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When I lost 30 pounds with Weight Watchers in 2002, I collected the 'secrets' to my success. It's time to brush them off again.
Well, well, if it's not that time of year again, the time for weight loss resolutions. Determination soars. "This is the year", we tell ourselves, this is the year we take off the pounds that collect on our thighs and hips and waists. This is the year, we promise, when we'll really make the food and exercise changes that we know we need – we know! – to live long and healthful lives. This is the year we'll really lose weight, we will, really we will!
Ahem. Yes. To keep this real, let me switch from third to first person, even if I'm pretty sure I'm not alone here. You see, I Alanna, I've made myself that promise for the past three years. And three years in a row, I've broken it within a few weeks. (And many Mondays, too, do we all start our diets anew on Mondays?)
As my friend Lyn, a beautiful writer from the inspiring blog Escape from Obesity wrote recently, "[On New Year's Day], the Internet will abound with people searching for things like 'lose weight fast', 'cookie diet', 'how to drop 20 pounds in 20 days', 'cabbage soup diet', and 'magic weight loss pill'. I know, because I used to be one of those people. I was desperate, longing to change what seemed impossible. How on earth can anyone lose 100+ pounds?? It sounds insurmountable. It will take forever. One pound at a time. And I wanted [the weight] gone NOW. FAST. IMMEDIATELY. Ah well, we can dream... but the reality is, we just have to work for it, moment by moment."
So here I am again, I Alanna, making myself a promise and already, in the back of my mind, wondering if I'll keep it. In 2002, just after my mother died, I lost 30 pounds on Weight Watchers and for more than two years, kept it off, maintaining a healthy weight at the bottom of the range for my height and age. Then came five pounds, then another five … we know how this goes, right? One year, I even signed back up for Weight Watchers: it was the Monday (there's those Mondays again) the week before Thanksgiving. I weighed in once and never went back. (Something about the online software not working right, I explained. Yeah, right.) Now I'm at the top of the range for my height and age.
So – as much for myself as for the many readers who flock to the Weight Watchers recipes, low-carb recipes and low-calorie recipes here on Kitchen Parade and the Weight Watchers recipes and low-carb recipes on A Veggie Venture, I'm dusting off the notes I took in 2002, my own tips for making the Weight Watchers program work for me. With any luck, the tips will help others too. This is my year.
Note: When this page was first published, I asked readers to add their own Weight Watchers tips in the comments to register for a give-away for a kitchen scale. That contest is now over but please do keep adding your weight loss tips, they're inspiring!
Quick Links to This Page~ Getting Started with Weight Watchers ~
~ Sticking to a Weight Watchers Program ~
~ Strategies for Eating Out while on Weight Watchers ~
~ Weight Watchers Recipe Resources ~
GETTING STARTED with WEIGHT WATCHERS
COUNT POINTS – Every day, no matter what. Work really hard to go no more than two or three points above the daily point goal, and never to go below the daily point goal. The tight range seems to be important, training our bodies to expect a certain number of calories, no more, no less. Weight Watchers taught me that eating too little is as much a problem for weight gain as eating too much.
CALCULATE POINTS BEFORE TAKING A BITE – By the time Kitchen Parade recipes are published online, nutrition information and Weight Watchers points are all neat and packaged. But me, I really must-must-must calculate points before I cook. (software I use to calculate nutrition)
DON'T COUNT POINTS for BREAKFAST or LUNCH – What??? Didn't I just say to count points. Well, yes. But I take the counting out of two meals by eating the same things again and again. My favorite breakfast is Microwave Creamy Oatmeal with Peanut Butter for two Weight Watchers points.
GET A KITCHEN SCALE – If you don't have a kitchen scale, keep reading! (Yes, readers have the chance to win a kitchen scale!) Otherwise it's all guesswork. The average chicken breast? It weighs 3/4 of a pound even though a serving of (uncooked) chicken is 1/4 a pound. The average baked potato? It weighs a pound. We don't know this until we weigh it.
EAT A LOT – It's no good to go around hungry. Especially in the first couple of weeks, eat lots of bulk, the no-point and low-point foods to fill up.
FIND A FAST SNACK – It takes awhile for our bodies to become accustomed to less food volume. During this period, make sure to have 'free foods' readily available to snack on fast, little preparation. Believe it or not, mine go-to snack is canned green beans for zero Weight Watchers points. I buy them by the case at Sam's Club.
WATER & MILK – Measure out the day's quota of water and milk in the morning, drink them throughout the day.
HUNGRY? OR REALLY THIRSTY? I've learned that lots of times when I 'think' I'm hungry, I'm really thirsty. A glass of water really helps. In addition, when I cook supper, instead of sipping on a glass of wine while cooking, I fill a tall glass with ice and club soda, then sprinkle it with bitters. If we're having wine for dinner, than I'm happy to stop after a single glass.
PREPARE for WEAK MOMENTS – I have three: second helpings, losing vigilance after a second glass of wine, the 'hungries' before bed.
EXERCISE FIRST – Otherwise it doesn't / won't happen, no matter what I tell myself.
FAST START – Skip the baked goods and sweets for the first while, consuming protein and vegetables with fruit for dessert.
STICKING TO a WEIGHT WATCHERS PROGRAM
PORTION SIZE MATTERS – This doesn't mean that 'all' portions must be small. Weight Watchers taught me to think 'big' portions of broccoli, spinach, asparagus and other low calorie / high fiber foods and 'small' portions of everything else. Weight Watchers taught me to think this way: a meat serving is 4 ounces, a main course stew is 1 cup, a soup is 1 cup, a vegetable serving is 1 cup, drinks are 4 ounces, etc.
FOOD CHOICES MATTER – It's possible (though stupid) to maintain and even lose weight eating only cream and butter, calories in and all. But body tone is tighter, firmer, when calorie intake is based only or largely on protein and vegetables.
FRUIT – Fruit is a danger zone, it's not 'free'. It helps to choose whole fruit versus the dense calories of dried fruit or fruit juice or even sugar-free jams. Whole fruit offers more fiber, more moisture and more volume per calorie. But even with whole fruit, weigh fruit to begin to understand that even fruit is now super-sized. An average banana weight 9 ounces, that's Weight Watchers 3 points. The average apple from the loose fruit bin racks up two or three points. That said, my supermarket DOES sell small apples in three-pound bags (they're cheaper too). I began to think of fruits in one-point volumes: a cup of blackberries, a cup of blueberries, a cup of cherries, a cup of orange sections, a cup of watermelon, 1-1/2 cups of raspberries and strawberries, a 5-ounce orange, a 6-ounce peach, a 6-ounce pear, a 6-ounce tangerine, etc.
COUNT POINTS – Points matter. I can't say this often enough. Write them down.
INSPIRATION – Blog watchers, I love sites like Smitten Kitchen, The Pioneer Woman and Joy the Baker (no links, you notice!) as much as anyone. But for the next while, I'm going to stop visiting because frankly, I know I'll get sucked in because the recipes look so good. But I am going to pay attention to food bloggers who publish nutrition analysis and calculate Weight Watchers points, my friends Stephen at StephenCooks and Susan at Fatfree Vegan Kitchen as well as a new site that I'm just getting to know Gina's WW Recipes. (Gina's weight loss tips are great.)
WAKE UP HUNGRY – When I wake up hungry, I know that the Weight Watchers program is working, that my body actually needs calories to get going for the day. This is a good thing – and there's no skipping breakfast!
SPECIAL OCCASIONS – For me, special occasions are all about the occasion, not my weight issues so I choose to give myself a 'day off' or 'evening off' to just enjoy.
STRATEGIES for EATING OUT while on WEIGHT WATCHERS
EAT MINIMAL POINTS – If there's a big dinner that I really want to enjoy, I eat minimal points during the day and so head to dinner having consumed maybe four points total. But I'm also not hungry, I've had a big glass of water and a hearty no-point salad just before leaving. That way I won't stuff myself from the get go.
EAT HALF – Rather than estimating points at a restaurant, I order what I want but eat only half of what's served -- except for salads and vegetables. This worked beautifully on a two-week trip last year when we ate out three times a day and ever since. I never go hungry but I don't' come away stuffed either, it's wonderful!
WEIGHT WATCHERS RESOURCES~ Weight Watchers recipes ~
(sorted by Weight Watchers points)
~ One-Point Fruit Servings for Weight Watchers ~
~ Low-Carb Recipes ~
~ Low-Calorie Recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column
~ Weight Watchers Recipes ~
(zero-point, one-point and two-point vegetable recipes,
including the famous Weight Watchers Zero-Point Soup Recipes)
~ Low-Carb Vegetable Recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture, my food blog about vegetables
© Copyright 2010 Kitchen Parade
dfuller55 at verizon dot net
biogrrl2002 at yahoo dot com
madaus (of course!) at mac dot com
My best strategy for achieving/maintaining a healthy weight for me is ... taking the decisions out of eating. I make one or two healthy dishes over the weekend and package them in single serving portions. That's what I eat for dinner all week long. No "what to eat tonight" decisions required, I just throw together a salad and heat up one of my containers. No leftovers for me to pick at while they're hanging out on the stove waiting to be put away.
given2dream at gmail dot com
1. Accept the fact that to be healthy you need to control your diet for the rest of your life and that a new approach, not a temporary fix, is what you need.
2. Weigh or measure everything, and record all calorie intake or WW points (both work equally well if you are diligent and honest).
3. Make an exercise schedule and don't let anything interfere with it. Plan to expend at least 2500 calories a week in aerobic exercise.
4. Weigh yourself once a week at most, at the same time of day and pay attention to the long term trend, not the short term ups and downs...and recognize that if you're not meeting your goal it's because either your target numbers are wrong or you're cheating...and fix it.
5. Plan ahead when you eat out. Research the menu online if possible and make selections ahead of time. Only order items which allow you to clearly see exactly what you're eating, like salad with no dressing. Also, eat a small, healthy snack shortly before going to the restaurant and then order lightly.
