I'm not totally sure why you don't just recycle the cardboard. Your kitchen, trees, etc. should be able to give you as much compost as you need. Recycling is better for the planet as fewer trees will need to be cut down and less energy is used when recycling than logging. If you want to compost it, why not recycle it then buy tissue and paper towels made from recycled paper and use that as compost, this was the maximum value is squeezed from all the trees that are cut down to make paper.

Fun updates, keep them coming. It's so great that it's easy to upload pics now. Love it! Yes, the orchid cactus (contorted form of Epiphyllum guatemalense) is one that folks say should come indoors, but I just leave it out all year, and have for several years now, and it grows and blooms nicely (the blooms are super small and boring and only open for a few hours just after midnight, phooey). Anyway, thanks for commenting and for all of the fun pics. Thanks for the information on how you grow your fatplants, azant. I do feed and water mine heavily during summer, they're just taking a quick break. I'll slog some more on them. These are ones I've had for many years and really enjoy. And thanks for mentioning about the peat based soils, so bad for C&S! You're good! I'm sure others will chime in with local sources for adeniums, but most local nurseries carry them in summer, as do the Big Box hardware stores, so they're not hard at all to find in summer. Happy gardening and pic posting all! Grant

Hi Susie, good to see ya. My first thought was a seafood mousse. Seemed like it was the most required dish for any New Orleans party. Lots of people make it in a nice decorative mold, and of course it's made ahead so that's good. I like to served it with toasted rounds of french bread, and those can be made ahead too. Or serve with crackers or party breads, etc. I'm talking about the shrimp and/or crab mousse with cream cheese, cajun spice, seafood broth[some use condensed soup but I use broth from shrimp shells], gelatin. Makes a nice soft spreadable mousse. If you need a recipe, let me know how many you're cooking for and I'll work out one. Pickled shrimp or bbq shrimp are also common and easily made ahead. I also used to make a lot of seafood cheesecakes when catering down there.

I hope your doves are ok. My husband was about to paint one of our doors. This has been postponed since a housefinch decided to have babies behind a lamp right in front of it. Since you are the expert in milkweed seeds, can you pop into the milkweed forum to help somebody out?