Yes, that's the record that is the basis for this claim but the weather station where it was recorded is about 4 mile away from the location of the palm. What it boils down to is whether you believe it was the same temperature at both places. I'm simply saying that's not a safe assumption, and it's not sufficient to make an unqualified claim. It's not particularly outrageous to point out that temperatures can differ by several degrees over several miles (seriously, does anybody doubt this? Anybody?) or to suggest that an extraordinary claim (based at best on circumstantial evidence) should be taken with a grain of salt. Take the facts and do what you will with them, but it should tell you something that I'm being attacked, rather than the simple facts I'm presenting.

1) G Street Fabrics, for one (watch for their sales; they also have clearance tables, so depending on how much fabric you need, it might be worth the time to go through their stacks). Also, Joanne's Fabrics has upholstery fabrics, too, and the HomeDec chat ladies over on WashingtonPost.com (every Thursday) have frequently recommended Discount Fabrics over in Thurmont, Md (probably a nice day trip if the weather stays breezy!). (And if an occasion takes you to North Carolina, there are lots of discount fabric places across the state!) 2) I have never needed reupholstery services, but there is a place in Arlington that is highly regarded (I once went there because for some strange reason they could access a catalog and samples for a line of window drapery rod hardware for me--and were NICE about it!), and that's Jose Goncalves on Lee Highway. (It's right next door to the Cowboy Cafe--yum! Great blue-cheese burgers! A bit of a dive when you walk in to the place--dark--but make a quick right-hand-turn and grab a table) A quick search of the WashPost chat's questions/answers on reupholstery shops turns up these mentions, too: Spicer's in Alexandria and Mount Vernon Upholstery in Alexandria. And you could always check out Calico Corners (tho I've always assumed they'd be pricey).

Mike and others, hi! I live in Eastern WA, Cashmere which is right between Leavenworth and Wenatchee (on the Columbia River). It's zone 6b way too cold and I've had these three meyer lemons inside since late september, they are under T5 grow lights. air is dry so I mist. Poncirusguy - you have a greenhouse that looks made of windows -- I have TON of those old wood framed farmhouse windows in my basement and was thinking of making a greenhouse using them, with pallets on the ground, against the chimney... any tips on the homemade green house project? (I'm not a woodworker but I do have drills, saws, pick up truck... ) As for my 3 meyers, Problems are the flowers all keep just falling off!! - no fruits have ever formed! Also aphids and fungus gnats persist, even though I let the soil get really dry before watering and it's good draining soil. they were really happy outside this summer. I tried neem, now using some other pest spray supposedly safe for veggies and have tried organic soap spray... the gnats are less but aphids persist. We have 300 days sun / year. So many beautiful citrus in all your pix! That's what I want, and want to diversify. What other plants might I start indoors? I also have an HPS ballast and light I can use. Maybe I am fertilizing too much. I'm doing it like once a month, according to instruction.

I'm trying to build my soil and I have read stories where even the hardest clay changes simply with top dressing every year. It takes much longer this way (years), but the stories have been convincing. I'm leaving the autumn leaves in my garden and I take bags of leaves from my lawn and keep them rather than giving to the county. I try to shred the leaves but we find the process messy and unpleasant (loud shredder) but I usually get a bag or two done which worth about 5 bags unshredded. I use the shredded leaves as a bottom layer of mulch for my vegetable garden and any leftovers for my ornamental garden. The whole leaves are used for the ornamental gardens and back "wild" garden. On top of the leaves, I put shredded hard wood mulch for the ornamental garden and natural bark mulch for the vegetable garden. I use much less than if I only used mulch as I have the (completely free) layer of leaves underneath. My vegetable garden gets turned a bit every year as I plant new, so I have seen the best change in my soil as the broken down mulch from the previous year is incorporated into the top few inches as I break up the soil and create a smooth planting base in the Spring. I'm starting to compost again and hope to have my own compost to use as another layer. My county doesn't do this, but others nearby will deliver for free to residents truck loads of compost (I'm so jealous). You might want to look into your local services to see if they either deliver or allow pickup of mulch or compost for residents. I'm really excited for you and your project! I think you will have an amazing woodland garden!