Hope you are all having a nice Friday.  It looks like a sunny day today and our over night temperatures remained above freezing.  I hope that continues.  I so want to get out and start digging in the gardens.  Can't do that until everything thaws.  The last two containers are starting to drain.  I started some more seeds yesterday in my homemade paper pots: more stevia along with chamomile, summer savory, wonder berry, and bee balm.  Sometime over the weekend I will make some more pots.

I followed the link I found on Natural News to this article on a change the USDA (of which the Food Safety and Inspection Service is a part) in the designation of sodium benzoate, sodium propionate, and benzoic acid as (now) safe for human consumption.  First, I don't trust any of the government agencies who are supposed to protect citizens health and safety.  They are too much in bed with the industries they are supposed to regulate.  Second, I am amazed that these products are now approved when sodium is one of the several substances we are supposed to limit in our diets.  Are they going to declare it on labels?  This is a big issue in this household since Mom's doctor has strongly advised her to limit her sodium intake.  Third, do you really believe a food conglomerate like Kraft when they say they are not going to use the chemicals to disguise inferior of sub-standard meat and poultry?  I don't.