I can sympathize! I waited until last fall to put in the garden in my front yard. I had collected plants since the spring then spent the summer killing off the Bermuda Grass lawn. By fall I was sooooo excited but the ground was hard as concrete! We have 90 - 100 degree summers with no rain at all. You know the song "It never rains in California..." -- they're talking about here. Couldn't get a shovel in 2 inches! What's a girl to do??? I rented a jackhammer to dig it -- complete with a shovel attachment! It was a great way to meet the neighborhood - everyone came over to talk. I think I was the entertainment that weekend. We do what we gotta do. It worked although I've never been so sore. The garden looks lovely now and the 11 rose bushes are happily growing and blooming. Debbie

Hi Desi. I moved here from Atlanta almost 2 years ago. I spent the first year in denial that it is any different than Georgia. Its definitely very different. The main things that bug me are: The slugs The summer droughts (1st year here, no real rain in my yard for 42 days!) The lack of heat in summer to get Tomatoes and tropicals (that I miss) like Brugs, Cannas and Elephant Ears growing really good. Its recommended to grow them South-facing, against a warm wall and it does work OK but the results are a little disappointing after growing them in the South. I see Brugs all the time here but they are usually smaller. The warmer weather is shorter here too. The flipside is that you get to grow all those things that it was just too hot for in Ga., like Lilacs, Rhubarb, Sweetpeas and Gunnera! You don't have to water in the winter. No hideous soggy 90 degree and 90% humidity days. We have an air conditioner and I think we used it about 10 days since we got here. Oh Yeah, I actually miss the thunderstorms. Here the rain is usually just a steady drizzle. Atlanta got more rain per year but it usually fell all at once. The things I wish I knew when I got here: How DRY the summers are. That many plants considered shade plants in Georgia are actually sun plants here. I been experimenting with hundreds of plants so let me know if I can be of any help. Laura

Hi Dimples... check the link below. It is the one giving instructions on how to make a "Neck Cool" for service men and women. Hope it helps. I've made over a hundred of these things (several years ago) and I always used 100% cotton. They were never "soggy." Here is a link that might be useful: Neck Cool at the Gator Project

Hi Marvin, Seedlac eh? Seedlac is the most unrefined form of shellac. It containing all the processing impurities, including bug parts and most importantly, wax. This and buttonlac are the two most durable forms of shellac and a topcoat is not recommended. They've historically been used for french polishing and for finishing stringed instruments. Pls remember to strain the impurities and stir the seedlac to fully blend the wax into the solution. Most shellac flakes (there are yet a number of grades) are sold decanted, meaning they're dewaxed. You can safely put just about any topcoat you wish over dewaxed shellac except waterbourne poly. Alcohol-based finishes will raise the grain so be sure to lightly sand between coats. Now for the alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol will work, but not very well. Drugstore bought rubbing alcohol contains too much water (among other things ) for it to be used successfully with shellac. You'll want to use denatured alcohol as the main carrier for shellac. However, if you're in a pinch, ammonia can be used to dissolve the flakes, although I can't condone its use because of the inherent health risks. Most woodworkers use shellac as a sanding sealer, or conditioner prior to staining. It helps to minimize blotching that can come from staining. A spit coat is all that's really needed - usually no more than a 1/2 lb cut. Before I get any more long winded than I already have, I'll direct you to a friend's website, Jeff Jewitt. He's one of two people that are considered the top finishing gurus in the US. I get all my shellac from him btw. http://homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/articles.htm Don't hesitate to email me if you have any more questions. best of luck