Here's an update from me! 1.Bulbous Bonanza Iris-Candy Apple and Daylily Avis Jean - JAYEANNE - shipped today 2. Naturally Native - Spicebush, Black Cohosh and Virgin's Bower seedlings - PEGGY - waiting for cooler temps 3. 6 issues of Better Homes and Gardens magazine - VINA - shipped today Shirley, I think your bird is a Yellowlegs, and I lean towards the Lesser Yellowlegs. Love the photo of your daughters, Heidi! Shirley, I received your magazines today! Yay!! I did not receive your email. BOO!!! I am jealous of the Giant Swallowtails gracing the gardens of Shirley and Ruth! That's so exciting.

GREAT PHOTOS, Feather. I especially like the Raven over water but all were wonderful. Got to see many birds that I'll never see in my area...thanks!

Usually I count at a few local spots as well as from my windows, but I thought twice about it this year. When I thought third, though, I realized I need to start up my car anyway and drive when it gets really cold (I don't have a garage) so I decided to check one of those spots by car (in warmer winters I walk there). I drove to the marsh and took pictures from the side of the road. This is my local marsh where I saw about thirty Mallards and thirty-five Dunlins today in a very cold setting. The mallards did not look happy. Dunlins very far away: Claire

I do not want to pay for TV, so only get over-air. In the cooler months, I watch a lot of PBS. I alepways have a lot of opinions and have thought of starting a thread "cooking shows cross contamination and other bad habits". TheJazzy veg cook bugs me for some reason. Not sure why. Maybe too cheesecake smarmy? That's too harsh. But I surely do welcome anyone extolling healthful cooking. Forgot-her-name-female vegan cook, red hair, often wears black. She survived cancer, is likely a fine person. Something about her bugs me. Maybe too casually know it all? Cooks Illustrated, Cook Country and TestKitchen. I see a lot of them and reruns. I think Chris K is fine. I like watching most of the shows. Some of the gadget reviews, not so much, although I like Lisa McM. I used o get the magazine. If they still have the offer for free year subscription if they publish your tip, I'll jump on it. They use a LOT of fat NS salt. They need a crawler to remind people to wash hands, swap utensils, cutting boards and so on. I know they want to condense video and save time, but they need to use a crawler. I see a lot of cross contamination opportunities. I am familiar with radiation lab work (you cannot see the radioactivity (like bacteria), but must always be aware that you will contaminate if not meticulous). Handle raw chicken, reach for the salt bowl or shaker? You've just cross contaminated! Simply Ming -- I like when he cooks with his family. And, yes, those moo shoo wrappers are easy and fun to make. Jacques Pepin! He is fantastic. I'll follow him anywhere and drink his Koolaid. Hubert Keller -- a good teacher and fun, creative chef. I want to ride with him on his motorcycle, touring Europe, dining, sipping wines. Those Nordic cooking folks. Fun to watch, but I am not eating uncooked critter and can only cope with just so much dill and cabbage. Woman who cooks quick food in small places. A newer chef. Petite, articulate, genuine, petite fun. Advertises the Hess avocado. She's fun. Pati's Mexican Table-- took me a while to get used to her "feeeesh" = fish. She's fun. Her children are fun, especially ? Jojo? I want to travel /dine the Yucatan with her. Nice house too, Ms. Pati. Mexico, one plate at a time. Ah, Rick. So delicious. Meat BBQ SMOKE UNIVERSITY CHEFS --- you're gonna bring on a cardiac arrest or asthma attack. Darn! I wish I could eat the stuff you BBQ and smoke. Vivian Howard -- I have mixed feelings. So much work to try to cook natural and in-season LOCAL fare. I am tired. Someone walk me over to the Boiler Room (their oyster bar close by). I don't think I can consume too many of those, however healthful, collard greens, turnips and pig gizzards. I like a lot about her, but is that hard laugh forced? Genuine? I'm a northerner and so a lot of the accent and speech from some of the southern states seems so strained. So unneccesarily difficult. Alabamans and Georgian (for example) seem to use up extra rocket fuel to say the simplest words. Mainers may have three syllables for "there" (they a yah), but use much less energy and facial effort. The New Zealand woman with blond hair. Spunky! A good cook. But what the heck is she saying? Take Aussie accent and put it through a food mill on loud. Huh? Remind me of the USA south. Kevin Dunlin (sp) Irish chef -- I want his house! I want to live there. Too hot inland New England. Get me to the UK immediately! Kev, baby, I'll bring the lobster, you put the kettle on