Because we have taken them out of their natural habitat and changed the natural selection process by creating hybrids, we are already "playing God" to a certain extent. The trick now becomes "playing God" with responsibility and care. The first thoughts should be... what growing environment do I have to offer these bulbs, and how much time and effort do I want to devote to them? Protecting them from extreme stresses is a very good piece of advice. The growing environment you offer may have extremes that will require protecting from, or adapting to... such as harsh outdoor conditions, or indoor conditions that require supplement. Hippeastrum bulbs are extremely forgiving, and as long as a few very basic rules are followed, their culture is relatively easy... do not allow the bulbs to freeze, do not over water them, give them plenty of light, and allow them an annual rest period, whether of their choosing or forced. It has recently come to my attention that Hippeastrum bulbs not only shed their leaves before resting, they may also shed some of their roots. A portion of the root system may die off annually as the bulb rests, and may be replaced by new roots as active growth ensues. Due to the lack of a balanced micro-organism system within a container, it may be important to re-pot the bulbs annually in order to rid the medium of the excess dead root matter which will otherwise rest under the bulb, possibly causing fungal and rotting issues. One piece of information I haven't seen yet is what zones these are hardy in... I believe them to be hardy to zone 8, with protection. Hippeastrums are considered tender amaryllids.

Well, I have received the requested information from nearly everyone so far. It appears we will have 2 groups of Row Robins, and one Round Robin. I expect one will start in September (likely around the 18th?), probably one of the Row groups. There will be one in October (probably the Round group), and one in November (the other Row group). I plan to send each participant an e-mail that will provide each of you the names and order of your group (you will always send TO the same person, and receive FROM the same person). There has been a question about size. If you are planning a Round Robin, my best suggestion is to make your center somewhere in the 12" - 18" range. Any bigger and your quilt will likely end up quite large. Any smaller, and it may be difficult for the first few rounds. If there are any other questions, you all have my e-mail address; feel free to reach me that way and I will make every attempt to get back to you quickly. I'm looking forward to this; I hope you all are, too. Odessa

Appetizer I like to make and take — Shrimp scampi stuffed mushrooms. I just began making these, sans recipe. Essentially, I buy a lots of large white/button mushrooms. Clean with a soft brush and trum off any hard areas. Remove the stem and caredully remove the gills and center. Save this in a bowl. I pan fry shrimp with garlic In Shell tto maximize flavor, careful to just barely cook. Remove the shrimp from the shell and devein. SAVE shell Chop or cut shrimp into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside. Refry the shrimps shells in more butter, olive oil. You want to brown the shells to maximize flavor. Add some minced garlic 2 to 3 T. Then deglaze pan with a bit (1 to 2 T of pale dry sherry and a bit of chicken broth or water. Make abou 1/2 C of rich shrimp broth. Strain and remove shells. Then in a bowl combine coarsely chopped shrimp, a bit of roasted garlic or garlic powder, bit of ground black pepper., and bread crumbs. Moisten with the shrimp-garlic flavored broth and gently combine. Fill the hollowed out mushrooms caps, being careful not to densely pack. Place the stuffed caps in a buttered pan with a bit of EVOO. You can sprinkle some fresshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top of each stuffed mushroom. Add a bit of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover with aluminum foil and set in a preheated 300 deg F oven, middle rack and bake for about 20 minutes. Check for donenness. Remove foil and bake for another 5 or so minutes. These are good served warm or room temperature. Another Thanksgiving side that I like are baked stuffed artichokes (Italian style). Desserts: Some of those I bake/take include: * Mother Wonderful’s (Myra Chenin’s) Pumpkin Cheesecake. It is the most delicious cheesecake. The recipe was in a local paper years ago and it is in one of her books and perhaps online. Not your ho hum cheesecake. * Deep dish baby-butt smooth baked custard pie. Cooked perfectly. * Flourless chocolate Cake * A cranberry or colorful fruit lattice-topped pie. The juice from the dark berries colors the golden lattice top here and there, making it a visual knockout. Homemade pie crust only.

Wow! That's beautiful, thank you so much! Love how bringing those trees more inward seems to anchor things more. I couldn't get things to look balanced. It screens while leaving it open enough to not feel suffocating. Love the way the tree trunk area is utilized and featured. Visited a fruit tree farm recently that had a food forest area set up similarly in the back, angled for the sun to go across, with a walk-through path in between. It had mulberry trees, loquat, peach trees, avocados and all kinds of things. The walkway anchors it and makes it work. Would have to plant on the edges and I'm not sure how far those roots go out, but the trees underneath were massive. I'm thinking maybe even those bushes can't be planted there? Right now it's a giant pile of mulch where the trunk was. I was planning to put the banana back there but it would probably be happier in the front and work really well. It will freeze in the winter though and may be unsightly but that spot actually is really good because it gets the most water from the gutter and a lot of sun. Would really like to sit down and go through the plants but can't make out the text in the image. I can see the Meyer Lemon, loquat and the banana tree. What's the big red tree? And what are the plants at the corners of the yard in the back? (Edit) I am really worried about those roots. They appear to be almost up to the house.