The discussion of minerals is very interesting. I read Teaming with Microbes last year, and I thought it was fascinating, as well. I may have missed it, but I don't remember a discussion of minerals. I do live in a cool, moist environment in the glaciated zone - New Hampshire. There are rocks *everywhere* on my property. Every time I put in new plants, even in the veggie garden where the soil was once upon a time double-dug, somehow a rock turns up. (We joke that we have magic rock seeds.) In the front yard and near the house in back, there is a varying amount of top soil with yucky sand underneath from the builder carting away the soil ~40 years ago. In the woods in back, there is about 6" of lovely forest humus with clay underneath. I've been gardening seriously/more intensively for 5 or so years. (I've always done OG and we've owned the house for 11 years.) Assuming my soils were decent in minerals originally (I don't know), what's the best way to keep them that way for the long haul? I do use compost, manure, and a complete OG fertilizer (North Country or Espoma). I just sent my soil for a "real" test at the Extension for the first time - they usually measure some of the trace elements in the OG panel, right? As far as the idea of bringing in praying mantids, I'd advise against it. I let my nature-loving son get a PM egg case 2 years ago. Last year was the first year we ever had insect problems. We noticed a definite change in the overall insect population, including a lot fewer beneficials. We're hoping things will gradually balance themselves. It's like bringing in a T-rex or something - those suckers are a little scary....

Hmmmm, I just might have to check Home Depot for some buddleia bargains. I still have 2 monarchs on my white buddleia and 2 on my potted asclepias curassavica's. They've been for a while now (over a week); always 2 on the buddleia & 2 on the milkweed. I keep my buddleias (for the most part) deadheaded, so with all this lovely weather we've been having, I have some nice blooms for the late migrators. Next year I'll have to do more A. curassavica; it always blooms until frost for me, and I'm sure the late monarchs appreciate it ;)

My husband was in michigan this week and that was one of the flights he thought about taking on thursday night. He flies a lot and it just hit close to home. Clarence is not far from where we live. We are a little more out in the country. Big sigh of relief. When the news came on at 10pm they announced at the end of the broadcast that a plane had crashed by the airport, but they didn't know anything yet. By the time the 11pm news came on, it was not until after the weather that their news crews made it to the neighborhood and they announced it was a commercial plane. WIVB broadcast without commercial break until I went to bed at 2am. When my husband called to say he was alright i was so grateful. (wipes tears and sniffles) Fran, Could i have the blanket flower, please? BTW, DS#3 watered my keyboard once, its still a little iffy. We set it in from of the blower on the woodstove for a week. Just FYI those of you sowing in the keys LOL! Thank all of you for the prayers. Families here are esp. close knit and things like this are difficult for anyone. Praying for your FIL, too Nichol. Fleethart

By the way, terryr. I am so RUDE!!! I ran across the tail-end of the post regarding my bee experience and I mean to THANK YOU for the glowing compliments regarding my posts. Writing was always something that came easily for me, but it never really occurred to me that it could be anything more until I joined the forums and found a sounding board for my experiences. It came as quite a shock, the first time someone on here expressed a liking for my writing style because I always felt like my redneck roots were showing throughout every paragraph.. But I realized that there is such a thing as a selective redneck, meaning I have retained the nobler qualities of one born and raised in a rural, small-town environment and distanced myself from the less admirable tendencies such as stringing a cat up beind your pickup truck and driving around backroads shooting at any set of glowing eyes until your sixpack runs out. I guess it is a combination of this selective red-neckedness and a honest love for nature AND for learning that comes out in my writing. ? I don't know. I never really thought about it but in any case I am glad you enjoy it, Terryr.