Dawn - I am sure you are right about the fall being better for the broc and other cole crops. My problem is that I just don't remember to start them. In 2005 I had wonderful spring broccoli. This year the plants look fantastic, and when it started to head, it looked very good, but then I noticed the head was starting to spread rather than grow bigger. Maybe we will just have to enjoy the side shots. Remind we when it is time to start seeds and maybe I will get it done. To all of you who have had nice things to say about my container garden, I appreciate the compliments, but must tell you that this is my first success. I tried one tomato and one pepper in a pot a few years back and wasn't happy with the results. I knew there had to be things I didn't know about growing in pots. Since we tend to have very wet spring weather, and frequently have cold weather following several weeks of warm weather, I felt I needed to learn to do it. I spent this winter reading the container forum (mostly from Mr. Tapla) then asked Dawn several questions to make sure it would be applicable to our climate. Last year a nursery went out of business here and they auctioned off the buildings and supplies. I forgot about it and just happened to drive by. When I stopped, they had already auction off the greenhouse plastics and pots and such. Most of the pots were still on pallets and marked sold. I started asking around and found the man who had bought them. He agreed to sell me some. Eventually he offered to give them to me, which of course, I couldn't let him do. At any rate, I gave him what he had paid, which was next to nothing, and I got the pots. They are just cheap nursery pots, but they are containers and will grow plants. Many of them are small like the peppers are in, but there were probably 50 or 60 larger ones. Since then I have also acquired 4 VERY large pots also. Then came the potting mix. I have been mixing my own and although it makes a large batch, a pot the size a tomato needs takes a lot of mix. That is why you see a lot of different sized plants in my collection. I just plant them as I get things mixed up and can pot them up. Because it is mid-May, I keep thinking I should almost have tomatoes. I must keep reminding myself that I live in northern Oklahoma now. I am only about 40 miles from Joplin MO. I am happy with my container results so far, but my in-ground garden is "the pits". I have learned a lot about container gardening, and continue to learn. We will see just how successful I am when it is time to harvest. It has been a lot of work, but has been fun. I tease George (macmex) a lot about growing everything but I really think he is on the right track. I think we are approaching a time when home production will take on new importance. As I watched the wheat problem last year, I tried to warn people that wheat, flour, and baked goods were going to be very expensive this year. I will issue another warning now. Much of the rice crop in Arkansas didn't go in at the normal time because of all rain and flooding. My husband (whose father was a rice farmer) told me that they will likely plant a faster maturing rice than normal this year. So while cereal may not suffer, table rice is likely to. Grains keep for a long time if stored properly. I will probably never grow all of my own food, but I want to know HOW to grow all of it. It is just my personality. I have a lot of allergies and one of them involves red dye. I like natural foods and especially the ones I can grow myself. I have diabetes, so it is important for we to watch what I eat. Over 20 years ago, I was involved in an automobile accident and sustained a broken back. The doctor told my husband that I might never walk again. They did some bone grafting on my spine and put me together with two pencil size steel rods down my spine that are 9 and 1/2 inches long. I not only can walk, but I can do a lot of other things as well. I may have to do them differently, but so be it. My lifting limit is about 40 pounds which just happens to be the weight of all of the components in the potting mix I make. My husband helps me mix, because I find that a little difficult. We make a garbage can of mix at a time and I fill my pots as I need them. He just retired so he is now home to help me. I will never be the kind of gardener that Dawn and George are, and probably some others of you are, but I do know a few things, and I am still learning. If the pictures stop, then you will know I proved the Peter Principle, and something did go wrong. At some point it will probably exceed my ability or my energy. First thing this morning, I picked fresh lettuce to use for my lunch salad, so maybe I can help to feed us and still enjoy my gardening. I hope I never stop learning. I find that life is a lot like gardening, and we "reap what we sew". There are just so many things to learn and do. Being an Air Force wife, and a government employee for many years, I have traveled a lot and lived a number of places. I have watched how people live in this country and others. Regardless of the problems in our country, I am proud to be an American. People will probably not stop being wasteful as long as they have plenty to waste. It is too bad that we don't make better use of our resources. All of you who grow your own food and help to take care of nature, are a good example for people to follow. I don't know any of you personnaly, but I feel like I do, because we share the love of gardening and taking care of the earth.

Actually I didn't even think about what sex it was (just said He). Here's a link that discusses the male vs. female differences. From what I read it's a female because she lacks the red on the sides of the face. Here is a link that might be useful: Pileated Identification

Oh gosh.. Vicki! I just looked in the missed connections section. I'm pretty sure some of these were just made up. Here's a good one: U R 70-80 years old by now? - m4w - 58 U were full figured with a huge chest, i used to stop by and massage u 2-3 times a week. we hada special relationship, just wonderin how u r doing and how ur health is? I need to read these more for the entertainment value. lol

Marti8a, Thanks. We did a little on line research and we know what to expect in the way of eqp ... luckily there is an easy out of the way place to site it. Not sure if we have local pond tours ... garden tours, yes. KMarcel, Glad to hear you enjoy them. We are planning on 4' minimum, and a bottom drain. I want the little fellas happy! Annie, Those are cool. But I think we need something with visual weight to anchor a 17' wide circle ... these are so delicate. Cloudswift, It sounds delightful to have koi. I am not sure about hiding places vs cleanliness. Some things I read advise to keep the bottom clean and empty, it seems... Good news about straight sides. Ours would be straight, since a slope would look odd within the stone circle IMHO. One thing DH said is that any heron that is on our property would have two choices. 1) An almost 2 acre pond with carp, bass, sunfish, frogs, snakes and (as of their delivery 2 hours ago) a seasonal supply of 200 trout, 100 feet from our house. Or, a 17' wide pond only ten feet from our house with a few koi in it. Hopefully they don't have a taste for koi! KSWL, I see your point. And I do try to keep to the vernacular, although some elements ... indoor pools, flat screen TVs, etc are hard to make "ye olde"! I think the issue here is that you will only see them when you want to. They are off to the side entrance. Most of the time, it will just read as a fountain, which is why the fountain cannot be asian, modern, or italianate. Lazy, That is very sweet and kind of you to post again to press your point! From my breakfast room banquette, I would probably only see a small trunk of a new tree (given the roofline and the windows). I would like to create a reason for people to go to this overlooked patio area. I need a draw. A tree won't be.