Ho-Hum, I always find this quite peculiar, amusing even - an American person (of note in this case, I understand) getting in a state (no pun intended...) about the Sequoiadendron giganteum being refered to as Wellingtonia. Why on earth should one be so upset? It is just a name, after all. The Duke of Wellington never even saw the trees, so it is not as if he claimed them 'as his own'. It was named over a century ago, so perhaps it is time to move on from the hurt! As an aside, such trees were growing across most of the globe many thousands of years ago; America was simply their last refuge. Not that I am trying to steal your glory here (goodness, I can almost feel the follow-on posts looming..). As a person of science you should appreciate that the only really relevant reference is the scientific name. For any living organism there will be localised common or nick-names attached that are significant or meaningful to the individual countries, and are not meant as a means of 'claiming' that organism from the country of origin. Incidentally, may I ask whether anyone can advise on the plural reference for these trees, Sequoiadendron giganteum or Sequoiadendron gigantea? (or something else). Here is a link that might be useful: Sequoiadendron giganteum in the UK

There was a spirited discussion of this topic in the link below, with many points which have not been brought up here. Wierdtrev, I (and others) answered your three questions there. There were enough links provided for hours of interesting reading, to those so inclined. Carolyn is right, there are no GM tomatoes on the market at present that we know of... and no GM vegetable seeds are presently available to gardeners. This may well change in the future, given Monsanto's acquisition of a significant portion of the vegetable seed industry (Seminis). http://www.organicconsumers.org/Monsanto/seminis30405.cfm I will confess to being anti-GMO, so the links that I provide tend to support that philosophy. The facts & quotes, however, can speak for themselves. My chief concerns are the unpredictable results of the technology itself (as expressed by Caroline), the lack of independent peer-reviewed studies, the subversion of our public institutions (such as the FDA) by industry-controlled political appointees, and the questionable practices of GM companies & their proponents. There is legitimate cause for that concern, on many levels. The companies involved have demonstrated their inability - or unwillingness - to properly control the escape of GMO's into our environment & food supply. Given that fact, to question the current application of bio-technology is not paranoia - it is justifiable apprehension. http://www.victoryseeds.com/info_political.html

Yes, white whole wheat flour can be used for cookies. And yes, there is hard and soft white wheat as plllog explained. There are also spring hard/soft white or red wheat and winter hard/soft white or red wheat to get even more complicated than things really need to be. And don't forget durum wheat (the type of wheat best used for pasta/noodles) and all the ancient varieties. Before going gluten free, I used a large number of wheat varieties: durum, hard spring white, hard winter white, soft spring white, hard winter red, hard spring red, triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye), as well as spelt, kamut, and einkorn (ancient varieties). I saved soft white wheat (because it was so expensive -purchased from Bob's Red Mill) for some (not all) quick breads, biscuits, and pastry, as well as for cakes (especially delicate chiffon and angel food cake). I would use a 3:1 mix of soft white wheat and spelt OR oat groats (milling flour myself) for a low-protein flour similar in protein to cake flour. I also milled rye, barley, sorghum, and many other grains/seeds/beans for flour. I milled the mixture of grains into a very fine flour and made sure to sift it (removing any large pieces of bran) before using it for cake. Since you may not have any soft white wheat flour available for your cookies, just make sure when making cookies (or anything leavened with chemical leavening - soda, baking powder) NOT to over-mix them or you will develop too much gluten and will get tough cookies or baked goods using regular (hard) white whole wheat flour. This is yet another time I suggest using a Danish Dough Whisk (or a wooden spoon) instead of a stand or regular mixer. Keep mixing to a minimum once the flour has been added. If you use white whole wheat flour in a recipe that is designed for bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour, you may find you need to add a little more hydration, OR reduce the amount of whole wheat flour by 1-tablespoon from each cup of flour called for in the recipe, and adjust accordingly, if needed. If you can find recipes that specifically call for whole wheat flour you will find you have better results until you get accustomed to using it. Check your public library for wholegrain cookbooks. The recipe at the link below from the Kansas Wheat Commission is one of my favorites using 100% whole wheat flour :-). This recipe will work with either white or red whole wheat flour, but white whole wheat works best due to the flavor differences. If you want to kick it up a notch, add 1/8-1/4 t. of Fiori di Sicilia (an all-natural citrus and vanilla scented flavoring from King Arthur Flour - but caution, a little goes a long way). You may want to take a look at their recipe collection for a lot of great recipes using whole wheat flour. I've collected the Kansas Wheat Commission Recipe Books for years (free when you attend the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, KS) and have them going back several decades. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies

Hi Bob!! You are lucky to find Plumeria in your local store.. I hear all of my friends in California, Florida talking about the shipments from Jungle Jacks and just turn green with envy.. Living here on the East coast far north of Florida means we don't ever see any of those gems In Our local nurseries!! Have fun with your new babies ! :-) Hi Marie!! Thank you so much for your kind compliment.. I do love these beauties and I really love seeing what they give back with our love and attention. You have such an impressive collection .. I always enjoy seeing your gorgeous trees as well... You have a great eye.. Lol!! I do have a few other little ones on the bench with some little Plumeria. I wanted to do some lifting on those in the background this summer, but never had a chance. I'm looking forward to seeing what is happening under the soil line of those little guys next summer. It's such an exciting time lifting and seeing what we find... i hope you had a wonderful summer and you had many beautiful blooms In Your garden, Marie... Bragu.. You are to funny!! You made me laugh with your comment !! I hope you have a awesome weekend!! Hi Tracy.. So nice to hear that you like my Buddha and have witnessed her development over the years. That gives me such joy reading your post. It's wonderful to see and share the trees we all have and follow their progress. Thank you.. You just made my day.. Have a wonderful weekend!!! Laura