"It just is not wide enough to retain optimal heat." My earlier post "Also you must not have read my post as mine is right now 160-165 depending on where I stick the thermometer. Like I said the bin isn't even 1/2 filled and it's at that temperature so your theory of needing that size bin to provide that temperature is just plain wrong." PK's earlier post PK, I do not concede the point. In the beginning of November, I made two side-by-side mesh bins and filled them with exactly the same ingredients in one day. One was 30" in diameter, and one was 40" in diameter. I kept daily records on these two piles as I have on all my piles. The core temp was slightly higher on the 40" bin; but more importantly, kept the temp. up for a longer period of time. I'll give the exact numbers next time I'm on line. I don't think I said the core temps would be higher on a wider pile, but rather the heat would be retained longer. Val - I don't have a problem with racoons, but my dog takes no interest in my piles when smelly day old fish scraps have been put in the middle. Keep in mind that I only add fish when the core temp is 130F or more. This dissolves the fish scraps (mainly bluegill or small) in less than ten days. People who have odor issues often add smelly items when their core temp is not this high. My next door neighbor is adding whole banana peels to a 30F core and wonders why they don't break down as quickly as mine.

Saw them, along with many other boxed perennials, at my local SC. Price was waaay to expensive, for what you are getting. Don't know how long they had been there, but it appeared that nothing had been sold from the rack. I tried a box of the Toad Lily's a few years ago and had ZERO results with them. Personally, I would leave them alone. If you are interested in growing Hostas and grow other plants, you can do a swap on the Plant Exchange Forum. Link below. Some members will often send free plants for postage. Rb Here is a link that might be useful: Plant Exchange

I just purchased the Members Mark tri-ply stainless cookware from Sam's Club last week...love it, love it, love it. After cooking for many years with RevereWare and other assorted mediocre cookware pieces, I determined that the cookware I owned was not cutting it...I guess I never wanted to believe that my faithful RevereWare was really crummy cookware. After using friends' All Clad and Calphalon TriPly, I realized that the triply ply construction/aluminum core really makes a difference in the process and the results (versus disk bottom cookware, where the triple ply is only on the bottom of the pan). I had one piece of tri-ply cookware (a 2 qt. saucepan by Martha Stewart Everyday that I got on clearance for $13.00) and have loved it, but I can't find it any longer...so I was on the hunt for a reasonable alternative. I couldn't afford to purchase the necessary pieces I needed in All Clad and had read favorable reviews on the Member's Mark. It is a very comprehensive cookware set, and includes all usable pieces. I would say the performance is as good as All Clad, at almost one-quarter of the cost. I've always been skeptical of buying "cookware sets", but the value for the money of this set made sense. I also purchased 3 open stock pieces of Calphalon anodized non-stick on sale (a "chili pot", "everyday pan" and square griddle) for the times only non-stick will do. Run, don't walk to Sam's, and get that set. You will not regret it one bit.

It reached mid-60's on Christmas eve which broke a record, and it was approx. 63F on Christmas day here in metrowest Boston. Today was cooler but still extremely pleasant for late December, 50-ish with muted sunlight and zero wind. The sky was soft blue with a few white puffs of clouds and the neighborhood was mostly quiet. Beautiful! I am still transplanting stuff into the mixed privacy borders on both sides of the back yard. Have decided to push the envelope this "winter" and keep going until the ground has a good layer of frost, which hasn't even remotely happened yet. Just in case I am watering and mulching these plants abundantly. .Moved 2 8 foot tall Cornus racemosa today. When I originally planted these 5 years ago, they were little and cute, but now they are 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide and out grew their positions. Tomorrow, I'm going to cut down some Buckthorn that's still remains way in back (Rhamnus cathartica), and perhaps transplant some Bayberry (Myrica pennsylvanica) in its place.