Data and more data

I decided a while ago to look around for some data on what will WS well and what won't in my zone. Ooo, might have been a mistake, but I am definitly now 'in the know'. Information overload! I'll still be doing a lot of experimenting of my own along the way, but I found an excellent database of just that very topic. I figured, "Hey, if it'll WS in zone 0, I shouldn't have a prob in zone 5, eh?"
I now have a nice little hand written booklet of what and when sitting on my desk awaiting winter thanks to this:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mamrudd/wsdbtext.htm

It still doesn't mean my kids don't think I'm nuts, but hubster seems to be getting a bit more interested as time goes by...like we need another hobby...

Though the database doesn't list this, interestingly enough, the times for putting certain seeds out correlates pretty well with most of our birthdays! Guess it'll be a very good thing that it won't be hard to remember.

In case everyone just reading about Winter Sowing for the first time actually does think I'm nuts, this is the best site ever to learn about it:
http://www.wintersown.org/

So go ahead and get your free seeds from Trudi and give it a try! What have you got to lose?

I give in...

Actually, I give up. Why can't people just take a comment as a comment? There always has to be some deep seeded snipe or insinuation meant? Ugh! I just give up. I'll stay in my hole, make my quilts, grow my plants, and shut my mouth. None of these things ever seem to think you meant something other than you actually said when you said it to them! (Maybe the fact their inanimate has something to do with it?) lol.

It's continually cold out now, so it's almost puzzle season. :-) Yay! Though I really, really, really hate winter, there are some redeeming qualities.The report on pumpkin crop loss for NY is in: 25%. Bummer. But the apple harvest was more than doubled. What a weird growing season we've had. The fruit and veg farms around here are almost all closed due to the flood damage. I feel really sad for the loss of all that produce. Thank God they all had insurance! (And will be getting extra money from FEMA).

This weekend seemed to fly by. I got quite a bit done on the new Cathedral Window quilt. The last one took 2 years, but this one is sort of a 'do it as I feel like' so will probably take much, much longer. Besides, I hate ironing all those muslin squares. Des and I started a quilt for her teacher. I decided on a Bears Paw since it has a simple enough pattern for her to grasp. I'm secretly pleased that she wants to do this. Shhhh! Don't tell her I said, or she'll decide to quit just to spite me. Ahhh, the joys of being 14.

All the leaves have been off our trees for about a week now, yet the rest of the state is at peak color or just past. Kinda ticks me off that the valley has such wacko growing weather: first for some things, behind in others. A few of my plants have decided it is definitely winter while others are soldiering on as though it's going to warm back up soon enough. Maybe they just didn't get the memo. One stand of purple phlox faded almost a month ago, and yet another stand about 20 feet away decided to put out new blossoms this weekend. D just pointed at it confusedly and said, "Ummm?" Yeah, weird.

Seeds Galore

Another luck-out day Sunday! :-)
I found seeds at my local Dollar General for 6 cents a pack. Ok, so they aren't the greatest selection, but I got aster, bachelor button, cosmos, zinnia, baby's breath, calendula, marigold, wildflower mix and a few packs of veggies. I have quite a few of my own harvested seeds too. Not bad for winter sowing starters.
Oh! And I have a wsing email buddy! How great is that?! We'll get to learn together. She seems very nice and as excited as I am about trying this out. I hope I don't freak her out with my babbling...
:-)
Buffalo got slammed with a snowstorm last night - 2 feet. They can keep it, it's only October 13th for pete sake! My son thought it was funny that they got slammed on Friday the 13th. That'll learn 'em for living on the lake! lol.

What gives?

I've come to the conclusion that people will buy anything for any price if they want it (bad enough).
Why, in God's name, would anyone pay almost 100 bucks a yard for fabric? Why?
Why would they pay hundreds of dollars for a tree? Why?
Why do people pay outrageous prices for plants every year, mostly annuals, when you can grow them yourself for pennies. Why?
Why do people shell out billions of dollars every year for the crap on infomercials that usually never works anyway? Why?

We are a counrty of excess and a counrty that wastes that excess. Why? Why?
Almost every other country on earth recognizes our waste, yet we refuse to look in the mirror.

Maybe Glenn Beck is slowly seeping unknowingly into my brain more and more each day, but dang, he couldn't be more on the mark about the situation (at this moment) of this country.

I window webshop and am appalled at the prices of merchandise. Add shipping costs and you better be making a darn good buck to order anything on the web. I refuse to webshop. I honestly do NOT see the point. If I can't get what I need at a B&M, then I guess I don't need it that bad. There is a huge difference between need and want!

As a nation we've gone overboard in the want category. If it's new, shiney, cool, the neighbors have one, a relative wants one for Christmas, it serves no purpose but looks great on our lawn, our kids want one, everyone else has one, it makes life easier - we buy it - price be damned! Why? Life isn't suppose to be easy.

The only things we REALLY need are food, clothes, medicines (and half of the time there really isn't a need to take them-can you say viagra) and shelter. Everything else is window dressing or entertainment.

Are we really that bored? Can we find nothing to entertain us as a nation other than a big screen tv?

Even simple enjoyments, skiing for example, have gone nuts! You can't play any sports now without shelling out major moolah. What's up with that? We checked out prices for a new bike for my youngest son. $2019! I burst out laughing right in the store. Are they kidding??? It better be freaking made of gold! Come on! And yet, people pay it. WHY?

We need to stop the waste. We need to stop the over-the-top spending. We need to take a good long look in the mirror...

where's the sun

Even with all this eternal rain, I feel as if I'm getting at least a few steps forward toward winter.
The tulip and daf bulbs finally got into the ground.
The iris are divided, pinched and replanted. Wow, had they multiplied.
Wind chimes all in.
I still have to figure out something to do with the park bench. Maybe covered against the front wall. It would be protected from harsh winter and it could double for my WSing.
The spike plants still have to be repotted and brought in. I probably shouldn't bother, but I love them and don't want to pay 3 bucks a piece come spring again.
Made a new trade this morning: chocolate mint for money plant seeds. I know the money plants will spread and look messy and I'll probably be kicking myself next year, but ah, well.
I still have some seed collecting to do, phlox, clems, almost white sunflower, etc., but I'll get to it eventually.
M stopped up and got some impatien cuttings. I showed her how to make the newspaper pots. She's always so excited when she first starts out, but the enthusiasm seems to drop off fast and she never follows through. I'll bet anything that she ends up letting them rot instead of going through the hassle of having to make the pots. I mean, come on, they're a peach to make and what is better than free? Screw it, let her spend the money on new plants in the spring, cause I swear to God, she is so not getting any from me when I'm loaded with plants and she couldn't be bothered. Why do I let people do that to me every single spring? Just like the tomato plants I nurtured all spring-she didn't even plant them til August, then proceeded to mooch tomatos off me last weekend because hers never got any. Well, gee, wonder freaking why? What a waste!
It's as bad as with the sewing-why can't I just say no? These people are quite capable of doing it themselves!
I think I got blogger seed dissed. :( Offering seeds and then not even replying is pretty crappy....