Concerning fruit set on Flavor Supreme: we have a big tree (relative to my other fruit trees) that blooms heavily, but have never had a heavy fruit set. I also see very few bees in the tree, even when the nearby apricots have bees. I do see some houseflies and other insects on the blossoms. I put vases of more attractive blossoms (Burgundy, Santa Rosa, etc.) in or behind the tree. Bees seem to be somewhat more interested in the blossoms in the vases when they start to wilt, for some reason. Sometimes they are also attracted to the water/lemon-lime soda in the vases. Flavor Supreme is great when picked at the right time. I seldom thin much, and the fruit are huge due to light fruit set. The fruit loses quality for me when left on the tree too long once it gives to the touch. Sometimes I get some fruit drop, too. Dropped fruit cracks, but it's still so good that I cut out the cracked part and eat the rest. Hand-pollination of apricots is easier than hand-pollination of plums and Pluots.

Bruce, thanks for the info. . . it looks like I can let the lizards stay in the greenhouse without threatening any ladybugs I put in there. I have seen the cats catch mice at times, and once in a while a gopher, and I assume they have caught much more. I have brought down a lot of flat rocks stacked here and there, for landscaping and retaining walls and so on. There are so many openings that the lizards dart in and out of that I don't think the cats can catch them, but likely I have just not seen it happen. If they are catching the lizards they are only partially successful as there are so many of them. I did not see so many of them before I began to bring the rocks in from the surrounding hills so it may be that they were being caught before but now have an environment that protects them somewhat. We have more gophers than I can count and that is a constant battle with maintaining a lawn, and have many squirrels, and snakes of many kinds. I am told that when the gopher and squirrel population is high that it will cause more snakes to stay around (we have rattlesnakes) but then they will go away when the population is reduced. I don't know if that is true, but have noticed that the number of rattlesnakes is down from when we moved here 22 years ago. I have also been told that they stay away if there is a lot of outside activity. . and we are outside a lot. And we have a lot of wild pigs which I am told will kill the rattlesnakes. . .but I don't know if any of this is true. The coyotes took out the chickens and try to get the cats. It's an interesting life.

I have had a few friends in my life with MS and I can't say that being super skinny was a major symptom....nor being dumb as a stump, but heck, I'm not a doctor so what do I know ;oP I love the SS said it can't happen...maybe they need to read or watch the news? LOL I would love to be on a HW show. I'm picturing my life as I sit now...I'm in a paint stained shirt with dirty jeans on (gardening and painting while DS was at school) but I do have on a lovely pair of ruby ear rings :oP DS is out in the center hall of (what they would picture as a fabulous mansion on a HW episode) our old victorian and has just had a major 3 car pile up....This means the mansion is full of torn up cardboard as his cars were all boxes... HE's wearing a paint stained pair of designer jeans, a bat man tee shirt (with paint...what do they do at kindergarten? Dip them in paint) and skull and heart boots while screaming at the top of his lungs for an amballance (spelled as he says it). The dog just barfed up the dinner he stole from the cat...the cat is whining about his lack of dinner (I'll refeed him) and there is a herd of deer in the back 40 pooping all over the yard (this housewife will soon be chasing them out with a hose). Ahhh the romance of the real world....it would be quite a show :oP Anyone else want to be on it? heh heh

Time to bump my old thread. I got a quote from another window guy for the following. Simonton ProFinish Brickmold 600 White Double Hung: Energy Star Southern; Intercept; ProSolar Shade Low E; Argon Gas; Double Glazed; Double Strength (1/8"); Full Screen Fiberglass; DP:35; U-Factor:.30. - $11,250.00 What do you knowledgeable window guys think about this line of Simonton windows? How do they compare to the window quotes above? The ratings look pretty good to me but I am pretty uneducated when it comes to windows.