't like spikey things), Lo and behold, 2 days later, they popped again, right next to the wood X stakes I made.