What a funny story CI. You might try picking up a few pullets from a feed store this spring or at a poultry swap or auction. The blue/green eggs are the coolest thing! I haven't got any pink layers but can only imagine the thrill. I do have one that lays a deep dark brownish pink though. I just love the different colors. -Sheila

QUOTE: In addition, snails have great homing instincts, so if you fire them over the fence into your neighbour's yard, they will find their way back. That's cetainly reassuring. My thoughts on the matter: It's a good thing in historical times they did not use "carrier snails" to bring the news from the frontlines to headquarters. "Send reinforcements." ______________________________________________ QUOTE (AlmostHooked) Just a thought as you can purchase a 250 fot coil of it for around $50 and there is 3 wires in each foot, Has anyone tried this or is it hogwash? My thoughts on the matter: I'd think it nice to hire old gray-haired hippies to braid you a copper bracelet to go around the neck of all your pots, and have a couple of arm and leg bracelets made for you and Myrle to ward off arthritis. Copper is such a grand cure-all....so why not prevent slugs........and you'd be giving an old-timer some honest work. That said, I saw that Pieterje's pots had them around the necks, and saw how some really large snails (in pictures from Europe) had GIGANTIC snails stopped by copper PIPE, and so I caved and bought some of that sticky-back copper tape for my ceramic hosta pots. And some others too. Did it work, you ask? Well, who knows..it looks pretty....makes me feel like I'm really gardening now, ya know......and let's face it, we had slugs raining down on us with lots of rainy soggy weather, and they were everywhere. So I was fighting the war on too many fronts last year to know what one thing actually HELPED. The thing I believe helped the most was learning to NOT PUT THE BAIT IN THE POT WITH THE HOSTA. Duhhhh, I mean, what if it kills a slug intent on eating a WEED not a HOSTA....I mean, is there an issue of killing a GOOD slug moral issue to be resolved? You know how they say life forms have sensitivities and sensabilities, and after all a slug IS a "life form"........but I haven't removed the tape, I like it. So what if bait scattered in the moist areas and NOT in the pots is what reduced the slug problem. I'd use both option A. Copper Tape and B. Bait .....regardless.

Didn't get a goood shot of today, Mr. HOSP lives another day. They did not do any further nest building (it's been cold for 2 days),they dont eat here so they were here for just a short while. I decided to put some white bread out for them but they have not been back today. The Blues were gone the last 2 days while it snowed but they are back and shopping again. I still have a few safe days to get it done. UUUUGGGG Thanks Linda, nice to see ya! Hope you and hubby are both well!

The bad news is the helicopter was there for servicing. The engine was not running well. When they started the engine, it coughed and ran rough and while they waited for it to warn up, a couple of men were seen running across the tarmac toward them; One was wearing a gun holster.