Zebra striped tomatoes are tasty. But even better is a variety called Yellow Sausage (or something like that. Sausage is definitely in the name, though.) It's weird looking, basically does look like a tomato shaped like a lumpy sausage, but it is incredibly flavorful. It's kind of stripey too, and ripens to a yellow color. My roommate likes to do weekly dinner parties, and people would fight over the slices of the Yellow Sausage tomatoes when we would make salads with our backyard tomatoes. We are definitely growing that one again this year. My peppermint tried to take over the world. I have a concrete backyard, very small. I think the peppermint actually rooted to the concrete. It smells fantastic though. Made a peppermint syrup at the end of the season that was delicious. We'll see if it comes back. I'm assuming it will, but I'm not certain. I gotta figure out how to repel the mosquitoes in a big way this summer though. I did NOT enjoy my yard starting in August, because I could not even go out there for 5 seconds without ending up with 6-10 mosquito bites. And I'm really allergic to mosquito bites; they swell up to at least half dollar size spots. Ugh.

Barb...both happy and sad....Happy he is moving forward with his life. Knowing he will go far as long as he stays focused on his studies, and learns to quit being so wasteful. Sad because he is moving on and we will be seeing very little of him in the next 4 years or so. We havent made any new life adventures yet. House needs some TLC. I suppose first we will get used to having a home with just us and the critters and go from there. Chell I used to be a dog and cat groomer. I loved it too. But my employer was a deedeedee. Never had the money to pay me each week and always "owed" me. And she never gave me my tips either.Then at the end of the year she reported more earnings for me than what I had really made.Fortunitly I kept records and proved my case and won, so make sure you don't let the same happen to you. I have kept my clippers, blades and accessories and still will do a neighbors dog or two once in awhile to keep my skills up.....but don't miss the hair stuck in places I did'nt know existed....lol. Love all the pictures the everyone post. Always enjoy seeing ya'lls babies. Regina

susieq07, "no adverse affects" that you know of. Your reasons are not scientific by any stretch. I'm not one to get carried away with the "non-toxic" angle but I have done plenty of reading and I do believe we have been lied to for many years about the safety of many things. Can you say, "DDT"?? What about those "safe" PCB flame retardents they doused children's sleep wear with?? In the US, TOSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) assumes all chemicals are SAFE unless otherwise proven guilty. Europe threw this philosophy out in 2010 and is forcing all chemical manufacturers to prove their safety (REACH). Some chemicals have now been banned in Europe but are still being used in the US. Watch the program Toxic America from CNN for some insight into this. http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2010/toxic.america/ CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company) ran a very interesting piece called "Toxic Brew" that sheds some interesting light on household cleaners. Excerpted from Seventh Generation's Information Bulletin, "Facts about Chlorine." Should I worry about chlorine in household cleaners? In a word: Yes. Whether found alone or in a mixture of other chemicals, household products that contain chlorine pose a number of serious health risks. Products of special concern include: automatic dishwashing detergents, chlorine bleach, chlorinated disinfectant cleaners, mildew removers, and toilet bowl cleaners. Many household cleaners contain chlorine, though it often masquerades behind aliases such as "sodium hypochlorite" or "hypochlorite." Breathing in the fumes of cleaners containing a high concentration of chlorine can irritate the lungs. This is particularly dangerous for people suffering from heart conditions or chronic respiratory problems such as asthma or emphysema. And the risks are compounded when the cleaners are used in small, poorly ventilated rooms, such as the bathroom. Chlorine is also a highly corrosive substance, capable of damaging skin, eyes, and other membranes. Chlorine was listed as a hazardous air pollutant in the 1990 Clean Air Act, and exposure to chlorine in the workplace is regulated by federal standards. What Can I Do to Protect My Family from the Hazards of Chlorine? You can do plenty. -One of the most important things you can do is buy paper products that aren't bleached with chlorine. That�s because chlorine bleached paper can contain dioxin and organochlorine residues that can transfer to any food or person they come in contact with. Choose instead unbleached paper towels, napkins, facial tissue, and bathroom tissue. -The EPA says that using bleached coffee filters alone can result in a lifetime exposure to dioxin that "exceeds acceptable levels". Choose instead unbleached coffee filters. -Using detergents that contain chlorine in the dishwasher or clothes washer can pollute the air in your home. The water in the machines, which contains chlorine from the detergents, transfers the chlorine to the air through a process called "volatilization." We then breathe the contaminated air. Choose instead cleaning products made without chlorine. -Dishwashers are the worst culprits, releasing chemicals in a steamy mist when the door is opened after washing. In a clothes washer, chlorine mixes with the dirt in clothes to generate airborne, toxic chlorinated organic chemicals. Chlorine-free dishwashing detergents are readily available. Here is a link that might be useful: CBC - Toxic Brew

This has probably all been rectified, but I have to comment on Mr. Owen's post. PTT polyester, also knows as Triexta, has a number of benefits over PET polyester... 1) Softness - one touch will tell you that, you don't need me to and it is softer than 90% of nylons too 2) Durability - PETs do have less resilience and are less durable overall. 3) Stain and soil resistance - Just about all PETs still have topical protectants added to them for stain and soil resistance. Triexta does not. 4) Improved resistance to peroxides and even bleaches. PETs are ok with benzoyl peroxides, but stop short of resisting bleach. Triexta more resistant to both. Your "unbiased" link says the following: TRIEXTA Also, in the Polyester family is its superior cousin PTT. This fiber is known as SMARTSTRAND (trademark) when marketed by Mohawk. Mohawk recently received FTC approval to market this fiber under its onwn class. This PTT fiber will now be know as TRIEXTA. In the future you will see more about this name change. This fiber is even stronger than PET polyester, and has better colorfastness and cleanability features than PET. PTT is as colorfast as solution dyed nylon. This fiber is extremely soft, and yet behaves better than staple nylon, especially in a shag construction. If you have kids and pets, and are going to be in the home more than 10 years, PTT is a good choice; especially the 3GT Sorona Dupont Polymer offered in some Mohawk carpets. I have not had a consumer complaint on this fiber in the four years I have been selling it. By the way, PTT is just one step away chemically from 4GT polyester that is used to make tough auto parts. Triexta will indeed be a fiber for the future. Lookout Stainmaster! So sounds like everyone is selling Mohawk SmartStrand... CG