Last week I had someone selling ThereBucks to me that I'd never heard of before. Not that unusual. What WAS somewhat unusual was a There employee telling me not to pay this person because they were selling converted Coke Studios currency or something, and There hadn't determined whether this was okay or not.
My immediate thoughts were...this is completely stupid. I'd never even visited Coke Studios, which I guess was a Coca Cola version of There.com, but apparently they decided to close down the separate world and merge the users in with There Classic. In order to be fair about this, they converted any furniture or other assets that people owned in Coke Studios into an equivalent amount of ThereBucks (although how they figured out an equivalent, I don't know.) Now they were telling me that people who are not identified as former Coke Studios members, who have ThereBucks that look and spend just like regular ThereBucks, which were in reimbursement for items that apparently had that same value in Coke Studios and that SOMEONE had paid for, whether it was Coke themselves or the users or whatever...that these mysteriously different and yet not different ThereBucks might be something I shouldn't buy even though I can't tell where users get their ThereBucks from? The long arm of There might come down and snatch these ThereBucks back out of my account? Outrageous!
Happily, since then it seems they came to the same conclusion I did...if it looks like a ThereBuck and quacks like a ThereBuck, it MUST BE a ThereBuck, and former Coke Studio members should be allowed to do whatever they like with them, even if a small amount of that ends up looking like gaming the system. You can hardly call it that, though, unless Coke Studios members had some kind of crystal ball letting them know that one day this would happen and they'd have a bunch of ThereBucks they could then sell to little ol' me.
The main result of this, other than me breathing a big sigh of relief that I don't have to be paranoid about buying from There members that are unknown to me seems to be that there is now a bit of a glut of ThereBucks in the market. I have more people selling to me than buying from me. I don't think it will last too long, but it has some impact on any Christmas shopping I might otherwise do. I've got my funds tied up in ThereBucks. Bah humbug!
Friday, December 21, 2007
Coke Studios ThereBucks Glut?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
The XO is here!
Woohoo...look what came in the mail today! I've received a number of packages this week, from King Arthur Flour to top up baking supplies, from Park Seed and Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. to bring me way more stuff than we can possibly plant in our garden, but the package I was awaiting most anxiously was my XO laptop!
You can see in the picture that I'm using it to browse the IMVU website. It's kind of nice because it doesn't display shoutouts (heheh) but I accidentally pressed the orientation button a few times trying to stick my hand in the picture for a size reference (the XO is pretty darn small). That's one way to find out what that button does. Anyone else notice that the title bar of IMVU now lists it as "3D Avatar Chat Instant Messenger & Dress Up Game"? Dress Up Game? Ugh...that makes it sounds like it's aimed at 11 yr olds, or maybe younger. Aren't you supposed to be 13 to use IMVU?
Anyway, now I have to decide whether to go do laundry and shower...activities I eschewed in favor of waiting for my XO delivery...or play with my new toy/computer. Oh so much better than a dress up game!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
XO laptop Frappr map
Well, I am still anxiously awaiting my XO laptop delivery. Meantime, here is a Frappr map of XO laptop owners. Always fun to put faces and map pins to kindred spirits.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Northern California Gardening
I have often thought that every vegetable garden should have a small table and two chairs where the gardener could sit with a friend at dusk. Between them they would share a bottle of wine, a loaf of crusty bread, a crumbly cheese such as feta or goat cheese, and whatever they could reach out and pluck. Imagine the soft, crimson red tomatoes still warmed by the sun. Juicy. Sweet. Conversation would seem superfluous...A quote from "Northern California Gardening" by Katherine Grace Endicott.
When I first moved to California, I didn't even know I was in "Northern" California. Well hey, it's pretty much the exact middle of the state! I guess it's more about climate and outlook than geography, though. I've gotten a selection of different gardening books for our new gardening adventure, and this one is particularly helpful since it is so location specific. I'm very excited about gardening! You know, here in this area you can even grow "winter vegetables" all winter long? Theoretically anyway.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Seeds for our garden
I'm just testing out creating documents in Google Documents and then sharing them. I thought it would be fun to share our garden seed collection in my blog. This is wayyyy too much stuff for the amount of garden space we have, but oh well...it will be fun trying to fit it all in.
