I've kind of come to the conclusion this past winter was hard for people, but that doesn't necessarily translate to a winter tough on plants. My losses were minimal and really nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, the last few weeks I have been amazed at how huge and lush everything is this year. The survivors really didn't seem to suffer that much. In fact, maybe it gave them an incentive to grow like they've never grown before. (I'm sure all the rain has helped, but I don't think it's the only factor at play.) Kevin

If you are fishing for verification that warm/hot/cool/cold are subjective terms then the answer is a resounding yes. You will probably feel that the following fits under the heading of "Too much information" but since I have the time, a thorough explanation follows: Every living thing has automated physiological responses to change in temperature and all have ideal temperature ranges, but these temperature ranges are not identical across the board. There are tropical plants that cannot cope with prolonged temperatures below 50 degrees F. (for those in civilized countries, the conversion is F = [9/5]C + 32) and there are temperate plants that cannot cope with temperatures above 85 degrees F. Plants have a very tough job because they don't have a physiological or behavioral mechanism to regulate internal temperature, the temperature of their tissue is always close to the mean air temperature (varying with the thickness of the root or shoot structure in question). Some plants are adapted for operation at very warm temperatures, some are adapted for cool and others can operate with a very wide range in temperature. In areas where the temperature gets very far above or below the operating tolerances of a locally adapted plant, the plant goes dormant. If there is no mechanism for dormancy under the prevailing conditions (tropical plants in cold climates, cool-season annuals in tropical climates etc.) the plant suffers damage and eventually dies. Humans are homeotherms and have several physiological and behavioral mechanisms for maintaining internal temperatures close to 98.6 degrees F. The least physiologically taxing temperature range is somewhere between 68 and 86 degrees F depending on dewpoint and air movement, but depending on metabolic rates (regulated by the hypothalamus, which takes it's cues from the ambient air temperature) what temperature is most comfortable for any individual will vary somewhat. I have seen someone from Georgia complain about 80 degrees F in Mt. Shasta, CA being too cold unless he was in the sun, and I have met a Scottish woman who was faint from the heat at 80 degrees F in Thousand Oaks, CA in the shade because their metabolisms were conditioned to very different temperature and/or humidity levels. Ryan

I don't know about the brown crusties, Ribbit, but I've bought them that way from the store, so it must be fairly common. Maybe this? This is brown bead, a broccoli disorder that can be caused by poor growth, disease, or excessive temperature. It is typified by flowers that are small, turning brown, and not growing. Research has shown that fast-developing broccoli plants tend to be less susceptible to brown bead. A study showed that broccoli under higher nitrogen application rates had less incidence of the disorder than plants under lower N rates. A regular supply of water also decreases the incidence and severity of brown bead. Here is a link that might be useful: Brown Bead with Photos

What a beautiful picture! Yes, God did allow you to be at the right place at the right time. It is such a thrill to see that beautiful spot of blue in an otherwise dark place.