tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68779223380509597482024-03-05T16:34:27.922-08:00That the Frost Might Never Afflict Your SpudsA small glimpse into the adventures of a first time gardener (farmer?)LadyLaLahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01982992939456888985noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877922338050959748.post-85417562794110015812010-04-10T15:13:00.000-07:002010-04-10T15:13:08.373-07:00Flower Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
We have a beautiful Butterfly Bush here in the yard. It's just beside the driveway and sits in perfect allignment with my daughter's bedroom window. I thought it would be great to encourage more butterflies by creating a little flower garden. So this is what I did.<br />
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Here is a before picture of the area:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9Bjad1U42exj2wpFPhTeNhPGDBWktnY13miH6PyAJBW8gUn8oO2Ps5H-_cc2ie3D6Vynf64RkFVJNJDZNAvhAAXcAP8aiUZWkWH_f7Ba9bTGt-AkODhHHoojIvsskunkwRYNnioAn8zP/s1600/side+garden+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9Bjad1U42exj2wpFPhTeNhPGDBWktnY13miH6PyAJBW8gUn8oO2Ps5H-_cc2ie3D6Vynf64RkFVJNJDZNAvhAAXcAP8aiUZWkWH_f7Ba9bTGt-AkODhHHoojIvsskunkwRYNnioAn8zP/s320/side+garden+5.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCO6ch2FMvxA2bw5_DDM887auPiR_f4NVIMofW_4UQrnAK_8oGgd3GQV0NOzwpP14SbLffGN-u78Rd59pkR4n7LJKoUWrmMNmjdLFOZb7pgJzdMEppy6cixL0NXoule3SKy1fkRWWfoBF/s1600/IMG00408-20100331-1351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCO6ch2FMvxA2bw5_DDM887auPiR_f4NVIMofW_4UQrnAK_8oGgd3GQV0NOzwpP14SbLffGN-u78Rd59pkR4n7LJKoUWrmMNmjdLFOZb7pgJzdMEppy6cixL0NXoule3SKy1fkRWWfoBF/s320/IMG00408-20100331-1351.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNdQrnY14IK_H-qNSmziPx-i8whl_oAJAP8mmQCNmhsOh8d_sF0rgYdNbsjWSsuYVErFRa-cBORy8aheW_Bv6Vn5B1DBlMLWg_5ZK5sCHlpKoku9EZDioyzqgRpdWgAQMvv2ofgbhe7PG/s1600/IMG00407-20100331-1351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNdQrnY14IK_H-qNSmziPx-i8whl_oAJAP8mmQCNmhsOh8d_sF0rgYdNbsjWSsuYVErFRa-cBORy8aheW_Bv6Vn5B1DBlMLWg_5ZK5sCHlpKoku9EZDioyzqgRpdWgAQMvv2ofgbhe7PG/s320/IMG00407-20100331-1351.jpg" /></a><br />
See that bunch of Daffodils there beside the rock on the last picture?? I dug all of those up:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CIzZcR4Ca5dE_1l5pNp9ELEn9rGYaY_85hNEwDSx36WzMtLJLZfXukv-0Li0q5kUDCXq7D1EPnz_nA-k90u2b_GGWxpcAiNJFcBA0fO1ARFgpkhetHrEaqbEzvKz4tj3QK3E5zw8cQSR/s1600/side+garden+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CIzZcR4Ca5dE_1l5pNp9ELEn9rGYaY_85hNEwDSx36WzMtLJLZfXukv-0Li0q5kUDCXq7D1EPnz_nA-k90u2b_GGWxpcAiNJFcBA0fO1ARFgpkhetHrEaqbEzvKz4tj3QK3E5zw8cQSR/s320/side+garden+4.jpg" /></a></div>Then i dug up the new garden area:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-v7U2rxoDJFp6GDHc1vjqw9ru7y9YEcfmj8XRf7c_Lu_wvcfEW8ih-kIwJB-5uZnJ_YToiBQDMMVyEcv3bEfBV5WtZUf3OTcgEZv6pJchNtE_zrJ-oZVAVy_AfhxUA-Icxs_N7WWEsgYh/s1600/side+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-v7U2rxoDJFp6GDHc1vjqw9ru7y9YEcfmj8XRf7c_Lu_wvcfEW8ih-kIwJB-5uZnJ_YToiBQDMMVyEcv3bEfBV5WtZUf3OTcgEZv6pJchNtE_zrJ-oZVAVy_AfhxUA-Icxs_N7WWEsgYh/s320/side+garden.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GkxI3F5Uez49fIXovwZ0p9t_b2Rilqc-Gek8T_oaijHgG-pfz-AdzRK0cQ7ohBTzV0PCIKatn96LTkua4O2u2z9F3rbJegr9CLOWZBOeSmJJiTtmf_6_tGwJsZADwOsk0x8zYgE8sXMW/s1600/side+garden+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GkxI3F5Uez49fIXovwZ0p9t_b2Rilqc-Gek8T_oaijHgG-pfz-AdzRK0cQ7ohBTzV0PCIKatn96LTkua4O2u2z9F3rbJegr9CLOWZBOeSmJJiTtmf_6_tGwJsZADwOsk0x8zYgE8sXMW/s320/side+garden+2.jpg" /></a><br />
