I am definitely experiencing that same thing with my hollyhocks. Did you ever find a solution and did you identify pack rats?

Thanks guys. It is really fun to watch them. Crazy things. :o)

I'd make Eggs Benedict with your ingredients. I have a great foolproof recipe for Hollandaise sauce- stir together (over heat) the juice of one fresh lemon and three egg yolks, cut a stick of butter into half-or three-quarter inch pats, add one at a time, plus a dash of hot sauce.The rest is easy- you'll need English muffins, eggs and Canadian bacon.

You could make your own family favorite recipe and use 1/2 c. oil and 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce. PUMPKIN BREAD Combine 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 c. granulated sugar, 1 c. pumpkin, 1/2 c. vegetable oil, and 2 eggs and beat well. Stir in 2 c. flour, 1 t. soda and 1 t. each salt, nutmeg and cinnamon, 1/4 t. ginger and mix well. Stir in 1 c. raisins, 1/2 c. chopped nuts and 1/4 c. water. Spoon into well oiled 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350-degrees for 65-75 minutes. CIDER PUMPKIN BREAD (Source: Pillsbury Best Muffins & Quick Breads) 1 c. firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup canned pumpkin 1/2 c. oil 1/2 c. apple cider or apple juice 1 egg 1\-3/4 c. all\-purpose flour 1/2 c. whole wheat flour 3 t. baking powder 1\-1/2 t. cinnamon 1/2 c. chopped nuts 1/2 c. raisins Heat oven to 350\-degrees F. Grease and flour bottom only of 9x5\-inch loaf pan. In large bowl, combine brown sugar, pumpkin, oil, apple cider and egg; mix well. Add all\-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and cinnamon; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350\-degrees F for 55\-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10\-minutes; remove from pan. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We're having these for breakfast this morning... Source: Mostly Muffins \- by Barbara Albright and Leslie Weiner. PUMPKIN PIE MUFFINS 2 c. all\-purpose flour (I use Irish Whole Meal Flour) 3/4 c. firmly packed dark\-brown sugar (I use1/2 c. palm sugar) 1\-1/2 t. baking powder 1/4 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt 1 t. ground cinnamon 1/2 t. ground ginger 1/4 t. ground cloves 1/8 t. ground nutmeg (Grainlady note: I substitute 2 t. pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg) 3/4 c. canned pumpkin 1/2 c. lightly salted butter, melted and cooled 1/4 c. buttermilk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3 T. molasses 1 t. vanilla 3/4 c. coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts 3/4 c. chopped pitted dates Preheat oven to 400\-degrees F. Grease twelve 3x1\-1/4 inch muffin cups. In a large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. In another bowl, stir together pumpkin, butter, buttermilk, eggs, molasses, and vanilla until blended. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add pumpkin mixture and stir just to combine. Stir in pecans and dates. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups; bake 20\-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean. Remove muffin tin or tins to wire rack. Cool 5 minutes before removing muffins from cups; finish cooling on rack. Serve them or cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature. These muffins freeze very well. \-Grainlady