I love the KP...thanks for a great post...
best, Stephen
Karen in NE Indiana
My best strategy for achieving/maintaining a healthy weight for me is to weigh every day." Meaning myself. I know WWs says to weigh once a week, but it's more encouraging to me to weigh each day. After months of charting, I began to see patterns and that was enlightening. Slight gains that were just part of the pattern still caused me to be extra careful those days.
Thanks for the great giveaway opportunity! ~~Rhonda
reacoulter at gmail dot com
kelli.heath [at] gmail.com
I just made Laura's Carrot Soup - been meaning to try it since you first posted it - Yummo!!! I guess my best strategy is to go back to what I know works ... make better decisions, STOP SNACKING (my own personal downfall), spend more calories than I eat (exercise) - I've signed up for a few sessions with a personal trainer.
lfrolander at (msn) dot com
wishwords at gmail dot com
hockeymom nine six nine eight at gmail dot com
r s euler at hotmail dot com
cpeets at rochester dot rr dot com
chon76 at hotmail dot com
Have my own scale but wish everyone luck on the contest.
amybyoo at yahoo dot com
sarapannell at hotmail dot come
cbrownone at yahoo dot com
abucksworth at gmail dot com
1. Plan, plan, plan ahead ... menu plan/grocery list for the week, including WWpts
2. Count EVERY point, no matter what, and record it
3. Exercise 3 times a week
4. repeat steps 1 thru 3
Allana, timing is everything and you posted and I read at exactly the right time. Thanks!
My best strategy for achieving/maintaining a healthy weight for me is to keep a food journal. My favorite WW leader always said "If you bite it write it"
simonen at comcast dot net
Thanks again and keep the great recipes coming!
booksidoneread at telus dot net
Love WW!
chickfilamom at comcast dot net
My next step, is to get my husband on Weight Watchers! LOL
weightlossmama @ gmail dot com
mabell at telus dot net
chris_quilting at yahoo dot com
Result? I gained .4 lb.... less than half a pound back. And I'm eager to get back on the bandwagon and get moving! No guilt, no trauma.
dlsimpson3 at netscape.net
bluekaeru at yahoo dot com
gigglgyrl03 at aol dot com
hurst underscore 41 at yahoo dot com
My best strategy for reaching/maintaining a healthy weight is to pay close attention to what I'm eating to not to eat anything unless I've consciously decided it's what I want. Much easier said than done, but something I try to practice regularly.
Thanks again!
(writingherlife at gmail dot com)
proudmomX3 at gmail dot com
email: email@example.com
mommy of 4 at rogers dot com
My best strategy for achieving/maintaining a healthy weight for me is ... planning and and executing healthy meals on the weekend that I can take to work with me throughout the week.
mztargaryen at gmail dot com
Great post by the way! And I subscribed to Feedburner so that's 2 entries for me.
d8t8k at aol dot com
Your WW post was just perfectly needed for me, as I have just gotten back up on the WW horse after a little fall.
I read the post 4 times and will probably print it and put in in my purse.
Iloved reading everyones tips!!
My best strategy for achieving/maintaining a healthy weight for me is excercise everyday,as soon as I get home, before things get in the way.
Also all through WW, I have made a huge pot of soup every week_(2-3 pt) and frozen it into lunch servings for the week or 10 days.
I use several recipes, but always lots of veggies, fiber and low sodium. Sometimes with a little low fat meat.
Thanks for your blog!
jmelindy at hotmail dot com
I don't own a car and walk everywhere plus go to the gym everyday.
I also brush my teeth after I'm finished eating so I'm not tempted to go back for more or eat between meals.
mgormanmd at gmail dot com
skorstanje at shaw dot ca
jakannan AT vt DOT edu
skorstanje at shaw dot ca
1) I make at least four veggie recipes for dinner. With a small portion of meat and several healthy vegetable dishes, I feel like I'm eating a lot. In fact this strategy is what led me to your site (LOVE Peasant Cabbage Soup).
2) I keep the WW points in mind, though I must admit I don't count anymore. Instead I keep track on a website called SparkPeople.com.
3) Exercise. It does make a difference. I don't love cardio work, but I do about 15 minutes three times a week, but what I've found I love is yoga. If you get into a vigorous yoga class you'll be feeling fine.
Thanks for the contest.
My best strategy for achieving/maintaining a healthy weight for me is limiting whatever foods I eat to one portion. This way I can still enjoy treats and special foods without doing too much damage.
phantomcg at AOL dot com
annie- simkina at gmail dot com
My best strategy for achieving/maintaining a healthy weight is to track every crumb I eat, to weigh-in every single week of my life- forever- at a weight watchers meeting, and as one of our illustrious members said at a meeting "If it tastes good, spit it out"- Hopefully you will take that as the joke it is!
Seriously though- It is a lifestyle. And a good healthy one at that. Luck to everyone.
realjill at tampa bay dot rr dot com
Perfect timing for me and this post. I'm going back to WW tomorrow. Wish me luck, I'll need it! :)
Thanks for the contest and for the wonderful website and with all this WW information and advice, I know I will be able to succeed in shedding this extra poundage!
ckoller03 at yahoo dot com
crabbymomofthree@comcast dot net
And I'd love the scale. I have a HUGE issue with portion control, and the scale would be a definite aide in getting that under control.
annie [dot] lanning [at] gmail [dot] come
I have discovered though, as have many others, that portion control is key. Measuring serving sizes has been a real eye opener! One realizes very quickly that one entree at TGIF's or similar might feed a family of 4.
1- I try to make sure I get at least 23 grams of fiber a day. (goes along with making sure I drink plenty of water each day)
2- I weight myself every morning to make daily adjustments as needed.
The main thing is to make sure I track what I eat. Yesterday I stopped by Borders Bookstore and picked up a small spiral bound 2010 Diary with each page dated for every day of the year - one date per page. I am tracking my daily intake of foods, weight watcher points, fat, fiber, protein, and water in it. I made a pocket to keep my points slide in; it is small enough to slip into my purse so that I always have it with me. Here is where you can see a photo like the one I bought: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paperchase-Diary-Floral-Scroll-Design/dp/B002N5CFJE
Good luck to all of us! And - Happy New Year!
tina dot hubert at gmail dot com
esmith75 at mac dot com
Thanks for Kitchen Parade. What a great resource.
Thanks for Kitchen Parade. What a great resource.
lmsiudy at comcast dot net
1. Journal, 2. Exercise and 3. Have healthy foods, especially frozen home-made WW food ready and available.
irene dot rinehart at gmail dot net
cassidy.stockton at gmail.com
Living in the Northern part of the country makes it even harder, because once the high temps are only in the 20's or less - it gets real hard to get out and walk and the weight comes right back again. But I'm not giving up. :-)
reaching5678 (at) yahoo (dot) com
anathnaha at yahoo dot com
I'm also getting bored with the treadmill, so I've been snowshoeing in the backyard in the morning before the kids get up for school. The dog likes the exercise too!
cannons@gmavt dot net
colinfam at optonline dot net
rjboyack at bellsouth dot net
cookiebonster at mac dot com
rhonda dot pictureperfect at gmail dot com
kitchen dot travels at yahoo dot com
(But... bummer! I forgot to put my email in my first comment. :( Hopefully if I win on that comment, you can find me via my blog link. Thanks again for the giveaway!)
nries at cox dot net
jsndsplus3 at sbc global dot net
adanna underscore kellogg at yahoo dot com
klharding at cableone dot net
acecrane at clear dot net
acecrane at clear dot net
ksgillmore at yahoo dot com
donners30 at hotmail dot com
note from Alanna: this tip came in last night, before the contest expired, but was accidentally rejected, so I'm adding now, so that the entry is valid
The diet plan I'm on right now is the Medifast Diet. The caloric intake is roughly 800-1000 calories. However, it doesn't make my body feel weak. It is a bit of a pricey diet, but there are plenty of coupons available on the internet.http://www.swoopup.com/stores/deals/Medifast-Diet .You should never pay full price.
My advice is just choose a diet plan which your body reacts positively to. No one knows your body better than you do!
I just had a question: I know staying on points is important, but my tendency is to eat about 2 calculated points less per day...not cause I'm trying to, just because I figure SOMEWHERE in my measurements of oatmeal or Lentil Vincent Soup (the BEST), I've probably added a point...or when I've snacked on green beans and spaghetti squash that by the time I'm done, I've probably added up to a point...do you think it's okay to miss actually calculating those 1 or 2 points because I am guessing I've probably consumed them??? And, I try not to ever go over, or use my 35 points, unless I have a big night out or am in desperate need of some dessert :)...so is eating 1-2 points less okay? Plus, in a couple months, my age goes up "1" so, I'm going to be losing a point anyway...just getting my body ready :)
AND, in the Apple department...how many ounces is a one point apple? I also buy the apples in a bag, but my WW book gives me diameter as measurement for points, not ounces...I have a scale, so if I knew a 5 oz. apple was one point, it would be easier than trying to measure my apples with my measuring tape :)
THANK YOU for your awesome blogs...my absolute favorites, the best tips and most delicious recipes!!! Great info and great reading!!!!!
First, the easy question, how many points in an apple. A four-ounce apple is about half a point (rounded down from .62) and a six-ounce apple is a solid point.
Points matter so much, I'd really recommend investment in a kitchen scale and nutrition software (MacGourmet for Apple, Accuchef for PCs) so that you can make these kinds of careful calculations on your own.
The harder question, the honest answer is that "I don't know", not officially -- but do know that what is most important in my experience is consistency both in the short-term (over a few days) and the long-term (many months). So you are training your body to expect that many number of calories, if you can sustain it in the long-term after losing, my sense is that it would be okay.
But -- since you're new to WW, why not bring it up at a meeting, ask other WW people and the group leader what they think? It's a great question.
Good luck, Megan, I'm so glad that my websites are working for you!
As to your main question about if it's alright to eat under your points in the assumption that you're going over - well... it depends.