Tonda di Parigi
60 days. The round, 19th-century Parisian heirloom carrots are harvested at 1"-2", uniform and deep orange. The flavor is excellent and very sweet. These tender carrots are very popular for marketing. Plant thick for bunching.
Atomic Red
75 days. Brilliant red carrots are so healthy and unique-looking, sure to add color to your garden. The 8" roots are high in lycopene, which has been shown in studies to help prevent several types of cancer. Crisp roots are at their best when cooked, and this helps to make the lycopene more useable.
Cosmic Purple
This one is causing excitement at farmers' markets. Carrots have bright-purple skin with flesh that comes in shades of yellow and orange. Spicy and sweet tasting roots are great for marketing.
Lunar White
Here is a vigorous producer that has creamy-white roots that are very mild, delicious, and have a fine flavor, and very small core. White carrots were grown in the Middle Ages, but now have become very rare. We are glad to offer this productive new variety.
Amarillo
75 days. Lovely, lemon-yellow roots have sweet, bright yellow flesh. Good for a summer to fall crop, large 8" roots and strong tops. Yellow carrots always taste the best to me, they are so crunchy and full of juice.
rareseeds.com/seeds/Carrots/Amarillo
Chinese Yellow
Beautiful, yellow-orange cucumber from mainland China, the young fruit is green. 10" fruit are as crisp as an apple. Very mild and delicious, great for slicing or for pickles. This was our largest yielding variety ever - just a few plants produced hundreds of cucumbers! Our favorite cucumber for 2003. A very rare Chinese heirloom.
Thai "Petch Tsai"
Lovely pale green to beautiful lemon-yellow 5-inch fruit, one of my favorite new varieties and a lot of fun to grow, these are very mild and delicious. This Thai variety is quite ornamental, and is a great home garden variety. Collected by us in Thailand. Rare and unique.
Rosa Bianca
80 days. Colorful, light pink-lavender fruit with white shading. Rich, mild flesh is very popular with chefs and gardeners alike! No bitterness. A great variety for heirloom market growers. Use the color that sells!
Listada de Gandia
90 days. One of the most popular heirloom types, this variety has 7" long fruit that are white with lovely bright-purple stripes. Very beautiful & with fabulous flavor in the sweet, tender flesh. This great variety hails from Italy, a country that is renown for fine food.
FENNEL Di Firenze
(Foeniculum vulgare) This is the Anise flavored vegetable that Italians love. Large 1 to 2 lb bulbs are delicious in soups, sauteed, baked and raw in salads. This Italian cultivar is fairly early. The authentic "Finocchio" for growers of quality. Pkt. (200 seeds)
Red Wonder Wild Strawberry
This variety was selected to produce large, elongated red fruits that are sweet and aromatic. Perfect for growing in flower gardens and containers as the plants, flowers and berries are ornamental. So delicious, the fruit won't last long! (Pkt. 75 seeds)
Showy Pink Blossoms & Tasty Strawberries
New! Amazing plant produces large red berries continuously while pretty pink blossoms provide a gorgeous display for hanging baskets or to brighten up your strawberry patch. The fruits are delicious and the pink blossoms attract much attention.
Zone 4-9
http://seedrack.com/cgi-bin/perlfect/search/search.pl?q=Fragaria%20Fragissimo&showurl=%2F09.html
Genovese Basil
The famous Italian heirloom is very popular with many cooks.
Siam Queen Thai Basil
Very strong, clove-scented basil. This heirloom is very popular in Thailand and is a very flavorful specialty variety.
Pasted from <http://rareseeds.com
A unique lime-flavored basil from Thailand. Popular variety for fresh market!
Pasted from <http://rareseeds.com
Cinnamon Basil
Spicy flavor, tasty Mexican variety.
Lemon Basil
Wonderful lemon fragrance & taste, a real culinary delight.
Thyme - French Summer
(T. Vulgaris) A very aromatic french variety; not winter hardy.
Cilantro
(Coriandrum sativum) Popular in Mexican cuisine, this herb is a must for all salsa and chili recipes, delicious and flavorful.
