"can’t imagine doing without running water for 4 months!" It was . . . interesting. Fortunately, there's both an indoor pool, and a campground nearby that let us use the showers. And a neighbor let us fill jugs at his house. "You use green beans as dried beans? That’s a first! What do they taste like?" Dried beans are basically beans that have been left to get mature. So they just taste like beans to me. They're not as pretty and fun as, say, Vermont Cranberry Beans, and the flavor isn't as specific as most dried bean varieties, and also they're not as big so they don't shell quite as easily. But they're great for a lazy person :) "I guess you cook when you travel. The security check at the airport must be interesting with all that produce in your bag. You don't have a frying pan in there too? [g]" A fry pan -- lol! Well, on road trips I have been known to travel with a salad spinner and Cuisinart :) Always have to have a kitchen. Or someone else's home cooking. Really dislike restaurant food. Self seeded veggies are wonderful. And yes, the ones I mentioned come out good, even if not exactly true to seed, it all tastes good. (though they seem to be true, as well) If you'd have to pay for hay or straw it doesn't seem worth it. Maybe ask a couple neighbors if you can have their grass clippings and/or leaves? (those who don't use herbicides) It sounds like the next few years hold some exciting experimentation for you! You'll have to report back and tell us how it goes. I'd love to hear how you do with fall lettuce and greens if you try them this year.

I am afraid I must disagree with some of the comments about Jack O'lantern pumpkins not being edible. You just look at them in another way. However it is not something I would use for pie it tends to be low in sugar and high in moisture for that application. I will say in general butternut squash runs circles around any pumpkin for the usual pie or dessert applications. Space efficient, dense, thick flesh and solid vines wins all around. However you use it as pumpkin puree for soups and this was fantastic. I made it with free pumpkins from Ace hardware and nothing works better with my frugality than free. * 5 cups chicken stock or broth * 3 cups pumpkin puree * 3/4 cup heavy cream * 1 lb chorizo cooked and coarsely chopped * 2 tablespoons oregano * 1/2 teaspoon cumin * 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped * 2 potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes * 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped * 1/2 cup and 1/3 cup onion chopped * 1 tablespoon oil PREPARATION: Heat the oil in a large pot. Saute the 1/3 cup onions and the garlic over medium heat for about 1 minute. Carefully add in the broth, pumpkin, chorizo and potatoes. Stir in the oregano and cumin. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in cream and serve immediately topped with a tablespoon each of Stir in cream and serve immediately topped with a tablespoon each of cilantro and onion.

Before I got smart and bought a metal bird feeder, the squirrels destroyed every plastic feeder I bought. They would chew holes in the plastic, eat the wooden dowels, and then devour the bird seed. The bird feeders were hanging on a black metal shepherds hook. One day I mixed hot pepper in Crisco and coated that pole. They would climb 2 feet, then slide back 1. They would jump from a tree and spin as they hit that slick pool. Then the pepper would start heating up their paws and they would shake their paws trying to get it off. Then they would try to eat it off of their paws and start shaking their heads trying to get it out of their mouth. They looked like they were having a seizure. I laughed until I hurt. By night time, I had fewer squirrels. Next day, I had them again, but they didn't look like the same ones. LOL

Thank you for the wonderful comments. Everything there is faux except the cattails and the hay bales. The hay bales are years old as are most of the pumpkins/gourds. I bought many of them after the season was over for 80-90% off although 1 or 2 were bought with 50% off coupons in season. My neighbors brought their baby daughter over several years ago and put her in front of the hay and pumpkins and we put some more pumpkins around her for them to take a picture. They said it was cheaper than paying a professional photographer. LOL They have 3 children now and the 2 oldest just love to come over and look at the decorations, especially at Christmas. TTFN, Candy