This is my first year winter sowing too, but here are the perennial flowers I've sown so far: Marsh Blazing Star, Purple Giant Hyssop, Starry Campion, New England Aster, Wild Geranium, Boneset, Black-Eyed Susan, Brown-Eyed Susan, Joepyeweed, Virginia Bluebells, Yellow Coneflower, Spiderwort, Wood Lily, Harebell, Penstemon/Foxglove Beardtongue, and Red Columbine. These are all U.S. native seeds that need 30 to 60 days of cold, moist stratification. I also already sowed the annuals Rudbeckia hirta and Tall Bellflower...my seed packets say they need 30 days of cold, moist stratification too, even though they are technically annuals, but they are U.S. Mid-Atlantic natives. Hope I didn't sow these too early... I'm going to wait until spring to sow the French Marigold seeds I collected. Can't say yet how well these all take to winter sowing since it's my first year in Milk Jug World, but will post an update later in the year. Good luck with your flowers too!

Sue, I understand, and I sympathize with you. You went through a heartbreaking battle... Yet, I do not want to see people get discouraged from fostering. I think it is fare to give an honest picture: yes, some risks are involved. With caution and common sense, fostering can be a wonderful and rather rewarding experience The death of the entire littler from FIP is more than expected. It is believed that genetics play a key role as to which cats will succumb to FIP. Litter mates are more genetically alike and thus are predisposed for the corona virus mutation. Corona virus is omnipresent, and probably all of our cats have been exposed to it at some point. Yes, a new cat can bring corona virus with it, and most likely, the cats will get nothing but a "kitty cold" out of it. Unfortunately, if a cat's body is going to let the virus mutate, it is going to happen, regardless of whether one fosters or not. It is sad. But, on a happier note, fostering can be fun. Little kittens are bundles of joy (I foster all ages) and entertainment. Two weeks of isolation is a very good idea. I often set up cages in the garage, while deworming, defleaing and observing. Some of my older cats love playing with foster kids... From Honey From Kittens November 2008 Giving them up is hard...some more than others... One of my latest fosters, a white deaf kitty Powder Puff, is such a love, I am keeping him...I just cant part with him! From Kittens October 2009 And let me tell you, if you ever want to adopt a kitty but in the process of looking...fostering is THE best way to find that best matching cat...you get to know the personalities, their silly habits, and such...You literally fall in love with some of the furry fosters:)

Actually I wish I was kidding. A friend of mine at the U of A write her thesis paper on the unique situation Alberta and its plants are in. i will try to keep this as brief as possible. Apparently some of the chemicals that are produced when they burn off gas and oil well gases bond to the nitrite particles in the air. You will notice this if you pay particular attention to the sky around noon during spring. It is quite evident that it the color has changed from that dark "blue bird" color we are used to seeing. Anyways what this does is allow a certain wave length of radiation through that has been named TVASR (thermoVascular Adaptive Solar Radiation). The effect on plants is much like UV on humans that causes a sunburn as it causes a "burn", for brevity, that hinders the chlorophylls ability to synthesize sunlight. While it is still to early in the new study to know how dramatic the affects are on plants proper hardening off is increasingly important. Yet they do know that s "burn" from TVASR can hinder flower and fruit production. TVASR has also been linked to plants dropping flowers and damaged buds, much like frost, and to plant death that we before attributed to winter kill. So please take the time to harden off properly. I can get the link to the paper for those who wish to read it . Sorry to be so long winded. SCG

When the door service man came and inspected our door he said the drums that the cable track on were the wrong size. He replaced both drums and added new cable. Now the door tracks just fine and quietly. Lucky for me the company that installed the door originally was closed the day after the cable broke. The new company knew what was up and they didn't.