Like everyone else, I accidentally let my broccoli go this spring and the bees loved the flowers. I felt bad having to eventually cut most of them back but my onions needed the sun. I thought the bees were going to attack me when I was cutting them but they decided to behave. I've found that the 2 best things for bees for me are salvia (those giant black and yellow ones love them) and Thai basil. Both seem to bloom all year but die heinously when the winter freeze comes. I've tried multiple varieties of salvia and the bees seem to like them equally, plus the blooms are striking. Thai basil blooms aren't nearly as spectacular, but the leaves taste like anise, so how can you go wrong with it? Oh wait. I also got a plant from Lukas Nursery whose flower looks like a white butterfly bush and smells like amaretto. No joke. You can smell it from like 30 feet away. It's awesome. I's called sweet almond verbena. Apparently it's hardy down to zone 8a. All I know is that it mocks the coldest nights in Lake Mary and seems to be perpetually in bloom.

Thank you one and all for your comments and compliments!! My co-workers really do appreciate my endeavors to make the coffee room "prettier" and a nice place to "escape to". At our recent staff party, we had to write compliments/comments about each of our co-workers (anonymous)for a game we played and I got a lot of "Martha Stewart" type ones! Luvs, there is faux ice chips in the bottom of the two tall vases. Thought it went with the icy looking crystal trees. DD

Hree (northeast England) the early winter (Nov) was cold but not exceptional, and the middle (Dec-Feb) mild, with very little frost. March was well below normal throughout (coldest month of the winter, lots of snow and light frosts on most nights), with no spring-like weather at all but also no really severe frosts either. April has not been a lot better, distinctly cool. Net result is that tender plants survived no problem, with the lack of any severe freezes, but spring is well behind normal. Resin

Grace, where does that fan hose go? Is it venting out the roof to the outside, or is it venting into that attic? Is the vent sealed well along the hose? If its not sealed, and it doesnt go to the outside, you probably have your answer for the condensation. Since you are in a cold climate, the cracking and popping is pretty normal. When we lived in Mn, our house used to pop and creak in the winter, sometimes, so loud, that I would jump when I heard it. Lived with that noise for almost 30 yrs. Was absolutely nothing wrong with the house. Here a lot further south, I still hear popping occasionally at night in the winter, but, it is very light sound. Probably pops during the day sometimes too, but, because, I am always busy here, I just dont notice it. I dont think any of this is related to your trim problems. Your attic looks pretty good. Since you seem very nervous about all this, call in a structural engineer to have a look. It will make you a lot more comfortable once you do that, so you can actually go about the business of enjoying this home.