Yes, and apparently the odor doesn't last very long. I don't have too much sense of smell with my allergies, but, of course, I have to try it just to believe it. I love conversation pieces, don't you, EP? I guess I'm talking about specific species and/or cultivars of bulbs that you have been successful with. I know there are only certain tulips that will return year after year, i.e., species, certain Darwins, maybe kaufmanii, viridifloras, and so on. One year I tried Allium schubertii - thought it was such a cool looking flower. The following year, the foliage came up, but no flowers, and I finally dug it up and threw it away. So, I'd like to know if anyone has been successful in particular with the larger allium flowering bulbs like globemaster. And what about rare or unusual bulbs - am I the only one (I don't think so) that likes things that are "out of the ordinary". Even a rare or unusual tulip, narcissi, anemone? I just saw a picture of a Dahlia called Stargazer on the winter sowing forum, and it is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen - I must get that in the spring. I have successfully wintered over dahlias in the ground (not in pots). And I'm getting away from the spring flowering bulb topic. Has anyone, for example, tried cardiocrinum, or crinums (I know they are oldtimers, but they kind of went by the wayside for a long while and are now coming back), jack-in-the-pulpits (please pray that mine comes back this next spring), Japanese iris, Louisiana iris, calla lilies (actually they are aroids, too). EP, I bet your DV had produced another tuber and it was severed from the mother plant when the original bulb was dug up, and continued to grow. How lucky you are! I love these things. Susan

The early plants didn't suffer quite as much this year as in some of the years past. They are all producing now! I've got sooo many cukes and zucchini! It's okay. There is no reason to walk past them on the day that they are prime. If they cannot be used, the chicken like them and the compost is always hungry. (That's my philosophy! ;o) I have had warm-season plants like melons die during June. Just die! The peppers this year are amounting to very, very little because of June . . . I'm surprised that I've already harvested eggplant and they are almost okay - another mortality, some Junes . . . There have been years when a cucumber vine has produced like 1 cucumber for the season. That is mostly June but also a mistake of variety on my part. I grow Lemon Cukes and they run a bit late in production. (Only now are a few to be found amongst the rambunctious vines.) Some years, they will be so delayed that they will run right up against the 1st frost. Did I already say it? It might be quite possible to have the early and the late plantings coming into production at the same time! Maybe 6 weeks difference in planting dates but, ya know . . . having a cucumber to go with a nice ripe tomato, sliced sweet onions, and fresh-from-the-garden sweet corn is pretty special whether it is in August or September. This year, I've just harvested my 2nd Passport Galia melon - color me happy! Steve

The Brewmatic is great! It connects to a receptacle behind it in the backsplash wall and is fed by a 1/4" line that runs in the wall and pokes out behind the unit as well. I ran the water line in a piece of 3/8" flexible electrical conduit that extends to the basement where I have the water filter. This provides protection to the water line as well as providing the means to replace it if needed in the future. I simply grouted around the water line as it comes through the tile and that seems to be working well. Extra cord and water line are coiled and tied and tucked up behind the unit.

I agree with so much that has been said. However, I think that there is no one solution. In my case, "Divorce Poison" -as many other step-parent/family books- became a semiread book because I couldnÂt deal with the bleakness of that situation. If you prepare for the worst (it does get 3x worse than what one can ever imagine), please keep on hoping for the best! The odds are against us step-families, but it can be done, and many people here are a testament to that. I did the same thing you did with my "step-wife". I came from such a positive experience, I thought it would be possible NO MATTER WHAT. Boy, did she prove me wrong! If I can give you any advice, here it is: 1. Please try not to let HER issues affect YOUR behavior with the children as others have already said. It sounds like you care for those children; keep on caring and letting them know that you care: they'll receive the message. 2. Find resources that make you stronger, not that instill further fear and doubt. I know there are certain people I can talk to, but others that just donÂt help. I talked to a family therapist to sort things out early on; I began reading books about parenting; I found a momÂs group where my biggest guide has been a bio-mom 3. TALK TALK TALK with your fiancé. He can be your biggest ally as well as your biggest foe. I canÂt tell you the times my husband and I fought, I cried, we walked out on one another, but we stuck with it and things are so much better now. We hit roadblocks every so often, but we have gotten much better in overcoming them. 4. I hate to say this because I like to talk EVERYTHING out, but I agree with everyone in saying that minimizing communication with the children's mother is probably a good thing, at least for the time being. I am all about communication, but if you donÂt have clear boundaries (it takes time to set them, sometimes you have to seek legal recourse as we did), a big wall might just be the best solution for now. 5. Be watchful of that "chameleon" behavior many children of divorced parents exhibit. Reading up on it really helped us call them on it and help them get out of the habit. Their allegiance will always be towards their bio-parent, no matter how damaging these adults can be towards their own children. However, if addressed early on, it can be curbed. The book that helped me the most early on was, "The Single GirlÂs Guide to Marrying a Man, His Kids, and His Ex-Wife". It was so positive and encouraging. I laughed and cried with it and found some good practical tips that worked wonders in my situation. I adored my family-to-be and this book gave me so much hope when things got tough. Good luck lady! Keep us posted PS I just want to say, if I have a gagillion semi-read books, I also refer back to them here and there. I am just not able to read them all the time or all in one period of time. It goes back to suggestion number 2, I try to stay positive.....