Tricia, what are you using to record your weather conditions? I have a digital, wireless system from Davis and have been considering buying software to port over to my computer for long-term tracking (the Vantage Pro stores one year of data). If you are using software, I'd like to know what it is and if you like it. Whether or not we are in a global climate pattern that is setting up for long-term warming is something that can be discussed for quite some time. But, at the micro-climate level, it isn't just about temperature. My area is classified at best as Zone 5 on the newest charts and even as a Zone 4 in some of the zip code-based on-line systems that probably still use the older algorithms. This winter the lowest temperature I recorded was -8F/-22C. The lowest I have recorded in the three winters Ive been in this house was -16F/-27C. So, at first glance it would appear that this year I experienced a Zone 6 winter instead of a Âtypical Zone 5 winter. However, we had no major winter storms and very light snow cover all winter, unlike my family in New Jersey, who were clobbered this winter as the systems swung south of us. As a result my gardens had minimal insulation from the cold and the desiccating wind. When we did get precipitation, it was most often as rain that saturated what snow there was and then froze, at times encasing some plants in solid ice that certainly didn't help matters. The past few days IÂve been inspecting my gardens (looking, so far in vain, for bulbs to start coming up, as I reported in another post) and it is a sad sight, at least in my herb beds. My lemon, French, English and silver thymes are all gone  dead branches at least back to the base. These thymes were over three feet across and stayed evergreen the past two winters. Winter savory  same. Berggarten sage, Roman chamomile, French tarragon, Greek oregano  same. My two Âhardy rosemary experiments that I tried last summer  Arp and Madeline Hill, which were up against the south side of the house and should have been in worst case Zone 6 and more likely micro Zone 5  same. Even my creeping thymes, which survived, showed damage. It is too early to tell if bronze fennel, chives, garlic chives, Egyptian onion, rue, sorrel, comfrey, all the mints and other late-emerging herbs made it. I expect they did, since they always die back. But, the ones that stay above ground took a big hit. Perhaps, at least some of them will send out new growth from the root stock; one can always hope and it is still early in the season, despite the recent warm spell. (In checking the latest weather report it looks like we are going to be back in the low 20Âs by Monday night, so IÂll have to move back inside the few over-wintered herb plants that I set out this weekend to start hardening off.) But, right now, at a minimum I have a lot of cutting back to do and maybe a lot of replanting in a few weeks. Anyway, my point is that climate is a very complicated creature to try and figure out, especially with respect to the impact of global changes on a specific location. In my case, warmer might be worse, if it part of a pattern that shifts the winter lows south and reduces the snow cover. Conversely, as DITD mentioned in an earlier post on weather, some changes resulting from a global warming trend, like disruption of the Gulf Stream, might actually result in colder and snowier weather for most of New England, at least through our lifetimes. Personally, IÂd like a little more snow and a little more cold, first, because it is one of the reasons I moved to northern New England over a decade ago (I like a true winter) and second, because it does afford certain advantages (no termites to eat my house or woolly adelgids to eat my hemlocks). But, we shall see. narcnh

Hi, Ladies-Have been reading posts with different ideas & thought I would share my opinion (which, by the way, opinions are just like noses, everyone has one!Ha). I really think this swap was something that Hazelnutbunny was really looking forward to & wanted us all to share with each other. She has made it so simple & not expensive which I think is great. I am not sure that she would want us to cancel due to the problems she is having. I sent a box to her today & included things for Valentine's Day for the family. Just my opinion & I might be wrong but I think Melissa would be disappointed if we cancelled. I think it is great that Maryann has helped out in Melissa's place & has stated she would assign partners. The decision needs to be made if we are to get them sent in time for next Saturday as some of us are quite a distance from others. Thanks & Blessings, Margaret

I just thought I would post this, it arrived in my e-mail today and is the official answer on delivery confirmation. They are not offering a tracking service at all. Don't you just love it? diene Discussion Thread --------------------------------------------------------------- Response (Elizabeth S) - 03/24/2007 02:15 PM Dear (deleted by me), Thank you for visiting our website. I understand you are inquiring about the arrival of item number 01038555749868832697. Our system shows your item was delivered at 8:33 AM on March 23, 2007 in (I removed where it was delivered to) Please note that the label number you provided is a Delivery Confirmation number. Delivery Confirmation is not a trackable service. It is only intended to show confirmation of delivery or delivery status of the item. Please note that the only trackable service offered by the Postal Service is Express MailÂ. If your mailpiece was sent using one of the following confirmation services, the associated label numbers are not trackable: - Delivery Confirmation - Signature Confirmation - Certified Mail - Registered Mail - International Registered Mail These services are intended only to provide confirmation of delivery. The information available for these items through our Track and Confirm page requires an update only when delivery status changes. If you need detailed tracking of your mailpiece, consider using our Express Mail service. Items purchased with the following services are scanned upon acceptance, whilte in transit, and upon delivery (including attempted delivery): - Domestic Express Mail® - Global Express Mail ® - Global Express Guaranteed® If I can be of assistance to you in the future, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for using the United States Postal Service®. Regards, Elizabeth S Customer - 03/21/2007 01:30 PM Why is there no information on a priority one rate package I handed to a postal clerk at the Scarborough Post Office yesterday morning at 9:17? It had a label with a delivery confirmation "Click and Ship" label. This happens all the time and then I have to wait for it to arrive to prove I sent it. If you offer a service it should work.

Hi All, It was snowing on my way home from work today: ( Spring really in at a stand still. I think we are going to jump straight into summer, lol. Laura, I had to work on Easter. I kept joking that we were scheduled to work because management decided we were the heathens. I did have a nice Good Friday though. I went to the Broadway Market with my sister-in-law and her kids. It is an old Polish tradition to go there for foods like homemade candy and baked goods, see the easter bunny, buy Polish pottery and so on. It was packed as it always is pre-Easter. It is is a strange place because the whole neighborhood is now a ghetto, but the Broadway Market is still there. I could hardly carry out all the stuff I bought! I did buy two pretty Easter planters for my relatives that were in the hospital and I stopped to see them on the way home. Maryanne, I sure hope your testing went good. I've never had to do that for a job. Though this one I did have to do a drug test. Beth, Glad to hear most of the flowers survived. The winter aconites you sent me are still blooming! They are very cheery looking. They multiply don't they? Susan, I'm glad you are getting your family into shape. I know how it is. I'm afraid to leave Gary home alone for more than 2 days, lol. I'm sure hoping your brother will be ok. My cousin had to have her brain operated on for tumors about 2 years ago now, and she is doing good, so it is possible : ) Susann, I've not bought from them. I have bought from Forest Farm for odd items, so I can recommend them for that. They also have search by needs on their website. I'll put the link below. Nancy, So glad to hear you had a great time with your sisters! Sassy, That is so odd, living in a home with no street address! Well, I'm sure it is turning into a home irregardless : ) Susie, I hope you got your computer fixed. Please post when your weather takes a turn for the better. It will have to come here soon after that! If I missed anyone, you know I didn't mean it : ) Have a good night everyone, Remy