Hi Deanna, I know it is "slightly" off-topic, but my biggest surprise is the amount of Veggies I am getting out of this blessed garden. Like Solidago said, it wasn't a great year for gardening in Oregon but you sure couldn't tell that by my garden, I gave 700 lbs to the FoodBank last year, and this year I increased my garden size by 200% so I figured somewhere around 2000 lbs to the FoodBank (if the weather cooperated), well as of Wednesday I am at 3575 lbs that have gone to the FoodBank ,this garden is still producing like crazy, last week was close to 500lbs and I never harvested any of the peppers or acorn squash ( which are so loaded,they would have pushed the total of last weeks harvest to 600 lbs)... anyway , quite the surprise, I feel so blessed ;-) For those who may want to see the harvest record , I copied it here for you. Donated to the Josephine County Food Bank by Jon Hughes: 12 LBS oF Early Onions (from Fall Garden) 3-23-2010 25 lbs of Radishes 4-28-2010 125 lbs of Red and Green Lettuce 4-28-2010 29 lbs of Swiss Chard 4-28-2010 8 lbs of Spinach 5-5-2010 14 lbs of White Icicle Radishes 5-12-2010 4 lbs of Spinach 5-12-2010 6 lbs of Red and Green Lettuce 5-12-2010 2 lbs of Mesclun Lettuce 5-12-2010 12 lbs of Rainbow Chard 5-18-2010 42 lbs of Swiss Chard 5-18-2010 Poundage to Date 279.00 lbs 5 lbs of Snap Peas 6-5-2010 11 lbs of Swiss Chard 6-5-2010 3 lbs of Red and Green Lettuce 6-5-2010 14 lbs of Broccoli 6-5-2010 15 lbs of Cabbage 6-5 2010 Poundage to Date 327.00 lbs 16.35 % of 2000 lbs 24 lbs of Broccoli 6-14-2010 13 lbs of Green Cabbage 6-14-2010 6 lbs of Carrots 6-14-2010 5 lbs of Radish and Beet Greens 6-14-2010 25 lb Red Cabbage 6-14-2010 Poundage to Date 400.00 lbs 20 % of 2000 lbs 3 lbs of Radish and Beet Greens 6-15-2010 5 lbs of Carrots 6-15-2010 20 lbs of Broccoli 6-15-2010 12 lbs of Broccoli 6-21-2010 18 lbs of Cabbage 6-21-2010 8 lbs of Carrots 6-21-2010 6 lbs of Sugar Snap Peas 6-21-2010 24 lbs of Radishes,Turnips,Various greens Poundage to Date 496 lbs 24.8 % of 2000 lbs 4 lbs of Broccoli 6-22-2010 15 lbs of Sugar Snap Peas 6-22-2010 12 lbs of Carrots 6-24-2010 9 lbs of Swiss Chard 6-24-2010 29 lbs of Cabbage 6-24-2010 18 lbs of Broccoli 6-24-2010 4 lbs of Sugar Snap Peas 6-24-2010 Poundage to date 587 lbs 29.35 % of 2000 lbs 16 lbs of Broccoli 6-28-2010 Total Poundage to 6-28-2010 603 lbs 30.15 % of 2000 lbs 43 lbs of Sugar Snap Peas 6-29 -30 2010 4 lbs of Broccoli 6-29-2010 3 lbs of Swiss Chard 6-30-2010 8 lbs of Radishes 6-30-2010 9 lbs of Carrots 6-30-2010 6 lbs of Sugar Snap Peas 6-30-2010 Poundage to date 676.00 lbs 33.8 % of 2000 lbs Totals to 6-30-2010 112 lbs of Broccoli 