I had major problem with rabbits and yard rats (squirrels). That was in 2011. Now - 95% control. Here is what I did. Plantskyddî Repellent && Repels All -- I purchased my first bag of Plantskydd in late 2011 and swore off the stuff because it did not seem to work. I then did extensive research on squirrel and rabbit behavior and learned that when the garden is actively growing is not the time to start the repellant use. In 2012 I started applying the Plantskydd in mid-February -- a very light dusting around the perimeter of my garden. The label says the stuff lasts for months but I decided to dust the garden area every 2-3 weeks until April. In April I put a heavy dusting all around the garden. We have a 6 foot privacy fence with a 4x4 post every 8 feet and on top of each post I put a tablespoon of the Plantskydd. I also put down the Repels-All the week after the Plantskydd each time. In 2012 I had ONE ""rogue"" squirrel. That monster was resistant to everything except red pepper and garlic. I mixed 50% red pepper powder and 50% garlic powder in a kitchen squirt bottle with mineral oil and put it on the ground around the little "rogue's" favorite spots to dig. Since it was just garlic and pepper I also put this around the top of each container. By the time my tomatoes and sweet peppers began to color and get ripe I had just about 95% control over these little monsters. I grow exclusively in EarthBox (25+), Containers (15 +/-) and raised beds. I keep all of my containers and EB's on wood pallets to keep them off the ground. I sprinkle the Plantskydd and the Repels-All on the ground around the containers and not on the soil inside the EB's or containers. From my research I have learned that using the same repellant each time is not wise. For my garden a fence was not possible. Plantskydd is expensive and not readily available so this year I have used Organic Blood Meal after the Plantskydd ran out. I alternate it with the Repels-All and so far so good. Not 100% but 95% is OK by me. We love stewed rabbit but in the city we are not allowed to shoot the little buggers. Cheers, DL Disclaimer:: I am not in anyway affiliated with Plantskydd or Repels-All. I only report what works for me.

I like the "suggestion" of a path. I have a flat stepping stone at the edge of two sides of the border where I enter. Then just an occasional one, because I don't want to visually divide up the large bed with an obvious path. It seems to me if its primarily the gardener who's going into the bed, and its purpose is functional and not a main path- which you'd want aesthetically pleasing- you don't need a continuous stone path. Or in fact, any stones if you know where you're going and maybe rake the path a bit. I also have an occasional flat stone in other areas I need to get to. I'd like to put in a word for some unobtrusive, stone native to your area. Here in NE slate just doesn't look right. I recycled some from a project, and it's perfectly sooth somewhat shiny surface doesn't blend in. I also make the top of the stone level with the soil or mulch. I'd rather sweep it occasionally than trip on it! Marie

I went to a retina specialist for 4-5 months before he'd release me to have cataract surgery in that eye. He said he couldn't see anything anyway in the back. lutein and zeaxanthin are good to take for eye health - especially as we get older. but we should keep aware of what is going on with them. I too was warned about it seeming like a 'curtain closed' over an eye. I'll be back into my retina doctor the first sign of anything. I wasn't sure they'd be able to save the sight in that eye - but they did. he is awesome!

"It being a TV show, I suspect that there are investigations carried out that ultimately are rejected for various reasons for inclusion in the show. Finding little information available, or ambiguous or embarrassing back stories the person concerned may not wish to have broadcast or any number of other things might lead to the info being supplied to the person concerned but not included in an episode." Ah, yes. There was a bit of a brouhaha several years ago when Ben Affleck was on the show. Apparently, research found that one of his ancestors had owned slaves. He was not happy about that, and didn't want that information to be included in the show. Professor Gates felt that it should be included because, after all, it was a documented part of Affleck's ancestor's life. Professor Gates took it to the "higher-ups," who opted to placate Affleck because "he's such a big celebrity." The info got out anyway... As for name changes -- my father's side is 100% Italian. My research has shown that their names were spelled correctly on ship manifests, because those are filled out in the home country before the ships left for the USA. For my extended family, no one at Ellis Island changed anyone's name, but several men changed their own surnames simply by changing or omitting a vowel. My great-grandfather's sister (my 2nd great-aunt) married a man who changed his surname from a very Italian surname to an Irish surname! My grandfather arrived, alone, in the USA when he was 17. He altered his surname by changing the last letter from one vowel to another. My grandmother's first cousin married my grandfather's best friend, who had altered his surname by changing one of the three vowels in his name. My "take" on these name changes is that they represented a new beginning in a new country.