. what more do you need? Well, according to some members of the city council and some people who have complained in the press, we also need to prevent our "itinerant population" (students) from raising them and to address the supposed problem that they're going to be abandoned en masse without care, and that they're going to bug neighbors and lower property values. Just because their complaints are unrealistic doesn't mean we don't have to deal with them :( I'm just concerned about what we've seen from the council so far. Of the 7-member council: ------------- Correia I don't know. My sister lived in a small town in Illinois and her neighbors across the street had chickens and they were kind of friendly, but I don't really see it in Iowa City. I'm sorry O'Donnell No. Champion I don't know. (several talking) ... Lombardo Where do you stop? What regulations, I mean, in terms of just legislating how to keep them(several talking) Wright The fact that it's relatively common, I think there are plenty of models that could be used out there. Um ------------- Then, from one of our local papers... Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey who said her grandmother owned chickens said she was not interested in supporting such a move because supporting local business leads to a more dynamic economy, but she is interested in hearing what others have to say regarding the matter. We have a weak mayor system, so Mayor Bailey is basically just another vote on the city council. The other two members of the council haven't really said anything that we've been able to track down that indicates his views. We have Wright seeemingly in favor; Correia, Bailey, and O'Donnell seemingly opposed; and Wilburn, Champion, and Hayek unknown (Lombardo was the city manager). That's not a good starting point, and we don't get to "negotiate" with them (at best, we'll get to speak our peace in front of them the session before the vote). Then they'll either vote it up or down. So, in our position, what would you do? It might not hurt to have educational workshops at your County Ag Extension office Hey, that's a good idea. We should give the ag extension a call and see if they'd be interested in that. I think that'd go over better than just requiring that applicants read a pamphlet.

Sandy, I feel like we humans are what caused the loss of so much habitat for the butterflies in the first place, and Mother Nature has now endowed us with the earnest desire to help replace it, and to help the butterflies persevere. For every caterpillar that may expire in human hands, you're right, they would probably be eaten by other birds and insects. However, I believe there are plenty of caterpillars to go around. I have lots of caterpillars that I don't raise. Sometimes the insects get to them before I do. LOL! Humans have killed a lot of caterpillars - like the Karner Blue - simply by virtually erasing their habitat. More butterflies are lost thru habitat loss than anything else. And, yes, that is by the hand of homo sapiens. There is just simply no way to make up for all the lost habitat, but I try in my small way, to protect the butterfly eggs, cats, and butterflies, as much as I can. The best way to do that is by knowledge. Reading, forums, internet searches, providing food plants in the form of nectar and host plants. I try. That's the best I can tell you. I try. I used to believe the same way that you do. Just leave them alone in the garden and let them do their thing. However, I heard Steve Irwin once say, that the only way you can truly appreciate and want to save an animal, is by holding it, touching it, being close to it. That is what makes a person want to "save" a species. So, I just merely am an instrument in helping the egg hatch, the caterpillar grow, the chrsalis hang safely, the butterfly to emerge, and then I release it into it's environment to live out it's life, however long that may be. Now, that I have raised a few, I want to "save" even more. Not spraying chemicals in my garden encourages many other insects, including those that feast on eggs, caterpillars, and butterflies. They have plenty to eat or they wouldn't stick around. LOL! Sorry to be so wordy, but raising butterflies inspires me to no lengths. I'm not criticizing or anything. I'm just conveying what it means to me. Susan

Linda, The white things on the side is wood framing. We don't have a gutter on the garage eaves as our contractor feels it cases ice damming and advised against it. We do have a gutter (at my insistance) over the porch and in the back over the patio. I was thinking of having him put one over the front of the garage to get the water to drain off but the way the house is sited the runoff would go towards the stone walkway. So that's an issue. Why cut down the yews near the porch? They aren't in the way of anything. Is there a reason? I'm not following that. I plan to get rid of most of the grass between the walkway and the house. Problem is, if I plant flowers there is no one to maintain them. I'm there only on weekends right now and not every weekend. There are tons of weeds. I thought a few big hydrangeas would fill in nicely and the empty spaces could have simple things like the purple salvia. Forgot to mention that I'm horribly allergic to bug bites and get sick from them so the woods are not my favorite place to be. I don't go outside all that much, at least not there or in New England. I got bitten in Nantucket and had to go to the hospital. Not a natural born gardner, moi. Also, if there are 200 people I will be bitten and no one else. And on the one spot I missed with the spray. I know it sounds like an exaggeration but, pathetically, it's not. Thanks for the info on the mulch. I can get tree guy to leave me a ton and gather up leaves in the fall off the lawn. The red maple has been attacked by something. The leaves look lacy and eaten and it's thinning out in certain areas. Other trees across the driveway also have lacy leaves. They've been eaten by something. Should the tree guy look at those and tell me what it is? Then, say it is gypsy moths -- would I spray against those in Spring and Fall? Or just Spring when they build their nest. There were nests of some kind 2 years running in the maple. Contractor said gypsy moths and that it had to be torched to be destroyed but he never did that. I had that branch cut away. I felt the drip system would help the plants grow and fill in. Otherwise, they're only watered when it rains or I'm there and they get full sun (west expo) in the front. Blueheron -- I like big, lush planting. I don't like small plantings of lots of different things. Hydrangeas would be planted forwards so they wouldn't cover the windows but say they grew 3 feet tall what's the problem? I wouldn't put a 6-foot high rhodo in front of the window, however. Why do you consider it a mistake? The houses I see that I like are very simply done with one or two colors at the most. If we had a cottage style house I could see small plantings. But with a colonial shingled house, I guess I see hydrangeas and rhodos and hedges. Especially since I can't maintain things and it's very costly to have someone else do it. Thanks for your patience in explaining such basic stuff to me. I know a good deal about a lot of things, just not gardens. If anyone is redoing a kitchen or bath, buying antique furniture or art or tile or fixtures I'm happy to help in exchange.

Gotcha. The meeting went well. The handouts could have been much better for people to take with them, otherwise I think there were many good questions asked and answered very well...mostly by Steve Barnes at Pentair who is on many of the councils and committees for the writing of the recent codes. There seems to be a fine line as to what a "remodel" is and when the main drains need to be changed. For instance, a drain with an acid wash shouldnt really constitute a remodel, but what if you replace the tile but leave the interior. No one could really come out and say when exactly the main drains or any point of suction needs to be brought up to code. Kinda of a grey area... we dont do a lot of remodels, and when we do they are so extensive we always split the drains and bring it all up to code, but its still good to know. I'll be at Atlantis Sept27th -Oct 4th with the wife and some friends. when is the trip? It is atlantis right?