"If my reward for that kindness is to have to deal with unscrupulous creeps who feel entitled to do as they please with my work, then something needs to change." But, it really is the bad percentage that we often react to, isn't it. I'm sure you've had a ton of profiteers stealing your work, but are they really the majority of people using your work? (and by using, I mean, visiting your site, reading your site, looking at your photos.) I would guess the majority, were people who -didn't- take your stuff, and just really enjoy your website. (How many hits does your site get and how many instances of copyright violation are there?) I can totally see how you'd get tired and frustrated from having to protect your copyright. Your site was one of the first that I found when I was looking for more information on Old Roses. (Google quite likes you as I'm sure you know.) And it's your choice. So please don't think I'm blaming you. But something doesn't necessarily "need to change". It has to change for you because that's where you're personal line of "enough is enough" is, but it's a choice. All the emails I've gotten over the years, and the friends I've made from being online and the unusual opportunities,... those to me outweigh my personal profiteers. Everyone has to make their own choices as to where that "worth it" line is. Like I said before, I have friends (who are artists) who don't post their work online for these reasons. campanula - I think if someone owns the copyright to something, it should not be stolen, according to the legal rules of copyright (whatever that is in each instance). I don't think that it's related to how famous or even how talented the owner of the copyright is. I don't really understand why we even have to argue the worth or how "professional" something is. If you create a work of art, you own the copyright. Even if it is hideous or amateurish. on the notion of taking photos of people's private gardens without permission. I must admit that over the past few months, when I drive by a house with a particularly beautiful garden, I stop and quickly take a photo. I've been saving these photos in a private folder on my computer. At one point, I'd thought about posting a thread sharing the photos so that other people could admire or be inspired by them, but then, I was also worried that perhaps by chance, one of the garden owners might see the thread and somehow be annoyed that I'd posted a photo of their garden without permission. So I haven't, and probably wont.

This recipe has been posted here before. It has the ingredients you mention and is suitable for boiling water bath. Multi-Use Tomato Sauce Categories: Canning & Preserving Dressings, Marinades, Sauces Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 10 plum tomatoes -- (about 2 1/2 lbs./1 kg) 10 large tomatoes -- peeled and chopped (about 4 lbs./2 kg) 4 large garlic cloves -- minced 2 large stalks celery -- chopped 2 medium carrots -- chopped 1 large onion -- chopped 1 large zucchini -- chopped 1 large sweet green pepper -- chopped 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes -- (125 mL) 2/3 cup dry red wine -- (150 mL) 1/2 cup red wine vinegar (5% strength or more) -- (125 mL) 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon pickling salt -- (15 mL) 2 teaspoons dried oregano -- (10 mL) 2 teaspoons dried basil -- (10 mL) 1 teaspoon granulated sugar -- (5 mL) (optional) 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon -- (2 mL) (optional) 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper -- (2 mL) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley -- (50 mL) Combine tomatoes, celery, garlic, onion, zucchini and green pepper in a very large non-reactive pan. Add 1 cup (250 mL) water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, covered, for 25 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. Soak sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water until softened. Drain and dice. Add to sauce with wine, vinegar, bay leaves, salt, oregano, basil, sugar, cinamon and pepper. Continue to boil gently until desired consistency, stirring frequently. Discard bay leaves and stir in parsley. Remove hot jars from canner and ladle sauce into jars to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of rim (head space). Process in a BWB 35 minutes for pint (500 mL) jars and 40 minutes for quart (1 L) jars. Description: from Ellie Topp's "Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving" Yield: "12 cups"

I've had this hand-written recipe for 15 years. The woman who gave it to me said she remembered her mom making them while she was growing up. She thought her mom sometimes used pecans instead of almonds, but I've never tried it. Logical combination, though. I tweaked it with the streusal topping. PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS Heat oven to 350º 3/4 C sliced or slivered unblanched almonds (1/2 Cup for the muffins, 1/4 Cup for Streusal)...I prefer slivered 1 2/3 C Flour 1 C granulated sugar 1 heaping tsp cinnamon Scant 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 2 large eggs 1 C plain pumpkin 1/2 C (1 stick) butter, melted 1 C chocolate chips STREUSAL TOPPING Here's the hard part. I don't have any amounts. I mix things together until they look right and are dry and crumbly enough. You'll get it right. Cold Butter Dark Brown Sugar Dash of salt, a little cinnamon Almonds 1) Toast almonds on baking sheet for 5 minutes, until slightly browned. Be careful not to brown. Cool 2) Grease standard muffin tins or use liners 3) Mix dry ingredients together in large mixing bowl 4) In another small bowl, break eggs, add pumpkin and melted butter. Whisk until well blended 5) Stir in chips and almonds 6) Pour wet mixture over dry mixture; fold in with spatula until just moistened 7) Scoop into muffin tins. Sprinkle with streusal 8) Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and springy to touch. Cool on racks (or eat warm) They're also great as mini-muffins - just the right size to pop in your mouth. At Thanksgiving I also make Sparkling Cranberry Muffins - excellent seasonal pairing for brunch or when we have our second go-round in the evening, after the main dinner. Dinner HAS to have buttermilk biscuits! Sherry

Love all of the opinions ... keep them coming ... I know sometimes with all the feedback it seems like everything is picked apart. I am pretty confident now in my choices, something that wasn't as true a few years ago. For instance, the glass lamp shades have been suggested to be changed a few times, as well as the removal or painting of the chair rail. Those are some things that I know I really like, so even if everyone else hates them, I'm ok with that. They'll stay because they are pleasing to me. But there are other things that once someone point it out, I can see it and agree, like the need for a taller table lamp, or lowering the triptych. I have a hard time visualizing sizes and proportions, so art sizing and placement is a constant struggle for me. As soon as the triptych went up, I knew it wasn't right. I was hoping it could be fixed, or maybe I just needed to get used to it. But it is becoming apparent to me it just doesn't fit the space, and no tweaking will make it right to my eyes. As or the dining room paintings, I really really love those where they are. That is one place that I got it right the first time with those pieces, in that spot. So since I'm really happy with those where those are and how they look over there, I want to keep that area as is. The triptych wasn't terribly expensive, so it won't kill me to put it away for now. The idea of a gallery wall is growing on me, I could see myself being happy with one. I do have a gallery wall in my breakfast nook of vegetable watercolors, so I don't hate them as a rule. I wish I was patient enough to let a gallery wall grown on it's own. I'm afraid I don't have it in me. I see decorating as a project to get finished, and not a constant evolution. So assuming I'll go with the gallery wall, I have two directions to go with, I'm drawn to both of them Travel photography: I have a pretty extensive collection of photographs from travel over the years, and travel is something I'm passionate about. My previous home nearly all my artwork was travel based and mostly gallery wrapped canvases of my photos. I also had Wanderlust made with old travel posters, so I could reuse that. My hesitation is will the photos be too small to make out? And is this a less sophisticated option vs. the original art in the rest of my house? Floral watercolors: I've fallen down the rabbit hole on Artfinder, and to a lesser degree Etsy. There are pieces I absolutely lust after, and would love to have the space for. My hesitation is my living room is pretty boldly graphic, are floral watercolors too soft and pastel? Actually, in thinking about my hesitations, they come down to the nature of a gallery wall. How do I prevent visual clutter and work with the bold choices I already have in the LR, in particular my rug?