79 lbs of Sugar Snap Peas 136 lbs of Lettuce 12 lbs of Onions 79 lbs of Radishes 106 lbs of Swiss Chard 12 lbs of Spinach 40 lbs of Carrots 100 lbs of Cabbage 9 lbs of Broccoli 7-1-2010 4 lbs of Garlic 7-1-2010 5 lbs of Lettuce 7-2-2010 4 lbs of Artichokes 7-2-2010 2 lbs of Carrots 7-2-2010 9 lbs of Carrots 7-8-2010 3 lbs of Summer squash 7-8-2010 4 lbs of Broccoli 7-8-2010 43 lbs of Potatoes 7-14-2010 14 lbs of Carrots 7-14-2010 43 lbs of Potatoes 7-14-2010 (2nd load today ;-) 30 lbs of Carrots 7-15-2010 10 lbs of Potatoes 7-15-2010 Poundage to date 856 lbs 42.8 % of 2000 lbs Totals to 7-15-2010 125 lbs of Broccoli 79 lbs of Sugar Snap Peas 141lbs of Lettuce 12 lbs of Onions 79 lbs of Radishes 106 lbs of Swiss Chard 12 lbs of Spinach 95 lbs of Carrots 100 lbs of Cabbage 96 lbs of Potatoes 3 lbs of Summer Squash 4 lbs of Artichokes 4 lbs of Garlic 9 lbs of Summer Squash 7-19-2010 41 lbs of Red Cabbage 7-19-2010 4 lbs of Onions 7-22-2010 10 lbs of Squash 7-22-2010 8 lbs of Swiss Chard 7-22-2010 12 lbs of Beans 7-22-2010 7 lbs of Tomatoes 7-26-2010 19 lbs of Summer Squash 7-26-2010 Poundage to date 966 lbs 48.3 % of 2000 lbs 1 lb of Tomatoes 7-29-2010 5 lbs on Onions 7-29-2010 6 lbs of Cucumbers 7-29-2010 26 lbs of Summer Squash 7-29-2010 6 lbs of Tomatoes 8-2-2010 31 lbs of Summer Squash 8-2-2010 26 lbs of Cucumbers 8-2-2010 30 lbs of Red Cabbage 8-2-2010 2 lbs of Swiss Chard 8-5-2010 11 lbs of Tomatoes 8-5-2010 36 lbs of Cucumbers 8-5-2010 28 lbs of Summer Squash 8-5-2010 Poundage to date 1174 lbs 58.7% of 2000 lbs 16 lbs of Tomatoes 8-9-2010 24 lbs of Cucumbers 8-9-2010 41 lbs of Summer Squash 8-9-2010 28 lbs of Peppers 8-12-2010 35 lbs of Cucumbers 8-12-2010 12 lbs of Tomatoes 8-12-2010 50 lbs of Squash 8-12-2010 27 lbs of Bartlett Pears 8-12-2010 Poundage to date 1407 lbs 70.35 % of 2000 lbs 23 lbs of Tomatoes 8-16-2010 14 lbs of Peppers 8-16-2010 7 lbs of Pears 8-16-2010 31 lbs of Cucumbers 8-16-2010 54 lbs of squash 8-16-2010 Poundage to date 1536 lbs 76.8% of 2000 lbs 7 lbs of Peppers 8-19-2010 58 lbs of Pumpkins 8-19-2010 37 lbs of Tomatoes 8-19-2010 18 lbs of Cucumbers 8-19-2010 32 lbs of Acorn Squash 8-19-2010 35 lbs of Squash 8-19-2010 Poundage to date 1723 lbs 86.15 % of 2000 lbs 53 lbs ot Tomatoes 8-23-2010 26 lbs of Cucumbers 8-23-2010 23 lbs of Squash 8-23-2010 10 lbs of Acorn Squash 8-23-2010 25 lbs of Pears 8-23-2010 Poundage to date 1859 lbs 92.95% of 2000 lbs 9 lbs of Pears 8-26-2010 46 lbs of Corn 8-26-2010 61 lbs of Squash 8-26-2010 42 lbs of Tomatoes 8-26-2010 24 lbs of Cucumbers 8-26-2010 Poundage to date 2041 lbs WOO HOO ;-) 4 lbs of Swiss Chard 9-1-2010 16 lbs of Acorn Squash 9-1-2010 