And replanted the Daffodils:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsx2mQZYeTHc2C-F8q_bQY69aIvvMJHiJxWFGidfe6mcTslNBGIEzNoOFJGCKInSpCxx0eZwMGwFurd5zXk-UFg7BU7wGjF9fdQBNebiPjXrjLMlkXqcmXL856IRVR2_VYlqTadm6X6e0/s1600/IMG00429-20100405-1238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsx2mQZYeTHc2C-F8q_bQY69aIvvMJHiJxWFGidfe6mcTslNBGIEzNoOFJGCKInSpCxx0eZwMGwFurd5zXk-UFg7BU7wGjF9fdQBNebiPjXrjLMlkXqcmXL856IRVR2_VYlqTadm6X6e0/s320/IMG00429-20100405-1238.jpg" /></a></div>Now the garden is much bigger!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOAlMiMyaJu8Vpgm9ztatj2arqmnrl-hLre3YiFXDx7xLGjNx0PEgDCKiWgQea_HpzXZe9txu-9wpQ7c3rjmn_ZBdtThFKMMHASJu1nA52zNrlIfli-xzRkK6RiAKDyc7RqBhxFxDkUjn/s1600/IMG00428-20100405-1237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOAlMiMyaJu8Vpgm9ztatj2arqmnrl-hLre3YiFXDx7xLGjNx0PEgDCKiWgQea_HpzXZe9txu-9wpQ7c3rjmn_ZBdtThFKMMHASJu1nA52zNrlIfli-xzRkK6RiAKDyc7RqBhxFxDkUjn/s320/IMG00428-20100405-1237.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also planted three seed packets worth of flowers in here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One seed packet was <a href="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/store/search_results_detail.php?seedtype=F&seedid=219">Hummingbird Haven</a> by Botanical Interests:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/images/uploads/Hummingbird_haven_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/images/uploads/Hummingbird_haven_lg.jpg" width="204" /></a><br />
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</div>The second one was <a href="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/store/search_results_detail.php?seedtype=F&seedid=212">Bring Home the Butterflies</a> by Botanical Interests:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/images/uploads/Bring_butterflies_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/images/uploads/Bring_butterflies_lg.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><br />
And the third one was <a href="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/store/search_results_detail.php?seedtype=F&seedid=218">Grandmother's Cut Flower Garden</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/images/uploads/Grandmothers_cut_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/images/uploads/Grandmothers_cut_lg.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>This should be one wild and crazy colorful garden!!<br />
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Check out Botanical Interests <a href="http://www.botanicalinterests.com/store/index_index.php">here</a>. They are family owned and really seem to be doing things right!!LadyLaLahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01982992939456888985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877922338050959748.post-31964947454387967042010-04-09T07:59:00.000-07:002010-04-09T07:59:16.997-07:00The "Corner Garden"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I don't think I have before pics of this area of the yard. It was overgrown with this thorny, thin, wire like vine that would drive me NUTS. There were 2 hydrangea planted here that were getting very sick looking. What to do?? Well, as I was working on this the same day as I pruned the "<a href="http://frostyspuds.blogspot.com/2010/04/magnolia-that-wasnt.html">magnolia</a>", I did what would only come natural to a newbie gardener with no experience....I dug those bad boys up and moved them.<br />
