why, with the enormous range of fabulous small trees available for our delight, would anyone choose to grow one species only? Lack of imagination or interest - most property owners are not hobbyist gardeners - and a belief that formal effects like shearing of trees and shrubs, planting rows of one kind are sophisticated. Also some are wary of plants they haven't already seen having been proven to be able to grow and persist in their area. I can see some basis for this as both warehouse store plant departments and independent garden centers in my area do stock a lot of marginally hardy or outright tender plants which are often displayed among more cold tolerant kinds, thereby seeming to imply that they are all suitable for year around outdoor use of indefinite duration. And speaking of warehouse store plant departments, with their tiny range of plant varieties - those operations now have a large percentage of the US nursery stock sales. I have seen post after post on the internet referring to these as "the nursery". Plus in the current market trees are moving so slowly I wonder why any of the large independent outlets here are bothering to stock any kind of a range or quantity of them. And in fact one of the bigger operations in the area did apparently cut way back on these, so that for at least a few years now their "tree line" has been this little area like is routinely seen at warehouse stores.

Bingo! Sorry I've been AWOL. School started Aug. 19, our Moms In Prayer group started up again (we pray for the schools/students/teachers). We had the Eclipse (Nebraska was one of the best places to view it and lots of hubbub). I attended a training on Native American Children/ICWA Indian Children Welfare Act. Very enlightening. The tribes are a nation within a nation. They have their own courts, social workers, etc. If the tribe chooses to return a child to the household with a parent who is neglectful/abusive the American courts have to let it happen. On the other hand, the Native Americans have a strong culture and often use non-traditional ways to cure drug addiction such as music therapy and animal therapy. My husband had a birthday so we had a party and now he's trying to put together his own business. That's been a life-long dream. Trouble is...he's an entrepreneur and I'm the anchor who keeps dousing him with questions and pieces of reality. I can see where he wants to go, but he can't see the 200 steps he has to take to get there. In his mind he's already there (wherever he sees himself in his video playback in his head). I may need valium. My double click cosmos bloomed! That's been my good news to keep me going!!! Ii got my daughter's video complete from her trip to Japan and got it uploaded to Facebook. Heidi

I loved this show. I've watched all of the the Mary, Paul, Sue, Mel seasons. More than once! Tried to give it a chance after the debacle but Mel and Sue carried the humor, which was only second to the wonderful camaraderie the contestants had for each other. I really miss them all together. Becky, I've made that bread several times...including this evening! It's wonderful for toast, which my kids are looking forward to topping with peanut butter and jelly tomorrow morning :) I think it'd make great French toast, too. I use Corningware larger than the sizes of her Pyrex, 1.5 and 1.75. Tonight it was a 2 qt. round for one loaf, instead of two. Freezes well. Here's tonight's slice with some chicken noodle soup from Smitten Kitchen Every Day. I buttered, cooked on a sheet pan at 400 until the bottom toasted, turned and topped with a mix of grated fridge cheeses, and continued to bake until the bottom toasted.

I haven't been here in years. I can't believe you're still doing the quotes. How lovely. I like this one, especially today. I lost a childhood friend on 9/11. I do a lot of sobbing and sniffling every year on this day. Life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating. O. Henry