51 lbs of Tomatoes 9-1-2010 35 lbs of Cucumbers 9-1-2010 83 lbs of Squash 9-1-2010 Poundage to date 2230 lbs 109 lbs of Squash 9-7-2010 13 lbs of Pears 9-7-2010 49 lbs of Tomatoes 9-7-2010 83 lbs of Peppers 9-7-2010 35 lbs of Cucumbers 9-7-2010 78 lbs of Squash 9-10-2010 59 lbs of tomatoes 9-13-2010 30 lbs of Squash 9-13-2010 43 lbs of Cucumbers 9-13-2010 ……………………………………………. Poundage to Date 2729 lbs 16 lbs of Veggies for Compost Material 47 lbs of Cucumbers 9-16-2010 46 lbs of Tomatoes 9-16-2010 12 lbs of Squash 9-16-2010 7 lbs of Peppers 9-16-2010 ……………………………………………………… Poundage to Date 2857 lbs 83 lbs of Squash 9-20-2010 49 lbs of Peppers 9-20-2010 32 lbs of Tomatoes 9-20-2010 8 lbs of Cucumbers 9-20-2010……………………………………………………… Poundage to Date 3029 lbs 19 lbs of Tomatoes 9-27-2010 25 lbs of Cucumbers 9-27-2010 44 lbs of Squash 9-27-2010 162 lbs of Squash 10-5-2010 132 lbs of Cucumbers 10-5-2010 140 lbs of Tomatoes 10-5-2010 7 lbs of Peppers 10-5-2010 17 lbs of Swiss Chard 10-5-2010….....Poundage to Date 3575 lbs Here is a link that might be useful: Jon's Wonderful Garden 2010

Hi Mnkitty! Sam Kedem is from Israel. I asked him one time and he made me guess. I grow Reine des Violettes and Tradescant, among others. I don't do the Minnesota tip on any of them. Professor Roush is right--whether you bother with it or not depends on how much of the rose you want to survive. Most of the once-bloomers are quite hardy and don't need tipping anyway in our zone. I dump some leaves around the base of each one in fall if I get around to it. Austin roses, Bucks, HTs and Floribundas need a little more mulching to protect as much cane as possible. Don't remove the mulch until late April or so, when the leaves start to come out. Using fall leaves to mulch is easier than the Minnesota Tip but your roses stay shorter. Purple roses--I grow the Gallica 'Ombree Parfaite' and the HP 'Reine des Violettes' and they both do fine. 'Ombree Parfaite' makes a really attractive leafy shrub. I got mine from Pickering in Canada. I used to have the Floribunda 'Ebb Tide' and liked it a lot. It needs a good blanket of mulch/leaves, though, to make it through the winter. I gave it to a friend who loves purple roses, and she didn't protect it, so it died. Of course the hardiest, most fragrant and easiest roses for Minnesotans are the Rugosas. I have a lot of them, but no purple ones; I have Roseraie de l'Hay, which is sort of a crimson-purple, and wonderfully fragrant. There is also one called Purple Pavement you might check out (I don't have that one). I also grow 'Ann Endt'--very hardy and healthy shrub, very purple single flower. Good luck!

