First off, let me say I just love pictures. I love seeing what everyone else is doing. Randy, I'm quite impressed with your greenhouse. Sammy, I live in a small town, not a lot different from Sheriff Taylor's Mayberry. I garden in my back yard. Currently I have three raised beds 4'x 24', a pipe and stock panel grape arbor about that same size, a pipe and stock panel trellis that goes all along the front of my shed, maybe 2' x 36' and a triangle of a herb garden in the 12' space between the shed and the back porch. I have two small raised beds in that space because there was a tree there and it is still decomposing but is not far enough gone that other plants can get their roots down very far. I found last year I could plant in SOME places, so it's getting there. When they cut the tree, we had them grind the stump down, but it was a huge tree that shaded out everything in that area and dripped sap almost all the time, and it had an extensive root system. Several times we had a limb fall that came dangerously close to hitting the house, so we were glad to get the tree removed. I start plants in several ways. Even though I said I wouldn't do it this way again, I did sow some seed that had to be winter planted in soil in milk jugs. I notice there's already something up in one of them. Some things, like poppy seed and red clover, I had enough seed that I could just scatter some on top of the soil in one of the raised beds in the herb garden, and cover with chopped leaves. I noticed a discussion here about how you really don't need to chop leaves, and that's somewhat true, but I find that they blow around, and they have a way of refusing to be buried sometimes. So for me, it's just easier to chop them. It improves their ability to break down, as well. As you can see, some of them don't chop up very well. Those big pieces will probably be in my fenceline by the time the wind gets done with them. I have 2 apple trees, a Santa Rosa plum tree and two Red Haven peach trees (well, one has reverted to the rootstock, but I have kept it around because when the other tree bears, It makes a lot. I will replace it eventually. But anyway, most of the leaves that I get in my yard come from other people's trees, or those out in the park, courtesy of the wind. Last fall and this spring, every time I have seen bags of leaves on the curb on my block, I have taken them before the garbage truck comes. My next door neighbors rake their leaves and just put the bags of them up against my house. Living on the back of the city park has lots of advantages, but if you want a leaf-free yard, that's not one of them. I have cabbage, bunching onion, tomatoes, potatoes and some jicama planted inside under light, either in trays or newspaper cups, depending on how sensitive their root systems are to being transplanted. The only critters that I have trouble with are the family pets, a few garter snakes, an occasional vole, and toads. It has been a struggle to keep Pearl, the cat, out of the raised beds. She just loves freshly dug, soft dirt. So I try to keep a stock panel flat on the ground wherever I have planted anything or she will go right to it and dig into it with those big furry paws of hers. And then there's Sonny, the dog, who likes to pee on everything. Fortunately, he's kind of leery of 'structures' so stock panels standing on their sides will keep him at bay. He doesn't pee or leave other gifts in the paths between the raised beds. I don't know why, I'm just grateful. He likes to make his rounds out there, guard dog fashion. Once there was a garter snake that lived in one of the raised beds amongst some mature tomato plants. The white fur around Sonny's neck was green all summer from sticking his head in between the plants trying to get to that snake. The vole has done some major damage in my yard in years past, even getting into the raised beds. It didn't eat my plants, it just burrowed too close to the roots and either uprooted things or caused the roots to dry out. This year I'm going to be putting down some milky spore disease to kill the grubs that are attracting the vole. We get an occasional skunk but usually they're just passing through. There are so many dogs in my neighborhood, one of them always spooks it and we wake up to that smell in the air some mornings. I don't leave my dog outside at night like most of my neighbors do. Toads abound out in the park, and my neighbor on the south has a koi pond so a lot of them hang out there. But I get my share. If I have plants set out on the front porch, it's not uncommon to look down and see a fat little warty guy sitting in one of the pots. They kind of dig down when they settle in so even though they're not trying to kill the plant that's in the pot, usually they do. Last spring when I was carrying things in and out, I accidentally carried in a toad. I don't know who was more startled, him or me! Wish I had taken a picture of that. I have a lot of trouble with the birds poking holes in my tomatoes and my fruit, so Dawn I'm going to take your advice and put out plenty of water this summer.

Just heard that Oklahoma City got hit bad by this storm with the airport, schools and businesses already closed. Are you doing OK, Oakley? It started snowing here around 3:15PM yesterday and, although we don't have a huge amount of snow, we do have several inches with more to come today. The roads are icy everywhere and DD's school is on a 2 hour delay, but will probably be closed. I'm sitting here waiting to hear that my DH has gotten to work safely. (Sigh) There's always sick people and so he always tries to get in. I worry so much until he gets there and then I worry on his drive back home again. Anyhoo, hoping all of you in the storm's path stay safe and warm. Lynn

OUr email was down yesterday so am just now able to let you know that everything worked out PERFECTLY! Thank you so much for your prayers!! The fire only got one outbuilding on another rancher's property and then it stopped right at the cattleguard that would have led it to that rancher's home...no people or stock injured. The Nat'l Forest Service sent in 2 helicopters that made 2 water drops each and about the same time the wind shifted again and sent the fire more to the south so it only got about 2 miles from from the old farmhouse. They had 2 pumper trucks from a friend's oil company stationed by the homestead pasture, and the county sent out road graders to plow fire breaks everywhere they could safely reach. All in all, it was a frightening time, but worked out well. Lots of burned pasture land, but hay can always be brought in and we are so-o-o-o grateful that no life was lost! THans again for your prayers!! Pat

Sue, the Etap hotel is a few steps below a motel 6...quite a few steps in fact. LOL! The rooms were tiny, which were expected but the floor was really grungy and the toilet/shower area were a one piece porta potty plastic unit that had been put into a corner of the room. It was very small and the floor area by the toilet got soaked when you showered. The shower stall area was barely big enough to turn around in. Now I wish I had taken a picture! Patti, I think the house I used to live in was torn down and a new one put in it's place, there were a lot of new homes there. The town was very small, just one street with one tiny restaurant and a coffin maker. That was it...not even a post office. Stacy, yeah, I think I should've learned after our trip out west. Some of it was fun but for the most part they weren't interested in a lot of it. I've downloaded my pictures and will start posting them. Wish I had taken more videos, they are pretty funny because they are so BAD! LOL!