Good sunny morning all, Doug and I have been busy bees here in the gardens this week and getting lots accomplished. Yesterday we emptied out the huge leaf compost bin, shredded all the leaves in it, raked the entire northeast corner/top of the hill and the area we store the trailer in, shredded all those leaves. Mixed about half the shredded leaves with the first couple mowings of grass clippings, watered it all in well and put it back in the big composter. Then we turned in several bushels of already cooking leaf compost then mixed that in well. (my arms are sore today LOL) I've got a batch of leaf compost was put together last Sept or Oct and it should be ready to use in a couple more week. Woohoo! Today Doug and I are going to tackle the pond project. (Have I mentioned I cant wait to get the fish outside) LOL Anyway, THANKS everyone for your kind remarks regarding the Fine Gardening article. I was so excited and cant believe that really happened. You know how if something seems too good to be true it probably is? Well I kept thinking that this really wouldnt happen and had to pinch myself when my magazine came in. PM2, I was contacted by the editor of this issue in February. Shed seen some of my pics on another garden forum I participate on. Shed asked to use some photos of my mailbox garden from 2005 for a garden design piece they do in the regular magazine. (That is supposed to be in the Sept. issue if all goes well, there were some image resolution issues to be resolved) Anyway, she asked me to send her some more pics so I sent links to my on line photo galleries and she contacted me a couple weeks later and asked if Id be in the container issue. Ive just been bursting with this news since February but wanted to wait until it actually happened before sharing. Mary!!!! Great news, Im so happy that you wont have to move but sorry for your DH with the continued travel. That is really a tough way to live. Doug only has to be out of town ever other week and it gets old at times. ~~ Thanks for mentioning the article! But you are "family"! So, OK all you folks out there sterilizing your bathrooms. Will you send a bit of that energy my way???? I just cant be bothered with indoor stuff right now and the interior of this house seriously need attention. Eden, so jealous of your Sutherland Gold!!!! Im really missing mine and now am worried that the Cotinus wont be hardy. Id heard it did well in this Zone. Bummer yours had so much winter kill. Well I just saw my first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the season!!! He was checking out the little fountain in the bird bath. Woohoo!!!! Michelle, how neat about that rainbow!!!!! They are pretty difficult to photograph effectively. I dont think the neighbor would have been thrilled for you to be traipsing through his newly planted corn. ~~ Many, many years our weather here does the winter to summer thing and one feels a bit cheated. Woody, surely hope you are feeling better soon. This is no time of the year to be getting a cold. Saucy, how did your workout with the trainer go yesterday??? V. Vent away any time you need to. Sometimes that really helps. I can feel pretty ill used by my immediate family at times. They can have some pretty unrealistic expectations. Anita, how old are your grandsons? Are they old enough to help you weed yet??? LOL Cindy, more spring pics please???? I just love your garden vignettes. OK Ive really got to run and get outside and take advantage of this lovely day. Off to drain the pond and other pursuits. Have a GREAT day everyone! Deanne

Greg, I get about 300 to 600 ch, depending upon our winter. Last winter we had probably a record number of chill hours here, so I was in the 600 range. I am about 6 to 7 miles from the coast, but in the hills a bit. And, apples are not as picky about chill hours as other stone/pome fruits are. I grow several varieties of apples, including the classic low chill apples for California (Golden Dorsett and Anna), as well as several varieties of Fuji, Honeycrisp, Pink Pearl, Rubiyat, Goldrush and Hidden Rose. They will all produce, perhaps some not as heavily as they might with more chill hours, but enough for my needs. If you go to Kuffel Creek's web site, you'll be able to read what Kevin has done out in Riverside county growing all kinds of apples - without the requisite chill hours. And, you're correct - citrus will actually do reasonably well even in nearly full shade. Probably the one cultivar that will be happier in more sun are grapefruits, but lemons, limes, oranges and mandarins will do fine in partial shade. Of course, the more sun, the better (taking care for sunburn on young trunks of course), but they'll produce fruit and perform for you in areas as you have your planted. We are very fortunate here in S. California, to live in one of the most forgiving environments for citrus. Patty S. Here is a link that might be useful: Kuffel Creek Apple Nursery

Oh I love that one. I love sunrises and sunsets. That is NICE. Really evokes a setting, if that makes sense. Thanks for sharing Minrose.

Lovely! Thanks, Alisande! Driving at night in a tule fog is death-defying. Sometimes you can't hardly see the end of your hood. [::shudder::] We don't get much fog at all where I currently live, and I can't say I miss it. Maddie, you reminded me of a day when I was with a friend on a high road outside of Martinez, where it was bright, clear skies and singed hillsides (must have been September-ish). From the top of the hill or transition road or whatever it was, we could see all the way to the bay and SF. There was this black smudge out thataway, and I thought it was a huge fire. She laughed and said it was San Francisco. I said I knew it was but I was talking about the black smoke. She informed me that that was the fog. I was floored. Clear all around for miles and miles in all directions and that black cloud blanketing the city.