Believe it or not it was Schutlze's Natural Nutrition for Cats that got me away from artificial colors and preservatives (I was already away from HFCS, PABAs, rBST, BPAs, etc).

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Melissa Thom

 Quote: Aaron Myracle

Our first planting in our newly constructed raised bed was demolished by a freak windstorm.

We're still waiting to see how round two goes. The tomatoes and red onions are looking promising.

It's been a lousy... horrid year for growing in Washington. I'm actually planning to till under my entire squash patch. Dump some steer manure and cover it until next year, there's just not enough time to salvage it this year. Even my zuchinni stunted. I might try growing that over again though. They tend to go nuts when they are given the opportunity.

Amazingly my tomatoes and peppers both look promising. They've taken off in the last month.

Could you do some of the herbs in bad seasons? Or maybe the cruciferous vegs? Not that I know anything about gardening, but aren't they coolness-tolerant?

I'm really good at killing herb plants. At least in previous years I had quite a talent for it. Then I was speaking with a gardening friend who said to put them in and ignore them and you'll have more of the plant than you know what to do with. So I got five starts this year. Put them in a large pot in the front yard and neglected away except for pulling the occasional piece of grass. Much to my surprise they are growing like mad (I'm glad something is). I actually have gotten close to a half pound (dry weight) of oregano and I now need to figure out what I can make with a curry plant since it needs to be pruned now before it starts crowding my dill plant. So I think I may do more next year of herb plants I use often like parsley, sage, and basil. I'm also going to attempt to keep them alive through the winter.

As far as the cabbage family we have a thing here called cabbage moths. They're the cute little white butterfly looking things. They have caterpillars all summer which love LOVE LOVE my cabbage family plants so for the most part I try to grow them in winter which is a challenge. Kohlrabi is my best successful plant from that family.

I need to correct one thing. This year is a great year for blueberries. I think I'm going to end up with more than I know what to do with which is a plus for my dogs. They love blueberries with breakfast.

I've had to start FREEZING blueberries.

On the bright side, they color smoothies a nice purple, so that the small person doesn't realize he's drinking broccoli and other "icky green things".

My dogs love blueberries & bananas,too. They get one or the other several times a weeks with breakfast.

I am definately guilty of overdoing the fresh fruit in the summer.

 Quote: anne jones

My dogs love blueberries & bananas,too. They get one or the other several times a weeks with breakfast.

I am definately guilty of overdoing the fresh fruit in the summer.

Me too. Conan gets as excited to see a banana as he does to see his meat

I never give him a whole one but he always knows he can get away with the end pieces, or few "dropped" blueberries. He loves them way more than his veggies from the people dinner.

 Quote: aaron myracle

I've had to start FREEZING blueberries.

On the bright side, they color smoothies a nice purple, so that the small person doesn't realize he's drinking broccoli and other "icky green things".

Funny how that works, with small people AND BIG people.

ETA...whenever my dogs hear me break off a banana from the bunch...they run over & start offering behaviors in the hope that they can get a piece. Sometimes they do & sometimes I toss it in their food. Wouldn't want them to get too spoiled.

 Quote: Anne Jones

ETA...whenever my dogs hear me break off a banana from the bunch...they run over & start offering behaviors in the hope that they can get a piece.

So funny - Oscar does this too!! He also knows the sound of a knife going through any kind of MELON, as distinct from a knife going through any sort of vegetable... One cut and I can hear him padding in from wherever he was in the house.

~Natalya

 Quote: Natalya Zahn

So funny - Oscar does this too!! He also knows the sound of a knife going through any kind of MELON, as distinct from a knife going through any sort of vegetable... One cut and I can hear him padding in from wherever he was in the house.

~Natalya

Kind of like how I run into the kitchen every time I hear my mom cutting a melon

 Quote: natalya zahn

 Quote: anne jones

ETA...whenever my dogs hear me break off a banana from the bunch...they run over & start offering behaviors in the hope that they can get a piece.

So funny - Oscar does this too!! He also knows the sound of a knife going through any kind of MELON, as distinct from a knife going through any sort of vegetable... One cut and I can hear him padding in from wherever he was in the house.

~Natalya

One of mine can smell a fresh pineapple from a mile away. Weirdo. He's a regular old meat-pig and will "phoo" out a blueberry like a BB, but pineapple is his strange produce obsession. It's too bad it's such a high-sugar fruit.


Just wanted to remind us all that blueberries are not only very high in antioxidants (like most produce in that color family), but are also among the lower-sugar fruits/berries.

With Chula, I'm embarrassed to say, it's any time the fridge door opens. It's a testimonial to intermittent positive reinforcement.