I want that Aloe dichotoma out in front of the CCC. (At least I think that's an Aloe dichotoma?) Great photos! Thanks for sharing. Mike

avidchamp, It's possible this gentleman's "Brown Turkey" is behaving so much better than yours (better microclimate, older acclimated tree, etc.), but it is also possible that his "Brown Turkey" is not Brown Turkey. This is an excerpt from an article by A.J. Bullard in the Southern Fruit Fellowship newsletter (Issue #5 1989): "It so happens that the two fig varieties most commonly grown east of the Mississippi are the two most confused...It seems Brown Turkey got the inside track with figs early on and became the Frigadere of refrigerators so to speak. Nurseries mislabeled Celeste as Brown Turkey - some by honest ignorance and some to sell Brown Turkey figs which customers called for. Some major nurseries didn't know the difference." "Both varieties are adapted to the Southeast so why does it make any difference?" "First as my fig Guru Paul Starnes says, don't ask a fig owner what variety he has because he doesn't know but calls it Brown Turkey or Celeste (Sugar) - usually having the varieties reversed." ...."Celeste is the most common fig grown in the Southeast and is somewhat more cold hardy than Brown Turkey....Celeste trees stood that had been hurt very little in over 40 years enduring at least one zero and one 1 degree F ...without much kill-back if any....The owner said the Celeste had never been killed back in its 40+ years but the Brown Turkey, 'got killed back to the ground every few years'. Same exposure, soil type, climate, etc...." "Brown Turkey will bear fruit the first season after being 'leveled' on sucker growth while Celeste won't. Brown Turkey also will produce a Breba crop if the terminals aren't killed back much in addition to a main crop. Celeste almost never (Dave Ulmer) has brebas to mature....The Turkey brebas are larger than the main crop figs and much larger than Celeste. Turkey brebas are often 'lop sided' but to my taste about like the main crop. Celeste figs are more symmetrical, smaller and sweeter than Turkey." "One ID I find useful with developing furit is that the scales around the eye of half grown and over Turkey figs are pink or red while those of comparably sized Celeste figs are green. The eye of mature Turkey figs is somewhat open while Celeste is closed and is therefore a better keeper - resisting souring better. Celeste seems to have a longer stem than Turkey but the skin color isn't a whole lot different." As to leaf shape both are classified as 'grape' leaf .....but a common basic difference exists between the most typical leaf type of Celeste compared with Brown Turkey. Sometimes to see this difference more clearly one must examine sucker growth or new growth resulting from heading back old limbs. Celeste leaves are slightly broader and tend to have more serrations. Turkey leaves are slightly more elongated and tend to have few serrations per lobe."....... "I find Celeste the M.V.P. of figs and an excellent stock to graft less cold hardy varieties onto to make them hardier."

Just a few more turkey pics now that GW has fixed the scaling issues. Last March there were two mature toms in the yard who usually displayed together side by side. When they changed direction they would move like a line of skaters, the one on the outside moving faster than the one on the inside so they stayed in a straight line. One of the toms was definitely dominant; the other would always defer to him and step back if necessary. Several other toms, maybe juveniles, acted very very subordinate. One didn't have the full facial snood. And one more turkey baby pic. The mother hen and three chicks resting on a chair in July, 2010. Claire

Thanks for all the input. I plan to start decorating this week, and of course will take photos. Slinkey, I've been wanting to go to TJ Maxx for a long time. I just have such a problem with being able to drive AND walk a store then drive home. My right leg is my biggest Fibro problem. Plus the past month, I haven't been able to leave my Dad at all. Tho now I think I can for an hour or two. So maybe I'll try going there soon if I have a half-way decent day with the pain issues. My mind is willing but I think my body is self-destructing. LOL I thought it was the Myott that came in the colored like mine as well blue, brown, and PINK for all you Pinkies out there. (where's Judith? Our biggest Pinkie has been missing for so long. So has Jim. I sure miss them a lot) hugs, Karen