I can understand how he feels his hobby has taken over his life and the need to step back for awhile. I wish him happiness in this sabbatical (or retirement if that's what it turns out to be.) He's given us so much joy with the roses he has created, and so much wisdom and information on his web site - not to mention his always patient and useful responses to posts here on GW. All the best, Paul! Anne

I actually found it kind of fun too. Already led me to read some interesting forums I normally would never have looked at. I guess that's the idea. It's working. I have some spurge in the yard that the stems turned red for fall, like that in the background of your pic. Here's my last rose pic, from the 5th. Clotilde is still putting out a few blooms though we've had some pretty heavy frosts.

Congratulations, and welcome to the world of kefir!!! The kind of milk you use is up to you. The grains I received were from a gal who's family ran a large dairy in Eastern Kansas, so they were grains that had only been used in raw milk. Since I do home food storage (I haven't purchased liquid commercial milk from a grocery store since 1981), I use reconstituted powdered milk - and have all the years I've made kefir (over a decade). No transition period.... Occasionally I'll have some 1/2 & 1/2 or whipping cream on hand and I'll add a little of it to the milk for a richer/thicker curd. I can also get a thicker curd by using more milk powder, but I think the grains "like" the additional fat provided by the 1/2 & 1/2 and whipping cream occasionally. I also use reconstituted powdered coconut milk for coconut kefir (you can also used canned coconut milk or make your own with unsweetened coconut and water - blended and strained). Occasionally when I get extra grains I'll make a batch or two with cider or 100% grape juice - but the grains don't thrive more than a few non-milk batches. I've also made it with raw goats milk, but not very often. It's not budget-friendly. Kefir can have a cleansing effect and your body will let you know how much is "enough", or too much. We only consume 2 servings of dairy each day, and the morning kefir counts as one of them. I use it in a smoothie-type mixture every morning. I also use it as a substitute for buttermilk in cooking/baking. Drain the curd and it's my substitute for plain yogurt, cream cheese, and sour cream - as needed. Where you will notice a difference in taste is when the temperature fluctuates. I personally prefer the more mild-tasting kefir fermented in cool winter temperatures (ambient temperature in our kitchen doesn't usually get above 64-degrees F in the winter), compared to the more sour/tart kefir made when the temperature is much warmer, but I use it all year and make it about every 4-5 days. It your kefir gets "gritty", that means the temperature is too warm for fermenting. The warmer the temperature, the faster it ferments. Sometimes in as little as 9-12-hours. My favorite is coconut milk kefir, but I only make it once a month, or so. It makes a nice add-in to orange or pineapple/orange juice, or used in desserts, and great topped with granola for breakfast or a snack. -Grainlady

I actually drifted over here from the hosta forum, through the "new posts" feature. I am glad some of you have discovered or rediscovered my, and so many others' favorite plant. They are the centerpieces of my garden, which is all shade. I have about 80 different varieties, which is a lot less than some collectors out there. There are always new "hot" ones to add each year, but sadly I'm out of room. I'm obsessed with them from early Spring to about mid July, then the slugs take over and have their evil way and I move on to other things. The great thing about hostas is that they come back bigger and better every year, so it's always something to look forward to. They even look good in black and white! This post was edited by coll_123 on Thu, Oct 23, 14 at 17:10