If you're assuming you're going over eating veggies, like the peas and Spaghetti squash you mention, that's not possible - they're zero point foods. But of course, none of us can be positive that we've remembered everything or accurately accounted for all the blts - Bites, Licks and Tastes.
That's why I make sure I never get too close to using ALL my weekly points, but if you're eating right up to but maybe under your daily points, you'll find your weight loss slows down. You MUST eat all your dailies - those are a minimum. If you eat less, your weight loss will slow down or stop. (counterintuitive, I know, but it's true).
So don't sweat the veggies for sure - you can eat all you want of just plain veggies! And when it comes to your weeklies - most people find they lose best when they use at least SOME of them.
Good luck!
I do own a great scale, and I use it often...I specifically asked about the Apple because, as I said, in my book, it only gives the "diameter of the apple" to get your points, not the ounce of the apple...odd...
I'm doing WW with all the info, with 3 friends; 1 is a returning "graduate" to the program, and the other 2 are doing it online...I have all the books, info etc, but am not actually doing meetings, so that's why my "apple question" has been unaswered :)
Julie, thanks for the tip about eating the points...you specified it better...I know Squash and beans are zero points, but eventually, don't enough "0" point foods add up to one point? I mean, if I have 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti squash at lunch AND with my dinner, wouldn't that kind of lead to about "1" point??? My thinking was that eventually everything adds up to a point...or as you said, the blt's of things :) (very cute)!!
I am writing everything down, counting, measuring but, I always figure to eat under by about 2 points...if I have soup, I figure your scoops could have more meat than veggie...kwim???
HOWEVER, I also know what you said is taught as truth, that you must try to eat all your points...I fear I do lean toward eating "less" rather than "all" my points, so I need to be careful I don't go too far with it...
So, let me finalize with this question: I am "doing" all the right things (weighing, journaling, measuring), but when I see that I have 2 points left, should I really try to eat them, be it by a bag of FF popcorn or some yogurt, or should I let them go??? I would say, as I look at my journal, I'm usually only NOT eating 1 or 2, at the most, of my points...and the only reason I DON"T eat them is because I'm guessing I probably underestimated somewhere in the day, not because I'm trying to eat less...that's NEVER my motivation :) :) :)
okay, after this, no more dissertations...thanks again! Going to enjoy some HamBeen's Soup with Squash for dinner!!!
And, a little wine would work, as long as it didn't cause me to lose my inhibitions and binge on M&M's
Appreciate all the tips!!
Another thing to keep in mind, is that veggies are so good for you, if you're going to have lots of something, it can't hurt if it's a vegetable! I know for sure, I didn't get fat because I ate too many veggies, hahaha.
And finally - as to points - I would say, yes, eat them! Remember - you are training your body how many calories to expect every day. Let's say you stay two points under your "allotment" every day, and are successful at losing the weight. Then what? Are you prepared to eat that little every day for the rest of your life? If not, you could be putting the weight right back on as soon as you start eating more. Your body will keep adjusting your metabolism to make sure it's not starving to death. Unfortunately, starting to eat more will not result in a higher metabolism. It's really hard to kick it back up after it's been lowered.
You're right that each scoop will have different amounts of meat and other things - but anything with meat in it is not zero-point, anyway. I think that the program makes adjustments for that fact, and probably already "rounds up".
I wish you lots of luck - it's a great program and really works if you work the program.
Again, I know I'm kind of beating a dead horse, but I just want to clarify :)
0+0+0 will continue to equal 0, right??? And, I mean the true 0 point foods...when I eat 2 cups of plain Spaghetti Squash (which I did between lunch and dinner) and I have a cup of steamed green beans, it all is still 0 points??? I just figured I had to count all of that as at least 1 point, since it's more than a portion size in one day...
And, yes, I am talking steamed veggies, no butter or added fats when I'm talking 0 points...also, I'm not eating those because I'm trying to eat under points, but because I TRULY love veggies...a good steamed squash??? Yummmm!!!
OKAY, so I guess I need to make sure I really am eating enough points...since I've been rounding up and counting 3 portions of "0" point veggies as 1 point, I may actually be eating less points than I thought...and I certainly am NOT trying to do that!!
I will continue to drink all my water, measure, weigh, record and count, but with a little better understanding of the 0 point foods! 5 pounds gone, I just want to keep it going...
You've been so helpful...thank you, thank you for clarification!
Can you tell me in the meantime: so, you can just list your recipe, and it will calculate the nutritional info, so I can figure out the WW points from that??? That will just be a fantastic tool to have!!!
WW has a good 0 pt. veggie soup that you can eat tons of for no points if you need to at the end of the day - also, you can have a HUGE salad (leaving off dressings, cheese, croutons, etc. and using only 0-pt. veggies).
If I had a point or two at the end of the day, I'd have probably some cheese, or if I had time to plan it, probably add a little more olive oil or whole grain bread into my day. I'm getting close to goal now and have a lot fewer points daily than I used to have - I find trying to get in all my healthy guidelines pretty much ensures I use up all my points!
If I truly had some free points, I'd probably have a square or two of dark chocolate!
Now, I'm waiting on my hubby to install the MacGormet software and wondered if you could figure something for me...I can't find anywhere else to easily do this...and I looked at my WW cookbook, but still didn't quite find what I was looking for...
I made Chicken Noodle Soup (noodles on the side so as to not soak up all the broth)...I used carrots, celery, onions, chicken and FF broth + spices...do you think that is about 1 point per cup or more??? I know the chicken is where the points add up so...I know my noodle points, but if I skip noodles, what do you think I'm looking at pont wise???
Thanks...and if there is a better place to ask such questions, could you let me know? As I said, once hubby installs software, I'm all set, but until then, I appreciate the help :)
Post a Comment
Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna


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America's "first family of gun control" lost its tough-as-nails patriarch this week when former presidential Press Secretary James Brady died at age 73.
For 33 years, Brady has been one of the country's most visible reminders of the need to control access to guns, especially handguns.
In March 1981 Brady was shot outside the Washington Hilton Hotel by John W. Hinckley Jr. as part of an assassination attempt that also wounded President Ronald Reagan. Hinckley apparently had hoped that the attack would catch the notice of actress Jodie Foster. He ambushed the presidential party as they exited the hotel after Reagan had given a speech to the AFL-CIO.
Before being subdued, Hinckley fired six shots from the .22-caliber revolver he had purchased at a pawn shop for $29. Brady was the first to be hit. A bullet entered his skull and fragmented into his brain, causing massive damage. Reagan was hit in the lung by a bullet that ricocheted off the presidential limousine. He had been in office only 69 days when this happened.
The president recovered fairly quickly, but Brady's injuries were much more serious and his recovery was agonizingly slow. In fact, the neurosurgeon who treated Brady later confided that he did not think that his patient would live.
But live he did.
After 18 months of rehabilitation Brady returned to work -— albeit in a more symbolic way — in November 1982 and served through Reagan's second term that ended in January 1989. And while he never quite recovered to be the affable press secretary with the rapier wit that he once had been, he became a galvanizing symbol in the gun-control debate.
It was clear that Brady and his wife, Sarah, had found their calling. They became ardent and outspoken crusaders for any legislation that they deemed would better restrict access to guns. We fully expect Sarah Brady to continue that legacy.
The Bradys took their case to the U.S. Congress, and there were plenty of skirmishes with the powerful National Rifle Association. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act was first introduced in Congress in 1987. It imposed background checks and a waiting period in an effort to uncover those who had been barred from buying guns, including felons and the mentally ill. It was finally passed and signed in 1993.
During those congressional battles, Brady spared no criticism of legislators who voted with the NRA and against his bill, calling them "gutless."
A powerful spokesman for gun control has left us. But his spirit lives on. It has inspired activists of a later generation, including former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, whose miraculous recovery from bullet wounds turned her and her astronaut husband, Mark Kelly, into the latest power couple promoting sensible gun laws. Jim Brady's example offers greater strength to them and everyone who continues the good fight.

subset: commoncrawl


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Posted by Brad Smith
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Today, I have the good fortune to be in Paris, a city my family and I previously lived in for three years, to discuss the enormous potential of cloud computing for Europe and countries around the world.
Cloud computing continues to grow exponentially, as more and more people, businesses and governments experience its powerful potential – from creating incredible cost savings to increased agility and speed for deploying new software solutions, just to name a few. Economists at the University of Milan estimate new and existing companies using cloud services could create between 300,000 and 1.5 million new jobs in Europe in the next five years. If so, that could reduce Europe's unemployment rate by 0.3 percent to 0.6 percent and boost gross domestic product growth by 0.1 percent to 0.3 percent. I encourage you to read our latest white paper.
However, there remain some challenges to cloud computing reaching its full potential that we as an industry, and together with governments, must address. In particular, cloud users need confidence that as their data moves from the desktop to the cloud, it will stay private and secure. Aligned with this is the need for greater transparency in the collection and use of user data. I first spoke about these challenges in an address at the Brookings Institution just more than a year ago.
The most important first step the industry can take is to listen and engage. By this, I mean we collectively need to do a better job of understanding users' concerns, and then provide innovative solutions that protect data. We also need to adopt and adhere to appropriate, common codes of conduct. At Microsoft, we consistently engage and seek feedback from both enterprise and consumer customers. For example, we have learned that consumers want greater transparency, choice and control regarding how their personal data is collected and used.
In response, we have worked hard to provide clear and easy-to-understand information on our privacy and security practices. Taking that a step further, the upcoming version of our browser, Internet Explorer 9, will provide an innovative new feature, "Tracking Protection," which filters out content on a page that may have an impact on user privacy, and enables users to limit the sharing of their data on specified sites. This is just one example of how we are putting users in control.
