My big zone push experiment is with Gooseberries and a Red Lake Currant. I discovered that the first two I planted are getting next to no sun, as soon as they go dormant, they are getting moved a couple of feet to where they can get some sun. The first gooseberry so far has grown but not set fruit but the currant had a few handfuls of tasty red berries this year. I have no expectations of huge crops, that handful made me happy. If I lived somewhere they grew I would probably be disappointed. Being in a zone they do not grow, I am happy. I think some times we have expectations that limit how much we will like a plant. If we are happy with a few blooms from a special rose, maybe it does not make a difference if we have to cover the ugly with companion plants. We might not want a garden filled with the ones that struggle. But if it is Mom's special rose, why not try it. As far as the garden and all the Austins, guessing those plants were all donated, Austin may hope that they do well and they can use that to sell more plants. Or if the first spring flush looks good, that is when they will sell tons of plants. If they later look rotten, chances are your average consumer is not going to take notes and they have already made the sales. I am going to order two plants I have been told will probably not like our garden. I figure it is a $25 lesson on garden zones and expectations. If they grow 1/3 of the typical size, I will be thrilled. I know that our lot has a variety of micro climates, so hoping they like the one I pick. Before I knew what rose it was, I moved a self rooted plant from a spot where it got a lot of radiated heat from a garage to what I thought should be a much better place. The other Iceberg roses loved it there, but this one plant turned in to a rusty mildew nasty looking thing....Guess that is the usual look for Simplicity, but the others are okay in that one special spot (not wonderful-but okay) Makes me wonder how many roses are considered great or bad depending on some minor micro-climate changes.

I totally second (or is it third?) 1st dibs -- got some great lighting from them as well as a beautiful 18th c. bureau and two 18th c. semainiers. I also am fond of Vivre -- my all-time favorite coasters I found there. (no longer available, otherwise I'd link them) And I lovelovelove Ruzzetti & Gow for bibelots -- I find lots of gifts (to give) there, as well as at Etsy. I also like Source Perrier (which was already mentioned above), although I think they are reasonably priced. I've been really impressed with the quality of everything I've purchased there. I'm not a big clothes shopper (girlfriends of mine seem to live to go to Neiman's -- pas moi!), but get me going on stuff for the house and I'm in danger. Ouch!

I am like OldFixer - I have recipes on index cards, printed off from my printer, in folders, binders, etc.! I am so thankful for Pinterest now and have recipes saved on that board in categories. But many years ago before Pinterest I decided that it was too time consuming to type out all my recipes to do an on-line cookbook, so I just sorted the newspaper clipping, written recipes, etc. by category and put them in a large 10 x 13-inch and just wrote the category on the envelope - they are stored in a file cabinet. So if I want a particular "zucchini" recipe, I only have to search that envelope. Appetizers, salads, crock pot, meat dishes, rhubarb recipes, vegetables, etc. But if I am having a holiday dinner such as Thanksgiving, I started a 3-ring binder and put all the recipes I have ever used for that holiday dinner whether it be appetizers, the turkey, side dishes and desserts, and then add a page with the year and menu we had. I use page protectors in that binder and refer to it every year.

Garnet Hill for sure, most of the GH linens are made in Portugal (not the Lilly Pulitzer and other designer stuff, I've never ordered any of those) and are very nice quality, have great and fun prints, last forever and aren't all silky, just crisp and clean feeling. They also have great sales at the end of the seasons and every day they have "Sale of the day" items, you can get some great deals on their sheets when they are on the sale of the day. sandyponder