Kralen said: "Inside of any creatures digestive system is a plethora of microbes that aid in the digestion of the food we consume." This is a very important statement IMO, for some of these microbes are found within the manure of said animal when the waste is removed from "any creatures" body. These microbes are of different kinds due to the makeup of the food said animal eats. The battle occurs when some animals mix these microbes in their bodies. It is for this reason (among others) I always strongly suggest all manures be composted before being added to a vegetable garden. Kralen also said: "It is important to remember that the beneficial microbes are acquired through the environment and diversity in these beneficials equals a more resilient GI microbial population, conferring greater resistance to pathogens." Anyone who has "cracked" open a compost pile and had that sweet aroma hit them in their face knows that the compost is ready for prime time. The microbe battle has been won by those good microbes and created in the process a organic pile that bleeds with the smell of a "forest floor"; anything that is planted in that material (compost) is going to produce a crop (vegetable) that is going to bestow health to the consumer if all things are done right from that point. The longer this compost is allowed to work (mature, cure, ripen) the better will be the results IMO. Kralen then said: "It could also have something to do with a mineral deficiency caused by the lack of dirt in the food they eat (triple washed hydroponic veggies) and the air they breath (hepa filter purified of course)." With the proper balance of microbes (determined by nature), the proper spectrum of minerals in the soil for those microbes to feed to the plants, and the properly composted organic matter bestowed with an abundant supply of humic and fulvic acids for both soil and plant health the mammal that consumes the harvest of the plants in said soil will be ingesting food that can eliminate the need for a doctor or his/her array of antibiotics, scissors, scalpels, staples, or stitches. There is a reason those who use "humanure" in their gardens allow that manure to compost for such an extended amount of time. Needless to say I totally agree with what Kralen has posted because the words chosen are profound and insightful. Composting all manures to ensure safety and maximum potential to produce healthy mineral rich food makes good sense (as it should be IMO). Better to do it right the first time; the other alternative is to hope the medicine or the doctor does it right the first time. Not a very good place to be in IMOÂ Blutranes

Great ideas on the kitty litter jugs. Maybe I'll have to switch to an opaque litter for awhile. Mine are solid white. I threw the tops away and kept the bottom parts, which were about 5-6" high. I liked them because they were free for me, and everyone was saying that deeper was better when it comes to the soil. Plus, I'm a lazy gardener and figured they wouldn't dry out so fast if the soil was a bit deeper. That said, I only filled them about 3 1/2 to 4" with soil, because soil gets expensive. I did this: 1. I chopped the top 1/2 off by sending them through a tablesaw (with goggles on, 'cause some of the plastic does fly). 2. Used exact-knife to poke holes in bottom. 3. Filled with soil, moistened soil, sowed seeds and labeled. 4. I put all of them together outside in a wooden box frame that I happened to have which is about 10" deep. (Anything could be used..like a children's wading pool, for example. ) Then I covered that large box, edge to edge, with 2mm opaque plastic sheeting, poked vents in the plastic and attached the plastic with clamps. Occasionally, I'd have a problem with wind, but it was in a protected spot on east side of my house, so only had to re-clamp maybe 2 times. 5. When watering was needed, I just watered right over the sheet plastic and the water dripped through the little slits, just fine. Eventually, I added more vents as the weather warmed, and finally, I took the plastic off entirely. This worked great! I had like 30 of them. Each plastic kitty "flat" had 8 varieties of tomatoes. I sowed double seed in each of the 8 holes, so many times I ended up with a lot more than 8 plants in a "flat". I sold these "flats" for $5 each at the end of my driveway, with a sign. Honor system. They flew out...people got 8 to 14 tomato plants, for the most part. A great deal for them and I kept a bunch for myself and friends, and brought in about $100. I gave the buyers a little sheet that said what kind they were...I had put numbers with a sharpie all the way around the outside so I'd know which variety was which. Since the flats were all snuggled tightly side by side for just a few months, the sharpie numbers managed to hold up through the sale time. This year, I'm going to make 2-plant "flats" with styrofoam mushroom containers that we get from the grocery. I have the 8 oz mushroom size, which I'll put 2 maters in, and the 16 oz, which I'll try and do 4 maters in. After all, a lot of people don't need 8-14 tomato plants! I have some wooden benches...I'm going to place them 5' apart, fill in between with all of my flats, and then cover with the plastic sheeting, bench to bench. Put bricks on plastic sheeting, and voila! Mini winter-sowing greenhouse, easy style. At first, I'll probably put the benches close enough together so that the plastic sits directly on the rims of the "flats". But later, if I need more circulation, I'll just move the benches out a bit..and because of their height, it will lift the plastic up and allow for more air circulation. Hope that makes sense.

We have 5 cats and 6 boxes. And because a couple of our kitties don't get along, we can't put all the boxes in the utility room. We have 2 in the basement, and four in a room that I use as my office/tv room. Three of the four are tucked into corners, and the fourth is this Hol storage cube from IKEA. I cut a hole into the end for easy access and put a blanket on top - and am looking for fabric so I can put a cute cushion on it instead. I put the whole thing in front of a window and the cats do use it to nap on, however, I have to say, it is the least used box in the house. As mentioned by a couple of other people, a lot of cats just don't like to use a covered box. I also like the looks of the IKEA Hackers Pretty Potty - will have to figure out how I can fit that one in one of these days! Here is a link that might be useful: Hol Storage Cube

I want to thank both benz6 and Embothrium for taking the time to answer and getting pretty close to the description of what I have seen of the tree in question. Yesterday, although in evening light, I was able to get another look at it. I couldn't get close to any of the roundish orange clusters still on the tree, but after checking some of the pictures online, I feel pretty sure it must be a carrotwood. The Pacific madrone, in most of the pictures, appeared to have a red bark, and in some pictures it was shown peeling, whereas the tree I was searching for definitely has a smooth grey trunk. (Though, interestingly, one source I found through Embothrium's link mentions that the carrotwood has an orangey or red bark under that smooth grey one.) In one of the pictures, I could also see black seeds peeking out at the end of their orange sheaths, right on the tree, just like the ones the little girl showed me. And those seed capsules, or whatever they are called, are slightly elongated ovals--again, like the ones she brought to me. I'll have a chance for a look at the tree in better light on Sunday, but am satisfied for now that the mystery has been solved. Interestingly, a YouTube video in the linked materials says that this tree is invasive and not welcome in some places, but in Florida and California, it is, nevertheless, cultivated for ornamental purposes. That would accord with my finding more than one specimen planted along a busy street in San Diego. Must check if there are many, next time I am in that area.