Open! Open! Open!

...and Open! Open! Open! Open! Open! Open! Open! (That's 10!)

Praise God for the warmer days this week! We've had 40 degree swings in the temperature (low 40s at night, low 80s during the day). That has helped stir the energy flow of plant. Buds I thought last week would surely be lost are opening...and I'm cutting.

There are 10 buds on on the bush. Soon to be in a vase.

How can this be, on New Year's Eve?

Ah well. I must get to the annual pruning on the rest of the bush. It's the last one, and it needs its winter rest.

Be safe tonight. Tomorrow is the Lord's Day.

Enjoy...just don't end up like Ted Hanover (from Holiday Inn, 1942, one of my favorite movies!)

The weather on Monday should be great for the Rose Bowl Parade. We had massive snows in the mountains last week, so the views should be spectacular.

Someaday I'll have to take the youngin's and camp out on the Colorado Boulevard again! Now they allow small hibachi's and grills for heat...something they didn't do 22 years ago! Back then 50s felt temperate to this midwest transplant. Now I wear a coat! LOL I guess that official makes me a Californian.

Got Milk? The Board of Unnecessary

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Have you seen the recent Got Milk commercial? It's called The Board of Unnecessary. A rich corporate owner/Chairman of the Board is seeking ideas from his Board members (all appearing to be old unnecessary men) on what to do with his money.

Most of the ideas are quite humorous - turning the internet into a book (rejected by because it was too practical), and continuing to (literally) burn his money (dismissed as too easy).

If money were no object, what would you do?

The third suggestion, by unnamed old man in a suit, is to "make milk out of something other than cows, like beans... or nuts." (An obvious slam on soymilk and almond milk.) An obivously unhealthy man breathing with a respiratory treatment protests in a murmur, "But milk comes from cows!"

"That's the idea..." he replies.

The Chairman's eyes light up. Presto! The Board has discovered the perfect cause to waste bushels of money on!

No, I'm sorry, milk alternatives are quite necessary.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) between 30 and 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant, and it's estimated 90% of Asian-Americans and 75% of Native- and African-Americans suffer from the condition.(1)  And around 7.3 million adults in the U.S. are vegetarian or vegans.(2)  Combined, that's up to 57.3 million people who shouldn't, can't, or won't drink milk. Many of those poeple may choose to drink an alternative milk, like soymilk, almond milk, or rice milk, et al. 

I do. 

In 2011 the Dairy-Alternate industry has estimated to have done $1.33 billion in retail sales.(3)  

With a wave of the Calfornia Milk Processors Board's hand, millions of people buying non-dairy milk, and the industry, are reduced to "unnecessary!" This statement is insulting at worst, half-baked at best.

Sorry, gentlemen. You missed the mark on this one. Maybe you should burn money by researching the impact of cow flatulence on the atmosphere!

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