I used the smaller ones (Verdura-10) for a recent DIY home-landscape project, I'm very impressed and satisfied. It's like they work WITH nature & physics, rather than fighting nature & physics as a conventional reinforced concrete-block wall does. The bare Verdura wall may not look quite as good as a conventional concrete-block wall, but if the Verdura wall is planted, it soon looks much better than a concrete-block wall. And in terms of longevity, the inherent "work with nature & physics" design would seem to make it almost timeless, compared to concrete-block walls that eventually crack, or start tipping outward, or the bricks near the bottom of the wall start to discolor and spall due to the ever-present water that builds up behind a solid wall. The Verdura products are just a much more logical design than a concrete-block wall which requires a reinforced-concrete footing below it and all of that drainage stuff behind it.

Many boxes support "analog pass through", and this is useful for the moment. But after feb 2009, it will be far less useful because there will be very little analog left. I currently use a Channel Master CM-7000 CECB on my old Panasonic TV. It does not have analog pass-through. But I get away with it because the Panasonic has provisions for a "cable descrambler" box output and second antenna input. I connected the CM-7000 to the descrambler output and it works fine. (Though the signal is reduced a bit compared with a direct antenna connection.) Again, after Feb, there won't be any analog in my area. So I will then recable the antenna to feed directly into the converter box. The reason I chose the CM-7000 is that it has S-video output and reportedly the best picture quality of any of the CECBs. The Zenith DTT-901 also gets high ratings - with a decent picture and more features than the CM-7000, but does not support S-video. I also have had a Samsung SIR-T451 for several years on a newer HD-ready TV. This supports full HD capabilities (e.g., 480p/720p/1080i), numerous outputs (component, s-video, composite, VGA, etc), has analog pass-through, and a number of other features. It is a nice box, but not as sensitive to weak signals as the CM-7000. I would assume the newer Samsung boxes are better. ilmbg: I think your "local TV guy" misheard your question. If your TV is more than about 3-4 years old, it is unlikely that it has a digital tuner in it. You will need a converter box. And it sounds like you will also need a better antenna. BTW, do not confuse "digital" with "high definition". They are two different things. Everyone will need a digital tuner for over-the-air broadcasts. But not everyone wants or needs HD display capabilities. For many folks, 480i may be just fine.

Patti, think of it this way....the dark green stems are left on to protect the tender part from damage and dessication. I've heard some TV cooks remark about freezing those stems for use when making stock. I've not done that but it sounds like a good idea. I save shrimp shells for stock! I love plums and always look forward to seeing them in the markets. I agree that this 'lemon plum ' is special. Plums don't have a very long shelf life, sadly, and bruise so easily. They shouldn't be picked when they are still little hard because they don't continue to get sweet once picked. They'll soften up but taste mealy and bland. They are picked much too early to withstand the rigours of the commercial market. I haven't gone exploring in the right grocery stores (lately) to find something new to me. I taught a college course one year about exotic, tropical, and world foods and for a fun assignnent challenged the class to find, research, and prepare for eating something that fullfilled the assignnent. It was a night class, so conducive to sharing a little meal. What fun! I had never tasted starfruit until that night....delicious. Students sleuthed out really neat grains, spices, fruits and vegetables. Luckily, our little city was multi-cultural....and larger cities very close by.

I put the containers in our basement/garage. No freezing/frost. I occasionally will add some water - maybe a cup or so, but not usually enough to run out of the bottom. It sort of replaces the rain. The soil does get very dry before a short watering. Other than that - I just leave them alone. Plants when dormant do not need sunlight. I do NOT fertilize at all - just use the cheapest potting soil I can find that does not have large particles or lumps of wood. I do water the soil right after striking (putting in soil) the cuttings. It is moist and holds moisture but not running out of the bottom. I don't have enough saucers for all the containers, so they are just plopped on the cement and I don't want water running all over the floor. The cuttings will look positively dead! They are not and when the time is right, they will leaf out. When? depends on the daylight/night time relationship. Even though the basement had very limited daylight - the plants know. If you are worried about this - put them outside - shade or partial sun - after frost and they will figure it out. It does not seem to depend on the temperature. As I tell all my people in the workshops on Propagating, it is not brain surgery! Don't fret each step - just do it. Here are some facts that might make it easier to do. 1. You can use any branch, if it has blooms - just cut them off. 2. I do cuttings at any time of the year. Cut a branch, trim and put into soil. 3. Put twice as many as you want to root. 50% success is a great goal. 4. Make sure your containers have drainage. No rocks or pot pieces, just solid soil. 5. At least 2 leave nodes under the soil - they will be root nodes when buried. 5a. Wound or slightly score the stem that is under the soil. Roots will emerge there. 6. You can cut the leaves on the branches in half - to reduce water loss. 7. Run your hands softly over the leaf nodes a couple of months after they drop their leaves and you might feel new branches starting to emerge. 8. If you don't see new growth from leaf nodes, watch for it at the base of the cutting. 9. Be patient, some cuttings will take several months to show any growth. 10. Good luck!