You are correct, pnbrown. I'll post a proper pic of just the rhubarb for you. I have no idea what variety it is because these six plants were already here when we bought the place in 2001. The previous owners where here for a decade or so and they didn't plant it either (I got to ask about all sorts because it was a private sale). No idea how old they are, but they're going strong with no care at all except a little water when it's dry. Every stalk is bright red, too, almost right to the leaf. This photo was from a couple of weeks ago, I think. What I've gathered from the neighbours is that the larger barn on the left was used for pigs. The smaller barn in the middle was converted (from what, I'm not sure) to a custom lambing barn by the people we bought the place from. We use both barns for hay and straw as we don't have lambs or pigs, just a horse and mini donkey. The shed on the right is their old chicken coup. I would LOVE to have laying hens, but there's just not enough time in the day right now with two little kids. It's my tack and grain room for now. Perhaps when the girls are older it could fulfill it's original purpose again. That's all farmland around our yard. I don't know anyone around here who DOESN'T plant in rows. :) I'm actually the oddball because I work the whole garden with manual tools, except for the initial rototilling in the spring. Most of the farm wives here, including my mother-in-law, plant in looong rows with enough spacing in between so that the rototiller can pass between when needed. I'm not fond of that option because I figure when the plants are established, the tiller will chop up their roots that have spread out. Obviously there's some fault in my theory because my mother-in-law always gets fine production. Ah, well... to each their own! So my question is this. I give my rows a lot of space. Maybe not always as much as recommended on the seed packets, but a good deal more than intensive gardeners tend to give them. When my plants are approaching maturity, you don't see a whole lot of soil. I find it hard to understand why it would be beneficial to cram them any closer together? My tomatoes probably don't need as much room as I give them, I'll admit that. When you get results like this, though, in zone 2... I'm not keen on changing my methods any time soon.

Being a complete loon about old things that remind me of people or times past, my house is filled with what appear to be random things but which are precious to me. One of them is a loose leaf cookbook that my brother and I gave to my mother when we were just children. It is very meaningful to me, partly for the recipes she saved there - the cherry pie she always made instead of cake for my Daddy's birthday, the carrot cake she was "required" to bring to every family celebration, her "official" recipes for brown sugar fudge, strawberry pie, bourbon balls, Gramma's egg custard pie and many others, all of them keepers. There is our family jello salad recipe (ours is orange) and the recipe for a family oddity called "Mom's Gom" - you wouldn't believe the ingredients if I told you and you would never believe how good it tastes! Mama's book also contains various recipes for something called "porcupines" and more than one recipe for German potato salad. That would be strange except that I well remember her quest for those two dishes. She kept more than one recipe so I don't know if all were acceptable or if none hit the mark. What's important to me is the reminder than she tried so hard to make the things she cooked the BEST for her family. There are also old letters she received with recipes from my grandma and aunts - one on military stationery from WWII and all so aged that they are fragile and falling apart at the creases. There are even a few from me that show how Mama carefully treasured the signs that I was beginning to have my own successes in the kitchen. Last year I copied out many of the recipes from Mama's book along with others I've collected from friends through the years and put them in a recipe book for my daughter. I know Mama's recipes won't mean as much to her because she didn't have the opportunity to know my mother but I like to think that this little bit of family history has a chance to live on.

