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when I make a sour cream topping for my cheesecakes, I use 2 cups sour cream, 1/4 cup sugar, & 2 tsp. vanilla extract. If you like your topping a little sweeter, you can add more sugar to taste. But this is plenty sweet to our taste.

We don't do any grilling in the winter but in summer, if someone's coming to dinner who I know is watching calories, I often make grilled fruit desserts: GRILLED STRAWBERRY SUNDAES 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup strawberry spreadable fruit 1 tsp. cornstarch 2 pint strawberries, hulled 2 cups low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt Preheat the grill to a medium heat. In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice, spreadable fruit, and cornstarch. Set aside. Thread the strawberries onto 4 skewers. Grill the kebabs, turning once, for 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the medium saucepan directly on the grill or on the stovetop over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove the strawberries from the skewers and stir gently into the sauce mixture in the saucepan. Divide the yogurt among 4 bowls, spoon the strawberry sauce over, and serve. Notes: Can substitute ice cream for the frozen yogurt if desired. Sauce is best when serve hot. Can also be served over sliced angel food or pound cake. GRILLED PEARS WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE serves 4 4 large firm-ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears 3 Tbs. fresh lime juice 2 Tbs. sugar 1/3 cup evaporated milk (can be evaporated skim milk) 2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar 2 tsp. butter (not margarine or spreads) 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract Peel the pears, halve lengthwise, and core. With a sharp knife, cut a very thin slice from the rounded side of each pear half so they will lie flat. In a bowl, toss the pear halves with the lime juice and sugar. Grill the pears over medium heat for 4 minutes. Turn them over, drizzle with any remaining lime mixture, and grill for 5 minutes, or until tender. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine remaining ingredients. Cook directly on the grill or stovetop over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Cook until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Divide the pears among 4 plates, drizzle with butterscotch sauce, and serve hot or warm. GRILLED STUFFED PEACHES (serves 4) 4 large peaches 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup quick-cooking oats 2 Tbs. firmly packed brown sugar (light brown, preferably) 1 Tbs. finely chopped almonds 1 Tbs. butter, melted 1/2 tsp. cinnamon In a large pot of boiling water, cook the peaches for 30 seconds to make them easier to peel. Immediately remove and rinse them under cold water and carefully remove their skins. Halve and pit the peaches and cut a very thin slice from the back of each peach half so it will lie flat on the grill. In a medium bowl, toss the peach halves with the lemon juice and set aside. Preheat grill to medium heat. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Dividing evenly, fill the centers of the peach halves with the topping. Place filled peach halves on grill and cook, covered, for 5 or 6 minutes or until the peaches are tender. Serve hot or warm. Great with vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream.

Your plant is already rather well-developed in what is called the "flame" style, a presentation widely used with ginkgo trees, which have much the same growth habit as your aralia. The flame style closely mimics the shape of a flame you would see on a candle. Most trees are a mix of masculine and feminine characteristics. Choosing the right pot depends on the grower's ability to weigh the characteristics and choose the right pot based on the characteristics that stand out most. An old pine with rough bark or an old juniper with lots of deadwood would be considered a masculine tree and would be potted in an unglazed pot with square corners, but a Shimpaku juniper, with it's soft clouds of foliage in many if not most cases would be considered feminine. Japanese maples, with their fine/delicate foliage, relatively smooth bark, and rounded shapes are almost always feminine. Most Ficus and other tropicals are feminine, but exceptions are common. The characteristic that stands out and makes your tree feminine is the sparse/airy/delicate foliage and the slightly sinuous lines of the branches. Al