Hello snaylor, " The rabbits come up on the railing of my deck to eat from the rail planters and the other plants (on plant stands!) on my deck. Stargazer lilies chewed to the ground before they are an inch high. Nothing "cute" about bunnies, they are destructive, filthy animals. " Since you have a neighbor, I assume you live in town and an air rifle is not a good idea for controlling the rabbits. A slingshot would probably be legal, but would take some practice. Assuming your deck is in your backyard, fencing the rabbits out of your backyard is probably the best idea. A chicken-wire fence about 3 or 4 feet high might work, provided that your codes permit that. If you have an existing fence, the chicken-wire would just serve to make it rabbit proof. Nothing will keep squirrels out, but as you already know, they can be trapped. Fortunately for me, rabbits don't damage my zinnias. We have several native plants in our rural area that they prefer. ZM

Resin, good post...but it amuses me you've eaten plenty. I imagine you out in an arboretum collecting pine cones, you're far from your car and you get hungry and you see a Taxus and say to yourself "Eureka!" I can't imagine going to the trouble of eating the things. I think I eat a couple every year in the hope they will one day have some taste. My yews make so many they have or had quite a few seedlings under them. What you're opinion of Leycesteria berries? I'd rank them above even A. unedo and Fuchsia, as they have a quite interesting caramel/raisin flavor. But they are a pain to pick.

Sisto, you need to work with your doctor to set your own goals. Everyone is different. What is ok for one person might not be for another. That said, and just for the sake of conversation, as a pre-diabetic on no medication, here are the goals which my doctor set for me. Waking up (fasting level) 85-110 mg/dl Before meals (4 hours) 90-120 mg/dl 2 hours after meals less than 130 mg/dl My problem is hunger and pickiness as to foods I like. I eat quite a bit of peanut butter (6 carbs per 2T--watch out some has added sugar) and nuts which are high in fat and have carbs too, but I don't have a weight problem. Wheat Thins/Nabisco makes a flatbread which is 12 carbs for 2 crackers which I can melt some cheese on, making a good snack. Half and apple, glass of milk makes a good snack. Eating out, make a good choice, and if it's not a good choice, only eat half, take the other half home for another meal. Besides carb count, quantity eaten is important too. When half a croissant might be ok, a whole one might be over the edge. Sandwich, just eat half. I make soup and stew and use a small amount of barley for the carb part of the recipe. I don't miss pasta, potatoes, rice, and I do eat 1-2 pieces bread daily. I miss the quantity of fruit I used to eat. I miss the big 8 oz. glass of milk at dinner, which I can have but then something else has to go. I fail when the family goes out for frozen yogurt, because I have some too. I failed the other evening when the family ordered delivered pizza, but most of the time I do pretty good. We'll find out for sure when I have the next a1c test. Sorry to ramble on, but it feels good to share with people who are "in the same boat."

Sorry for the yellowed image, it's gloomy outside today, but this is the view from the eating area in our kitchen. Here is where we eat 95% of our meals during cool or super hot weather, if it's mild or warm, we eat out side at the table. Our dining room is for larger gatherings. I love it there too, but rarely would the two of us choose to eat there alone. I've cleaned up the table so that the bottles of vitamins, supplements and Kleenex box are on the island, normally they live at DH's place! The tv is on the counter, to the right of the table. DH hates it being on in the mornings because it disturbs his reading of the paper, however we are usually watching the news or Jeopardy during dinner. Rarely do we eat in the den. We just don't find it comfortable to hang over the low coffee table while sitting on the sofa. Although that said, DH takes a tray in there when I'm having a Mahjongg game at the kitchen table. DD moved to Georgia and has the above areas and a darling screened in porch. I think that would be the best of both worlds.