Outsmarting the tree rats (squirrels) around my house is a full time job. This past spring I hit on a new idea. When I plant a container I invert an empty wire hanging basket over the container and the plant gets sun and can be watered but the squirrels can't dig in it. Another idea: I bring in a lot of plants to "over winter" under lights in my garage. I have so many that it is hard to reach my hand under the lights (4 shop lights) to the middle for watering. So I bought a pump sprayer with a long wand and it works great! In late winter I add a little liquid Dawn detergent, few drops, to each gallon of water and not only does the soil get wet easier but the worms that are waiting to hatch into distructive pets just don't hatch. Don't know what it costs me to run those four shop lights all winter but I don't care. It is a small price to pay to be able to "garden" every weekend in the garage. Many people have mentioned that they mark their outdoor plants with a "permanent Sharpie". In my experience there isn't a "permanent Sharpie", they all fade and quickly too. A grease pencil/china marker or expensive "no fade" garden center marker are the only markers I have found that won't disappoint you by fading. Eight years ago I decided to learn about gardening so I tapped into my local library. I checked out nearly every book they had on gardening and learned so much. The Gardenweb forums are also a wealth of information and entertainment. There is always something new to learn and I appreciate all of you who take the time to write in your ideas. One last idea from me...I keep a small notebook on my computer table and jot down any idea I find that's new and I will want to try. Little pieces of paper get lost but I always know where my notebook is and also use it when I order "on line" so I will remember the name of the company and the order date. Tina or Trowelgal

Hi Guys, AMY!!!!!!!! Always a pleasure to have you stop in. I miss you always. I love your work. Glad you are seling cards---at the art center or online? DH will be starting with Family Law, Criminal Law, Wills, Property Disputes, and DUIs. A little of everything, I guess. I hate the criminal and DUI part, but that's exactly why I'm not a lawyer! Well, I have been having a bit of a fun time this weekend. But I miss my Baby V. Had a NICE dinner out with friends last night-the best Chicken Picatta I've had EVER. It is an addicting dish! I had ONE Baileys and coffee and 1/3 of a Bananas Foster, which I only ate (seriously) because the other woman at our table didn't want to eat dessert alone. It was SO fun to have a night out! Then I got to sleep in today. I assisted in 2 short photo shoots and then picked up some of little DD's friends and caught an early showing of Marley and Me. The kids liked it, but what can I say? I'm not a fan of Jennifer Aniston or Owen Wilson. It was nice to sit in the theater and not HAVE to do anything though---GREAT FEELING! -Making a big salad tonight with Romaine, feta, crushed filberts, dried cranberries, and chunks of the refrigerator section Del Monte peaches-in-a-jar and a light homemade dressing. They have NO good produce on this island in winter, but with the refrigerated fruits, and good cheeses (in moderation!), we can still get a good salad going! I went off island yesterday and had 1/2 a Noah's "Everything" bagel--it was a religious experience. Had the other half this afternoon. NHSuzanne~ You sound like you actually might be enjoying THIS snow! I'm with Marci: I'm ready for winter to end anytime now! Stay cozy, girlfriend! Marci: I made the spinach squares a couple of days ago---SO GOOD! Mind sharing your Minestrone recipe with us? Your recipes are dee-lish!

Good Thursday all, It is a beautiful crystal clear day. AND it's warmer than it's been in a while. 21 degrees for morning chores which feels so warm. We too are supposed to get a touch of January thaw here today and tomorrow. I am watching Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal at the bird feeder outside my office window...love is definitely in the air. I have two male turkeys in the flock that visits me in the winter and they are both fanning and talking. The grey squirrels are cavorting outside now and will be mating soon. I love this confirmation that spring is truly around the corner even when it's snowy, icy and freezing! The days are noticeably a little longer at at both ends now too. Tikanis you definitely need to schedule a just me day every week! I am leaving tomorrow morning for Augusta, Maine for a horseman's conference for the weekend. I will be getting a major horse fix AND I have scheduled a massage for myself at the terrific spa that is at my hotel. I want to try to rid my body of the toxins from the pneumonia. I can't wait. I am going with two girlfriends so we should have a good time. I have a feeling there is a lobster or two in my future! When in Maine one simply must indulge in all of the lobster they can possibly eat! It's a well known fact that it is better in Maine than anywhere else! Dee, why is the fox at your window? Is someone feeding him? Does your fox look like my fox?? What a gift for you. I hope you enjoy watching him/her. QOD: Did anyone who made the mug cakes for gifts get reviews yet?? I have gotten a rave from each niece/nephew that received them! It was a good one and a keeper to give again.

I've gotta tell you about our 1922 beach cottage made of spit and bubblegum. PO's? There must have been a PO for every year of the house's life. It seems that we are the first owners who planned to stay a while, without renting it out. It has gorgeous views, a beautiful beach and is in a very desirable second home and rental home beach community. So po's buy it, rent it for big bucks, never put a dime into it, and sell it-they then buy their 'real' second home. It was the cheapest, shabbiest, and only affordable house on Lake Shore Drive, so we bought it. 1. It's on a dune, and still sits on a two foot tall iffy crawl space. The walls of the foundation have holes. We found brand new boxes of floor jacks (to hold up the floors) in the crawl sp. Pre-sale, the inspector could not inspect the contents of the crawl because it was jammed with 80 years of stuff, deliberately. 2. Crawl contains the plenum (thingy which distributes heat and a/c to the various rooms), lying on its side and connected to the furnace in the first floor util room. Two of the four second floor bedrooms are unheated and un a/c'ed because the plenum is too far from the rooms. There are no chases, no ducts going to these bedrooms. I'm afraid room air conditioners will blow the knob and tube upstairs wiring. 3. There is no real drywall or plaster, just wallpaper smoothed out over paneling. Only thin paneling over random studs. 4. The floor under the second floor toilet was rotted, a common occurence I've been told. The metal linen cabinets in the solo upstairs bath were rusted, dented, disgusting. The shower was uh, kind of blue and rust colored. It was worse than fourth world countries' bathroom facilities. We gutted to the random studs, searched for elec in the most unexpected places, and remodeled into a beautiful room. 5. Bedrooms measured 7X9, 8X9, 9X9 and the master is 9X15 with a sloped ceiling, from 6.5' to 7' high. No upstairs ceiling is taller than 6.5'+. Painted paneling with many, many holes. Had to remove closet doors:they were gerryrigged and never fit. 6. Oh, yes, the popcorn ceiling panels collapsed in two bedrooms. Fixed it once and after the second collapse, we installed new drywall ceilings upstairs. 7. Instead of having regular can ceiling lights in the bedrooms, they had shower lights, which gave off, oh, 10 watts of dim. 8. The walls bow a bit, here and there. 9. The floors have holes but I covered every square inch with inexpensive laminate which looks great and has a few bouncy spots. A marble rolls on the floor from one end of the house to the other in a split second! 10. We have fixed most of the major things and it is now a cute cottage, but The afterthought utility room which holds the furnace, some water pipes and the water heater has a 13" wide door. However, the diameter of the water heater is 18". This may be the year when we create a new door from the wall of the util room to the outside of the house, to replace the water heater, whenever, not if. Still, 6 years later, some money, lots of effort, it's delightful and in great demand by family and friends. Oh, btw, dh and I went there for N.Y. Eve and a big snowstorm hit and we had to evacuate quickly, because, among other reasons, the only way to get down and out, would be like sliding down an olympic luge, aka known as high flights of stairs, unevenly spaced stairs. We went to the casino hotel and had a great time! Bev