Warning - this is a photo of an okra plant ...

So in return for shoveling snow off the neighbor's sidewalk for free seed starting supplies such as egg cartons, empty plastic soda bottles and boxes I've created two things.

One of those things is a deluxe kindergarden seed starting box (which my wife finally approved). I added a desk lamp over the box to give some extra heat and light, and now little tomato sprouts are coming up one inch in height. I took the cardboard and plastic cover off since that was temporary to hold in heat and humidity so the seeds could sprout. Then I added an oscillating fan, set on low, to strengthen the plants.

I said two things. The other thing created is a nosey neighbor.

There was a knock on the door. It was my neighbor. "May I come in?" he asked, timidly, much like a vampire trying to get by the cross on my door. "Sure," I said.

He walked across the living room and seated himself close to my kindergarden seed starting box. My little tomatoe plants peered back at him with their cute little arms spread out side to side.

"Those the egg cartons I gave you?" he asked, now squinting his eyes at me.

"They sure are," I replied. "What do you think?"

"What do I think!" he exclaimed. "I didn't know you were going to plant ... "

He couldn't finish his sentence so I finished it for him, "... marijuana?"

"See," I told him, "after I pick off the tomatoes I'm going to dry out the leaves and smoke them. So if you see me dancing around in your yard beating on a tamborine you'll know its not tomatoes."

He didn't much like my attitude (which doesn't bother me much because no one else does either), and as soon as he could my neighbor left. On his way out the door I reminded him to save all his soda bottles for me as I would need them when my plants got a bit taller.

So in our ganga prohibitive society gathering seed starting materials has a way of attracting suspicious eyes. What we lack in education may not hurt us, but what other people lack in education may be downright dangerous.

A few years ago a friend of mine with an enviable green thumb had a bumper crop of okra growing in her garden. She also had teenagers who were the terror of the neighborhood. If she lived next door to me I would have made a donation for her to relocate on her kids account. Anyhow, one of her neighbors saw the light and called the police reporting on her garden contents.

"We have a report you're growing marijuana in your vegetable garden," the officer said. "May I take a look?" he asked with all aspects of being a gentleman present.

My friend knew the officer would want to see the okra plants, and on the walk to the backyard she said, "Actually, its not regular marijuana."

They stepped into the garden, she picked an okra, and handed it to the officer. "It's a marijuana cigar bush," she said, laughing.

I feel it is unfortunate gardening and gathering seed starting supplies puts anyone on the list of probable causes. But it is a big world and starting seeds indoors adds every advantage of making this world a better place, especially in my home garden.