Just popping in to say hi! been working 10-11 hr days and have not had much puter time to check forums and emails---thus full mailbox!!! My neighbor told me about that today--his emails kept coming back!! Just deleted 598! Should be good for awhile! LOL! I have tried to get some gardening time in on the weekends and making a little progress, but so much to do other than gardening, like the crappy house cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping etc. Why can't the house just clean itself? And the clothes stay clean? And food just STAYS even after you take something out to cook? And the pets feed themselves? Well-guess I just gota do what I can! LOL! I have a complaint in on KatzKountryKuttins in the paypal resolution area and waiting to find out what they will do. Will get on the forum when I can--In the meantime I wish you all happy gardening! Linda

Andy, I'm zone 7 but don't think there should be that much of a difference as we are both protecting our plants over the winter. Not a basjoo but my Himalayan (Musa sikkimensis) bloomed a few summers back. Last summer was a dud so bananas were off, this summer we had extremely dry conditions and I didn't even put them into the hot, dusty ground (now it's raining and raining!) But to get back to your question, mine bloomed with a heck of a lot fewer leaves than 20-25--maybe 8 or fewer of those enormous leaves on an 8 foot plant (have a pic somewhere I can post). It bloomed in September as I recall (a teacher wanted to bring it into his class to show the students how the bananas develop out a flower branches).--They kind of pop out suddenly those floral parts. Just keep watering and feeding! Good luck and post a pic if it does bloom.

Rita, you've had a harder time than we did! I'm glad you're feeling a little more normal. I made my first trip to the grocery last night. It still looks like an army went through. There were only "weird" eggs (brown ones and organic), almost no meat or bread. My DH loves Little Debbie Donut Sticks, and the only thing in the LD display was three boxes of lemon marshmallow pies! :) Good thing he stocked up. We still have tree limbs piled up along the streets, just waiting for the city to get to them. But we never lost water, and our power came back on Monday afternoon. We've been without cable/internet/TV since Monday, but that's really a pretty minor inconvenience. Over the weekend I quilted a lap quilt. I intended to sew the binding on it Monday, but couldn't with no power. :) Donna

Justerrilynn, we had a similar incident early on. My husband's coworker tested positive, and the person from whom she believes she was infected died in April from the virus. He was a policeman. I hope your husband, his coworker (and you!) are all OK. That set a tone for my family. We self-quarantined strictly for 2 weeks, and since then have taken the attitude that masks and distancing are our responsibility. We are all healthy, do not have medical issues, and are not considered high risk. (Me, perhaps... by age but I don't have any conditions.) If we get or have had the virus, we would likely recover. But if "essential" workers who serve me food, bag my groceries, etc. all are required to wear masks, then I'm going to wear one, too. Just out of decency and respect. People can call me a sheep or fear monger or whatever term they're using to justify their own actions. My young adult kids have been socializing with friends outdoors, and I'm not always there to monitor them. But I've at least set an example and hope they're being mindful. (I believe they are, and we talk about it.) Moving forward, I will fully support businesses who enforce their employees and customers to wear mask and practice safety measures. I have been especially pleased with Costco, Trader Joe's, Aldi and a local meat market--which has been going above and beyond despite some of the clientele who I suspect would otherwise choose not to abide. There are many businesses, though, that I'll stay away from permanently. Simply because in observing their measures, it's difficult to tell what phase we are in because so little is being enforced. (And this applies to some friends and acquaintances, too, unfortunately.)