Ah, I missed the point. A clarification: 'stay' on top of the soil, in that (using my example) those nutrients are not 'leaving on the truck' like they would with a cash crop. No, they'll stay right there, on the lawn. While staying right there, they're susceptible to washing away, or leaching, or just staying there. But the point is, what you don't need at that point is to be adding more. While it's not true that every speck of excess (more than the lawn crop will use) phosphorus will wash away (or leach), it is true that the creation of the excess is what allows, even causes, the problem. So we don't need to be adding more phosphorus. There's enough there, right now, on that lawn.

Every time I talk to someone who has had cataract surgery and they tell me about their vastly improved vision, I get envious, especially if it's close-up vision that was improved. I am SO TIRED of not being able to see things clearly--up close--sometimes even with my glasses. Guess I won't wish for cataracts, but if I should get them, I'll gladly have the surgery. Anneliese, enjoy your enforced rest!

Yes, thanks for remembering. Eileen, I enjoyed hearing your remembrances. I lost my father four years ago and then my mother this April. DH Joe lost his dad around the time as mine and then six weeks after my mother's passing, his mom unexpectedly died in June. So this is our first year as "orphans". It is strange to now be the ones who are the oldest living generation and for the first time, I feel an odd connection with relatives past that I never even knew. I've inherited photos back to the mid 1800's and I can feel that I am part of a string of generations that is stretching out into the past. I was blessed with loving caring parents who sacrificed and showed their love daily. When my father passed away, I told everyone that I had lost the one person in the world who thought that I was perfect. Sometimes people questioned this and asked about DH Joe or my mother and I would say that they KNEW I wasn't perfect!!! But I felt that I was perfect in my father's eyes. Strangely, my mother filled his shoes after his passing and I realized that she had the same faith in me even though it was sometimes hidden under motherly "concern"! Whenever I make the turkey gravy, I feel my father with me and there is usually a sad moment or two at the stove. This was always his job at holiday time and he would carve a little turkey from a leg to add to to the gravy, walk around offering crispy skin on the carving fork to whoever would come in the kitchen, and stir and taste, I'd come in and he'd offer me a spoonful to check for salt....... the gravy always was perfect.... made with love! This year with my mother gone too will be rough. I keep thinking that I need to find a gift for her and then I remember.... Grace

HA! Sorry guys when I posted that I was just home from my day with my Mom-running on no sleep LOLOL But -gave you a good visual huh Flamey?LOL \ What I meant to say is: I think a good torture device would be to make someone strip down naked be in the hot summer sun and have to pick it! Had to pick it so much never naked though....HATE IT! and then yes the next stage of torture is to have to cut the slimy mess up and roll it in cornmeal and then cook it -all the while still hot and itchy!