Glib, what a co-inky dink, I and a friend are going to build a coop at my acre next week, to house her six chickens. We plan to use the amplitude of weeds there to feed them and slowly build deep fertility for vegetables. Also going to get some missing medicinals into the mix. Regarding the issue of how a garden celebrity does this and that, and everything is so amazing, the Garden of Eden phenomenon, what is always missing from the conversation is soil type. Soil type, on its own, can explain every discrepancy. This summer, for example, just because I constantly do odd things, I stuck some flint corn seed in a mulch pile next to a cranberry bog where I happen to be working all summer. That area is sitting on some quite heavy silt (hence the bog). The mulch pile is up on a higher area so not soaking wet. That corn, with some beans twining, is growing much better than almost anything else I have going on several different gardens and soils. I attribute this to of course the fresh ground not being deplete, and of course the half-rotted wood chips keeping moisture in the ground, but also of course the silt. Repeat the experiment on sand (or clay) and the result would not be near the same. So when we get all excited about this and that celeb having such amazing results, it would be useful to know the soil type in question.

Some of the things are improving a little now that I have been away from the home for a while. It is amazing how much "family stress" can aggrivate conditions. They are still there but some of the stress factors are gone. Arbitration (binding) was yest morning. Now I just have to wait to see what division decisions he makes. Hate knowing I will leave behind the plants that gave me all that harvest since they haven't been cared for and I have been told some were mowed over so they probably won't survive. Ah but I shall do as I did for it....plant what people give me and manage it organically. It will take a long time before the clay soil provides as did the sandy loam I fortified with the compost down here. Putting down new beds in clay soil or for that fact even trying to break clay soil to drop in a seed will be so different from before. But for bird feeding I can plant sunflowers and that will save on bird seed money. Then just rotate what I plant each year until I can no longer get outside. I still will utilize body saving practices as: pipe for planting sticks (pruned or windfall limbs) as walking sticks buckets to sit on crawling (dragging along the walking stick for getting up) making sure plants are zone hardy make sure plants are soil & companion amlicable rely on birds for bug patrol I will (hopefully) have more space in which to garden now but recognize the percentage of land available & garden size I make it has to conform to my ability to handle the clay. Much more back breaking than what I started with before.

Sorry Shirley, I saw that and then left if off. Annie Karen Michelle Margo Janine Dan Ellie Bunny Heather Kelli Vina Don Alana Susan Three outstanding. I think all but one have definitely been sent. I will check on the other in the morning. I may have missed an email. Good news on the stray cat front-the black and white cat has been rehomed, and just in time. Her new mom called me this evening and said Solar is making herself comfortable in a box under the stairs. That leaves little tail free Doc, whose tummy is now very round indeed, who needs a permanent home. It's been in the 80's for a few days and will be for a few more, then it looks like things will get really scary around Halloween. The F word has entered the forecast. I can only hope they are as accurate as usual. Alana

Whoops, didn't realize this thread had been added to! Karen, I posted about your tray on the other thread but if you want an opinion on the beads please take a pic showing another tray scape. Ya know how we love pics! :-) Kathleen, this is such a coincidence - the blog you posted is one I recently discovered thru another blog. For anyone who loves blogs this is one I recently discovered: http://thepassionatehome.blogspot.com/ Then found this one from there: http://janisgurney.blogspot.com/ Then to the one you posted. These 2 are both Canadian blogs and the first has a shop in a city we occasionally visit so I'll check it out this spring when we travel again. The other blogger makes things from silver objects and sells them in the other blogger's store. Also the lady with the store posted one of my pics I put out on the 'net on her blog!!! Link below. Small world. Thanks Punk! I have lots of other silver things that I'm thinking about using in vignettes and I'll post when I do. I've only recently had my DH paint a silver thing and I like the result but I'll only have him do the ones that are not very good silver. Here is a link that might be useful: my J O Y window 5th down