George- Reading your message re: your wife's back surgery prompted me to give her my best wishes and to check in. I also had an IDET & ID Nov. 20th (3 ruptured discs. It is a slow recovery but I am determined to be back planting chiles and tomatoes by Spring. At the Open Fields Dr. Dirt AKA Steve had to do all the picking--and Rael et all thought I was being lazy. LOL Next year I'll be jumping over the rows for sure. I did plant around 300 heirloom tomatoes (80 types) and about 60 types of Chiles last weekend. Hey don't get excited---I am a planting for mom, my son et moi! LOL I can't sit for another two months so I am officially being a couch potato using this stupid webtv thang and a 60" monitor AKA Tv screen so I am a reading all your tales. LOL Since there a few mater-mates here on CH I'll extend an invite to any who want to talk planting and cooking of chiles and tomatoes to come on over to TomatoMania@YahooGroups.com Warning it is a very active list so go on mail option NO mail and read on the web. Have been cooking a little, will share some recipes later as standing and typing on a keyboard is a "pain". Doctor has been using Capsicum creme for the back pain! How about that? Ciao Mary-Anne USDA Zone 9b, Sunset Zone 14/15