That looks like fabraea leaf spot. There are several fungicides that work on it. If you have 2000 fruit trees you may want to find a consultant who can help you formulate a good commercial spray program for your orchard. Scott

My children are older now, not babies or children, but I had the same ideas as you when they were little - limited tv, limits on sugary snacks and sweet drinks, breast feeding, etc. And, like you, my mom laughed or ignored some of them. Fast forward 20 years later, my mom appreciates the way I raised my children and she understands now why I made the choices I did. I am very, very glad I had the rules I did when my kids were young - I was right and I'm glad I held my ground. None of your choices sound extreme to me - limiting sugary snacks, limiting t.v., wanting a schedule and more time just the 3 of you, no trip to the beach at 4 months old - those are all reasonable choices. Cheri is right, your parenting ideas will change as your daughter grows. And she is right, your parents have things to contribute as grandparents. But that doesn't mean that you have to raise your children according to your parents' priorities and wishes. However, keep in mind a few things - whenever you talk about the way you want to raise your kids differently - many grandparents would see that as a criticism of how they raised you, their own child. Before you phrase things, think about how they might come across to your parents as implying that their methods were lacking. Also, be sure and make it a point to mention to your parents what they did right. My mom and I have different ideas about television, putting coke in baby bottles, etc., but my mom is also the person who taught me that when things look hopeless you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and work as hard as you can to change things. That is a gift she gave me infinitely more precious than riches or even education. Be sure and tell your parents what things they taught you that you will pass on to your children. Another suggestion that worked for us is that I told my mom that my husband wanted those rules. My mom simply ignored my rules if they were my rules, but she thinks my husband hung the moon and should have whatever he wants, so she (sometimes) listened if she thought it was my husband's wish. She did whatever she dang well pleased if it was just something I wanted. If my mom was particularly stubborn, my husband told her himself that he wanted it that way. Another thing that works well (with grandparents and babies) is to redirect. If your mom wants to take the baby somewhere, tell her no, now is not a good time, but this weekend would be great, how about then. Or if she wants to give the baby icing, tell her no, but baby loves sweet potatoes, why don't you give her that. Grandparents love to see "firsts" - first bite of chocolate, first time at the beach. Tell your parents, no, you can't take her to the beach this year, but when she's 2 you can take her and be there for her first time. You are being more than reasonable to limit tv, unhealthy snacks, limit visits to less frequently than daily or every other day, and set the expectation of higher education for your children early. Your mother is right, your daughter will express preferences of her own one day in education, food, hobbies, etc. That is still no reason not to set your standards high. If you are raising your daughter significantly different than the way you were raised, it will take years for your parents to change their minds. But when they see your daughter as a teenager, healthy and maintaining a healthy weight, doing well in school, winning awards and doing whatever extracurriculars (sports, violin, girl scouts, dance, whatever rings her bell), trust me, your parents will tell you you did your job well. I want to address something else cheri mentioned - her daughter's desire to use organic food, use cloth diapers, read to her children daily (I heartily endorse the part about reading to your children daily, by the way). The drive to be the best mom she could possibly be was strong in cheri's daughter, and even if her daughter changed her ways, she still probably has a strong drive to do her best. That drive should be honored, respected, and as much as reasonable should be indulged by grandparents. The realities of life will knock some practicality into the heads of young parents - let them have their dreams and give it their best shot. When my oldest was a baby my mother-in-law told me this, "In every young mother's life there comes a time when she has to look at her mother and say, 'Mother, you raised your kids the way you wanted, now it's my turn to raise my kids the way I want'." Be loving, be kind, include and affirm the grandparents, and let the grandparents have their way when it isn't important to you. But stand your ground with kindness on the things that matter. Everything you're asking for is reasonable and healthy for your child.

I was shocked to see this thread today!! I logged on to get some Christmas inspiration and to ask questions about colors for the tree!! Kmcg - how in the world did I miss that gorgeous gal!! Nah, she doesn't look a bit naughty or a bit like Marley. Well, I haven't done a THING to my house - not even pulled out decorations. To answer the last 2 ? ...... The cabs were here when we built the house in a cherry finish. I had a painted come in and tape everything off & he sprayed the cabs & then glazed them. People really thought I was crazy for even thinking about painting new cabs ! - but I lived with them for 3 years and was still unhappy with them. The buffet, I had made very reasonably from a cabinet maker. It would be an easy fix for an existing buffet with 3 doors on the bottom. Just take off middle door & install the wine racks. It was originally painted a sage green & I painted it black after painting my walls green. Thanks everyone for your comments and compliments. I really appreciate it. Smiles:)

I was just thinking about how you said it started right after you planted it last spring. One thing you might want to check is how deep you planted the tree. If it loses all of its leaves a few months after you planted it even though you gave it water, it's probably planted too deep. What I would do is water the tree so the soil is soft, then move away the mulch, then start sifting away the soil around the trunk slowly (so you don't damage roots). If you don't see any roots within an inch of the top of the soil, it's planted too deep. A lot of the time the nurseries will fill up the container after putting in the tree so it will be more steady and then the gardener thinks that's where the soil line should be. The soil line should be right where the first roots start. If it's planted too deep you can still save it. You just have to dig it out and plant it higher (I usually plant them slightly higher than I want it to be because of the settling). You don't have to dig all the way out at the drip line but it's good to try to save as many roots as you can. Just know you don't have to save all of them. If you cut off a lot of roots then you'll want to prune some branches off of the top of it so it doesn't have a bad ratio of roots to leaves.