That sounds like a good solution for those who live in areas where weasels and possibly mink still exist. I'm pretty sure those animals are long gone from my suburban area after the waves of development from the 1960s through the first part of this decade. I did, however, have similar success getting woodchucks to move on by pouring a little bit of gasoline or kerosene down their hole though an old piece of garden hose shoved as far into the burrow as it would go. While NOT environmentally friendly (I know, the shame of it, groundwater contamination and all), it did work. They would leave and not come back.

Sounds YUMMY, Ming! I'm a big fan of homemade soups. A long-time favourite is gingered pumpkin-apple: 1.5 tbsp soy margarine (I use regular salted butter) 1 lg onion, finely chopped 2 med celery stalks, finely diced 2 medium tart apples, peeled, cored, diced 4 cups veggie stock (or water and a tiny bit of oregano if you don't have any) 1 lbs can of pumpkin purée, or 1 med pumpkin, baked, skinned, and puréed 1 tsp fresh grated ginger 1 tsp curry powder or garam masala 0.5 tsp cinnamon 0.25 tsp nutmeg approx 2 cups milk/soy milk salt to taste option of toasted almonds or cashews as garnish Melt butter in the soup pot, and sauté the onion and celery over med heat. Add everything but the milk, salt, and garnish. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and reduce to a simmer for about 40 minutes. Slowly add milk until it's the consistency you want, and then add salt to taste. You've got to be careful with the ginger, though - it may not taste too strong at first, but by the next day, you can REALLY taste it. It's best to make this the day before, so the flavours really come out.

Thank you, Carol and Ken, for your tactful answers without being judgemental. I realized that the results no matter how you would do this, would not be as desirable as fresh, but I just wanted to see if anyone had come up with some solution for when avocados are out of season. Let face it, if people had not been curious and asked questions, a lot of the things we enjoy today would not be in existence. Yes, I have also eaten a lot of fresh guacamole and agree that some things are just meant to be enjoyed "in the moment" - when that is possible, however, practicality points out that unless you are wealthy and can follow the sun or high prices at the markets, that's not always possible. I do not deprive myself throughout the year of the items I enjoy because I can't go out into the 2 feet of snow and pick ripe strawberries, or the sun-warmed heirloom tomatoes I also grow every year or the beautiful corn that tastes so good or many of the other items I grow. Mostly, I can them or freeze them or dry them so I can enjoy the products of my labors throughout the year and, if I do say so myself, they taste pretty good to me. Lastly, take into consideration that some people are on fixed incomes like the monthly diabled Vietnam Veteran's pension we live on - and we are both veterans. You budget more strenuously and can't always pay the higher prices demanded for all the produce you haven't put up and that is out of season. Also, when given a chance to acquire a large amount of an enjoyed item, in this case avocados, you take the opportunity. Again, thank you Carol and Ken. I always appreciate your input and your wisdom.

found this....hummmm it's close... Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat 30 pounds tomatoes 1 cup chopped onions 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup chopped celery or green pepper 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional) 4 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 Tablespoons oregano 4 Tablespoons minced parsley 2 teaspoons black pepper 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup vegetable oil Yields 9 pints Do not increase the proportion of onions, celery, peppers, or mushrooms. Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Dip in cold water and slip off skins. Remove cores and quarter tomatoes. Boil 20 minutes, uncovered, in large saucepan. Put through food mill or sieve. If desired, saute onions, garlic, celery, pepper, and mushrooms in vegetable oil until tender. Combine sauteed vegetables and tomatoes and add remainder of spices, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until thick enough for serving. At this time, the initial volume will have been reduced by nearly one-half. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Fill jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process jars as described in Table 1. this is a pressure can method... got it from here: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5337.html I have canned on and off through the years...and alto this is not quite my sauce it's closer than what I have come across...its the Ohio state University page...so I am gonna give this one a try...Thanks guys for your input...I am sure I will have many more questions as APPLE season gets here...*thinks about apples and canning....and starts day dreaming* ;)