PaulNS asked why walnuts. I can't answer for others, but I picked it because it is a nut tree that will grow in a wide range of temperate climates. Nuts provide a rich source of nutrients and when the tree stops bearing, you can use the excellent wood. Almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans are other possible trees, but without the broad range of adaptability. I actually like pecans better. Here is my reasoing for the other choices. beans - love them, and a good protein source, easy to store without modern technology squash - reasonably good keepers, lots of uses, nutritious seeds sweet potatoes - I like them better than white potatoes, which would be my second choice here amaranth - never even tasted it, but is it the most complete protein of any grain, easy to grow, and pretty, too. On a high elevation site, quinoa would be a good substitute oats - oatmeal, oat cakes cabbage - brassicas are all very nutritious; this one is easy to store or preserve (sauerkraut) carrots - tasty, easy to store onions - as with carrots, and what is food without onions? tomatoes - anyone who has ever tasted a garden grown tomato know why I picked this one sunflowers - nutritious, tasty seeds, easy to grow blueberries - delicious (my favorite berry), exceptionally rich in antioxidants walnuts - see above Rosefolly

That is indeed a beautiful poem. Ah...self-heal....tiny wild Prunella vulgeris. We have a variety that grows here in the wild. It is so tiny that most people overlook them and think of them merely as weeds. "Pipestrelle". New one on me. I had to look that one up. Never heard a bat called that before. Sounds much more romantic than saying "a tiny bat", now doesn't it? :) That is indeed an image of bi-gone country cottage life in the UK. Maybe it still is! Thanks Megan.

Bee - I checked my library and wikpedia and it looks as if there are three books that form a trilogy. The first one was originally just called Call the Midwife but then it appears to have been modified to Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950s". I looked on Amazon and it also appears to be also known as Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times. Three titles for the same book...I have no idea why they made is so confusing lol. Anyway, hopefully this will help you with your searching. Readers Paradise is part of Gardenweb. We are in the Glyphs forums and have been around as long as KT. I will put the direct link for you all, and hope you come visit. On the first page, there is a Welcome and Intro thread so you can meet some of us! Please don't be shy about joining in, the more the merrier. Here is a link that might be useful: Readers Paradise

@phyllis mn - There is a lot to be gained from participating in a book club - reading a variety of authors is certainly one of them! Here is another way I might fill in the blank: You know you should be in a book club when... everyone is raving about the book you just read, but you didn't understand a word of it! You just might learn what you are missing by attending the discussion - this has certainly happened to me.