Rachael: " California Black Flies ". That's where they are from. I told my Niece in Laguna Beach, Ca. that. She said how did I know they were from CA.? I said," I asked one of them, it answered, I'm from Ca." so I smashed it with a hammer. - - - - - - - - - - - Here is an Article. I Googled " California Black Flies " - - - - - - - - - - - Black Flies Vector Services & Information Black flies are small, menacing, biting flies that are a nuisance to people and animals living, working, or playing near running rivers and streams. These small flies are commonly called "buffalo gnats" because of their humped back appearance. They are typically dark in color and appear in a variety of neutral shades from light gray to black. They belong in the order Diptera (Flies) and in the family Simuliidae. The Bite The painfully itchy bite of the black fly is created when the female cuts a hole in the skin to suck blood from animals and people. Females will attack incessantly around the eyes, ears, scalp and occasionally on the arms and exposed legs. The pain and swelling of the bite are due to allergic reactions to foreign proteins and toxins that the female injects when feeding. Black flies transmit diseases in the tropics, such as River Blindness. Fortunately, they do not transmit any diseases to humans in California, but can cause extreme discomfort and irritation due to their biting habits and/or great numbers. Black Fly Life Cycle Black flies breed in flowing water from rivers and streams to irrigation ditches. After mating the female deposits the fertilized eggs on rocks or other substrate in swift flowing water. Larvae emerge from eggs and develop aquatically, feeding on algae and organic matter flowing by in the moving water. In 7-10 days they develop into pupae. Adults emerge from the pupal case through a slit and float to the surface on a bubble of air. Emerging adults live from 2-3 weeks. They are usually found from spring through fall, with the greatest numbers appearing in the late spring and summer. They are active during the day, with peak activity in the morning and early evening. Personal Protection Avoid areas where black flies are active during the day. Wear (long pants and long sleeves) light colors, especially whites and tans. Wear a light colored hat. Apply insect repellent when outside. If you are bitten, avoid scratching and apply topical products to reduce itching. Black flies are sensitive to weather conditions. They are most active on cloudy, humid days with low wind. GLACVCD's Black Fly Control Program The District controls black flies along an 18-mile stretch of the Los Angeles River - from the Sepulveda Basin in the San Fernando Valley to the junction of the 5 and 110 freeways, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The black fly control program began in 1994 as a result of a severe black fly infestation along the river corridor that affected horse owners, golfers, and even baseball players at Dodger Stadium. The black fly population that breeds in the river is composed primarily of Simulium vittatum. In 1997, the District created a special benefit assessment zone to fund the black fly control program. An annual assessment of $0.15 was levied on all properties located within two miles of the Los Angeles River and the Arroyo Seco, a small adjoining tributary. Smaller black fly sources within the District, such as creeks and streams are treated on an as-needed basis. GLACVCD's black fly program includes: Monitoring for black fly larval occurrence and abundance. Applying Bti when larval numbers get above predetermined thresholds. Monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. Control Agents Used to Combat Black Flies Black fly management is accomplished by applying a natural soil bacteria called Bti to water sources where black flies breed. Bti stands for Bacillus thurigiensis israeliensis. Bti is a special formulation of common soil bacteria that is highly effective in controlling Black flies and mosquitoes. Because it is extremely specific, Bti is considered one of the safest insect control agents ever developed. Other insects, birds, fish and mammals (including humans) do not have the stomach chemistry to be affected by Bti. If you have a black fly problem, please contact the District at (562) 944-9656 and schedule a free inspection. What would you like to learn about?What is a Vector?MosquitoesMidgesBlack FliesMosquitofishWest Nile Virus West Nile Virus Statistics Tips to Protect YourselfSubmit Service Requests There are a number of Mosquito Species and Mosquito-Borne Diseases known to occur within the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District. Click here to learn more. Copyright 2008 GLACVCD. All Rights Reserved. Website by topLingo, Inc Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District Promoting Community Health, Comfort and Welfare Through Effective and Responsive Vector Control Since 1952 About UsWelcome Message from District ManagerOverview of DistrictDistrict Area MapDistrict HistoryStaff / ContactEmploymentFAQsDistrict Programs & DepartmentsScientific-Technical Services Disease Surveillance Operations Underground Storm Drain Community Affairs Public Information Education Program Facilities & MaintenanceAdministrationVector Services & InformationWhat is a Vector?MosquitoesMidgesBlack FliesMosquitofishWest Nile Virus West Nile Virus Statistics Tips to Protect YourselfSubmit Service RequestsNews & EventsWhatÂs New at the DistrictLatest NewsMedia & PublicationsBrochures & PublicationsVideoAudioPodcastsHealth LinksMVCACAMCACA Dept. of Public HealthL.A. County DHSSouthern CA DistrictsLocal Agency Contacts for Fire Ants, Bees, etc.Board of TrusteesMeet the Board of TrusteesBoard AgendasBoard MinutesContact UsNewsletter & Email Alert SignupSubmit a Service RequestHome

Nik, I do think it's too soon to tell much about such an immature plant; especially without any close-up photos of leaves, buds, thorns, etc. I did suggest 'Rose Edouard', but I meant that to be a starting place for exploration, certainly not as a definitive ID. I wondered if the rose 'Palmyre' might be called that because at one point that was a scion that didn't survive. 'Rose Edouard' and 'Céline' are two popular Bourbon rootstocks that often survived the roses grafted onto them, and early descriptions of 'RE' and 'Céline' both seem like good candidates. The HMF photos for both roses seem to me to not match up too well with the early references, but others may disagree. 'Céline', incidentally, was described early on as both a Hybrid Bourbon and a Hybrid China. I believe that William Paul started out calling her a Bourbon or Hybrid Bourbon, but then began calling her a Hybrid Chinese. Virginia