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So this is the only picture I could find that gives you a "before" view.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbc1xcpfwfJyQf7NQbVPXvRq1mGUv-zdpc7rtthLEUFHJ-zNlAeqEIdV5gyiNECGX4GoC1rK-968G5zNE3vG5p1RX74MSLi81Xq5dM4w1VQ6c9ERYYI5mt7j2OS73TZdiXDFeF4QMuvYO/s1600/before+pic+corner+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbc1xcpfwfJyQf7NQbVPXvRq1mGUv-zdpc7rtthLEUFHJ-zNlAeqEIdV5gyiNECGX4GoC1rK-968G5zNE3vG5p1RX74MSLi81Xq5dM4w1VQ6c9ERYYI5mt7j2OS73TZdiXDFeF4QMuvYO/s320/before+pic+corner+garden.jpg" /></a></div>Ugly, huh?<br />
So, last year I had pruned these bad boys. This year I dug 'em...and made 2 bushes into 3. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>So, this is what the "Corner Garden" looks like now.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5HopZxOlXT0T1ckenw0gC6MlRn56nN6vTjBpLwyUAm3ta46RigFTX2hxiQV1EUQ6_rvkBw64DmrlJTeEKRxyQjhVrorCANO92xs3zLRWYFc5HkH9AxLSW4mOlbeU2mTSn-gZpJ3hnoKi/s1600/IMG00425-20100405-1236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5HopZxOlXT0T1ckenw0gC6MlRn56nN6vTjBpLwyUAm3ta46RigFTX2hxiQV1EUQ6_rvkBw64DmrlJTeEKRxyQjhVrorCANO92xs3zLRWYFc5HkH9AxLSW4mOlbeU2mTSn-gZpJ3hnoKi/s320/IMG00425-20100405-1236.jpg" /></a></div>Whew!! Much better! The stool was a left over from the previous tenants. There used to be a cool little elf dude but one of the workers threw him away. I was bummed to discover that.<br />
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So, IN THIS CORNER (insert boxer announcer like voice) I will be attempting to grow:<br />
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AGASTACHE <i>Lavender Hyssop </i>(from Burpee seed packet)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.burpee.com/images/en_US//local/products/detail/B38150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.burpee.com/images/en_US//local/products/detail/B38150.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Chamomile, German <i>Matricaria recutita </i>(from Burpee seed packet)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.burpee.com/images/en_US//local/products/detail/B24935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.burpee.com/images/en_US//local/products/detail/B24935.jpg" /></a></div><br />
And, for a bit of drama......<br />
Bells of Ireland <i>Moluccella Iaevis </i>(from Burpee seed packet)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.burpee.com/images/en_US//local/products/detail/B41350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.burpee.com/images/en_US//local/products/detail/B41350.jpg" /></a></div>This is the seed layout:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJUP0sPq5TNLPFHDQ-8JRMZCWfEnfdHYPaEQQ5_iIVxvC1_VU8pIhHRdF5b_KN93BhhsbxRCTtPASAvxngnSat-hYQ9WQBwp_AucLdNK4jcWIfbpiPa7pJsPEdE2E8-pKPRARSRVKco-Q/s1600/corner+garden+layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJUP0sPq5TNLPFHDQ-8JRMZCWfEnfdHYPaEQQ5_iIVxvC1_VU8pIhHRdF5b_KN93BhhsbxRCTtPASAvxngnSat-hYQ9WQBwp_AucLdNK4jcWIfbpiPa7pJsPEdE2E8-pKPRARSRVKco-Q/s320/corner+garden+layout.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The little green circles are the Bells of Ireland. The yellow circle on the left is the Chamomile, and the purple is the Lavender. This corner of the house faces SW, so it gets full sun in the afternoon. I water it daily. There are little sprouts coming up but I think they are weeds or something. But, since I have no real idea, I have to wait and see if it becomes something wanted or unwanted before I pull it.<br />
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Ugghhh. I have SOOOO much to learn!!LadyLaLahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01982992939456888985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877922338050959748.post-39921135782196399892010-04-07T14:10:00.000-07:002010-04-07T14:10:26.762-07:00The Magnolia that wasn't...So, when the sun started to shine...I just wanted to be out in the yard getting my Vitamin D infusion. <br />
