May be moving to Oregon

I have several pairs of the 300 and one pair of the thermal 300-I (they are great in the winter!) Here is a website that shows the different types http://www.palmflex.com/atlas.htm?gclid=COuFuuab7I4CFRO-hgodpETlKg

I buy mine at the feedstore or hunting/fishing/camping type store. Rachel

Thank you!! I'll check these out.

Katye59, Ace Hardware in Freeland here on the island carries those gloves, plus I'm sure I've purchased them at Fred Meyer before as well - I suspect you can find them most anywhere.

I really splurged this year and bought a pair of "gauntlet" style rose gloves (at Sky's Nursery on 185th and Highway 99 in North Seattle). They had an extra small which is really hard to find, and they can go in the washer and dryer. They have been a godsend, I tell ya!!! Even my nemesis the Stinging Nettles haven't done any damage to me!!

When you are talking Oregon and Washington, remember there is a HUGE difference between the Western part of the state and the Eastern. I lived for years in SE Washington, 5 years in Portland OR. The area you are considering (100 mile radius of Seattle and Portland) is beautiful. "My part", the more Eastern part of the state is HOT, GREAT soil and mild winters, very little (many years NONE) snow. The rain of Portland was not a good fit for me. HOWEVER, when I would go back in about April and see the azealas and rhody I would still oh and aw..

The part of Idaho I live in now is very similar to my SE Washington where my family still is. You can learn to love just about anywhere with enough soil amendments, good air conditioning and the right attitude.

The rain is not for everybody and it does bother some people. It rained so seldom where I grew up that when it did, I used to put a chair by the sliding glass doors and just watch it for hours. So rain to me is still a blessing!
As psychw2 said, there is a BIG difference between the Willamette Valley and the rest of Oregon.

The area on the map to the left of the state (in Orange) is the Willamette Valley and it has its own micro-climate.

Another interesting thing I have heard is that the next wars and conflicts will be fought over water, so I'll stay right here where it is plentiful!

psychw2: Eastern Washington has mild winters? Now that's interesting. It's pretty desert and I think of those winters as cold. But I agree, east of the mountains the climate is much different in Washington and Oregon.

I guess it's all in what you're used to. I think it's colder indoors here than where I grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska. And I think that's because of the moisture in the air. In Fairbanks, it's a pretty dry cold.

Mary, thanks for the suggestion of the Atlas gloves. I have used those and they are my glove of choice most of the time. I like that they're so flexible that you can still use your hands. Judging from what rachierabbit sent, I guess those are Palmflex. Wow!! Such a selection. I'm still looking at everything on that site.

What I'm looking for for this winter is something that will keep my hands dry. One of the biggest reasons I come in from working in the yard in the winter is because my hands get wet and then cold.

Katie, you're probably right about the cold/damp. When it's wet out then I get COLD, in fact I'll get hives (I'm allergic to the cold). But... as long as it's DRY out, I am fine! And I guess "a mild winter" is a comparative thing. I mean, we would get below freezing but generally not much, and not often.

I should be out in it NOW, I have a lot of work to try to get done before it gets too cold out. Later friends!
Pat

Oooh. Hives from the cold? That sounds tough.

Have a good day gardening.

Here's our average high and low temps for winter and summer. We are in the high part of the national average for winter (warmer) and in the low part of the national average for summer (cooler).

This is just for Scio.

Okay, all this is just making me want to move SOONER!! I love the rain AND warm sweaters AND gardening in the rain AND being outside generally in all types of weather.

Thanks, Everyone, for the input and pictures. I'm starting to feel like I'm homesick or something! Is that weird or what? I come originally from SoCal and it's strange but I don't miss it. Maybe I should have been born in the PNW?

P. S. Send more pictures of the place in your garden you are most proud of.

The tunnel is the most fun in the garden.

Beth, I don't want to sound like I'm begging but...could I please please please get seeds from you? I will gladly send postage.


Kwanjin

Oh it's perfect!!!

Sure, but what seeds did you want???????????

