You are correct, pnbrown. I'll post a proper pic of just the rhubarb for you. I have no idea what variety it is because these six plants were already here when we bought the place in 2001. The previous owners where here for a decade or so and they didn't plant it either (I got to ask about all sorts because it was a private sale). No idea how old they are, but they're going strong with no care at all except a little water when it's dry. Every stalk is bright red, too, almost right to the leaf. This photo was from a couple of weeks ago, I think. What I've gathered from the neighbours is that the larger barn on the left was used for pigs. The smaller barn in the middle was converted (from what, I'm not sure) to a custom lambing barn by the people we bought the place from. We use both barns for hay and straw as we don't have lambs or pigs, just a horse and mini donkey. The shed on the right is their old chicken coup. I would LOVE to have laying hens, but there's just not enough time in the day right now with two little kids. It's my tack and grain room for now. Perhaps when the girls are older it could fulfill it's original purpose again. That's all farmland around our yard. I don't know anyone around here who DOESN'T plant in rows. :) I'm actually the oddball because I work the whole garden with manual tools, except for the initial rototilling in the spring. Most of the farm wives here, including my mother-in-law, plant in looong rows with enough spacing in between so that the rototiller can pass between when needed. I'm not fond of that option because I figure when the plants are established, the tiller will chop up their roots that have spread out. Obviously there's some fault in my theory because my mother-in-law always gets fine production. Ah, well... to each their own! So my question is this. I give my rows a lot of space. Maybe not always as much as recommended on the seed packets, but a good deal more than intensive gardeners tend to give them. When my plants are approaching maturity, you don't see a whole lot of soil. I find it hard to understand why it would be beneficial to cram them any closer together? My tomatoes probably don't need as much room as I give them, I'll admit that. When you get results like this, though, in zone 2... I'm not keen on changing my methods any time soon.

I still have them, but only the senior year is reachable. The others are somewhere in the stacks of stuff in the garage. I have always kept the senior yearbook handy because up until a few years ago, we had a reunion every year. I always wanted to go back and jog my memory about everybody. Then it began to taper off until maybe just those who still lived in the area would get together. My DH and I went to the reunions when we still lived in that area. Years went by; we moved away and later moved back. We went to a reunion then, and when we got to the door where it was being held, I looked in and told my DH we must be in the wrong place . . . there was noone in there except old people! There were more reunions to follow before the numbers dwindled to make it impossible, but we had some great ones, including a group cruise for the 50th "follow up." My senior yearbook is for 1942. Sue

My phoebes had skipped a year of nesting in their usual place (above the porch light fixture near my office door). My mirror set-up had scared them away. I should have realized that birds do not "like" mirrors -- but I didn't think about it at the time. I did see a bird pecking all day at the mirror, looking behind it, then pecking angrily at it when seeing the "intruder" again. That bird came back the next day to peck at the mirror again. I felt sorry for him wasting his time. But, I didn't think about the phoebes reaction being the same. So, they never nested there last year. I removed the mirror, but they still did not return to nest there this spring. Instead, they nested on another side of the house -- under our raised deck (same as last year). But, after the 1st brood was fledged -- THEY MOVED BACK TO THEIR OLD NESTING SPOT! So, the phoebes apparently got fed up with the disturbances created by our toy poodle (who is let out onto our raised deck several times a day.) The poodle would be walking directly over their nest, and possibly pissing over their nest. The nest building started May 25, 2021 and completed on the 30th or 31st. The mother was sitting on the nest on May 31, and there were 2 eggs in the nest. So, the first egg was likely delivered on May 30. By June 3, there were 5 eggs. All the eggs hatched on June 17 -- so, exactly 2 weeks after the last egg was laid. Interesting that all eggs hatched on the same day, even though each egg was laid a day apart. When I peeked, all the shells were gone. So, even tho I didn't see it, I assume that the parents removed all the egg shells. I also see the parents flying away with baby-bird poop. The poop looks like worms, and the parents carry it away from the nest. They either drop it or eat it (it is undigested food). Today is June 23, and the parents are often very busy bringing food. The bay birds are still too small to see without using a mirror over the nest. Here is a link to a very interesting article from 1937, detailing the observations of nesting habits of phoebes as studied over a 3-yr period. A few interesting details: Female does all the nest building. Incubation starts at varying times - sometimes after 3rd egg, sometimes after 4th, sometimes after 5th. The male apparently does none of the incubation. After fledging, the young birds remain close to the nest, getting farther way as the days pass. Both parents still feed the young after they fledge -- feeding them for periods of up to 18 days. Reliance on the parents gradually decreases. The parents may eventually show harsh treatment of the young to get them to go out on their own. Interesting. https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v059n03/p0410-p0417.pdf

I don’t understand the tone of this thread. It’s not likely we can change each other’s minds, so perhaps we should agree to disagree. I understand some are very scared, and rightfully so, but the best we can do is to protect ourselves by taking the proper measures. If someone is comfortable wearing a mask and someone else isn’t, then stay away from each other (as in 6 ft away). Likewise, I don’t believe there is one answer that ‘fits all’ with regard to in person or virtual learning. What’s best for a small, rural district with low positivity and cases is likely not what’s best for a hot spot area. I do think the teachers unions have way too much power and control in my area. They had input into the district’s plan for school reopening. Once the plan was announced, they reneged on the agreement within days. Most of my husband’s family are active or retired teachers. When Covid eventually goes away or we have a vaccine and life returns to some semblance of normal, I’m sure they will complain about the lousy job parents did of teaching during the pandemic. They have already expressed concern that some parents are unenrolling their child(ren) from public school so they can homeschool on their own or enroll the child in a private school with in person learning. Their concern is the public schools will lose funding for every child that is unenrolled and the teachers could be facing layoffs. I’m thinking ‘welcome to the real world.’ Many of us (including teachers) thought it was just fine that the healthcare workers, grocery workers, food processing workers, etc. have worked throughout the pandemic. I’m tired of the teachers (at least my in-laws) denigrating other professions and parents and claiming how very special they are and no one has a worse life than they do. Good teachers are important as is education but I can do without the complaining.