Re: RHBC I am from the home town of Jenny Lind in Sweden originally. She is a National Treasure for us there. Many things have been named after her. But we heard nothing of this Jenny Lind or Golden Jenny Mellon. Then I found that there are these melons in Austria and Germany even today. But then, they are further south of our Nordic country climate. The singer of this recording that you suppose is of our Jenny Lind (actually is by Elizabeth Soderstrom) and can not be Jenny's voice. Only Elizabeth singing songs Jenny either wrote or sang herself. Elizabeth was also a Swedish singer and did record an album of Jenny Lind songs. Even in Jenny's home town there is no evidence that she ever recorded anything at any time in her life. These are just sagas or fairy tales. After her last child was born she did not appear in public. Even in Switzerland where she had bought her parent's a home to retire in after her tour of America. They were the only ones she would sing for (and of course her children after that around 1865 or so). Even this Victor Talking Machine Ad you speak of here, demonstrates that Edison never contested Jenny Lind having never been recorded singing or talking. Otherwise he would have informed his competitor Victor of this error. The Ad pictured Jenny Lind singing with two violins in the World Renown Castle Gardens. This was to emphasize that if she had been born later, her great voice would not have been lost for all time. This NYC location is where 30-40,000 people gathered for the event of the century. Where they were even selling row boat seats outside for $25 each in 1850 for what would be called Jenny Lind Mania and wasn't even accorded the Beatles American arrival over a 100yrs later. Even so, after her parents died, she wouldn't even sing for her own children or her grandchildren. She was a very proud lady, that also suffered greatly from stage fright and dare not attempt to sing after she reached a certain age. Just stage fright alone might bring upon her and embarrass her. None of the great Coloratura Prima Donna's ever sang past 40 to 50yrs of age anyway. That's when they begin to lose their high notes past 40yrs old. Amazingly only the late great Norwegian Coloratura Soprano, Eide Norena ever recorded the Norwegian Echo Song (Kom Kjyra), that Jenny so loved to sing along with other Traditional Nordic songs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLoWmUagivs Like Lullabies, Ballads and Kulnings (the word we use for maiden cow calling in spring), with some of the high pitched tones you'll heard in this song. For the echo part of the song the singer tightens their throat forcing the voice into a chamber adjacent to the back of the larynx of some females. It's a form of throat singing actually or ventriloquism. In this recording Eide also demonstrates voice "Shake" (one of the many vocal techniques Jenny also used and taught as a teaching Master). Although Eide was an amazing singer, she was not capable of the quality of voice, Kulning and Shake (nor the vocal agility of high notes) that Jenny was. Though both Eide and Elizabeth did master the masked (hidden) breathing techniques that those listening to Jenny Lind took for granted. The Shake was a technique of rapidly Kulning (singing at the front of mouth-head tones loudly for cows to hear far far away) and Echo sounding (throat singing) the lower note alternately like a Nightingale (that could also be heard as if far away). Extremely difficult to do properly and not recorded in any way since Eide. There is a recording of an American Opera singer performing Norwegian Echo song at one of the many Jenny Lind Gala events over the last over 150 years. But I'm afraid "Shake" and many other vocal techniques Jenny had mastered are now lost, never to be heard again. Her name is Elizabeth Parcells singing it here in the 1970's Live (in Jenny's English Translation version of this Kulning); http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=2365390&song=Norwegian+Echo+Song+tradiational+folk+song Swedish folklore or sagas speak often of some magical powers in the high notes of the female voice to communicate with wildlife. That in every girl or maiden hides a Nightingale waiting for May Day to sing of her yearnings for warm summer days. There are tales of Jenny at a very young age mastering the call of the Nightingale. This is what she patterned her voice "Shake" technique after. Ultimately this is why she became known as the Swedish Nightingale even as a young child. Even her great great grandchildren know nothing of any recording ever being produced. Sorry! Here is a link that might be useful: Elizabeth Parcells singing Norwegian Echo Song

The real Jenny Lind, as with all other melons, may have variable size depending on the growing conditions. Here's a description from an SSE member who also got seeds of it from Pinetree: 75 days, green flesh melon with a small turban on the end, 2-4 #, sweet mild flavor. Other SSE members say turban on the end and I think that's what you mean by knob, and size about 2#. One member has a separate listing for one with no turban. Skin should be netted, not ribbed. When I grew it it was netted, had a distinct turban, and various fruits ranged between 1-2#. I didn't think the taste was anything special. I think this variety became well known simply b/c it was rediscovered. This has not been that great of a melon year in the NE, so I'm not that surprised with the small size of your fruits. Weather can also influence fruit genetic traits. Carolyn

Hi, you asked in another thread about what I paid for my siding. I'm in Western Massachusetts, and the house is a simple (no dormers, etc.) straightforward cape. I think 12 square. $5200 - Mastic 44 carved wood double 4" plus outside corner posts with foam inserts (more rigid in a place I thought mattered most). Upgrade from basic corners and thinner vinyl was only about $300 of this cost. Aluminum coil stock. $50 per pair Mastic shutters installed. (Nice just wrong size!) $425 for Mastic door surround that had to be custom fitted $100 for two vinyl gable vents. $500 for PVC trim board and cove molding inc labor. Other costs like $1000 removal of old siding and $425 for installation of the front and storm door were things that someone handy like yourself could handle, unlike me with a 1 year old and 4 year old and husband-year old. :)

Thanks you guys!!! I'm gonna try to digest the instructions...the computer is really a big hang-up for me!!! I'd have a blog by now if only I knew how to navigate this darn thing!!! LOL!!! I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you - such a nice community so far!!! About me: I'm semi-retired due to illnesses (fibromyalgia & arthritis)after 30 yrs as a designer. So as not to bore you, I'll keep my background short & sweet, but feel free to ask questions. I was very fortunate to work for a large regional furniture store when I was in my 20's. I worked at the flagship store in Visual Merchandising & Accessory Manager. I was an extremely hard worker & pretty darn spunky. The owner of the stores liked my style & took me under his wing. Even though he had a stable of VERY talented designers at the store, he chose me to design his new house. The design manager got really upset at this & insisted that I work with one in her stable. The designer was fired from the project a few months in due to dropping the ball. Then it was all me. Well, the house ended up as an 8 page spread in a design magazine. From that I got jobs with pro athletes & state & national political figures, plus tons of Dream Homes, Decorators Showhouses, etc. This was all great...unlimited budgets, prestige, great parties, etc, except that I was treated horrible by these rich muckety-mucks. I was merely a means to their end of their one-upping each other & the excess & waste was just appalling. Then I got a call from a woman in the projects who had saved up to $3000 for years...all she had. She wanted me do design her living room. I was stunned at what she wanted, but felt the need to make this work somehow. When it was done, she cried like a baby. I had actually changed her life for the better - unlike the idiot rich people. It was then that I knew I'd never go back to designing for the rich. The rest of my career was geared toward "everyday people" helping them create a pleasing environment on a budget. I have been very fulfilled doing this. I have a great resume & all, but it was this woman in the projects who changed MY life. I chose a very simple life & moved to a much smaller city, & never again pursued the limelight & "fame" as a REALLY high-end designer. That's the crux of my design & life philosophy - live simply but beautifully, surround yourself with people & things you love, embrace anything organic & real, & never pursue what you don't have to make you happy or accepted. ...and that's me in a nutshell kids...