WOW great totem I just think amber glass is so pretty. earthy and elegant. The Mushrooms are way cool too! Rainbows are something I have always loved and still after all these years try to chase them to the end. I have suceeded in finding the end of a rainbow on 3 ocassions. NO pot of gold but blessings did come shortly after each time. I do have one question susiesunshine quoted: "I know for a fact.... the Bible says that the RAINBOW is GOD's P R O M I S E to us.... ' I've studied the bible in many versions and have never seen that particular verse or anything like it. So if anyone knows which bible states that and which verses could you please let me know. It is really irksome to have someone tell me the bible says "this or that" but never able to give book and verse nor am I able to find it in any bible. Thanks blessings abound coloredthumb

Josie_2, "I have bought 2 Havahart traps (1 for regular squirrels and 1 for red squirrels) and I still can't trap the little devils. They help themselves to the bait and the traps spring shut without them inside." Unless there is something mechanically wrong with your traps, it is virtually impossible for a squirrel to eat the bait and not get trapped inside. In over a hundred catches I have had only two cases in which the animal got the bait and got away. The first time was when I had placed the trap on a slope and the squirrel bounced around enough inside the trap to cause it to roll down the hill. A design flaw of Havahart traps is that the door latch mechanism releases if the trap is rolled upside down. From that experience I learned to place my traps on reasonably level spots. More expensive live-catch traps don't have that flaw, but they do cost more and they aren't locally available. I got my traps locally. A couple of months ago I had a second escape, this time from a level placement. By doing a little "Crime Scene Investigation" I was able to piece together a probable explanation. The key piece of evidence was a hole in the ground near the empty trap. Apparently I caught a partly grown gray squirrel which was nearly too big for the trap (a smallish double-door chipmunk/ground squirrel/red squirrel trap) and the animal dug with it claws through the openings in the bottom of trap into the ground and got hold of a small tree root and used that as leverage to tip the trap over. The depth of the gouge in the ground and the marks on the little tree root indicated considerable strength. The next day what appeared to be the same squirrel was chattering noisily at me from a nearby tall tree. It's like he was bragging about his escape from my little trap. He kept up the tirade. So I shot him out of the tree with my 22-caliber airgun. He was a little bit too confident. Josie, is it possible that mice or voles are stealing the bait from your Havahart traps? They are small enough to squeeze between the wires of most Havahart traps, and they like all kinds of bait. And, if an animal just brushes up against the external trigger mechanism, it can be enough to set off the trap even though the animal is not in the trap at the time. Falling twigs, acorns, and sometimes even leaves are enough to set off my small trap, which seems to have a hair trigger. You might want to continue to experiment with your Havahart traps. Normally they are not easily defeated by squirrels. Read the instruction sheets to make sure you are setting the traps properly. Just out of curiosity, what are you using for bait? MM

Ellen, You are so right, that wild lupin are the only food source for the Karner Blue. From what I have read, they were extinct in NH, and NY has helped to reintroduce it. It is NH's State Butterfly! I read that wild lupine only grows near pine forests..because of the poor soil! Well, I haven't that many pine trees but sure do have areas of poor soil! :) May I ask where you got the seed, sure would like to give it a try. The Karner only has a wing span of one inch, but is sapphire blue in color! Singleton, We have put off going to The Butterfly Place untill May, as one GD had other plans for Feb vacation. If you and your daughter go, can you tell us how it went? Seacoast, huh, I lived in Ports for 21 yrs, before moving up country a little. I play tourist once or twice a year! mmqc...ahhh..I'm blushing! Number 24 is due in May, and then I think that is it!! Haven't been to Garden Club all year...but I will check with someone and then email you. I am sure they will love any contributions!! Winter sowing would be a great topic for one of their meetings. Just about all plants that attract butterflys, also attract hummers! Hummers don't just like the red ones.

I put my lasagna bed in about 6-7 years ago and I love it! Dee is right - why dig! The soil is still beautiful and so easy to work with - nice and loose. I recently went to a local Dunkin Donuts and asked if they would save the coffee grounds for me. I explained that it wasn't extra work for them because they could throw in the filters and all. They agreed so I brought a rubbermaid container - they filled it and I picked it up the same day. How cool is that! I wanted to bring your attention to 2 things regarding the particle board (OSB?). I have no idea what the process is for making it but you might like to check to see if it is treated with anything in the manufacturing process. What makes it all bond together? Could just be a heat process for all I know but I really do not know. Also, I know that MDF (medium density fiberboard)swells and breaks down when wet - will this happen with particle board? I hope I am not raining on your parade because I am really just trying to be helpful. Maureen P.S. Don't worry about the wayward looks, you get used to them. LOL