Raisemybeds, you do have a way with words! It's funny that I should stumble across this post today. Just yesterday, as I'm driving home from picking the kids up from school, I'm looking for signs of a gardener's presence as I'm driving through town. Granted it's a small town, around 2500 people, but there were only 2 or 3 homes that showed any signs of life. The tulips and daffodils are just now coming up, so I'm not referring to things blooming already, but just evidence that someone cares. Maybe they've cleaned up the fall debris, or worked the soil in a vegetable bed, or have bulbs coming up. Most houses have a few token shrubs or trees, and when summer kicks in they might set out a couple pots of store bought annuals, but no perennials or vegetables. Oh, there are a couple of homes that appear to have been professionally landscaped, with things you can buy at any big box store, but nothing unusual to say that a gardener actually lives there. Last year, I was edging around one of my perennial beds with a pair of hand held grass shears, mainly because I can't cut a straight line with a weed-eater. One of my neighbors saw me, and later asked my DH if I alway cut the yard with scissors. It makes me a bit sad that there are so few gardeners around here, and that I'm seen as an oddity of some sort. That's why I enjoy the forum's here so much. I feel like I'm around people that understand the joy and beauty of gardening, and enjoy helping one another to be more successful at it. Thank you for sharing, Bonnie

With that wall where it is, you could simply staple a sheet of clear plastic midway up the fence and bring it down to a foot or two in front of the plants and cinch it to the ground with wood or whatever you have lying around. Coupled with the heat absorption of what I assume is the fairly dark wood background of the fence, you'll have your own little greenhouse for just a couple bucks worth of heavy plastic.

You are all wonderful! Thanks so much for the wealth of information and advice. Interestingly enough, I really think the ol' Sweet 100 is doing better. Close as I came to yanking it, I decided in the end to give it more time. And there is new, healthy green growth at the top. Even the leaves that were in question have somewhat better color now. I gave it a bit of fertilizer, have continued watering, sprayed on some Safer insecticidal soap, and added a dash of wait-and-see... and the silly plant may very well make it. I'll still try to get a photo or two to post later on, though. I appreciate your expert opinions very much! I also put out some Tanglefoot sticky traps earlier this morning, and I am catching some tiny bugs from around the toms. So I'll repeat the soap spray soon and keep watch. And... because I am an insane veg-gardening newbie, I planted two MORE tomato plants this morning; this time in nice, big pots. My 3 little Super Bush seedlings are still so danged small, and with the fate of the Sweet 100 cherry in question, and the other plant, a Big Boy (ironically enough) still being quite small (just planted it a couple of weeks or so ago), I stupidly decided that I should probably plant yet MORE tomato plants just to make sure I get some danged toms to eat purdy soon! Yes, I am out of my mind, thank you. So, into a pot went an Oregon Spring, and another pot hosts a Matt's Wild Cherry. I planted them both in a mix of all the Miracle Grow potting mix I had left plus a helping of the uber-awesome chicken-poo soil that yes, I did go and buy (yeah, I know. But as I said, I'm insane). So, one of two things is going to happen: I will end up with 7 pathetic excuses for tomato plants that will all die on me, or (B) I will end up with 400 lb. of assorted tomatoes, all ripe at the same stupid time, and I will be trying to hand them out at the street corner to get rid of them all. The tomato experiment has commenced! Sigh. :-) Here is a link that might be useful: My new blog! Simplifying in Suburbia

Oh! Interesting. I know a guy who had something like that. He got food poisoning from tempura and couldn't face any Japanese restaurant for years after. You're right. It is similar to my brain telling me to spit out mango juice flavored vitamins even though I figured out they'd be safe to eat. :) Allergies are weird too, though, like the way many people can't eat a cooked egg without a violent intestinal reaction but can eat non-eggy baked goods with some eggs in them with no problem. There really are some people who can take onion powder or very cooked down onions, but if they're pretty solid they get intestinal reactions. Bossyvossy, Have you been checking out the Cooking forum? Grainlady and others have been posting more good information about gluten free baking there.