Hi Moni, My gut feeling is that 2009's weather patterns will be similar to 2008's all over the state, with the following caveat: I think winter 08-09 will be colder than usual. So, that means colder than average and drier than average for the southernmost and panhandle counties and colder than average and wetter than average for everyone else. That's what I've been expecting for a couple of months now, but the lessening of rainfall in central OK kinda surprised me. And, you know, I could be 100% wrong. My "gut feeling" comes from watching the weather patterns across the US week in and week out, and from reading what I can about La Nina and El Nino and understanding how they affect us here. Since La Nina tends to bring southern OK drier than average weather, I was hoping for a return to strong El Nino patterns, which brings southern OK more rainfall, but instead, we have a neutral La Nina. Sunspot activity is also greatly diminished--almost nonexistent this year, and that factors into what the weather does too--if you believe the folks who publish the Old Farmer's Almanac. I've been waiting for Steve LaNore, the met at our local CBS affiliate to give us his prediction for southern OK's winter weather and he finally posted it on his blog either last week or the week before. I'll link it below and y'all can read his reasoning and predictions if you want to. For what it is worth, he pretty much agrees with me about what to expect here in southern OK....although his reasoning is built on science and probabilities and mine is mostly a gut feeling based on what little I know and understand about the weather. I cannot begin to explain how dry it is here. I have been watering, and have the highest water bills I've ever had in the cooler months to prove it, but everything is still bone dry. Every day I make water puddles for the wildlife and they come to drink at them morning, noon and night including deer, rabbits, racoons, possums, coyotes, bobcats, field mice, voles, etc. Our dogs and cats are so used to all the wild critters being around that they pretty much ignore them. Well, the bobcats, racoons and coyotes mostly come after dark, and all my animals are in either the house, chicken or guinea coop, or barn/garage by then. I feed the wild birds, and have more than ever before, including woodpeckers and flickers, blue jays, carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, etc. The crows, whom I've never been especially fond of, have become very territorial and have their own spot where I scatter grain for them. In return, they chase off every hawk, kite and kestrel that tries to lurk in the skies over our property. That's a good thing, because the predator birds will attack our poultry if given the chance. And, for what it is worth, my daffs are still chilling in the extra refrigerator in the garage. It isn't that I have forgotten them or that I don't care.....it is just so dry. (sigh) The area where I am going to plant them is very sandy, and I need to till it up, rototill in some organic material and get them planted soon. If I stand there in that spot and pour a glass of water onto the ground, it beads up and runs off....the ground is so dry, it cannot soak in. So, I clearly need to water that area well for a few days before I plant the daffs. One year I didn't plant until Jan. and still had blooms in March. Steve's blog entry with the forecast for colder/drier weather here in southern OK is linked below and I found it to be fascinating reading. It just amazes me how he looks at and analyzes everything that is going on and climbs out on a limb and makes a forecast. I need to read his later blog entries, but I am almost afraid to. I can see from the title he's talking about a Russian Bear and, somehow, I bet it means bad news for us. LOL Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: A Professional's Forecast for Colder/Drier

I think getting a wii is a great idea! While she's tending 8 babies, she can plug in the wii and tell the six kids to bowl, hula hoop, or some sport. They need to keep busy! I can't imagine she's buying it for her own use, at least not daily. Unless she's super woman. It's going to be mega tough taking care of 8 babies but 8 toddlers plus six others would make me lose my mind. I hope she has some help. yea, I'm tired of hearing about it all too.

I's like to see those blocks set with a dark sashing, maybe a plaid. Instead of making all those blocks in the schematic you could make some simple pieced sashings for some of the blocks, i.e. say if the geese section is 4" x 15", cut 5 pieces of fabric 4.5" x 3.5" - picking up some of the colors in the blocks, sew them into a strip and use that in place of the flying geese blocks. You could do these pieced strips in several place around the blocks, adding in plaids or prints in other places, then a dark green or blue plaid final border. I think the white washes out the blocks - JMO. Teresa

I'm pretty sure mockingbirds steal other bird's nests. That's why they have so many bird calls, to lure the songbirds from their nests. That's also why you hear them less after breeding season. OTOH, we just noticed that the previous owner put in those spikey things to prevent birds from nesting..............there's a nest right in the middle of the spikes! LOL