Makes me wonder just how big Metasequoia g. is going to be able to grow to. Thanks! Dax

I'm sure your worms are happy with your TLC. I have been much more cavalier with mine. I have a 3' by 6' outdoor bin with 2' walls made of concrete blocks. I arrange the blocks so that the holes let air into the bin. This is the second winter my red worms have experienced in central Virginia, and they are hanging in there. Got down in the single digits last February. I just dump more hay and sawdust on top of them. Occasionally cardboard and old carpet and such. BTW, I just dug out about half of the castings. Last summer I doubled the size of the bin and fed only in the new area. I saw maybe one or two worms in the old castings. FWIW. PR

summers are pretty crazy in yosemite. you're going to need to book early to get a camping spot. camp 4 is on first come first serve, but it gets filled quickly by all the rock climbers. since you're planning on camping near the end of july , the first day to make reservations is march 15 (tomorrow). be sure to make the reservations as early as possible, because some years it fills up within a few hours. since you're car camping, maybe tent cabins in curry village are another option. not as nice as your own camping spot but at least you're in the valley. if you're in the tent cabins, don't bring too much food since you're required to empty your car of all food. i've seen families have to lug around huge coolers back & forth from their car to the bear lockers every night. there are restaurants & a grocery store in curry village so food is never a problem. bears are a problem for cars. they play some pretty funny video in the yosemite lodge lounge of bears tearing off car doors & busting windows because people leave fast food bags in their cars. one shows a bear ripping off a car door because the teenagers dropped a french frie between the seats of their rental car. but don't worry about the bears. they usually try to get into the trash dumpsters and generally stay away from campsites. if you can't get a campsite, there's a number of lodges in the park. make sure they are in the valley floor such as the yosemite lodge & the ahwahnee. others like the wawona are nice, but you are near the park's entrance & about 50 miles away from the valley. that's a winding & uphill road usually packed with slow moving campers so don't think you can just take a quick drive over. you really shouldn't miss yosemite. it is a gorgeous place to visit. you'll quickly see why it is usually listed among the top 10 most beautiful national parks in the country. Here is a link that might be useful: yosemite website

I agree. Don't rush through Yosemite. Pictures don't do it justice. The place is so astonishing and you feel like a tiny bit of humanity in that valley. It's like the Grand Canyon because you know it's big but until you're there, you can't get the feeling of being overcome by the majestic grandeur of the valley. Also, some of the best intimate parts of Yosemite are on a small hike so you need a few days to do that. The upper meadows are completely different and charming, but again, you need a separate day to drive up and see them. I wouldn't want to choose what to see in Yosemite in a few hours. It would be like going and then missing out on what makes it so special. Also, there is traffic in the summer so parking is hard to find. Most of the time you need to use the free shuttles in the summer when time is limited. I like to have all day to walk around the valley. It gives me time to see everything and hear the wind in the trees, the birds, the sound of waterfalls and rivers, laughter of children. For anyone wanting to visit, please see the excellent short films online called Yosemite Nature Notes by the park service. America is incredibly lucky to have this precious valley.