Here's a little geology for anyone interested--more in-depth than necessary, but kind of neat I think: The group of minerals to which vermiculite and the various micas belong, the phyllosilicates (or clay minerals), is interesting. There are two basic components: the SiOâ tetrahedra (T) and the XOâ or X(OH)â octahedra (O), in which X is a cation, usually Al or Mg. In a mica, two T layers surround an O layer, forming a sandwich, and multiple sandwiches are bonded by interlayer cations. I think it's reasonable to think of micas and chlorites (very similar structure) as "complete" phyllosilicates, composed of repetitions of the entire T-O-T/interlayer cation sequence. They form in metamorphic and cooler igneous environments, and are moderately unstable at surface conditions, so they weather into other clay minerals. Clay minerals can sort of be lined up according to how much of the T-O-T/interlayer cation sequence is still intact; some minerals are T-O-T with no interlayer cations; some are T-O; some are just O. Depending on the exact structure remaining, it is possible for some of these minerals to capture water molecules and expand, or to hold onto varying amounts of nutrients in the form of cations. Contrary to what demeter said above, vermiculite does not break into sheets of mica; mica weathers to vermiculite. Vermiculite can bond to water, whether it has been flaked into smaller pieces or not, because the bonding takes place at the molecular level. The people who said mica are probably correct. It's not just that it's shiny, but also that if it's a phyllosilicate and you can see individual grains of it easily, there is a good chance it's mica, because when it weathers to other minerals, the grain size tends to get microscopically small. Someone above also mentioned shale particles: shale is composed largely of clay minerals, including some micas, but in my experience, the micas flake off of the rest of the rock very easily so any shiny flakes in the soil may be mica that came out of a shale, but are probably not technically fragments of shale.

Deb, 2 words....YOU ROCK! ok maybe a few more words: You have seriously outdone yourself. This is my first swap and I am sure none will ever compare. Now the problem is how much bigger I can make my garden without my wife yelling, or thinking im crazier than I am! How do you not plant every single one new tomato seed I recvied!!?!?!?!? Thanks again, you really made a lot of people happy, and thank you to everyone else for sending in some AMAZING seeds. I am going to overdose on Lycopene this year!

You could use some of that eyelet fabric over the mirrors on the 2 center quadrants from top to bottom and let the far left and far right mirrors unveiled. They make something called ticky tack, that teachers use to hold posters and things on walls(no nails). I wonder if that wouldn't work on your favorite eyelet pattern?, and not damage the wood/fabric/mirrors? A friend took pieces of an old heirloom lace piece and did that in her miniature curio cabinet she inherited over the back mirror lined surface.. She now uses the cabinet to hold all of her essential oil(many mini bottles)collection. If you like the country style dishware, the eyelet in the tea color(or you can tea stain some yourself) might look very pretty inside the darkwood and contrast with your white dishes? And tone down the shiny of the mirror? There is this product, that might be perfect for such an application: https://www.amazon.com/Sticky-Reusable-Gallery-Quality-Adhesive/dp/B01GEGXP0K/ref=asc_df_B01GEGXP0K/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198062181806&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7000896296704938960&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027311&hvtargid=pla-323734168208&psc=1

Fabulous paintings! Whenever I have to hang several pieces, I cut out large pieces of paper in the exact size and tape them up. I can re-arrange them w/o damaging the walls. When I get the placement right, if I'm still not sure, I take a photo and Photoshop the artwork in just to be sure. (If you don't have good photoshop skills, come back to us and somebody will probably jump in and do it for you -- maybe me, if I happen to be around at the time.) Once I'm really sure about placement, I stick a tack through the paper were the wall hook should go, and tear the paper down.