For me, containers left on the patio deck generally do not attract slugs/snails. But the containers that are on soil or raised above soil by stands are easily reached by these predators. One idea that I heard of was to put vaseline around the pot for at least 1". The slugs and snails will not pass through this sticky substance. I have used this method and it does work. You just have to apply the vaseline where you will not touch it. It will need reapplying once in a while. And don't forget to consider that the slugs and snails that are on your hosta may already be living in your pot! I remember purchasing a hosta and I kept finding slugs on it. Finally, I removed the hosta from the pot and voila! there they were! Here are other methods to deter snails and slugs for containers. I copied and pasted from the link provided. Here it goes: Gritty substances. The first method for garden snail and slug control is to use a gritty substance. Snails do not travel over gritty substances, such as crushed eggshells or sharp sand, that have been spread around your container plants. Put a layer of grit in your plant containers, and snails will avoid these plants. If they do crawl there, the grit will clog their slime glands and it will kill them. Spread sharp and angular gravel (not smooth rocks) over soil so the snails canâÂÂt climb. All of these gritty substances will irritate the snail and slugâÂÂs delicate undersides. WD-40. To deter snails in your container garden, you can set up barriers around your plants or their containers. For example, you can spray a band of waterproof WD-40 around your containers, and the snails and slugs will be unable to climb up it. WD-40 is waterproof, so it will be effective in the garden even after rain or watering. When spraying the WD-40 around the containers, make sure there are no gaps, as the snails and slugs will climb through any spots youâÂÂve missed. Also protect any plants from the spray by covering them with newspaper or a sheet of plastic. The WD-40 should last an entire season. Copper wire. Another snail barrier is copper wire. Attach copper wire around your plant containers or around a thick plant stem. Because snails have acidic slime, they will get a shock if they touch copper wire. It wonâÂÂt kill them, but it will keep them from climbing up your plant containers or onto your plants, and they will go elsewhere. Hope this helps. Babka, your plants are looking fantastic! Jeffoxtoby, you have provided some good information. In regards to your reference to frogs, I have been told that it is toads that eat a large amount of slugs. Perhaps you can look into that. Here is a link that might be useful: Balcony Container Gardening: 8 Methods for Garden Snail and Slug Control

The almighty hamburger (or sausage or a mix) can be a real lifesaver at times. Hamburgers, meatloaf, sloppy joes, spaghetti, chili, hamburger soup, doctor up canned soups, tater tot hotdish, macaroni hotdish, tacos, burritos, etc. Don't discount what sounds more complicated but is real easy like a pot roast. Put it in a dutch oven, an electric roaster, slow cooker or whatever along with potatoes, onions and let it go slow all day. Smells great, is pretty foolproof and is a gourmet meal in my book. Sometimes I'll roast potatoes with a meatloaf too. Other things are a chef's salad. How easy! Remind him that "breakfast for supper" is fine too. Eggs & favorite meat with toast, pancakes, maybe with fresh fruit on them. French toast or waffles. I'm sure he has a busy day and there's going to be times he just won't feel much like cooking. Let him know it's OK to keep a Stouffer's Lasagna or a frozen pizza or two in the freezer. The kids are old enough to cook some too. Even making a peanut butter sandwich, chips, veggie sticks and fresh fruit can be done and is fine. They can cook pasta and the like, with proper supervision. See if you can find some shows like How to Boil Water and the like at the library and let him watch those. It can be some family entertainment too and they can learn the basics. Other things off the top of my head are a simple baked potato topped with chili. Soup, stew, chili, casseroles/hotdishes. The biggest challenge is to get over the fear of cooking. The second biggest challenge is to think end result and not dwell on the details. Sometimes the simplest meal enjoyed with good friends is far better than a fancy meal when depressed. I thought I'd contribut more of ideas and techniques rather than a specific recipe. One other thought: Maybe some suggestions and help on meal planning. Cook once, eat twice (or more) and things like that. Brown up hamburger and you have the start for sloppy joes one night, tacos another night, spaghetti another night, tater tot hot dish another night and even more, depending on how much you make, plus there's just the grease cleanup only one time. My best to them. What a nightmare it must be for them. I know that often you just don't feel like eating either. That's why the simple things and hey, there's nothing wrong with picking up some deli chicken or deli meats & salads occasionally too! And you're a very thoughtful person for thinking of them and trying to help out like this.

We are definitely into the countdown & I have started - my DH is in food sales and gives each of his customers gifts (about 40 of them!). I start right after Christmas & get gifts for the next year on clearance. Usually we give books, candles, and ornaments and I try and stay under $5 for each. I have started buying for family too - all the grands - kids & neices & nephews (all 20 of them) get books. I purchase from a catalog/website that has on sale & clearance - I try to find books under $5 (for the customers mentioned above also). If you want the name of the website please e-mail me. For our 4 kids we wait until we get a list from them. I have bought items off the list & then got their list and ended up spending too much! For brothers & sisters & immediate nieces & nephews - I make jam/jelly & they each get a jar of wonderful goodness - we grow the fruit & then I make jam & jelly for them. I am about 1/2 way done on that... I don't post all that often - but I enjoy lurking - what a wonderful group of people. Thanks.

These are the five I think of using. Except for the “tracks” they seem really easy, but at least the first letters of the answers spell a real word unscrambled. If you have a harder one with the same first letter, I would gladly exchange. Not very inspired solution word either. Seems my brain is a bit scrambled, too. I have two legs, but they only touch the ground while I’m at rest. White bird featherless, flying down from Paradise. Flying over sea and land, now lies dying in my hand. You can see me in the water, but I never get wet. Many of them come down to the river, but none ever drinks. What goes up but never ever comes down?