Ann, what good news! Things are improving here, too. My MIA tomatoes are finally coming in, albeit more slowly and in small quantities. But I had enough that I managed to make a second small batch of tomato sauce AND a batch of salsa, in addition to doing plenty of fresh eating. And I saw yesterday that there are a couple of huge late-variety beauties that'll be ready in a few days: a couple of great big brandywines and a brandywine yellow, probably closer to two pounds each than one; with those three, I could make a batch of brandywine-only salsa! And the thing I feared the most --- not enough zucchini for winter breakfasts of zuke bread twice a week or so), which would sadden DH and humiliating me (what kind of gardener doesn't have ENOUGH zucchini??!!) --- seems not to be coming to pass. There's a steady trickle, just much later than usual --- my zuke bread labels usually mostly start with "July", and by now I'm pulling the plants as worn-out, ragged, and no longer producing. Instead I've put up several batches in the past two weeks and am looking at some newly pollenated littl'uns coming up. And I've only got a small number of peppers but they are starting to turn red! So let's hope for a few more warm, sunny weeks all across the Way North.... Best wishes, Z

Great deal, Carrie! Thanks Darlene and Omar. Roselee, I didn't treat the column. The new one I just got, I've primed and painted, It should stand up to the weather even better. Do you remember me posting this begonia picture last fall? I think it's called Mexican begonia, anyway here's a picture I took yesterday of it in bloom. Jim This post was edited by bossjim1 on Thu, Mar 28, 13 at 9:08

I can give two sites to help learning crochet and knitting. One is Lion Brand Yarn Company:http://www.lionbrand.com/ You will need to register with them to get the free instructions and patterns The other I will link below. Knitting Help has little videos you can watch to see how things are done if you are not familiar with them. I am a member at both sites. Here is a link that might be useful: Knitting Help website

OMG there are so many I don't know where to start! I used the fun and done method and mine looks terrible so I'm taking it apart and trying it again. I have searched QAYG on the Net to find different methods. I want to make a Log Cabin QAYG without it being stiff. I searched for CW patterns to that's how I found out I did it wrong. I am beginning to doubt how well it will wash with the hand sewing so I have found a tute for machine stitching. I also looked up DWR in books and the Net when Linda posted about hers. I use my books, Internet, and library a lot. Rosa