While efforts like this can address some of the immediate concerns for users, they alone are not enough to fully enable the economic and social benefits of cloud computing. We believe to achieve that outcome, governments must also take steps to ensure that existing regulatory frameworks are suited to the cloud. This means taking a balanced approach with clearly-defined guidelines for cloud vendors to maintain high levels of data protection while not unduly restricting industry's efforts to create innovative new ways of providing those protections. We believe there are three steps government should take to achieve this:
1. Develop more balanced and predictable rules governing cloud vendors to enhance legal certainty for cloud services.
2. Create laws that are more results-oriented by ensuring that regulatory rules measure compliance against desired outcomes, rather than freezing in time the means by which an outcome is achieved.
3. Facilitate easier movement of data across borders while maintaining legal protection for consumers.
Ultimately, this is going to require governments and industry to work together, just as they did in fostering past eras of IT-driven growth. Already in Europe, the U.S. and in many countries around the world, governments are starting to collaborate with a variety of industry groups and other stakeholders to map out necessary measures to address the challenges cloud computing presents. These are great first steps. We continue to encourage governments to revisit regulatory frameworks as needed, provide greater certainty within their borders and work together – through government to government collaboration – towards a global framework for cloud computing.
At Microsoft, we remain committed to doing our part, both through our privacy and security practices, and in our support of legal reform. We are actively engaged in helping to facilitate discussions between governments and industry. And we will remain passionately engaged to help extend the benefits of cloud computing to people and organizations around the world.
Below is video of me discussing areas where both industry and governments must increase their focus to help realize the full potential of the cloud:


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Raising three chipmunks is no piece of cake! Join David and his troupe, as they navigate life's lessons, with plenty of musical fun along the way.
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Frequent Links
|SI units
|1.0000×10−6 m
|Lua error in Module:Math at line 495: attempt to index field 'ParserFunctions' (a nil value). μm
|US customary units (Imperial units)
|3.2808×10−6 ft
|39.370×10−6 in
|Look up micrometre in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
The micrometre (International spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures;[1] SI symbol: µm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is an SI derived unit of length equaling 1×10−6 of a metre (SI standard prefix "micro-" = 10−6); that is, one millionth of a metre (or one thousandth of a millimetre, 0.001 mm, or about 0.000039 inch).[1] The symbol µm is sometimes rendered as um if the symbol µ cannot be used, or if the writer is not aware of the distinction.
The micrometre is a common unit of measurement for wavelengths of infrared radiation as well as sizes of biological cells and bacteria and is also commonly used in plastics manufacturing.[1] Micrometres are the standard for grading wool (referring to the diameter of wool fibres). Any wool finer than 25 µm can be used for garments, while coarser grades are used for outerwear, rugs and carpets.[2] A human hair is about 90 µm in diameter.
The symbol for the SI prefix micro- is a Greek lowercase mu. In Unicode, it has the codepoint U+00B5 (µ), distinct from the codepoint U+03BC (μ) of the Greek letter lowercase mu, so that machines can recognize it as the SI prefix symbol rather than as a letter. Most fonts use the same glyph for the two characters.
SI standardisation
The term micron and the symbol µ were officially accepted for use in isolation to denote the micrometre, between 1879 and 1967, but officially revoked by the International System of Units (SI) in 1967.[3] This was necessary because that older usage became incompatible with the official adoption of the unit prefix micro-, denoted µ, during the creation of the SI in 1960. In the SI, the systematic name micrometre became the official name of the unit, and µm became the official unit symbol.
Nevertheless, in practice, "micron" remains a widely used term in preference to "micrometre" in many English-speaking countries, both in academic science (including geology, biology, physics, and astronomy) and in applied science and industry (including machining, the semiconductor industry, and plastics manufacturing).[citation needed] Additionally, in American English the use of "micron" helps differentiate the unit from the micrometer, a measuring device, because the unit's name in mainstream American spelling is a homograph of the device's name. (In spoken English they may be distinguished by pronunciation, as despite being homographs they are not homophones; the name of the measuring device is invariably stressed on the second syllable, whereas the systematic pronunciation of the unit name, in accordance with the convention for pronouncing SI units in English, places the stress on the first syllable.)
This older usage was pluralized either as "microns" or "micra",[4] the latter being arguably more correct,[5] although that debate became less relevant after 1967, as the micron and its plural forms have been deprecated for almost half a century.
See also
- ^ a b c "micrometre". Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
- ^ "Wool Fibre". "NSW Department of Education and Communities". Retrieved 18 May 2014.
- ^ BIPM - Resolution 7 of the 13th CGPM (1967/68), "Abrogation of earlier decisions (micron, new candle.)"
- ^ "Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland". google.com.br.
- ^ "The Observer". google.com.br.


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MG3, Reviewed July 2016
Plant propagation is the process of increasing the number of plants of a particular species or cultivar. There are two primary forms of plant propagation: sexual and asexual. In nature, propagation of plants most often involves sexual reproduction, or the production of viable seeds. When exposed to proper environmental conditions, these seeds germinate and grow into mature, reproductive plants. Over the years, horticulturists have also developed asexual propagation methods that use vegetative plant parts. This allows plants to be created in ways that nature cannot duplicate.
Sexual propagation uses seeds to produce new plants. Sexual propagation is relatively easy and often requires no special equipment. It is nature's way to obtain many plants economically.
Seeds are formed when pollen is transferred from the anther of a flower to the stigma of a flower and fertilization occurs. In plants that are self-pollinated, every seed produced will carry the same genetic makeup as the original parent plant, barring mutations. In cross-pollinated plants that have two parents, the seed will contain a mixture of genes from the egg parent plant that bore it and the pollen parent plant that was the source of pollen for fertilizing the egg. This continual reshuffling of the genetic "deck of cards" provides for many different gene combinations, thus helping to ensure the survival of a species in a changing environment.
A seed consists of three primary components: the embryo, or undeveloped plant; the endosperm, which stores food; and a protective covering known as the seed coat (Figure 1). For propagation to succeed, it is important to start with high-quality, viable seeds. Seed viability is expressed as the estimated germination rate in percent. While many gardeners might like to economize by saving seed from one season to the next, home-grown seed often has disappointing germination rates because storage conditions required to maintain seed viability are somewhat difficult to maintain. Additionally, a vast majority of horticultural cultivars today do not "breed true" from their own seed; that is, the seed produces plants that may or may not have all the desirable traits of the parent plants.
Figure 1. A seed consists of three parts: embryo, endosperm, seed coat.
Seed germination is a complex process that occurs when a viable seed with proper internal conditions is exposed to favorable environmental conditions. Internal conditions that affect seed germination include seed coat properties and dormancy. Environmental factors that influence seed germination include moisture, temperature, air (oxygen) and, in certain cases, light. Ideal germination conditions vary by species, so it is important to know your crop. Information about germination time and other plant characteristics is provided on seed packets.
The gardener's goal is rapid, even germination. The time for this will vary according to species. Quick crops germinate in five to seven days. Slow crops may take 21 days or more.
Some species of plants produce seeds that are nearly impervious to water. In nature, this characteristic tends to preserve the longevity of the seeds, but it also makes them less likely to germinate immediately after being produced. Most legumes produce such seeds; Robinia (black locust) and Gymnocladis (Kentucky coffee tree) are classic examples. Gardeners can encourage seeds with hard seed coats to germinate by modifying the protective covering. Methods include soaking the seeds in warm water, dipping them in an acid bath for a short time or mechanically wounding (nicking) the seed coat with a file or sandpaper. Choosing which method to use depends on the hardness of the seed coat and the size of the seed.
Hybrid seed is usually produced by crossing two inbred lines, each line contributing certain desirable genetic traits. The seed produced from that cross (called the F1 generation) is what seed companies sell for you to plant. When the F1 plants mature, they will produce seed (the F2 generation). But because the F1 (parent) plant was not an inbred line, genetic segregation occurs when it produces seed; that is, some of the desirable traits of the parent plant are not expressed in the seed. The F2 plants will not have uniform characteristics, and you have no way of knowing which traits to expect. For this reason, seed from hybrid plants should not be saved.
Open-pollinated plants, including "heirloom" varieties, are genetically stable by comparison with hybrids. An advantage of open-pollinated plants for home gardeners is that saved seeds will produce plants with the same characteristics season after season.
Seeds of some species of plants contain abscisic acid, a chemical that inhibits germination. For these species, germination occurs after certain changes take place within the seed in response to environmental conditions. In nature, this period of adjustment, called after-ripening, prevents fall-produced seeds from germinating until the following spring when conditions (especially temperature) are more conducive to the survival of newly emerged seedlings. Cool, moist conditions are associated with after-ripening in nature. The artificial exposure of seeds to this combination of conditions to facilitate germination is called stratification. Optimal temperatures for stratification range between 35 and 45 degrees F and vary with species, as does the length of time seeds must be stratified.
Most seeds have low water content and require moisture to initiate the physiological processes that lead to embryo emergence. The nature of the seed and its seed coat, as well as the availability of moisture, greatly affects germination success. Species vary in the amount of moisture needed to prompt germination. For example, the cucurbits (e.g., melons and cucumber) and cole crops (e.g., cabbage and broccoli) will germinate in soil with relatively low moisture content, whereas celery requires soil to be well hydrated before seeds will germinate.
Plants can be grouped according to how temperature affects germination of their seeds:
Usually the temperature preference of the mature plant indicates which category its seeds fall into. For example, cole crops prefer cool temperatures and bear seed that will germinate at relatively low soil temperatures. Conversely, corn does best in warm temperatures and needs relatively warm soil for germination to occur. Optimum soil temperature for germination of the seeds of most plants is 75 to 80 degrees F.
Seeds need air for germination. Seeds must respire to remain viable, and oxygen is necessary for the respiration process. Additionally, oxygen is involved in the initial reactions that trigger germination. Heavy soils that limit oxygen availability to seeds are notorious for poor seed germination. Overwatering after sowing seeds can also adversely affect germination rate.
Some seeds require light to germinate. Others require darkness. This difference will affect planting depth requirements. If small seeds were to germinate deep in the soil, they would probably use up their stored reserves and die before being able to emerge and start photosynthesis. Thus, these small seeds must be at or near the soil surface to be exposed to light, which enables germination to occur. They will emerge and begin photosynthesis before stored food is depleted.