Texas Early Grano 502
Vidalia-type onion is a good choice for the south. Sweet, tasty flavor, developed in Texas in 1944.
Red of Florence
Oblong shaped, bright red onions, great for planting spring or fall, seems to do well in many areas. They are very mild and sweet, great for salads and pickling! A delicious Italian heirloom. Very rare.
Rocky Top Lettuce Salad
Our Improved formula blend is now better than ever! With more brightly colored and unique lettuces, it makes a flavorful and brilliant salad. A top selling item for us - our customers just love it! Perfect for better markets or your home table. People love the rich, old-fashioned taste. Includes some unlisted rare varieties.
Purple Calabash
85 days. May be the most purple of all purple tomatoes; a deep purple/burgundy, and very colorful! The shape is also exciting, with the 3" fruit being very flat, ribbed and ruffled. Flavor is intense, sweet and tart, with a lime or citrus taste, almost wine like. The most uniquely flavored tomato I have ever tried! The plants give huge yields. This tomato resembles tomatoes pictured in 16th-century herbal diaries.
Black Cherry
Beautiful black cherries, look like large, dusky purple grapes; they have that rich flavor that makes black tomatoes famous. Market growers report that this variety is an incredible seller, large vines yield very well. Very unique and delicious.
Flame (Hillbilly)
A huge, bicolor heirloom, brilliant yellow color with red marbling. Very large with a rich, sweet flavor. Beautiful when sliced. An heirloom believed to be from West Virginia.
Striped Roman
Stunning and unique. These long, pointed red fruit have wavy orange stripes! People were really excited about this one at our last Heirloom Garden Show. It’s a specialty grower’s dream; just what chefs and today’s buyers are looking for; a perfect midsized beauty with brilliant color, meaty flesh and excellent flavor. This variety was developed by John Swenson.
Ananas Noire or Black Pineapple
Our most exciting new tomato this year, it is wonderful in every way. This unusual variety was developed by Pascal Moreau, a horticulturist from Belgium. The multi-colored, smooth fruit (green, yellow and purple mix) weigh about 1 1/2 lbs. The flesh is bright green with deep red streaks. Everyone loves their superb flavor that is outstanding, being both sweet and smokey with a hint of citrus. The yield is one of the heaviest we have ever seen! Be the first at your farmers market to have this new classic.
Copia
Our most unique and beautiful large, striped tomato, these have lovely, fine stripes of glowing gold and neon red. Inside, the flesh is a flavorful mix of red and yellow, swirled together in various combinations, and very tasty. This new variety was developed by Jeff Dawson and named in honor of "Copia," the Amercian Center for Food, Wine and the Arts, of Napa, CA. This should make a superb tomato for market growers and is a new "must have" for heirloom gardeners. 80-90 Days.
Originally from Crimea on the Black Sea, this heirloom variety is our top choice in the "black tomato" category. Dark, mahogany-colored fruits have deep-green shoulders and weigh 10-12 ounces. Richly flavored and a heavy producer.
http://seedrack.com/cgi-bin/perlfect/search/search.pl?q=Black%20Krim&showurl=%2F10.html
Deep dusky rosy purple heirloom if not the prettiest tomato, certainly one of the best tasting. Super sweet, complex old-time tomato flavor is a favorite of many. Produces abundant, large beefsteak fruits, 5 inches across. Dark red interior.
http://seedrack.com/cgi-bin/perlfect/search/search.pl?q=Cherokee%20Purple&showurl=%2Fspecial.html
Goliath
This F1 Hybrid is truly outstanding in just about every way. Huge, handsome fruits often weigh over a pound and are as close to perfection as you can find anywhere. Sweet, lucious tomato flavor, highly disease resistant and producing tremendous yields -- the fruits just keep coming. One of the best varieties on the market.
http://seedrack.com/cgi-bin/perlfect/search/search.pl?q=Tomato%20Goliath%20&showurl=%2Ftomato.html
Green Zebra
Sweet & Zingy Taste Treat
Chosen for its truly excellent flavor and striking appearance, Green Zebra is hard to beat for salads and salsa. The fruits are generally smallish, about 3 oz, but plants produce good yields. Bred in Redmond, Washington in the early 80s, Green Zebra is destined to be a future heirloom. Must try!