Your JM 'Oreheme' is perfect. If you have any left?

And is that a lemon cucumber I see hanging there? Nice picture, Beth. What a cool idea!!

Oreheme is still blooming but has not produced a single seed yet! I am really disappointed at its fertility! JMG Ten Ten has also bloomed but has yet to produce seeds. MGs are fall blooming flowers and right now is their "time"....the seeds come later. I should have a lot of new seeds by Christmas. So far I have gotten Chachamaru, Kohkan, Gypsy Bride, Sunrise Serenade, Med. blue/purple nil, all colors of Kikyosakis, Shibori, I. sloteri, maisugata, Sydney, Split Personality, Grandpa Otts, Pink Rambler & some others I can't remember. If Oreheme decides to make seeds I promise I'll let you know. It is one of the more difficult MGs to grow.

Hey Beth. I would be happy to send you a SASBE for any "extra" japanese morning glory seeds you have "laying around". I especially like the two you posted on September 21, post 4002137 and post 4002152 and Oreheme looks cool.

Are you HappyHorse7 on Flickr, by any chance? I see lots of morning glories there and a woman standing under a green tunnel. Is that you? LOVE the picture of the dog sleeping with the guy . . . your DH?

Okay. What's the pink one with the white on the ruffled part? It's the second pic you sent on September 21st. They are ALL beautiful. But that one caught my eye right away. I like the white ones the most, though.

Kwanjin - Do a search on "oreheme" on Google and one of the links you'll come up with is a link to the Flickr album of Happyhorse7. There are some beautiful japanese morning glory pictures there.

The pink one with the white edging is a Kikyosaki which refers to the shape of the bloom and not the color because they come in all colors. This bloom is most commonly called "red star". I do have some of these seeds is you send a SASE. They do not make huge vines, and do best as container plants. They are the JMG dwarfs :)

Beth - Did you see the video on YouTube of the people who have raised a hippo to domesticity? And clearly they breed bull terriers as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKMXscdetqA

Okay, the link didn't come across as specific as I wanted. After you get to youtube, do a search on Jessica the Family Hippopotamus.

Argh!! The dogs on the video got my dogs started barking. They don't even know what they're barking at. I'm sure this is proof that barking is not a language - just an alert sound. LOL

That is to much! I love it! Thanks for sharing Katie.

That would be good. I have a pot just waiting for their arrival. I've never had seeds delivered before. Is a legal size envelope okay or should I make a trip to the post office?

I have seen the hippos and bull terriers! I don't think I'll start raising hippos anytime soon because somewhere I read that one of the hippos accidentally killed on of their bull terriers.

Cool, isn't it? I see a children's book in the offing. Jessica didn't know she was a hippo; she thought she was a dog. LOL

Jessica totally has it made - a massage at night before she settles down to sleep - not too shabby!

A legal size envie is fine...I'll stick some bubble wrap in it to protect the seeds.

Beth - I had wondered about that. I can imagine it happening - there's just too much of a size difference.

Speaking of that, how about this?

Instructions on how to properly hug a baby

First, spy a baby.

Second, be sure that the object you spied was indeed a baby by employing classic sniffing techniques. If you smell baby powder and the wonderful aroma of wet diapers this is indeed a baby.

Next you will need to flatten the baby before actually beginning the hugging process.


**Note: The added slobber should help in future steps by making the "paw slide" easier.

Do the "paw slide". Simply slide paws around baby and prepare for possible close-up.

oh poor baby!

Finally, if a camera is present, you will need to execute the difficult and patented "hug, smile, and lean" so as to
achieve the best photo quality.

Dogs, if this is properly done, it will secure you a warm, dry, climate-controlled environment for the rest of your life.

So cute! The baby doesn't look too upset...

oops! we posted at the same time - I was referring to the poor squashed baby - that last picture is cute :)

This message was edited Oct 4, 2007 12:31 PM

Yeah. If it were me, I think I'd have stepped in before it got "too cute". But it looks like the baby is totally fine with the whole thing.

Careful dog, that's for sure.