It's a good scientific question, and there are some answers. Freezing damage is caused by the water inside a plant cells turning to ice, and so rupturing the cell walls as its volume is greater than liquid water. Hardy plants are able to concentrate the sugars and salts within the cell, so they act as an antifreeze and turn to ice only at a lower temperature. Some plant cells have evolved the ability to do this by transfering water through the semi-permeable cell walls to the outside of the cell. Ice forming here will not rupture the cell. It is interesting to note one difference between the hardy Japanese Bitter Orange, Poncirus trifoliata, and true citrus. In Poncirus, as the flower buds form they are covered with 'bud scales' which provide an insulating layer which drops off as the flower starts growing in the spring. These bud scales are quite easy to see if you look at just the right time. True citrus don't have these protective scales.

Paula, My DS didn't go to the Palo Pinto/Possum Kingdom area. They sent their crew on a day he wasn't working, but he has stayed in touch with them. He said they finally got to take a shower and sleep after 2 days out fighting fires and they wanted everyone to know how very kind all the local residents, volunteers and folks at the Red Cross shelter had been to the firefighters. Anything the firefighters need is being supplied.....clean undergarments, socks, lip balm, etc. I think DS would dearly love to be out there at the fire. He said the airport sent a brand new $900,000 fire engine that wasn't even officially 'in service' yet. It is a huge truck and should be able to help protect a lot of structures. San Angelo is in such a beautiful, albeit rugged and dry, part of the state. I cannot imagine being a gardener and living there. What you can plant there certainly is highly limited! The Possum Kingdom lake area is so spectacularly rough and rugged as well. Unfortunately, many of the trees around PK where the wildfire has grown to about 200,000 acres, are cedar and mesquite trees and both burn like crazy. Luckily, they often regenerate quickly from their roots in some cases after wildfire, because it takes a certain rugged type of tree to grow out of that limestone rock. Parts of the Possum Kingdom Lake/Graham area got about 1.5" of rain last night, which ought to help in the areas that received it, but most of that area didn't have rain. We had a raging Tstorm last night that dumped a half-inch of rain here, but we had lightning and thunder for hours. The storm-line moved through at 60 to 70 mph so I bet I have more tree limbs and leaves on the ground today, and probably more plums on the ground as well. The wind has brought down so much fruit in the last couple of weeks that I'm beginning to think I won't harvest any fruit as well. (Guess the poor harvest is to balance out last year's amazing fruit harvest.) There's a slight chance of severe weather tonight, so I guess the best we can do is simultaneously hope that rain falls for everyone but that the severe portion of the weather fails to materialize. Dawn

Hi Nicole...I'm in Owen Sound, about 2 hrs north-west of you. We still have snow piled up here & there but it's finally leaving us. Spring is finally on the way. We were married on April 22, 36 years ago. The day was in the mid 60's (now it would be 16-18C) but it rained. Next day, we had about 2" of snow come down but it melted the day after that. The grass was green but it wasn't pretty enough outside for pictures, even after the rain passed. Take heart! By the time 2 more weeks have passed, all the snow will be pretty much gone & the daffodils will be out in force. That's when spring is here for me.

I love Matelasse, I have several coverlets and bedspreads in various colors and prints of Matelasse. I will add a light weight fleece blanket in the winter. I don't like a lot of covers, I generally am not under the covers much. I will have the cleaning lady take the blanket off this week. Might change to a new pretty summery print Matelasse I bought but have never used yet. I currently have my favorite one which is raspberry color on the bed. I find one of those with the sheets is just right, I prefer a very cool room. The ceiling fan is on high all year, plus I have a 10" fan that is aimed at my head on all the time, we have a good size metal antique style fan on a stand that I have on a fair amount of time. I must have lots of air movement on me, my Dad was the same way. I feel like I can't breathe if I don't. I really think that we could have gone with out the blanket this winter since it never got very cold.