Well, I am glad the laundry soap worked for you. I am going out to sprinkle some on a Fire Ant mound. They decided to build right in my vegetable garden, for Pete's sakes. We are expecting Thunderstorms today...in fact any minute. I just heard a distant rumble. Need to move all the seedlings back into the greenhouse in case we get hail. Ugh! Gotta go put some plastic collars around the newly set Genovese Basil seedlings so they don't get beat to death. I cut the bottoms out of old 3-4" plastic pots and set them around tender plants to protect them from wind damage. I stick a fat stick next to each tender plant to keep cutworms from chewing through them, or use paper collars. Once the stems get thick and tough, the paper collars have decayed and turned back to the earth. I find things that work that are cost-free and recycle everything I can. I do not like to use insecticides or chemical fertilizers. Yes, my place is a working garden. If you lived close to me, we could share plants and help each other. (I have way too many vegetable seedlings this year. EVERY seed grew!) Ain't that the pits to live so far from the ones you click with? Oh, well, I am glad to have you all on here to share with and cry with too. Some of us call each other and some we exchange emails, Some of us trade plants and things. It is great to have long-distance friends. These are the best bunch of people I know. Better get back out there and finish before the storm hits. The clouds are building fast. Hope we don't get hail and tornadoes tonight. Happy Earth Day! ~Annie

I like this one a lot. Omit or reduce veggies to your taste. I sometimes add shrimp or pieces of chicken. Vegetable Lo Mein 2 Tbl vegetable oil 1 Cup snow peas, halved on a diagonal 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into match stick size 1/2 Lb assorted mushrooms chopped 4 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal 2 Cup (about 4 handfuls) fresh bean spouts or Chinese cabbage 2 inches fresh ginger root, minced 4 Cloves garlic, minced [ I use Less] 1 Lb lo mein noodles cooked, drained well 1/2 Cup aged tamari soy sauce Heat a wok-shaped skillet or large non-stick skillet over high heat. When pan is very hot, add oil, (it will smoke a bit) then, immediately add the snow peas, pepper, mushrooms, scallions, and bean sprouts. Stir fry for 1 minute to flavor the oil, then add the ginger and garlic, and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the cooked noodles and toss with to combine. Add the soy sauce and toss the ingredients to coat noodles evenly with sauce. Transfer the lo mein to a serving platter and garnish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil if desired.

Here's something about this subject. I just made a purse like the one on Annies Attic Free Pattern. I did not have a pattern. I just made it up as I went. Which I do most often. I see a handle and buy it then make something that I like to go with it. My purse is a darker shade of green with one light flower on it. If you can do it ,, go ahead. I give my permission. I agree, DROP IT!

Hmmm. Tricky? I've used that technique of creating the X and then sewing the sides together before for small containers. I didn't find it tricky in the least. I had to hand sew the seams on the tiny bags but on a large one I'm sure doing it by machine is not a problem. Here are my thread catchers formed from strips instead of squares and here's the link to the tutorial I used to make them. Not sure if it was here or some other place that I first found that one. Haven't decided whether I'll do the big bags all in recycled denim or just use sturdy denim for the 4 squares that form the bottom. As for which came first -- the free download or the copyrighted pattern -- I don't know and, altho I wouldn't violate a copyright I don't feel uncomfortable about sharing what's already on the web. I've found several times that people are selling patterns for what I've already discovered for free or known how to do since Girl Scouts. And sometimes I pay for the pattern -- like the snap open/closed bags I recently shared -- and someone else has the free instructions to share. I pay happily when I need to and use what comes along when it's available. ::shrug::