For earlier maturity and better performance, plants of many annual flowers and vegetables are often started indoors, well ahead of the outdoor planting season. The proper sowing time before outdoor transplanting date varies from four to 10 weeks, depending on the species. Successfully producing seedlings indoors requires a few special considerations.
Containers for starting seeds should be clean and sturdy and must fit into the space available for growing plants indoors. The proper container helps get seedlings off to a good start and can save work. Plastic trays, flats and pots are widely available for this purpose and work well. Clay pots can be used, but they are more difficult to disinfect between uses. Peat pots and compressed peat pellets are popular biodegradable choices that allow the container to be planted along with the seedling, thus eliminating the shock of transplanting.
The medium used for starting seeds should be loose, porous and fine textured. Prepared propagation blends are commercially available and usually contain a mixture of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite. Vermiculite alone provides for good seed germination; the fine grade is best. Mineral wool cubes and Oasis® are two synthetic materials that can be used as a propagation medium. Avoid using soil or sand alone or in a blend. Soil tends to drain poorly in containers; both soil and sand often harbor microorganisms that could attack seeds or seedlings.
After seeds germinate, the seedlings must be given the best possible growing conditions to ensure stocky, vigorous plants for outdoor planting. Place them in a bright, south-facing window if possible. Alternatively, a fluorescent light fixture with two 40-watt bulbs is adequate; locate the light fixture about 6 inches above the seedlings and turn it on for 14 to 16 hours daily. Most annuals and vegetables prefer night temperatures between 60 and 65 degrees F. Day temperature can be 10 to 15 degrees warmer.
Keep the humidity around the seedlings high and start fertilizing them with a water-soluble fertilizer at half the recommended strength a few days after seedling emergence and regularly thereafter. Fertilizing frequency depends on species, fertilizer strength and environmental conditions. Always use strict sanitation for disease prevention and watch for problems (e.g., diseases or insects). "Damping off" is the most common seedling disease and can be managed by drenching the seedlings with a fungicide labeled for Rhizoctonia, at half the recommended rate for mature plants.
Seedlings are ready to transplant when the first "true" leaves expand. Don't allow seedlings to grow too large, as this can reduce transplant success. As you prepare, make holes for the transplants in the medium filling the new container. You can use a dibble (see page 5, "Tools for propagation") or any other tool you find convenient, such as a small trowel or even an old knife that has been retired from kitchen use. Just be sure the hole is large enough to accept the root system. Now you are ready to transplant.
Gently loosen the germination medium near the roots of the seedling being transplanted. This can be done with a pencil, knife or finger. Handle seedlings by the leaves only — even slight pressure on the stem can injure or kill a seedling. Lift the seedling from the germination medium where it has started to grow; allow any medium that is attached to the roots to remain. Place the seedling into the pre-dibbled hole. Gently push the root system into the hole. Plant at the same depth as the seedling was growing during germination: Do not bury the seedling deeper or raise it higher. Gently firm the medium around the root system, water thoroughly and place it in a good growing environment for that particular species.
Whether or not to fertilize seedlings at transplanting is a personal choice. If you prefer to fertilize immediately after transplanting, use a starter solution that is half of a standard rate for mature plants of that species. You can also wait a week to 10 days, and then apply at the standard rate.
Asexual plant propagation uses vegetative parts of the plant to make a clone, or an exact genetic copy, of the parent plant. This can have several advantages, including the ability to replicate genetically the parent plant. In most cases, it allows for plants to be grown to a size suitable for transplanting in less time than from seed. Also, certain plants produce seeds that are sterile or have poor viability, which makes sexual propagation difficult or impossible.
Gardeners use several general methods to propagate plants asexually. These include taking cuttings, layering, division, grafting, budding and developing new plants from tissue cultures in a lab.
Parts of plants removed from a parent plant and rooted to form new plants are called cuttings. Cuttings can be classified according to the nature of the cutting material removed (herbaceous, softwood, semi-hardwood or hardwood) or the part of the plant removed to form the cutting. For landscape plants, "softwood" refers to new growth in the current season; semi-hardwood is succulent but partially matured tissue from the current season's growth, usually taken in late summer; hardwood cuttings are taken from woody plants during dormancy in late fall or early winter.
A thin stem supporting the blade of a leaf
Leaf cutting
Leaf cuttings include only a leaf blade or the blade and a portion of the petiole (Figure 2). Leaf cuttings first must form roots and later shoots. Depending upon the species, it can take several months to produce a plant suitable for transplanting from a leaf cutting.
Figure 2. Leaf cutting.
The thin-walled, undifferentiated plant tissue from which the permanent tissues are produced as plant development proceeds. The apical meristem, or growing tip, is the undifferentiated tissue found in the buds and growing tips of roots.
Stem-tip cutting
A stem-tip cutting is one in which the apical meristem and at least one fully expanded leaf is taken from the mother plant (Figure 3). After new roots form, there is already an active meristem waiting to grow, which speeds the process.
Figure 3. Stem-tip cutting.
Leaf and bud cutting
Leaf and bud cuttings are similar to stem-tip cuttings, but they lack the apical meristem (Figure 4). Instead, dormant buds at the leaf axil, or node, serve as the growing point when the cutting roots. A single stem can yield only one stem-tip cutting, but several leaf and bud cuttings after that.
Figure 4. Leaf and bud cutting.
Stem cutting
A section of the stem without leaves, but with dormant buds, is rooted in a porous growing medium (Figure 5). This type of cutting is popular to use with plants that exhibit a cane-type of growth, such as dieffenbachia (dumb cane).
Cuttings should be 4 to 6 inches in length and taken from vigorous, healthy plants. Remove the cutting from the mother plant with a sharp, clean knife. Use a rooting hormone that contains a plant-growth hormone such as IAA, IBA or NAA to improve the rooting percentage and encourage more vigorous roots. Rootone® and Hormodin® are two popular choices that are available commercially. Always use rooting hormones according to label directions.
Cuttings should be placed (stuck) in a propagation medium that retains moisture, yet is porous. Do not allow the medium to dry out. Commercially, moisture is usually provided by a misting system. Home gardeners can use clear plastic bags to accomplish the same goal. After sticking, place the cuttings in a warm location between 75 and 80 degrees F to hasten rooting.
Figure 5. Stem cutting.
Layering is a method of propagating new plants when seeding, cutting, grafting and other methods are impractical or ineffective. It consists of rooting a new plant while the stem is still attached to the parent plant. Because an entire branch of the parent plant is often needed to form a single new plant, this method is useful for propagating only a few plants from each parent. Layering is simple to perform and can be done without any special equipment or structures. Methods of layering include simple, air, tip and compound.
Simple layering
Simple layering is the easiest for the homeowner and may be performed whenever a plant has a branch low enough to be pulled down to the ground. Bury the branch several inches deep in the soil, making sure the shoot tip protrudes from the soil (Figure 6).
Many plants root when a branch is bent sharply upward. However, it can speed the process to make a wound, or cut, on the stem at the point where it curves upward. Do this with a slanting cut about 2 inches long either above or below the bend and about 12 inches from the tip. Dust the cut with a rooting hormone. Place the prepared branch or stem into a hole or trench 3 to 4 inches deep and secure it with a wooden peg or wire wicket. After the branch has been pinned down close to the point of wounding, bend the tip upward. If the cut was made on the topside, give the branch a half twist. If the branch is stiff, insert a stake next to the shoot to hold the tip in an upright position. Fill the trench and mound the soil slightly so the wounded portion of the stem will be 4 to 6 inches below the soil surface.
This type of layering should be done in early spring on dormant one-year-old shoots. Choose flexible branches that bend easily. Keep the soil around the layer moist at all times, and mulch with straw, leaves or sawdust. The layer may form roots during the first season, but it should not be cut from the parent plant until the following spring. Some hard-to-root plants may take two years to produce roots.
The following spring, after the layer is well rooted, cut off the branch where it enters the soil. Don't disturb the roots of the layer for two to three weeks after the branch has been severed to give the new plant time to recover. It can then be transplanted to a convenient protected spot or container where it can be tended carefully for one year before moving it to a permanent location.
Figure 6. Simple layering. (A) branch. (B) wounded area. (C) staked tip.
Compound (serpentine) layering
Compound layering is suitable for long vines and requires that the shoot be alternately covered and exposed (Figure 7). This technique is simple layering performed multiple times. Wounds should be made on the lower portion of each curve. This method is suitable for vining plants such as honeysuckle, clematis or wisteria. The following spring, after rooting has taken place, the branch is cut into segments at the spots where the branch enters the soil.
Figure 7. Compound or serpentine layering.
Air layering
Air layering, a popular method of propagating houseplants, involves establishing a root system on the plant's stem above the ground. The air layer may be made at any point on a stem of proper maturity. On many plants, a good location is about 12 inches from the tip. The procedure for air layering is as follows.
Remove all leaves several inches on either side of the point where the layer is to be made. From the center of the layering area, make a slanting cut upward an inch or more in length and about halfway through the branch (Figure 8). An alternate method of wounding is to remove a strip of bark 1/2 inch to 1 inch wide around the branch. Apply a rooting hormone to the cut or wounded surface. If a cut has been made, do not let it heal back together. Insert a small piece of wood such as a toothpick in the cut to keep the wound open.
Pack about a handful of moist, unmilled sphagnum moss around the branch to cover the wound. Cover the ball of moist moss with plastic wrap. Wrap it around the moss so that the plastic overlaps to keep the moss from drying out (Figure 9). Clear plastic permits you to see when roots have developed. Secure the plastic at each end with tape, string, plant ties or other convenient fasteners. It will usually take a month or more for roots to appear.
Figure 8. Air layering.
Figure 9. Air layering, with wrap.
