Dawn - I am sure you are right about the fall being better for the broc and other cole crops. My problem is that I just don't remember to start them. In 2005 I had wonderful spring broccoli. This year the plants look fantastic, and when it started to head, it looked very good, but then I noticed the head was starting to spread rather than grow bigger. Maybe we will just have to enjoy the side shots. Remind we when it is time to start seeds and maybe I will get it done. To all of you who have had nice things to say about my container garden, I appreciate the compliments, but must tell you that this is my first success. I tried one tomato and one pepper in a pot a few years back and wasn't happy with the results. I knew there had to be things I didn't know about growing in pots. Since we tend to have very wet spring weather, and frequently have cold weather following several weeks of warm weather, I felt I needed to learn to do it. I spent this winter reading the container forum (mostly from Mr. Tapla) then asked Dawn several questions to make sure it would be applicable to our climate. Last year a nursery went out of business here and they auctioned off the buildings and supplies. I forgot about it and just happened to drive by. When I stopped, they had already auction off the greenhouse plastics and pots and such. Most of the pots were still on pallets and marked sold. I started asking around and found the man who had bought them. He agreed to sell me some. Eventually he offered to give them to me, which of course, I couldn't let him do. At any rate, I gave him what he had paid, which was next to nothing, and I got the pots. They are just cheap nursery pots, but they are containers and will grow plants. Many of them are small like the peppers are in, but there were probably 50 or 60 larger ones. Since then I have also acquired 4 VERY large pots also. Then came the potting mix. I have been mixing my own and although it makes a large batch, a pot the size a tomato needs takes a lot of mix. That is why you see a lot of different sized plants in my collection. I just plant them as I get things mixed up and can pot them up. Because it is mid-May, I keep thinking I should almost have tomatoes. I must keep reminding myself that I live in northern Oklahoma now. I am only about 40 miles from Joplin MO. I am happy with my container results so far, but my in-ground garden is "the pits". I have learned a lot about container gardening, and continue to learn. We will see just how successful I am when it is time to harvest. It has been a lot of work, but has been fun. I tease George (macmex) a lot about growing everything but I really think he is on the right track. I think we are approaching a time when home production will take on new importance. As I watched the wheat problem last year, I tried to warn people that wheat, flour, and baked goods were going to be very expensive this year. I will issue another warning now. Much of the rice crop in Arkansas didn't go in at the normal time because of all rain and flooding. My husband (whose father was a rice farmer) told me that they will likely plant a faster maturing rice than normal this year. So while cereal may not suffer, table rice is likely to. Grains keep for a long time if stored properly. I will probably never grow all of my own food, but I want to know HOW to grow all of it. It is just my personality. I have a lot of allergies and one of them involves red dye. I like natural foods and especially the ones I can grow myself. I have diabetes, so it is important for we to watch what I eat. Over 20 years ago, I was involved in an automobile accident and sustained a broken back. The doctor told my husband that I might never walk again. They did some bone grafting on my spine and put me together with two pencil size steel rods down my spine that are 9 and 1/2 inches long. I not only can walk, but I can do a lot of other things as well. I may have to do them differently, but so be it. My lifting limit is about 40 pounds which just happens to be the weight of all of the components in the potting mix I make. My husband helps me mix, because I find that a little difficult. We make a garbage can of mix at a time and I fill my pots as I need them. He just retired so he is now home to help me. I will never be the kind of gardener that Dawn and George are, and probably some others of you are, but I do know a few things, and I am still learning. If the pictures stop, then you will know I proved the Peter Principle, and something did go wrong. At some point it will probably exceed my ability or my energy. First thing this morning, I picked fresh lettuce to use for my lunch salad, so maybe I can help to feed us and still enjoy my gardening. I hope I never stop learning. I find that life is a lot like gardening, and we "reap what we sew". There are just so many things to learn and do. Being an Air Force wife, and a government employee for many years, I have traveled a lot and lived a number of places. I have watched how people live in this country and others. Regardless of the problems in our country, I am proud to be an American. People will probably not stop being wasteful as long as they have plenty to waste. It is too bad that we don't make better use of our resources. All of you who grow your own food and help to take care of nature, are a good example for people to follow. I don't know any of you personnaly, but I feel like I do, because we share the love of gardening and taking care of the earth.

Thanks Jannie but Holly is a little poopoo head. LOL Spoiled rotten and knows it. Since she can get up on the furniture she has become a real menace. I caught her on my table this afternoon, picking pine cones out of the basket, dropping them on the floor and eating my African Violet plants. Are African Violets poisonous to little short legged dogs? I hope the roads are good tomorrow too! I bought, at a thriftstore, a hunter green LEATHER recliner for...get this...twenty bucks. The store agreed to hold it for me until tomorrow. I HAVE to get to the city to pick up the chair and go to the seminar as well. The storm is suppose to hold out until late in the afternoon and I'm taking the truck...all will be well. Lori

Nice stuff! Looks like these folks have done some traveling.

Nope...it's an ottoman. I think the seller might be Martyn Lawrence Bullard....he uses the word "delicious" in his description: This very cool rounded ottoman was a vintage purchase which I intended to fix up and use as the centerpiece of a walk-in closet, however construction plans have been delayed and the closet will not happen as quickly as hoped, and in the mean time we need to put windows in our garage, so I need to sell to gain storage space. This is a very cool shape (like pac-man) which could be used to go around the corner of a wall to be a banquette, or just left as is for a neat design. The velvet or velour fabric is like a golden vanilla color, very rich and regal looking, classic glam. You can use it as a coffee table/ottoman piece with a sofa, or like I was going to as a lounge seating piece in a fabulous closet, bedroom, family room, home theater room, humongous Moroccan style bathroom, etc. Pretty versatile and probably a great conversation piece wherever you put it. Instant style, and a forever classic. Measures 60" diameter (5' across!) -- Deliciously HUGE! Note that there is some staining and dirt on the upholstery. The lines across the top are just indentations in the velvet from what this was leaning against in our garage, those will fluff out. I tried to get good photos but since this is a velvety or velour type fabric it was hard to catch it right. There are some stains on the top, and the pointed edges have worn spots, and dirt. I have done a brush-off of the dirt, but I don't have the time or cleaning supplies to try to see if Oxy-clean or something will work on this. I would guess it would, but I need to leave that to the buyer, and my price reflects this. The upholestry is so pretty, and dramatic. I would think it would definitely be worth your while to try to salvage it. Even if some of the stains don't completely come out, they are hard to see with the velvet texture. It is up to you. Also, since this is an older item, the foam in the cushion feels a little on the hard side. It is not terrible, I mean it could still be used, but if you want a super-cushy seat I recommend reupholstering. Up to you. I try to think of all picky things to tell people. This is a really well-made piece and to get this custom made would be like $800+just for the frame and padding, then another few hundred for the upholstery fabric (depending on what you chose). Velvet is pretty pricey these days too, so if you can salvage it, you got a crazy good buy. Rare and unique custom item that you will not find elsewhere, and won't be able to make for such a low price. Here is a link that might be useful: And In Case You Can't Resist...