Nancy Drew, I went to the link you posted - "days til Spring", but all I got was one bird call and a picture - is there something I'm missing? Is this a site that tells how many days, hours, minutes, seconds, etc? And all this time, I thought YOU were figuring it out! ellen

Well, so far Lexa there are little - no signs of HOSP using my boxes. So no Van Ert Trapping. For the first time in at least 2 years - my bluebirds have staked a first claim from one of my box pairs. There are now a few pieces of grass formed into a circle in one of my boxes. The male and female bluebird were hanging around behind the box, so I'm thinking it has to be them. Plus I haven't seen any HOSP on/near my boxes yet. Unfortunately, today I trapped yet another Chickadee. 4th one. My brother put some bait in there I didn't want him too, so this is probably what got the chickadee. The little guy was going back and forth. Approaching I saw it but couldn't tell what it was. Was thinking "come on, HOSP please" nope, another Chickadee. Although frantic, he had no damage and appeared healthy. It took him a minute to find the exit. Little guy bursted out and the next minutes he was up in the tree calling away. I'm not giving up yet! I've brought bread crumbs to the equation. I should have one eventually. Indeed with the "rogue" sparrow Lexa! I am gonna convince my neighbor to get a universal trap for his Martin Trio house, as removing the HOSP last season caused European Starlings to move in and start nesting. The Spar-o-door traps are too small for Starlings. I'm just glad my overall efforts to get rid of the HOSP have been successful. I've really changed things around here.

I'm so sorry for your loss. As a father of three, I would know of nothing that would be worse than losing a child. On a related topic, I write for some local web blogs and a while back and I ran into a band named Cloud Cult, out of Minneapolis, MN. I was so enticed by their sound and music, I decided to write about them. I mentiuon it here only because I know many folks who have gone through the gut wrenching loss of a child could relate to this writer. Below is some of my review: The group is lead by Craig Minowa, and was more or less of a garage band that played the local Minneapolis scene. Apparently Minowa held a variety of jobs including environmental activist, organic farmer, etc. He and his wife had a two year old son who passed away from unexplained circumstances. The death of the child apparently was devastating to Minowa. In time, he drifted apart from his wife and everyone in his life, became a hermit on his small MN farm, spent close to two years doing nothing but writing songs; songs that explored life, death, and general human mortality. The end result of this writing endevor produced three albums in the following years, They Live on the Sun," Aurora Borialis," Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus," and a soon to be released CD, available on their Website, "The Meaning of 8." Their music is simply brilliant. The physical body flesh is a recurring theme in Minowa's music. Does man's spirit persist after its shell breaks down? "I want to start fresh, I bought a new shirt, got new socks but my skin is still me, with memories," Minowa sings on "Start New", but "Living on the Outside of Your Skin" he attempts to break those bonds with a toy piano and a growling guitar solo. "What Comes at the End" ponders reunion, reincarnation and "fall[ing] in love in our new skin." The elaborately off-the-cuff "You Got Your Bones to Make a Beat" celebrates existence and gives hope for the future.... I know this probably isn't the place for me to be leaving music reviews, but your post reminded me of this band, and I know I find a sense of hope and optimism when I listen and perhaps you may as well. You can hear tracks from this group at their website, below Here is a link that might be useful: Cloud Cult

Little Lil, played a bit yesterday and ate 5 very tiny meals, but drank well. Today she was up a few minutes and back under the blankets lol..she's always been a late riser. She had a small normal bowel movement early this morning so I'd say she's comming along good. Alex..Lil eats boiled boneless skinless chicken breasts everyday..anything else she has a flair up. She gets a teaspoon of pumpkin 2 times a week for the fiber that's the amount that works and doesn't cause gastro issues. No she for sure won't live a full life but the majority of the time for the past two years she's been controlled. Prior to that it was a weekly vet visit for IV fluids and injections of Cerenia for vomiting...her health is why Ive been on the hunt for another chihuahua for the kids, they are so bonded with Lil that when she goes I doubt they will bond with another dog. Good thing she a little dog or my chicken nill would be expensive lol. Matt is seeing the doctor again today..they want another CT Scan his jaw didn't film to their absolute that its not broke and in fact is so swollen he is unable to put a spoon of soup in his mouth. Personally after the things I've seen in the business..its either brok or dislocated..and since the radiologist called on a sunday wanting another scan..he must see something on the first scan. he went to work this morning but is leaving at 3 for the scan..and he won't stay here for me to nurse him..he says if he stayed here I'd be fussing so much he'd have a nervous breakdown..me fuss..LOL. So I've just been texting him every hour and if he doesn't respond...I call...Hahaha. Thank you everyone for your good words..I think I've caught up on sleep but still feel like I'm dragging..maybe a fudge bar will help. Lol.