Glad to read I'm not the only one feeling crazy over winter... I'm just about finished with choosing seeds, am looking to purchase a new load of topsoil (for my raised beds) and wishing the snow and ice would disappear... I have an assortment of veggies growing in low hoop houses - but the temps have been so cold, I haven't looked inside since the big storm on Sunday. The snow and ice didn't damage the hoops, so perhaps my salad bar will be ok. So far, we're harvesting lettuces, various greens, beets, carrots, chard, radishes, cabbage, but the broccoli has given up. Pn - I'm interested in your minerals seminar - any links? And fascinated to hear that I might be able to overwinter fava beans - can't say I'm a huge fan, but maybe they taste better from the garden. :) Thanks, Cindy

News said 1 million out of power up your way, hope not!! Do you have some backup heat like fireplace or potbelly stove??? We burned fuel oil. Imagine you have natural gas by now. What ever you do don't light BarBQ in a house, every year someone does that out here & everybody dies from fumes & lack of oxygen, also candles burn out lot of oxygen so if using them be sure in large room with other doors opened & never go to bed with candle lite, my son woke up to find whole dining room full of smoke & he had to repaint & repair all the smoke damage- house had just been painted month before.So be safe!!! Doubt anyone tells young married folks these things!! Love your yard in the snow Jeanne, looks so different from ones I remember it was usually hard pack snow that you could walk on top of & just once I remember the branches of tree hanging down with ice & breaking. Make a lot of noise. Lady on TV tonight said it was like a war zone with all the trees breaking. I can imagine. Jan

grandm1, True, the only blade that will allow manual angling from the cab is the 48", part BM19415. It is not designed specifically for the GT235, it will fit just about every late model Deere garden tractor through GX series. But you need to note that while the blade that fits the GT series will also fit the older 240/325 series, the blade that was made specifically for the 240/325 and family (BM18130)will NOT fit the GT series due to clearance issues on the GT undercarriage. Here are some pictures to clear things up. First, I must mention that the really big difference between the 42/44" and 48" blades are the 42" just mounts to the front frame of the tractor, then has two braces which attach to the mid-frame to provide additional support. It pivots on the front frame mount. The braces are just there to prevent the front tractor frame from bending. The 48" blade has its own frame, like a snowblower. It mounts to the same point mid frame, and unlike the 42", it pivots on those mid-frame mounts. This is certainly a more rugged design, and the blade is less likely to ride up on ice due to the pivot being further back. To use the 48 blade, you need to get the front lift kit for the GT series, which uses the front section of the tractor's frame to mount a jackshaft which will lift the front part of the 48" blade's frame via a tie-rod clamped to the deck lift handle. This is the same lift setup used with the 42" snowblower. This is the front lift kit: (you will not need parts 1,2,3, your tractor already has that D-hole incorporated in the frame. Hopefully I haven't confused you. Now that I've shed light on the two bracing systems: if you find a 48" blade for sale online (used), and it has a straight frame, it is made for the 240/265/325 tractors. It will not work with your GT tractor. See pic: You need this frame: This frame (the bent one) will work with any of the tractors. The two holes in the back near the J-hooks are for the 240/265/325 tractors. The GT series use the front holes (as shown) with the front lift kit). All these diagrams are on the JD parts catalog, linked below. Go to "Equipment Search" and type in "Blade" then scroll down to the 42, 44, 46, 48 front blade and click on "sectional index" to see the breakdowns. Do you have a foot or hand lift? If you have a hand lift, that other blade I mentioned will work with the right mounting parts. I mounted my GT's 42" blade to my old 111H before I found one online specifically for it which included the braces and rear frame weights (for $50). The 42 inchers are all compatible, like I said, you just need to buy the proper braces and mounting hardware. You'll still need to buy the blade angle kit from Deere. That's something like $180 new. You might find a 48 blade for sale which has it mounted, but it's unlikely. I've been looking for one for my Dad for about a year and only saw one, which went for the retail price when you count shipping. If you have any more questions, ask. I've spent quite a bit of time researching compatibility of the GT series, and it's paid off, having found a like-new 42" blade for my GT225 for $100, and a pair of new-in-box 42" snowblowers for both my GT225 and my GT262 for a total of $300 (plus $50 in gas to have my brother pick them up). In both cases, the sellers didn't think they'd fit my tractors. In both cases, they did. Here is a link that might be useful: jd parts

I can relate also, though for me it was only the $6,000 I had saved up for a new cooktop and wall oven. I keep looking at my $600 range that still works just fine, but I've dealt with many less than usable kitchens over 30 years of marriage and I'm finaly getting a kitchen for ME, not trying to make do with what someone else came up with. Ours is a DIY project so we never bothered to sit down and do something like a budget, just spend money as we can afford to - but it's usually in much smaller increments at a time (I'm afraid to add it all up - that might be too much of a shock). At least in our case a lot of money was spent because the house WAS falling apart - so that made that part easy. My husband keeps telling me to not cheap out and get what I've dreamed of all along. I still have not decided on countertops so I think we'll be living with plywood for a while until I can get use to the price of stone. BTW - I did place the order for the appliances and I felt so relieved to have finally made the decison. I know if I'd have felt terrible about it once done, I'd have called and cancelled. Cathy