Crown division, or division, is one of the best ways to propagate herbaceous perennial plants. Plants such as chrysanthemum, daylily, peony and iris can be divided by this simple, reliable method. Some woody shrubs that branch or sucker from the base can also be reproduced in this way. As a general rule, plants that flower in spring and early summer should be divided in late summer or fall. Those flowering in summer and fall should be divided in early spring before new growth begins.
For crown division, carefully lift plant clumps along with some soil removed from the roots (Figure 10). The crown may then be cut into sections with a knife. Individual growing points (shoots) that contain roots may be used to form new plants, or if a larger plant is desired, several shoots may be left together. When dividing large, old crowns, it is often best to discard the older, center portions and replant the young, more vigorous shoots that have developed on the edges of the clump.
Shrubs may be divided in the same manner, but this should be done when the plants are dormant. Because they are woody, they may need to be separated with a shovel or hatchet. Trim back the shoots before planting and cut off damaged roots.
Figure 10. Crown division.
Cambial tissue, between the wood and bark of a tree or shrub, is a single layer of cells actively dividing to produce new cells. In grafting, the cambium of the scion must line up as closely as possible with the cambium of the stock for a good union.
Grafting is the act of joining two plants (or their parts) together. The lower part of the graft is known as the understock, or stock, which becomes the root system or part of the trunk. The upper part of the graft is known as the scion and becomes the top of the plant. To make a successful graft, the cambium of the scion must line up as closely as possible with the cambium of the stock and make good, sustained contact. This union must be kept from drying out until the graft "takes." One general rule of grafting is to always note which is top and bottom of a scion stick; a scion will not grow if it is inserted upside down.
Although grafting usually refers to joining only two plants, it may be used to combine several. For example, multiple grafts can be used to produce an apple tree that bears several cultivars of apples or a rose of sharon with different flower colors. Most often grafting is used to attach a more vigorous, hardy stock to an otherwise desirable cultivar. Dwarf plants also can be produced by grafting through the insertion of interstock, or interstem, a piece of the plant that is grafted between the scion and stock, usually to form the trunk or a portion of it.
The best time for grafting is in the spring just as growth starts. Grafting techniques can be divided into four basic types, usually referred to as whip, cleft, bark and side grafting. The method selected is largely determined by the size of the stock and scion.
Whip or bench graft
The whip graft (Figure 11) is fairly easy and is used when the scion and stock are of similar diameter, preferably between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch. The stock can be either a plant growing in the field or a dormant bare root plant. The stock should be smooth and straight-grained. Do not graft near a point where side twigs or branches have developed. The scion should be year-old wood, preferably the same diameter as the stock. If the stock is larger than the scion, contact can be made on only one side. The scion should never be larger than the stock.
Figure 11. Whip or bench graft.
Figure 12. Preparing the stock and scion for a whip graft.
Figure 13. Cutting the stock for a whip graft.
Figure 14. Fitting the stock and the scion for a whip graft.
Figure 15. Wrapping to protect the whip graft.
Cleft graft
The cleft graft (Figure 16) is most commonly used to top work a tree to change the tree from one variety to another. It can be used on either young or mature trees. Young trees may be cleft grafted on the trunk, while older trees are grafted on branches not more than 2-1/2 inches in diameter. Branches fully exposed to sunlight and in the main stream of sap flow produce better results than those in shaded or inactive areas. Grafts on upright branches grow better than those on horizontal branches.
When top working large trees, it is best to graft about half the branches the first year and the remainder of the branches the next. Start with the upper center limbs the first year. The best time to top work is just as growth begins in the spring.
After the first year, some training and branch selection may be necessary. Do this at the usual pruning time in late winter or early spring. If both scions in a cleft grow, shorten one to allow the other to develop and become dominant. Do not remove the second graft until later; leaving it will help cover the wound faster.
Figure 16. Cleft graft.
Figure 17. Preparing the stock for a cleft graft.
Figure 18. Preparing the scion for a cleft graft.
Figure 19. Cuts on both sides of the scion for a cleft graft form a wedge.
Figure 20. Inserting the scion for a cleft graft.
Figure 21. A successful cleft graft depends on good cambial contact.
Figure 22. Waxing a cleft graft.
Bark, or veneer, graft
Bark, or veneer, grafting is usually performed on branches ranging from an inch to several inches in diameter (Figure 23).
Figure 23. Bark or veneer graft.
Figure 24. Preparing the stock for a bark graft.
Figure 25. Preparing the scion for a bark graft.
Side, or stub, graft
The side, or stub, graft is suitable for plants that are too large for a whip graft but not large enough for easily making a cleft or bark graft. The plant or branch that will serve as the stock should be 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The material for the scion should be about 1/4 inch in diameter.
Figure 26. Preparing the stock for a side graft.
Figure 27. Preparing the scion for a side graft.
Figure 28. Inserting the scion in a side graft.
Figure 29. Cutting the extra graft in a side graft.
Budding is a method of grafting in which the scion is a single bud rather than a piece of stem or twig. Many of the same conditions and materials used for other forms of grafting also apply to budding. It is most frequently used to multiply a variety that cannot be produced from seed. It may also be used for top working trees that cannot be easily grafted with cleft or whip grafts.
Budding, particularly T-budding, is faster than any other grafting technique and produces a high percentage of successful unions. Budding is also well adapted to plant shoots less than an inch in diameter. In larger branches, buds may be inserted in vigorously growing twigs near the upper part of the plant. Besides ease and success, budding usually produces a stronger union than those made with other grafting techniques. Because only a single bud is inserted, you can produce several new plants even when scion wood of a new variety is limited.
T-budding can be done almost any time that the bark of the stock slips (easily separates from the wood) and buds are fully developed. Most budding is done from late July to early September. Buds set at this time normally remain dormant until the following spring, which is desirable because young shoots produced in the fall would be subject to winter injury. Spring budding (in March and April) is possible but is less desirable than fall budding.
Occasionally, birds may alight on the developing bud shoot and break it loose before it is completely healed. It is better to cut the stock off 4 to 5 inches above the bud to avoid such breakage. This stub above the bud can be cut back later when the shoot is larger and more durable.
As the bud begins growing, buds from the rootstock may develop shoots. These should be removed as soon as they appear before they are more than 2 to 3 inches long. Do not prune the new branch that has developed from the grafted bud during the first summer. If there is danger of it being broken by wind, it would be better to tie it to a stake or devise other means of support rather than pruning it.
Figure 30. Obtaining a budstick for T-budding.
Figure 31. Preparing the stock for T-budding.
Figure 32. Inserting the bud for a T-bud graft.
Figure 33. Wrapping the bud for a T-bud graft.
Patch budding
Patch budding is a technique that uses a bud with attached bark, instead of a budstick. Patch budding is slower and more difficult than T-budding, but it is used on thick-barked trees (e.g., walnuts and pecans) that can't be T-budded. For a successful patch bud, it is essential that the size of the bud and its attached bark be the same size as the patch cut on the understock (Figure 34). For this reason, double-bladed knives and other special tools have been devised to make perfectly parallel, horizontal cuts. These cuts are usually done about an inch apart.
Figure 34. Patch budding.
Tissue culture, or micropropagation, is the art and science of propagating plants in vitro, which means "within the glass," in this case, a propagation tube. It functions on the principle that plant cells are totipotent (see box).
Tissue culture techniques allow thousands of new plants to be obtained from a single plant, making the technology attractive to rapidly multiply new cultivars. Its limitations include the need for specialized equipment and facilities along with a great deal of highly skilled labor.
The tissue culture process can be divided into four steps or stages: explanting, multiplication, organogenesis and acclimatization.
When tissue culture was introduced to the horticultural world, it seemed to hold the promise of eventually solving all plant propagation problems as it allowed for the mass production of plants in a short time. This has not proven to be the case. While tissue culture is a viable method of increasing the numbers of a single clone (compared with conventional asexual propagation methods), the success rate for tissue culture depends on the skill of the technician practicing it. The environment created inside the culture tube is ideal for harmful microbes as well as for plant formation. Contamination is a constant problem and leads to disappointing results. Moreover, each plant species has its own special growing requirements. While these have been established for many important horticultural species, there are many more species whose requirements have yet to be determined.
Figure 35. Tissue culture. A plantlet is produced in a culture tube under sterile conditions.
Any plant material used for plant propagation. In sexual reproduction, a propagule is a seed. In asexual reproduction, a propagule may be a woody cutting, a leaf section, or any number of other plant parts. In tissue culture, a type of asexual reproduction, various plant parts may be used.
The U.S. Plant Patent Law was passed in 1930 to encourage the development of new, improved cultivars of asexually propagated plants by allowing them to be patented. The law gives patent holders legal rights to control reproduction of a particular cultivar and to assess a royalty to others who reproduce it for profit. This royalty is meant to provide financial motivation for plant breeders to continue developing improved cultivars of important species. Plant patents are valid for 20 years after the patent application is filed. It is illegal to propagate for personal gain patented plant material without written permission from the holder of the patent rights. This permission takes the form of a legal contract and dictates the royalty to be paid for each propagule, along with other stipulations.
The Plant Variety Protection Act, a similar law passed by Congress in 1970, places restrictions on the reproduction of sexually propagated plants. Before this, one of the few ways plant breeders could profit from their work was to guard the identity of the parents of hybrids. Non-hybrid or "standard bred" cultivars were fair game for anyone to reproduce and use as a seed source for future crops. This is no longer the case. Seed of protected varieties must be purchased from a source approved by the holder of propagation rights. The source will have paid a royalty to the developer for the right to reproduce or sell the variety. If an operator chooses to save seed from a protected variety for future use, he or she must pay a royalty to the holder of reproduction rights.
Related websites
Order publications online at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/shop/ or call toll-free 800-292-0969.


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Several Vancouver Whitecaps FC alums helped their college teams to victory over the weekend.
Gagandeep Dosanjh (UBC Thunderbirds), Amber Brooks (North Carolina), Janine Frazao (UBC Thunderbirds), Jenna Richardson (Oregon State) and Brandi Vega (Washington State) were some of the stand-out performers.
