On a walk behind type of mower, not self-propelled--what does horse-power have to do with cutting grass? HMMM?? Will .5 additional H.P. have any appreciable effect on the power of the machine? Oh, yes, maybe if the operator runs it into 6 ft. high grass that has never been mowed, or cut in any way. Maybe the additional .5 of H.P. will allow the blade to turn 4 more times before it gets stalled out by the thick grass? I have always thought that stating the amount of H.P. was just an advertising gimmick, meant to fool the average homeowner into thinking he might have something much better than his neighbor! now, if the H.P. rating was being used to make a self-propelled mower move along better--well--how much faster would it move, and could the person using it keep up with it? Go figure-- And, as for the goof driving the motor home, who thought they could get up out of the drivers seat and go fix lunch, while under way (That means moving along) should be in the "funny farm", not in court! I drive a motor home, and we've often said we would be able to do that, but only said it in jest (jokingly) as i consider us, my wife and I, to be smarter than to try that, even though we might get enrichened by some smart lawyer. ;o)

Ariel - Congratulations on entering the Master Gardeners Program! The e-mails (above) are so positive they've gotten me enthused to consider it for my nearing "retirement". Thanks for the tour of your gardens after the day at TampaArt's last fall - and for the many clippings (spring will tell whether I did right by them!) Irma

Exciting news indigo! I can only speak from my own experience and say that I have had Chickadees nest in a BB box here, and the Blues did not try to swipe the box. Then again, I had 2 other options in the yard for the Blues. Do you have another BB box up? I'd put one up if you don't. I haven't heard of using a Sparrow Spooker on a box of Dees. Hope that someone here knows. I don't put one on mine. It's cool that you will be able to monitor the Chickadee nest. Their little eggs are the size of Jelly Belly jelly beans. Sometimes, the moms will sit tight on the nest when you open the box, even after you thump on the box before opening it. :o)

Oh my gosh...what a thread!!! Must keep it. and I burst out laughing about the shamwow :) blackthumb, you are hereby renamed wetblanket :) (I usually put plastic down if I'm painting a lot [which saved us when DH backed into a roller tray full of paint once], but I was just doing a little finishing touchup today, so I scooted some newspapers under the door area to catch any drips.) natesgramma, I also definitely have a pair of pants I use when painting -- they have a significantly higher proportion of Brandon Beige on them now... yogacat...yogacat... And the slow-motion time you talk about groomingal in your highly dramatic rendering of the new-member-hazing -- I SO remember it from today -- we both have great reflexes because I almost (*almost*) caught mine again after my hand just froze and dropped it. Unfortunately the catch turned into a flip to keep a *little* of the paint in the can, but in the process of flipping it, I sprayed it out in an arc even further (onto the wood furniture). trailrunner, I just want to reach back in time and come help you; I can just imagine a pregnant mama collapsing in tears over what happened... And bronwynsmom, as soon as the paint spilled, one of our cats came trotting over to see what the commotion was. I said "Get away" in a somewhat urgent voice and she left, thank *goodness* or we would have had little beige artifacts all over the carpet in the other room...