I have a large leaf pile (30X8), and without thinking I dismantled it ahead of the cold wave (I want to do something in the cold season, plus the large bags of compost could be efficiently dragged through the snow). That bare ground got frozen down to -1F. I want to see if I have whacked something like squash vine borer, that was the deepest litter they can find in at least a square mile. It could be an IPM method. BTW, today is the ugliest 46F day ever. It has been called a snow day here, after the mixed stuff that fell overnight froze on contacting the frozen roads. it is also foggy, with a persistent drizzle and 400yds visibility. 60F tomorrow, and we will break records. it is still a much warmer than average winter.

You might want to consider spell checking and proof reading before posting. There are so many spelling and diction/grammatical errors in this piece, it is difficult to read or understand.

It was a beautiful sunny day here today, but cool by all your standards, 16 degrees celsius. I don't know how you all stand the heat, those temperatures are stunning. We've had quite a bit of rain too, which will drive my jades under cover in the tunnel if it keeps up. The different climates really add to this forum, they're fascinating.

My name is BB and I’m a soupaholic. I love almost all soups. When I was little, I wanted Campbell’s Alphabet Soup for breakfast every morning. I braised a sirloin roast this weekend. It will be made into Vegetable Soup, which is really more stew-like when I make it. I don’t have a recipe; I have a template: some sort of meat, preferable leftover roast and gravy, a couple of cans of tomatoes, vegetables (fresh, frozen, or mustgo), and mirepoix cooked for a couple of hours. Thirty minutes or so before serving, add corn kernels (frozen, or canned) and baby lima beans (frozen). Serve with hot cornbread (no sugar!!) I also made a recipe that is call The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew. I compared recipes. It is basically, Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon but made in a crockpot. The recipe calls for thickening the stew with a cornstarch slurry. I thickened it with beurre manie. It was so easy. I dislike the mouth-feel of things thickened with cornstarch. I also make: Seafood Gumbo. The base w/o shrimp or other seafood can be made ahead and frozen. When heating up the base, add the seafood toward the end so that it is barely cooked. @Lars, mine takes HOURS to make when done properly, but over the years, I’ve developed a bastardized version using Tony Cachere’s Roux Mix, frozen seasoning blend, and a quick shrimp stock made with shrimp shells, celery trimmings, and onion peels. I supplement it with clam juice, if necessary. Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Alton Brown’s Cheddar Cheese Soup Chicken Taco Soup Kale and Quinoa Minestrone Robert St. John’s Mushroom Bechamel Sauce, which is just a really good mushroom soup. @Zalco/bring back Sophie!, Dorie Greenspan has a delicious Mediterranean Shepherd’s Pie https://foodschmooze.org/recipe/dorie-greenspans-mediterranean-shepherds-pie/. Full disclosure, I dial back the heat a lot. I also substitue spinach for the kale.