Indeterminate 76 days
http://seedrack.com/cgi-bin/perlfect/search/search.pl?q=green%20zebra&showurl=%2F10.html
The now legendary "Mortgage Lifter" tomato was brought into being in the early 1940s by an auto mechanic named MC "Radiator Charlie" Byles. Charlie developed the tomato by cross-breeding four of the largest-fruited tomatoes he could find.The offspring turned out to be so good that Charlie was able to sell the young tomato plants for $1 each (in the 1940s) and to sell enough of the plants to pay off the mortgage on his West Virginia home. These are big, meaty tomatoes, which can weigh as much as 4 lbs. Very productive and fairly disease resistant well worth a try.
Indeterminate, 79 days
http://seedrack.com/cgi-bin/perlfect/search/search.pl?q=green%20zebra&showurl=%2F10.html
Purple Russian Tomato
4" plum tomato with exquisite flavor suggestive of a black. Attractive purple-black fruits are meaty and wonderful for slicing, salads and sauces. Heirloom variety from the Ukraine. Very good, reliable producer.
Indeterminate,. 80 days
http://seedrack.com/cgi-bin/perlfect/search/search.pl?q=green%20zebra&showurl=%2F10.html
Snow White Cherry
Tasty sweet, unusual ivory-white cherry tomatoes ripen to pale yellow. Flavorful fruits are terrific for snacking and look great in salads. Hybridized by Joe Bratka.
Indeterminate, 75 days
http://seedrack.com/cgi-bin/perlfect/search/search.pl?q=green%20zebra&showurl=%2F10.html
Sweet Red Grape
The favorite that was available only in the produce centers of grocery stores is now available from SEED. Bright red small fruits are about 1/3 oz. each. They are a sweet, bite-sized, oval shaped grape tomato, with great flavor and outstanding shelf life. An early variety, only 58 - 60 days to maturity. Single plant can yield 500+ tomatoes. Indeterminate. Yields clusters of 20 fruits or more. Strong tolerance to heat, humidity and cracking.
Indeterminate, 60 days
http://seedrack.com/cgi-bin/perlfect/search/search.pl?q=green%20zebra&showurl=%2F10.html
Transparent New!
A very pale, creamy lemon-colored tomato which almost borders on translucent, giving this 3 oz wonder an exotic appearance indeed! Very mild and sweet, having a soft skin and smooth texture that makes it a delight for fresh eating. The vines set huge yields of this rare and delicious little tomato.
Pasted from <http://rareseeds.com/search.php>
Golden Midget
70 days. A beautiful miniature watermelon that weighs around 3 lbs. It's easy to tell when they are ripe as the rind turns a lovely golden yellow when ready for harvest, a very beautiful contrast with the salmon-pink colored flesh. The taste is sweet and refreshing. Very early, matures in just 70 days. Developed by the late Dr. Elwyn Meader, UNH in 1959. Unique.
Orangeglo
85 days. Very sweet, beautiful deep orange flesh, excellent almost tropical flavor! The best tasting of ALL varieties we tried - the favorite of many who tried it at our place. High yields. Very resistant to wilt and insects; strong healthy vines. These will sell at roadside stands & markets!
White Wonder
Beautiful, snow white flesh is so pale it is almost transparent! The small 3-8 lb icebox-sized fruit are round. The flavor is unique, fruity and so delicious. This refreshing variety is perfect for gourmet growers wanting to target high-class markets. They will add contrast to any display and are sure to bring attention at farmers markets. White-fleshed watermelons were common in the 1800's and Henry Fields was still selling seeds for a white-fleshed variety in the 1970's. But due to corporate agriculture, these genetic treasures are about to be lost This will be a shame as white-fleshed varieties date back hundreds of years and were developed in Africa from wild strains. This early variety is not for shipping as they crack easy, but you will enjoy their unique crispness fresh from the garden.
http://rareseeds.com/search.php
Honeydew - Orange Flesh
98 days. Light green smooth skin, orange flesh. An orange-fleshed version of the regular Honeydew, tasty.
