"This engine is a 2 year old shortblock" "I took the carb apart and let it soak in SeaFoam overnight" OK, shortblock has nothing to do with a dirty old plugged up carb. You stated this was a gravity feed carb. so it still dirty, it an't gravity feeding enough to start on it own. Soaking over night with sea foam is not enough. You have to use Pressurized solvent that contains, acrtone, xylene, ketone just to name a few, this will enable it to break apart and blast the gum or tarnish through the small passages of the carb. (pressurized carb. cleaner was specific designed to do the job, even comes with a little red nozzle to stick right on the small passages to blow out, USE SAFETY GOGGLES cause if you don't get it lined up it will blow back in you face!, I would also read all the instructions and warnings on the can before I used it!)And you still probably need to use a fine piece of wire to ensure you unblock the fine metered curcuits throughout the intards of the carb. Soaking was an old method which used harsh chemicals that would melt away anything but metal and some time even soft metal as well if you left it in long enough. These chemicals are too dangerous and were outlawed back in the early 80's for use shade tree mechanic's if I remember correctly. If you know how to prime and it don't stay running the carb. is STILL dirty or GUMMED up.

I have had cabbages, kale, collards and radiccio all winter, uncovered, and mixed lettuce, chard, and spinach under a frost blanket. The spinach is starting to go to seed. I planted them about October, but you can plant the kale and collards now. They will grow slowly until it warms up, then take off. Kale is biennial so you can keep it through summer. Check with your nursery what date to plant snow and English peas...its pretty quick. This is my first year doing a winter garden and I love it! No going out to water, and virtually no bugs. Also have sorrel, parsley, mustard and rosemary. Thyme,sage and oregano are alive, but look ratty. If you are doing just ornamentals a good nursery should have early flowers like poppy,snaps, dianthus,wallflower,bellis,diacia, arctotis, etc.

Y'all, I was so excited that it was going to rain....and it did rain, but only 2/10s of an inch! We had so much thunder and such dark skies, but this storm was mostly "all blow, and no go" for us, as my dad used to say. Bessie, I figured if we were getting too dry here, y'all were probably getting too dry over there too. What a change from a month ago! G. M., It is strange how y'all always get so much more rain than we do, and we're only 1 county away from one another! Several days while you were gone to the lake, we had little afternoon showers pop up in Marietta and they had a pretty good rain, but we were left out/passed over out here in the county. I can remember some cool August weather too quite a ways back. Almost every August since we moved here, though, the weather has been brutal during the first 2 weeks of the month. Our first year here, my brother and sister-in-law and their 2 kids came (from Pennsylvania) to visit and Ardmore was the hottest place in the country for several of the August days that they were here....with temps in the 108 to 113 range. They have been back to visit since then.....but only during the winter months. :) It is only 88 degrees here right now.....on this date last year, we had a high temp of 101. I'll take 88 over 101 any day. I was watching the news from Minneapolis-St. Paul earlier. Last night, watching it in real time, took me back to 2002 and Webbers Falls. I really feel for the people in Minnesota--what a shock to have a major bridge collapse! Dawn

Although I think I'm pretty good at decorating homes, I felt like a novice when I first joined this forum. These wonderful ladies here have taught me a lot and I'm still learning! *My best advice is to look at the photos of different tablescapes in our album and ones posted here on this forum. Find tables that you especially like and then think about why each one works and what you find appealing about it. What do you have that you can use on a similar table you set? * Yes, white is a good base for many different tables through all seasons. You can start with your white dinner plates and then keep an eye out for salad plates in different colors and patterns to add. Once you have some, for example, red & yellow & blue patterned on white salads, think about solid colors that you might want to keep an eye out for in bowls to go with them. Same with placemats and napkins. * Some great places to pick up all this stuff: Goodwill stores, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, consignment shops, garage sales. I've found some especially great bargains at the end of each season, too. Another place I enjoy searching for bargains is Kohls. * For a specific event or season, shop your house first. You can use holiday decs, books, vases, statues and so many more things. A few larger items work better than small items. They make a big, instant impact and impression. Just steer away from too tall items that you and your guests will not be able to see over. * Candles ALWAYS add atmosphere to a table in the evening. Buy them on sale and keep them close by for inspiration. Large chunky ones, tapers, votives and tea lights all work. Unscented are always best for a dinner table, though. * Don't be afraid to think outside the box. Some of the best tablescapes I've seen, here and elsewhere, use items I NEVER would have thought of . . . but they did and it worked! One example was Old Algebra's summer table where she used a replica of a sandcastle and some other related items for the centerpiece. That was a drop-dead wonderful table! But, there have been many, many other equally good tablescapes here, as well. Take a look. * And finally, don't be afraid to try things out at your own table. I promise, there are no Tablescape Nazis lurking around to arrest you! I know that you'll get many more great suggestions from our true tablescape artists here . . . and I'll be reading and learning right along with you! Lynn