<div>The first thing I did was prune the trees just to the left of the front porch. One is a hydrangea and the other was what I THOUGHT was a magnolia bush. So, I pruned the HELL out of both of them. The hydrangea seems to be rebounding. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1c8KV9EeK7bCSajW5oj5fLwW-5aurancSwi-8ePKyV3wX7esap6ttSPCAV8XJht8kE9-NEhyphenhyphenR4opBfvq4horIbYrvcL9rpdBJutU41Tjo7YaAwxViPv3ouOkfTfKoEYt_-3L0GuYYDAU/s1600/IMG00437-20100407-1513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1c8KV9EeK7bCSajW5oj5fLwW-5aurancSwi-8ePKyV3wX7esap6ttSPCAV8XJht8kE9-NEhyphenhyphenR4opBfvq4horIbYrvcL9rpdBJutU41Tjo7YaAwxViPv3ouOkfTfKoEYt_-3L0GuYYDAU/s320/IMG00437-20100407-1513.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
</div><div>Ummm...can't say that for the non-magnolia bush. Turns out it is a rhododendron. I found that out by using this link from <a href="http://www.fw.vt.edu/dendrO/dendrology/idit.htm">VA Tech.</a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Sooooo, instead of looking like this </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/rhododendron_campanulatum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/rhododendron_campanulatum.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Mine looks like this</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1AsOxy797E6FkIYuICMYizXQSpQuiwNdggSMuUtFMNwwEJ5uMQabeTsgO3WidIRh902agx9kiL8HXlu_mFuKE9Lx_b0Dvy_F90LHd5ZNFx9l4BlDxs8ddGQDUNMedaPNDWoyyXKV7F8k/s1600/IMG00435-20100407-1513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1AsOxy797E6FkIYuICMYizXQSpQuiwNdggSMuUtFMNwwEJ5uMQabeTsgO3WidIRh902agx9kiL8HXlu_mFuKE9Lx_b0Dvy_F90LHd5ZNFx9l4BlDxs8ddGQDUNMedaPNDWoyyXKV7F8k/s320/IMG00435-20100407-1513.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div>Uggh. I have a lot to learn.</div><div><br />
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</div>LadyLaLahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01982992939456888985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877922338050959748.post-88438844336571858922010-04-05T19:08:00.000-07:002010-04-05T19:08:01.468-07:00Tap, Tap, Tap...is this thing on??Ok, I've never blogged before. I've never gardened before. I have NOOO idea what I'm doing on either of these fronts...so this should be an adventure!!<br />
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Here in VA we had the 'WINTER OF THEEEE CENTRUYYYYY" (insert echo sounds)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aS_6xNgsvSekEu27WSwgohzMv1eDuQM1OronbG3YzmyV_gZOqoXpdTP6cSbjX846Rfo-m1HEpVa_bO3VNWRXI6th4HmbsusjHYE-F5IzzGpXdYdhIgKB8XXnEINM7uxBeBV_yV67Cx3Y/s1600/IMG00285-20091218-1644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aS_6xNgsvSekEu27WSwgohzMv1eDuQM1OronbG3YzmyV_gZOqoXpdTP6cSbjX846Rfo-m1HEpVa_bO3VNWRXI6th4HmbsusjHYE-F5IzzGpXdYdhIgKB8XXnEINM7uxBeBV_yV67Cx3Y/s200/IMG00285-20091218-1644.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>When the sun started to shine and unemployment provided unexpected free time, I got the gardening bug. I started small and easy...and then fell into the bottomless pit of that which is my Victory Garden.<br />
I hope I have fun along the way. (I would have said we...but I'm the only one who knows about this blog at the moment...so I'll just stick with that) If nothing becomes of the blog...no worries...at least I have proof SOMEWHERE that I grew something. Now...for any of it being edible is yet to be seen.!!! LOLLadyLaLahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01982992939456888985noreply@blogger.com2