Freshman Callum Irving kept a clean sheet in Kentucky's 2-0 victory over St Joseph's. It was his second career start and his first since the season opener.
The UBC Thunderbirds had a memorable weekend, thrashing Lethbridge Pronghorns 8-0 at Thunderbird Stadium on Saturday night. Striker Dosanjh scored twice, blasting the ball home in the 33rd minute before capping a clever 2-on-1 move with Whitecaps FC U-23 PDL teammate Navid Mashinchi moments before halftime. Earlier, Mashinchi saw his two free kicks guided home by Paul Clerc. Reynold Stewart, a third member of this past summer's U-23 'Caps team, also scored for the the Thunderbirds.
The night before, the T-Birds secured a convincing 3-0 win over the University of Calgary Dinos. Dosanjh provided the assist on Mashinchi's goal in the 65th minute, and with ten minutes remaining in the game, Dosanjh scored to put the icing on the cake.
Amber Brooks scored a penalty kick and provided an assist with a clever headed flick-on in 14th-ranked North Carolina's 4-0 win over eighth-ranked Marquette. Fellow Whitecaps FC women's alum Ranee Premji also recorded an assist after taking control of the ball at the top of the penalty box.
In the Tar Heels' other match on the weekend - a 5-0 drubbing of San Diego - Brooks found the back of the net again while Premji set up two of her team's goals.
Jenna Richardson also had a weekend to remember, bagging two goals in as many games for Oregon State. Richardson scored in Friday night's 2-0 win over UC Santa Barbara before continuing her hot streak in the next game against Cal Poly Mustangs (3-1).
Rutgers defender Shannon Woeller was a rock in defence as her 21st-ranked side defeated Stony Brook 2-0.
'Caps alum Demi Stokes scored an impressive goal from long range in University of South Florida's 2-0 triumph over Kennesaw State. The 26th minute effort was Stokes' first goal of the season.
"She scored on about a 40-yard bomb into the left hand corner. It was an incredible goal," head coach Denise Schilte-Brown said.
Last season's Canada West conference scoring champion Janine Frazao got her name on the scoresheet in UBC's 5-1 win over Calgary Dinos, opening the Thunderbirds' 2012 Canada West campaign in style.
The next day, Frazao picked up where she left off, scoring two early goals while goalkeeper Alyssa Williamson recorded a shutout in a 4-0 decision for UBC against Lethbridge Pronghorns.
Over in Wyoming, Vega netted her third goal of the season in the 14th minute of Washington State's 3-2 win against Wyoming on Sunday. Vega is among the scoring leaders in the Pac-12 Conference in this early part of the season.
And lastly, University of Wisconsin's Paige Adams converted from the penalty spot for her team-leading fourth goal of the season in the Badgers' thrilling 3-2 double-overtime victory over Illinois State.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC are preparing to launch a special offer for fans on 2013 Season Tickets. To thank fans for their continued support, those who purchase Season Tickets from Saturday, September 22 to Wednesday, October 3 will receive a special signing bonus of 12 per cent off. Fans can take advantage of this offer and renew or purchase their Season Tickets online at whitecapsfc.com or by phone at 604.669.9283.


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Crooked Floors Lyrics
If I had the ability I'd filter my vision. I'd rather not see.
Take me out of the picture.
I don't know how to do this right.
We've hammered the point home. Now it's just a drag.
Take me out of the picture or you could feed me, 'cause I don't want closure.
How long do I envision myself turning up on these crooked floors?
Wrestling stability. Grasping on to anchor in without a plan.
I guess I've gotta spin it right.
We're rather mixed up in the prime.
I've gotta spin it right. Who am I kidding? I don't have the time.
I'm turning up late for it. You're never gonna sit and just for wait me.
I see it backed up, set in a row. When I have a moment I'll let you know.
I'm turning up late for it. You're never gonna sit and just wait for me.
While I'm waiting the next parade.
Too little, too late. I thought I warned you yesterday.
While I'm living, I'm chasing. I'm waiting for the next parade.
Don't know if I fit the model anyway.
I'm waiting for the next parade.
I'm waiting for the next...


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Monday, 28 January 2013 07:42 AM
NEW DELHI — An Indian teenager accused of taking part in the Dec. 16 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in New Delhi will be tried as a juvenile, facing a maximum of three years in prison if convicted, a special panel ruled on Monday.
The ruling shocked the victim's father, who watched the news flash across his television screen.
"A sudden current ran through my body in disbelief. I can't believe this," the father told Reuters. "How can they declare him a minor? Do they not see what they did?"
The teenager has not yet been formally charged because police were hoping he would be declared an adult so they could include him in the main trial of his five co-accused.
He does not have a lawyer and his account of what happened on Dec. 16 is not known.
Lawyers for the five accused men said they would plead not guilty and one has accused police of torturing him, his lawyer said.
The panel's decision on the youth is likely to infuriate many people, including protesters, some police and political leaders, who have called for the age at which people can be tried as adults to be lowered to 16 from 18.
A government committee examining changes to sexual crime laws, however, last week ruled out such a move.
Police allege that the 17-year-old and five men gang-raped and severely beat the student on a moving bus in the capital before dumping her and a male friend in the road. The woman was so badly injured that she died of massive organ failure in a Singapore hospital two weeks later.
The case has sparked national debate about rampant crime against women, and President Pranab Mukherjee, made an unusual call in a television state-of-the nation address on Friday for the country to "reset its moral compass."
A juvenile board, comprising a magistrate and two child welfare activists, said it accepted school records showing the juvenile, who may not be identified, as having been born on June 4, 1995. It said a bone density test to determine his age was not necessary.
Police, who suspect that he is older than 17, said they could appeal the board's ruling, although there was no immediate plan to do so.
"This is wrong. We need the bone test to determine the accused real age, certificates can be forged," the victim's younger brother told Reuters by telephone.
The teenager attended Monday's hearing but journalists waiting outside the building did not catch a glimpse of him. He will now stand trial before the juvenile board and if convicted will be sent to a juvenile detention center.
Across town, lawyers for his five fellow accused presented arguments for the first time on Monday in a pre-trial hearing that will determine what charges the five men will face when the case eventually goes to trial.
Outside the wood-paneled courtroom dozens of policemen armed with bamboo canes or "lathis" jostled with reporters waiting to get a glimpse of the five accused.
The men, wearing gray woolen caps and scarves to hide their faces, were hand-held by policemen as they were led inside.
In India, all rape cases are held in closed court to protect the identity of the victim. This rule is being enforced in the New Delhi gang rape case even though the victim's family has already said they are not opposed to her being identified.
The judge hearing the case, Yogesh Khanna, has taken the additional steps of cautioning lawyers not to talk about the proceedings outside of court and warned the media not to repeat any information they glean from sources.
The prosecutor had complained that defense lawyers were violating an earlier court order by briefing reporters.
The scarcity of information about a case that shocked the world stands in stark contrast to the intense media coverage that preceded the start of the court proceedings.
There is still simmering public outrage over police handling of the case and the slow response by the government, which was caught off guard by street protests that turned violent.
Many Indians still have questions about what really happened on the night of Dec. 16, what drove the women's attackers to assault her so savagely, and how such a brutal crime could take place in an affluent and modern part of the capital.
The government panel set up after the gang-rape blamed police negligence for a climate of insecurity in New Delhi, known as India's "rape capital."
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You'd think with all this cold weather, and having an extra two days off this weekend due to the frigid temperatures, I'd have the blog updated with the KnitMichigan info. Alas, I've spent my extra time catching up on sleep and knitting in front of the heating vents. (I feel like my cat.) I'll try to upload pictures soon, but in the meantime, I wanted to update you on some sale info courtesy of Kim, from Beaumont.
Gifted is having a FEBRUARY INVENTORY REDUCTION SALE!!!
Beaumont is changing their inventory system and need to count and sticker every piece of merchandise in the store. In an effort to streamline this process, they're selling out as much as they can before the inventory, and before the new spring yarns come in. . .this means big savings for us! WhooHoo!! From now until the end of February, shop at Beaumont and save on the following yarns:
15% off all 100% wool yarns--this includes Cascade 220 and Manos! Can you believe it?
20% off all cashmere yarns--I think they carry Debbie Bliss and Queensland Himalaya, but don't quote me. . .
50% off assorted clearanced items--single balls of yarn and many kits including the Nicky Epstein felted bags from her book. The yarn in those kits is Jamieson, and is lovely to work with, even if you choose not to make the bag it was intended for.
Harriet? no excuse for not making it to this sale, you've gotten ample warning.
Random weblinks I've found that are interesting. . .
I get the email version of the Stitch and Bitch daily calendar and today the link sent me here. Check out the opera gloves and purple mountain socks. . .they're soooo cool! a previous week had me lurking here . . .and I'm copying the text from the calendar to tease you. . .if you like intarsia, you're going to go berserk!
"Welcome to Brigitte's Knittingpage, where you can learn the tricks of making knits that kids of all ages will freak for. Click "Knitting patterns" and then "Click here for the contents of the knitting patterns" and you will enter a gold mine of knitting charts, including Disney characters, folks "known from TV" (from Ernie & Bert to Bart Simpson to the Powerpuff Girls, Hello Kitty, Winnie the Pooh...I could go on), comic-book characters, and even the Pokémon Posse. You can also find charts here for flags, all kinds of animals, soccer team logos, flowers, and suns and moons and musical notes, oh my! Whatever you're looking for, it's probably here. This site is one to flag. "
Enjoy! I promise, KnitMichigan is coming soon. . .
We meet the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8:45 p.m. :: Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Guild Meetings — September through May :: Summer Camp — June through August
LOCATION: Huntington Woods Public Library :: Woods Gallery, lower level :: 26415 Scotia Rd, Huntington Woods, MI 48070
Bring your knitting and join us for an evening — we're sure you'll want to become part of the flock!
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Baby, It's cold outside!