Christan, I'm with you. Those tastykakes are might tasty, all of them! After Linda got to talking so much about them last spring, I ordered a box of them to try out, and I've been wishing there was an outlet here in Michigan ever since. Now, this is for all of you who knew me last year. Tomorrow, November 30th, is the 1st anniversary of the accident which took Paula away from me. It's been an extremely rough year, but you've all been a great help in getting me through it all. You've put up with a lot, encouraging me and providing some big shoulders to lean on the whole way. The Day started looming in my mind even more a little over a month ago, driving me to distraction and a lot of mood swings, as Linda can attest to. I was thinking that I'd be a complete basket-case by this time, but I'm doing okay. I've been listening to a lot of music today, wrapping Christmas gifts, making out cards for Kym's Secret Santa Seed Swap, and just generally quietly enjoying the day. Anyway, knowing all of you wonderful people and how much you care, I just wanted to let you know I'm okay. It's kind of funny, in an ironic sort of way, that the one song that's helped the most today is by Savage Garden. Savage Garden also did the song "Truly Madly Deeply", which was the theme song for Paula and myself. I guess it's kind of fitting that today I find myself turning to the same group, and their song "Crash and Burn". It says a lot about the friendships I've found here in the threads of the GW, and about the relationship I was lucky enough to have with Paula. here are the lyrics... "Crash And Burn" When you feel all alone And the world has turned its back on you Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore Let me be the one you call If you jump I'll break your fall Lift you up and fly away with you into the night If you need to fall apart I can mend a broken heart If you need to crash then crash and burn You're not alone When you feel all alone And a loyal friend is hard to find You're caught in a one way street With the monsters in your head When hopes and dreams are far away and You feel like you can't face the day Let me be the one you call If you jump I'll break your fall Lift you up and fly away with you into the night If you need to fall apart I can mend a broken heart If you need to crash then crash and burn You're not alone 'Cause there has always been heartache and pain And when it's over you'll breathe again You'll breath again When you feel all alone And the world has turned its back on you Give me a moment please To tame your wild wild heart Let me be the one you call If you jump I'll break your fall Lift you up and fly away with you into the night If you need to fall apart I can mend a broken heart If you need to crash then crash and burn You're not alone Everyone Have A Good Week Peace. -Dan

How is everyone doing tonight? I had the nicest surprise from Becki today! I got to try some of her Mocha Truffles and OH BABY are they good! The inside was this phenomenal creamy chocolate with the perfect hint of coffee, the outside was the white chocolate with the light dusting of coffee. Oh was it awesome! The flavors all complimented each other perfectly! Becki, You amaze me! I remember you saying that you thought the crystals made it a little bitter but I think it was very good! Perfect! I am rationing them! LOL! I will only let myself have one if I am on my very best behaviour and get a lot of work done! I know what you are going through with the whole getting things to look perfect. I went through the same thing when I was baking pastries for a caterer a few years ago. It is going to come together with practice. The more you get the feel for the chocolate the better you will get at it! I promise. You certainly have nothing to fear in the taste department! Your truffles were amazing! When I was making creme brulee for the first time I was terrified of how the caramelized sugar would look after it was flamed! I tried it under the broiler, nope! That sucked! Took too long, reheated the custard, made soup out of it. Blech! Had to start from scratch all over again. Pulled out the blow torch and it worked great, I didn't like some of the scorch marks but since then I have seen some of the cooking shows with the professional chefs and their's looked the same as mine! LOL! Same deal with my cheesecakes. I do mine in the big sheets instead of the round springforms so I can have lots for a crowd with bite size portions. The cream cheese layer on top was always a problem getting it to smooth perfectly, finally I went to a restaurant supply store and bought a large offset spatulala and it was big enough to get that smooth finish all the way across the 15 x 17 pan. The other day I read an interview with the pastry chef on food network that does the cake show (can't remember his name right now) he said that the one hard and fast rule is to not bake when in a bad mood or frustrated because your desserts will show it! I thought truer words were never spoken! That has been so true for me! April, didn't you say that you had trained to be a pastry chef? Any helpful tricks of the trade that you remember for Becki? I have had similar issues with the chocolate coatings in the past and remember trying different things to get it to work better but not always consistent with the same results. I don't have a ton of experience in this area. I would love to make some Hemp lip balm with you! LOL! I am growing my hair out so I can look more like a hippie at the commune! Communal Kitchen and dining room with separate living quarters is perfect for me! Oh, and a giant great room off the dining room and kitchen for lots of comfort, crafts and gabbing! I would love to learn how to make some of those essential oils. Bath and Body Works makes this awesome Vanilla Oil that I would love to be able to make myself. I have the vanilla, just need to know what to do to make the essential oils! LOL!