I can tell you right now, no one will know what you mean by pine bark fines. Most retail personnel barely know what they have in stock, and you'll get a lot of blank stares at the mention of pine bark fines, or turface... it's not what they're used to selling as medium ingredients. I actually found the pine bark in the pet section of Meijer's, which is kind of like WalMart or Target. It's labeled ReptiBark reptile bedding. It's roughly $5 for 4 dry quarts. An alternative is soil conditioner, which it turns out is pine bark, though it may need to be screened for dust and size... I've heard they sell it at Lowe's, but haven't found it there. The granite chips were located at Rural King, which is kind of like Blain's Farm & Fleet, a large farm oriented store. It's actually labeled Manna Pro Poultry Grit, granite chips, and it's in a blue and yellow bag. Perlite is available almost everywhere garden stuff is sold. There's some really great information on where to locate all the ingredients to make this medium over at the Container Gardening Forum. If you can't find posts about what you're looking for, just ask... those guys are great, and they definitely have the knowledge.

Here's what I found - it's on Marguleas', but didn't say the Mango orchards were closing down:, just some of his offices. Yes, Stan, it was in the MangoWorld magazine:: "Howard Marguleas, Produce Industry Legend and California mango grower has shut down the offices of AG ACCOUNTING LLC, the management arm of his vast agricultural concerns in the Coachella Valley in California. In a communication from Mr.Marguleas' Chief of Staff of 20 years, Kathie Allen shared the following email: Yesterday was my last day to work for Howard Marguleas and Ag Accounting as both offices here in La Quinta and Incline Village have closed. The past 20+ years with Howard as his Chief of Staff and Office Manager have been extraordinary. It has been my privilege and honor to be associated with you on either a professional or personal level. My professional career will continue in a new venue so perhaps (and hopefully) our paths will cross again. All emails for Howard should be sent to hpmarguleas@agaccountingllc.com. All emails for me personally should be sent to kathieoallen@gmail.com. Please delete kallen@agaccountingllc.com from your contacts. In addition, my cell is: (760) 985-0045 . Wishing you good fortune, the very best of health, and happy days always. Warm regards, Kathie The various farming ventures that Mr. Marguleas is involved in fall under different partnerships and joint ventures. Among the various commodities are approximately 200 acres of mango production which are marketed jointly by Corona Heights Citrus of riverside, California. The mango operations are managed by HMS Farm management company which handles the day to day farming. This is a developing story ....." and that's exactly how the article ended. G

I have photo documented over 100 species of birds in our yard, but without question, the woodpeckers, and especially the Red Bellied woodpeckers are my favorites. Judging by minor differences in their markings I have to date been able to positively identify 9 separate Red BellyÂs that frequent my feeders. (5 males & 4 females) although I suspect there are more. On one occasion I counted 7 Red Bellies all present at the same time. From my observations I have deduced that the Red Bellies are really very congenial to the other birds as is evidenced this picture of a Red Belly on the feeder with a couple sparrows; However, without question, there is no love loss between Red Bellies and European Starlings. In the next two photos you can see both a male and a female Red Belly squaring off with starlings at the suet feeder; In this shot you can clearly see the Red Belly from which they get their names: (note-the white specks in the photo are not defects, the shot was taken during a heavy snow storm) Note how the woodpeckers use their tails for balance. According to the information in my bird book they are so dependant upon those tail feathers for balance when perched on a tree that when molting the new feather is completely grown in before the old feather is lost. What I find most amazing about woodpeckers is how they can maintain flight attitude control with such a small tail in proportion to their body size and wingspan as you can see from this Red Belly in flight; The following photo is a Red Belly on a Maple Tree limb. You can clearly see the new leaf buds on the Maple Tree. I liked this photo so much that I have selected it as my Springtime Desk Top wallpaper.

How lucky!!! They don't usually use nest boxes just natural cavities so you really don't want to disturb them. The eggs hatch 12 to 14 days after incubation starts. If you watch closely you can usually tell b/c the parents will be shuttling food to the babies once they hatch. Then it is another 24 to 27 days until they fledge. Not long at all!!! Save them please!! Thanks to the starlings not many of them ever hatch. Cathy