Posted by Black Sheep Knitting Guild at 4:17 PM
2 comments:
Thanks for the links, bookmarked those babies right away!
- February 7, 2007 at 7:20:00 PM EST
thanks for all the friendly faces at Knit Michigan....Gryffon had a great time at the kids activities! Hopefully next year wont be so cold outside....
Ask Coralee about her new podcasts on her 3pm player (tee hee), I downloaded lots of knitting podcasts for her, including knitcast.com and pointysticks.org
- February 12, 2007 at 10:50:00 AM EST
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Beat Your Fear Factor
- 30 Articles
- Age 24
All of us might have experienced bad things in our lives. Some just on a bad day, but some events cannot be forgotten. My bad experience was when I was hit by a motorcycle. The worst part of the injury was on my right leg and I could see both the blood and flesh. Just a second before the motorcycle hit me, I still remember hearing the loud horn. That's why I would not want to cross the road by myself for a while. Every time I wanted to cross the road, and I heard somebody honking at me, I was scared and would grab someone's arm really tightly even though. Thank God it wasn't long lasting and I could cope with that condition. I wasn't scared with the sound of the horn anymore and I could cross the road alone just two weeks after the accident happened.
I want to share with you how I deal with my trauma. Here are some activities that you can do:
1. Pray
Prayer is my best recommendation whenever you feel scared or are suffering. It will give you a relief, a happy feeling, and encourage you to fight against your fear factor.
2. Talk to the ones closest to you
By talking to those closest to you and who really understand can help. It may be your parents, your best friends, your mentor, and others. You can share your feelings and you will receive huge support from them. Knowing that there is somebody who wants to protect you really helps you to get your courage back.
3. Think positively
Just suggest to your brain that this is just a normal bad day, an experience you had that just came in another form. Life is about ups and downs and you will never be forever in a down phase. If Phoenix was born from the ashes, then these bad things will also turn into good things for you, sooner or later.
4. Make something from your fear
It may sound so weird but in my opinion it will surely work. For example, I'm afraid to cross the road because I don't want to get hit anymore. I will make a poster, a design, a song, poetry, and other forms of art that show how to cross the road safely. Besides giving you a positive suggestion to yourself, if you publish your work to your blog or any other website, it will help other people to stay safe, too.
Our fears might come in so many forms. Maybe some of you have experienced worse cases than mine. It might have been a car accident, a robbery, a bullying incident, or even war. Experiencing trauma is a normal thing as a human-being and is hurtful, but I want you to know that you are never alone. Get up and take your courage back!


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Blogging Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Part 4
Chapter Ten: The House of Gaunt
Better Title: Riddle Riddles
At first you read this chapter and assume: Hey, it's a normal chapter about Harry and the gang learning magic and having adventures. And then you get a few pages in and realize it's one big flashback detailing the origin of Voldemort (or Voldemort's parents, to be specific).
I could explain the history of Voldemort, and how his mother was a weirdo and his father was tricked. I could tell you all about the magic ring and the Gaunts and the Slytherins and the prophecy and wizards and that stuff and the other stuff. But I won't.
You know the story. The most important part of this flashback is learning that Voldemort ended up in an orphanage and came from a scary, evil family. His childhood was probably horrid and had someone given him a prescription-strength hug every week he would have became a delightful young man, like Dean Thomas or any other forgetful, mediocre character.
This is why you should always hug powerful wizards. Wait...that doesn't sound right. Oh well. Too late to delete it. Can someone write a fanfiction story about a version of Tom Riddle who was raised by nice, decent people?
Waiting for someone to scream, "Duh, Dan! That fanfiction already exists and was written about 289383483 trillion times."
Deleted Scene
HERMIONE: Harry, I don't think you should be using that Potions book with the answers in it.
HARRY: Why not?
HERMIONE: You don't know who wrote it. What if the magic is evil?
HARRY: It's a Potions book, Herms. It's not a big deal.
HERMIONE: Yes, but it could be evil. Evil may lurk in that book and you could unleash the evil into ---
HARRY: How's about you shut the hell up. First, this is a textbook for high school kids. I'm sure the potions in here aren't exactly nuclear secrets, even with the Half-Blood Prince's editorial. Second, I'm Harry freaking Potter. I'm the boy who lived! I'm the dude in that prophecy. I'm supposed to face off against evil. That's my thing. Ron's the friendly one. You're the smart one. And I'm the one who kills evil. And Ginny...apparently and suddenly...is the jokey one.
GINNY: How does a half-giant plot mathematical equations? On a Ha-grid!!!! BOOM!
Chapter Eleven: Hermione's Helping Hand
Better Title: Turn Me Ron
Harry and Ron are hot now. I guess Harry was always attractive and popular, but now Ron is getting in on the action. All the girls seem to love these guys and it's easy to see why. Harry is powerful, famous, and charming. And Ron is...Harry's friend.
Harry holds Quidditch tryouts and a bunch of people show up. Lavender Brown flirts with Ron, and it's an adorable, awkward moment that's reminiscent of my high school life. But instead of girls flirting with me, they just ignored me. Ha...those girls...always playing (impossibly) hard to get. Heh.
I wish my best friend in high school was a famous, prophetic wizard. Instead I had Todd. Todd wasn't a wizard. He once got a concussion after running into a basketball pole.
Among the new team members are Ginny (she's the new Chaser) and Ron (who's the new Keeper). Hermione uses magic to ensure Ron's place on the team, because she's a rule-breaking criminal! CRIMINAL!
Harry, Ron, and Hermione have a chat with Hagrid, who forgives the kids for not taking his class. But there's bad news. Aragog is dying.
Aragog!? No!!!
Well, at least Tonks and both the Weasley twins are still alive...and always will be...forever. Same goes for Mad Eye and Lion King's dad.
Deleted Scene
HARRY: Um...hello, Aragog.
ARAGOG: Die.
HARRY: I was just talking with Hagrid and he said you're not feeling well.
ARAGOG: Hagrid said that?
HARRY: Yeah. I just wanted to see if ---
ARAGOG: I'm fine! [cough] Hagrid doesn't know [cough] what he's talking about. He's a wizard, and wizard's don't know a damn thing. They don't teach you anything up at the fancy school for losers. You probably don't [cough] even know what Germany is, do you, Haircut?
HARRY: Germany is when your body is infected with many germs.
ARAGOG: [leans in close to whisper] I hope to God that whatever illness I have, it's contagious, because I'm gonna Germany all over your head. [COUGH!]
GINNY: Dumbledore's selling his used magic artifacts, but bring your money because things are Ex-Pensieve. BOOM!
ARAGOG: A'ight. That one was good. You can stay. [cough]
Chapter Twelve: Silver and Opals
Better Title: Death Necklace!!!!
Dumbledore isn't around much these days, because he's off on mysterious missions of adventure. So Harry hasn't learned more about Voldemort. He has, however, lifted Ron off the ground using magic he learned from the Half-Blood Prince. Harry realizes this is the same spell that his dad used on Snape as a kid, so maybe this Half-Blood Prince was really James Potter!!!!
But it's not. It's Snape. Spoiler.
During a trip to Hogsmeade, Mundungus tries to sell some Black family heirlooms and Harry gets pissed. But Mundungus zaps away before Harry can properly murder him. Tonks shows up. (Hi, Tonks!)
The chapter becomes super-scary and mysterious when Katie Bell nearly dies after touching a Death Necklace. This necklace is part of an elaborate Death Eater plan that we'll learn about later, but for now let's just enjoy the idea of a DEATH NECKLACE!
After reading this, did you become suspicious of all jewlery? Haha..me either. That would be totally silly and weird. Yep. I sure didn't duct tape oven mitts to my hands for weeks out of fear of DEATH JEWELRY. And anyone who says otherwise is a filthy, rotten liar!
Katie is in bad shape. She doesn't die, but she's had better days. Everyone freaks out, and Harry is quick to suspect Draco. But Draco was having detention at the time, so it couldn't have been him. It's probably Flitwick's fault.
Deleted Scene
HARRY: Dumbledore's missing, and Mundungus is selling my stuff, and then Katie had a necklace that tried to kill her, and I floated Ron, and my foster parents are abusive, and I love a lamp, and Aragog's real sick, and evil is rising, and I don't know what Germany is, and I'm only a teenager but the entire world is depending on me, and, and, and...
HOLDEN CAULFIELD: You think you have problems? I got kicked out of school.
HARRY: And...?
HOLDEN: And it sucked.
GINNY: How does a Patronus make babies? With a Ma-tronus! BOOM!
HOLDEN: You're a phony.
House Bergstein School Announcements
Tickets are on sale for the annual Singles Valentine's Day Midnight Brunch. You don't need to bring a date, but everyone must bring photo of their crush so we can do all sorts of voodoo on it.
The wallpaper in Room 147 isn't trying to be creepy, even if its constant staring and drooling may seem that way.
Congratulations to the girls swim team for defeating Cronkite's School of Eye-Magic and Electricity. It wasn't easy swimming in a pool of pudding, and even though we still can't find Tracy, we're all proud of you.
According to the crystal ball, there will be a Snow Day in three weeks. Also according to the crystal ball, one of you will marry a guy named Herman.
Homework Assignments
Figure out the secret regarding your teeth.
Read chapter 10 through 14 of something.
Write an essay using only the words of Taylor Swift.


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i didn't know where else to put this post. I don't think my son is a toddler anymore lol
My dear son just turned 4 in December. At this point, he still nurses occasionally.... mostly before bed time, but not every night. Maybe every 2-3 days at bedtime. If we're home all day, he'll want to nap and nurse.
I'm at the point where I feel done with this nursing, but I feel guilty. I told him at Christmas that he wouldn't be able to have milk any more and Santa will bring his presents. He was great on Christmas! Didn't ask for milk once! Once the holidays were over, he asked me for milk. He misunderstood, thought he would just not have milk on Christmas and then go back to it once Christmas is over. Of course, I gave in.
So tell me how you weaned your child.