james-in-lapine froze again chattered HappyDay, your 'What would Jesus do?' was off topic and is just fanning the flames. I know, cos every mention of Jesus incites unforgiving rage. It's the reason for His ministry and what He died for. Seriously, looks like my lil joke zoomed overhead. I'll explain. For some time I have wondered at the unbelievable cowardice of the librul haters. Aren't libruls historically the weak men already? Libruls are the lily livered, civil rights and free love if not feminist advocating, pot smoking back to the landers and conscientious objectors. They are the meek and mild bleeding hearts, like Jesus. You know, the intellectual and emotional conscience of society. So why are these gorilla headed neocons namecalling them? It's like a drunken wifebeater yelling "Tha b*tch got between me and my kids!" Talk about blaming the victim. Libruls are no threat to the rich, strong, and powerful who own everything and control the government and the military. Oh wait, they are. Love-ins stopped the Vietnam war. In a time of rampant overpopulation, lives were saved and military contractors lost money. Unforgivable. Today, the voice of the victim is the only voice that has any moral clout in American society. There is only one way for those in power to reclaim control over the hearts and minds of the populace. To silence the voice of the victim, they have to pretend to be even more pitiful victims themselves. This reminds me of the oil and land rich Muslim world resenting even the tiny corner lot that the Jews finally got back after a decade of suffering. Regarding Jesus, it's ironic, isn't it, that Hitler used Christian rhetoric to turn brainwashed Germans against Jews when Jesus Himself was a Jew? He was killed for being King of the Jews. In fact, Hitler was probably the illegitimate grandson of a wealthy Jew who may have molested Hitlers mother when she was a servant in their home. Isn't it also ironic that most neocons hate their fellow American libruls even more than Bin Laden? Divide and conquer. Don't think about it, just shut up and do as you're told. Well, to be fair, the terrorists are only shooting at the soldiers. A man can respect and even admire another warrior. But the Libruls might be saying bad things about the soldiers, and that is unforgivable. What bad things are they saying? Oh, bad things like stop the war, save tax dollars, bring our sons home. Horrible things like that. Unforgivable.

What a post! Would it bother you if I copied it and sent it to my greenhouse teacher? From working at a garden center: "What are these?" -"Fluffy seed pods from a Clematis" "No way, they never had them before!" -"Yep, that's what they are." "I want a SECOND opinion" -"Sure, hey ... do you happen to know what these are?" *Quizzical look at me* "Clematis seeds..." *Some more argument from customer on the subject* "Well, they're hideous." Yeah, that was an interesting one. It's not uncommon to have customers ask for a second opinion on an insect problem or something like that when they don't like the answer. I was really taken back by this one though. Many conversations begin with: "You know that tree in that yard by the church on ivelivedhereallmylifebutneverheardofit street? What is it?" You can never own too many pairs of Crocs. Keep pennies on hand for the kiddies to throw in the fountain. Harry Lauder's Walking Stick makes a wonderful conversation piece next to the cash register. When ordering petunias, if it doesn't say "wave" don't bother. People have no idea what they're exposure is like. -Use words like South and West, then ask them questions like, what time they eat dinner in the summer and where. If the answer is 5:30 on the back deck, ask them if they have to wear sunglasses or a sweater and go from there. If customers start a pile of plants next to the register, organize them by price. There is one customer every day that wants you to landscape their entire yard 10 minutes to closing. Know and accept this fact. Know plants in this order: -Vague description -Culture requirements and common name(s) -Deer resistance -Scientific names

I am looking for a pair of garden gloves that don't let the dirt in. Most every pair I have ever had lets the dirt in at the tips of the fingers, and it destroys my manicure. If anyone has any suggestions, could you mention not only the brand but which ones are most protective, as each brand often has many styles and selections to choose from. I used some latex gloves yesterday, and today my hands are inflammed, red and itching. Guess i must be allergic to the gloves or else I got into some poison ivy or something. Anyway I am desperate for a pair of good, protective gloves that don't leak dirt and mud in.

OK so this isn't about tomatoes but it is my spider story. Several years ago I was at a place called Spence's Bridge in the BC Interior. It was on the Thompson River and it was just opening for season. The Natives had just recently taken over management of the campground so they yet hadn't done everthing that needed doing. So here's me, having to go to the outhouse. First of all, it is hotter than hades out there, around 105 degrees and desert. Sagebrush, little cactus on the ground everywhere and the whole nine yards. The outhouse is make of plywood. The lock is on the OUTSIDE. I open the door and the seat was just a bench thing with a hole in it. No toilet seat. It was also a bit high for me (being a shorty) and a bit far back from the edge. To do my business there I could not just perch, but had to climb up and fully engage myself to the position. Sitting there trying to get it over with, and trying to hold the door shut I look up. Near the top is a very impressive web with a huge barn spider. OK that's cool, they're not poisonous although I hoped it didn't come down and investigate me. I look down to the right and in that corner was a web with a nice big black widow in it. I finished my business really quick and went over to the camp caretakers who were lounging under the only shady tree for miles around and asked them to remove the black widow from the outhouse. They did it, with huge grins on their faces. I would have gladly spent the weekend watering a tree instead but there weren't any that provided proper cover for a gal. That place was wide open. Luckily it was so darn hot that we drank gallons and didn't need to pee anyway as we sweated it out. So I didn't need the outhouse till the day we had to leave. I remember someone catching a baby rattler that weekend too. PS the fishing was lousy.