Cadence You'll have to wait til the plants go dormant once again which is sometime in summer. I spent a whole year as an exchange student in BC a while back.. I just love it there. (this was in the Kamploops, Kelowna, Merritt and a town by the Okanagan area) It felt like paradise. Lucky you to live there. Ianna

Good morning everyonbe. Still no package, and no mail today as we all know it's a holiday. We have been sleeping in so much later these last few days, that not sure we'll hear the alarm tomorrow when it's time to get up for school! My granddaughter had off as of Friday. I better get in the habit since I may be going back to work real soon...sooner rather than never! LOL Mary Ellen, I don't blame you for being partial to the photos. I would be proud as well. Dianne, I can't tell you the number of times I would "remmeber" something, anything...especially that stuff I package up and put in containers in the freezer! LMAO....sometimes it's a defrost everything to determoine what it is. Or defrost what you think were mashed p potatoes and find out it was buttercream icing! My promise to myself this year was to label everything, but I don't always. oh well. One time I had a box take the longest time. When it came down to it, it was never mailed as a priority box, so it took a longer time to get here, perhaps Vina that is what is happeneing? I'm still experiencing great problems with GW. I type to a blank page and then minutes later, the words appear. As of now, I see the paragraph where I mention MaryEllen. It will be minutes before anything else appears and then I have to go back and fix typos. So strange, not sure why this is happening. Spring, plesae come soon, I can no longer take this cold. Have a great Monday! Maryanne

Sorry, but I do **NOT** agree with this comment (posted above): "Incredibly sad, especially that the 2 people responsible are really just children themselves. At 17, I knew right from wrong but I didn't fully understand life and consequences." Children don't have to "fully understand life" to know that it's wrong to commit murder. An eight year old child can understand that it's wrong to inflict pain on other people. The two "youths" that committed this heinous crime can't hide behind any excuses, IMHO. I hope they're swiftly dealt with, and subjected to the harshest penalties our justice system can inflict. My heart aches for that mother.

Mary Why not collect the rain water? (I won't pay for water to water the plants). I have 5 rain barrels. Even with well ('free water'), I still use rain water - I just can't see letting it all soak in the ground, if I have plants that may need it. Even if you just start with large bottle from bought water (few gal), that would be good. I have done that too, cutting a top off to make kind of funnel, and slipping it into another, bigger bottle opening (I put piece of mosquito/window screen over the inserted opening so not to get mosquitos in it). First rain barrel I got was free from freecycle...didn't have any top, but I just fastened a piece of screen over the top. I bought spout and inserted it about 1.5-2" from the bottom of barrel, attached a hose and 5 yrs later, I am still using it. If you do something like this, don't forget to poke (drill) a hole near the top for overflow. I glued small piece of screen over it too. Even plastic (food grade) bucket will work (cover with screen and no funnel needed). I get those free from deli stores, they have things like pickles delivered in them...vinegar smell is gone in no time. You can see I am cheepo...I rather spend $$$ on new plants, and things like lights. Farm supply store should have chicken grit (#2 size - grower) for under $10/50lb. Don't get the smallest (chick) or bigger (hen). Check if they carry perlite, and/or turface -probably not, but it's worth asking. Dry Stall is something many use (very similar to turface I think), but I don't have personal experience with it. Any container you'll use should have drainage holes. Put little piece of screen over it to stop mix from falling out. I use plastic - mainly because of weight, but terracotta is great (and try to get them on freecycle too). Rina