Aliska, you are right. "Rape of the land" is completely accurate. What they are doing is beyond clear cutting. The ground has been scraped bare of everything. We don't know yet whether they will do the woods directly across from us - and if they don't do it now, will they come back and do those the neixt time they want $$ in their pocket? We talked to one (non-logging) neighbor yesterday and the view from his house is even worse. It's not one family logging their land - two are having their land logged at once. We can only hope that the one closest to us is only logging part of his land, not the whole thing. There could be the chance that further neighbor wanted $$ for the total clear cut, and closer neighbor saw it as a chance to piggyback on, get some $$$ and then save $$$ on prepping a building site because the logging carnage is basically like a big parking lot. But we don't know. About 4-5 years ago a big local paper company clear cut all of their land in the area. Thousands and thousands of acres, and it changed the local weather patterns - just now starting to recover. But they left rootstocks, brush, stumps and grass tufts behind to regrow and provide some wildlife habitat. My gravel driveway has more living plants and wildlife habitat growing on it than the mess over the road. I can't even imagine what will happen to those hills the next time we get a flash flooding rains. I'm going to try to get a photo of the carnage in the next few days. It makes me sick - but I'll put it on Flickr labeled "clear cut" so people can actually see how bad it can be. At least the wild animals on our land have a protected home. I've got baby bunnies in the garden eating my flowers - but have enough flowers to share with them. Chippie the Chipmunk ate more strawberries this year than we die - but he left us most of the raspberries since they were out of reach. We made sure to plant his favorite variety of tomato this year since he's a big fan of Banana Legs, only takes one at a time, and eats what he takes. Sparrie the sparrow is a daily visitor and when his baby jumped from the nest before completing his flying training they built him a little fort in the echinaceas for safety. He's learned to fly but still likes to come visit his temporary home. Goldfinches drop by daily checking for seed and hoping to harvest ripe seed pods before I do. Form the end of the driveway on upwards the world is still a beautiful, though currently noisy, place. I'll do battle on the environmental mess by treating my own land gently, saving seed, and working to make my little corner rich, diverse, and hospitable to our animal friends. I'm glad your owl family was well taken care of. Oh - you might like this. A story I shared with another garden webber recently: "The voles and I have not yet come to a happy compromise when it comes to perennial poppies. The next plan of attack is to sow a ton of poppies, carry them on longer in nursery pots, and then plant out a ton of them all over the garden in hopes that the voles only eat the ones closest to their favorite tunnel runs. Getting rid of the voles is not an option. First of all it's unlikely to work. And they are cute - around here they call them "short tailed mice" and last year I scared one in the garden bed. It tucked in to a corner of a dry ditch and put it's hands over it's face and seemed to think that it was hiding adequately. How can you not like an animal that does that - even if they do occasionally take out a plant or two? I just need to plant hundreds of everything to allow for snack losses." Once again, I really am sorry you had to lose a favorite tree. We still have 100 ft Oakie the Oak and I hope to never lose him. He deserves to outlive me. But trees to get ill, and like pets - sometimes you need to make the final decision before they do it for you. I hope you've had time to grab that cup of tea and look at the sunlight in your yard with fresh eyes. A bunnie, chipmunk or vole may be counting on you to carry on and help them get a gentle garden home. :) Lynda

these are all so good! Michelle Kwan - I think it would be a graceful silvery-lavender hybrid tea with long stems and a sweet scent Margaritaville - a lime-green tinged white floribunda that has big blowsy blossoms and a citrus tea fragrance (for Jimmy Buffett) Mother Teresa - would be a warm white with golden yellow reverse that would seem to glow from a distance, with a classic rose scent. Nolan Ryan - a bright cardinal red climber that throws long canes, blooms up a storm, is extremely tough and loves sunshine (fragrance not important) Katie Couric - would be a petite hybrid tea with yellow and hot pink striped flowers, covered with abundant blooms all season, and a sweet fruity fragrance Jeri in Texas

Eloise and you thought we only enable brugs roflmao Good luck with your seeds! Theresa 2 of the Oochroma's came with blossoms. Oh my gosh they are so cute and tiny. Why did I think they were bigger? One is purple..blue? The order says Royal blue. One is Wine Red and then F. Red. Got to go to e bay and check for color. It was a rush rush kind of buying thing ahahahaha Like Kristy when she had a drink or is in pain and finds out later she was on e bay roflmao. But I do have to leave a wonderful comment for her. She was so nice until I had figured out how to pay since I had never verified my paypal account and the amount was to much to go through. Caren you are real funny. Hold off on buying EE's If you just want the normal kind I am offering. You KNOW you will get them REALLY from ME hahahahaha Just either put yourself on the EE offer thread I started or fire me up a e mail. So I remember to send you some too. Lucy

Phenixk- Can't believe I came across your post. We are considering using Dorado(now Phildadelpia) Soapstone for a soapstone countertop and were wondering if it was a good choice. There is another company in the area that also sounds good, but as you said, Joe and Andy have been great to talk with so far. I am still trying to decide what to do-soapstone (?) or not, and would love to see a countertop that has been used in someone's home to see if it holds up as well as they say it does. How long have you had yours? Are you pleased with the wear, etc.? Also, I really like the idea of the lighter gray color, but I am not sure if it would stay that way (without oiling it) like they say, and look good. Our other option is to use 12 x 12 retified porcelian tiles. I want a primitive country look since I have a house full of antiques.