Banana Melon
90 days. Banana-shaped fruit, smooth yellow skin and sweet, spicy salmon flesh. 16”-24" long, 5-8 lbs. It was listed in 1885 by J. H. Gregory’s Catalogue, which said “When ripe it reminds one of a large, overgrown banana... It smells like one, having a remarkably powerful and delicious fragrance.” This is one of my all- time favorites, being very sweet and great for specialty markets.
Netted Gem
One of the most popular melons in the 1890’s, it was introduced by W. Atlee Burpee in 1886 and was famous for its high quality and very spicy sweet flavor. Flesh is bright green, skin is netted. It is round and weighs 2-3 lbs. Rare
Boule d'Or (Golden Perfection)
Very sweet, pale green flesh is just marvelous. Yellow and loosely netted, a very beautiful melon. This was one of our top melons in our 2003 trials, truly incredible! It was listed in Vilmorin's book The Vegetable Garden in 1885, but is very rare now. An all-time favorite and a dream for market growers.
TiggerThe most amazing melon we have grown. The fruit are vibrant yellow with brilliant fire-red, zigzag stripes, (a few fruit may be solid yellow), simply beautiful! They are also the most fragrant melons we have tried, with a rich, sweet intoxicating aroma that will fill a room. The white flesh gets sweeter in dry climates. Small in size the fruits weigh up to 1 lb. - perfect for a single serving. The vigorous plants yield heavily, even in dry conditions. This heirloom came from an Armenian market located in a mountain valley. It was the most popular melon at our Garden Show last August and makes a unique specialty market variety. Pkt. (25 seeds).
Collective Farm Woman
This heirloom from the Ukraine was collected in 1993 by Seed Savers Exchange. Very popular on Island of Krim in the Black Sea. Melons ripen to a yellowish-gold and the white flesh has a very high sugar content, a favorite among heirloom gardeners and growers alike. Ripens early, even in Russia.
d'Algiers
Another colorful ancient French Cantaloupe (possibly from Africa) it is definitely one of the oldest. Ribbed fruit are dark green (almost black) with silver splashes. As they get ripe they turn yellow with near red splashes. The flesh is highly perfumed and very smooth and creamy. Compact vines, quality French seed, from Bruno Defay. Pre-1800 Heirloom.
Charentais
80 days. A famous, superb heirloom. A French, 2-3 lb. melon with light, grey-green skin. The bright , orange flesh is super sweet and very fragrant. This was my favorite melon in 2003. I just love the firm, sweet flesh. These are top sellers at high dollar markets.
German Porcelain Garlic (Allium sativum)
This garlic grows a very large bulb containing 4-5 very large cloves. The wrappers are splashed with purple. The clove is usually striped and very easy to peel. This is a hardneck keeper. It generally stores from midsummer harvest until the new year and does well in any climate. Number one in taste!
http://myworld.ebay.com/bulbmart
Romanian Red Garlic (Allium sativum) Outstanding Porcelain strain similar to German Red but slightly later maturing. Tall, dark green plants. Large bulbs, 4-6 cloves per bulb. Cloves streaked & lined on buff brown background. Stores well. Hot and pungent, stays with you
http://myworld.ebay.com/bulbmart
http://myworld.ebay.com/bulbmart
The very large bulb contains 9-10, nicely colored, easy-to-peel cloves. This garlic is especially good for baking. It holds its shape, keeps its flavor, and develops a delightful aroma. This type originated from the Republic of Georgia.
http://myworld.ebay.com/bulbmart
Musik Garlic (Allium sativum)
The very large bulb contains 4-5 buff-colored cloves, streaked and lined with red highlights. The flavor is HOT and pungent with long lasting bite. Source uncertain, but probably southern Germany or northern Italy. Could be from a northern Italian family named Musica. It is considered one of the two heartiest, largest, and tastiest varieties. Ideal for roasting. In appearance, extremely beautiful! Flavor: strong, but not overwhelming. Shelf-life: 5-8 months.
http://myworld.ebay.com/bulbmart
RSS feed
