Awwww! What is more peaceful looking than the face of a small child sleeping?! Gardenbug...I love your hairdo...and glasses on the top of the head are a familiar sight. I need two pair, and I am trying to get away from having one on my face and one on my head at the same time...lol. I really can't remember the last time I was happy with a photo of myself, so I completely understand. :-) Early grayness runs in our family. Cousins who were almost entirely gray in their thirties. Your DD has gorgeous dark hair that a little gray can only complement. It is coming in fast! Nice photo of the three men in the family. We have been known to stop strangers and ask to have a photo of all of us together when out and about. I could learn to use the timer on my camera, I suppose. That wild area with the bison and coyotes ....I assume you were walking along a path and they were that close? What a beautiful area! Is that Purple Emperor Sedum you are rooting? Nice root system already and a large cutting! I think I am being too stingy and end up with too small a starter plant. I love mine until it starts getting nicked then I start pulling off leaves. Sometimes there are too many to pull. I am looking into getting Bertram Anderson. I had it once and I don't know what happened to it. It is really really dark and I don't remember it nicking like the PE does. Wish they would come out with a better variegated one. Enjoying the photos G'bug! No grandchildren or pets here, so it is a pleasure.

Quite interesting to bring this back up--another interesting fact is that my chickens are now over 4 years old!! My, how time flies when you arent paying attention to it! I still think the original statement is fascinating, to think that a goose can live to be 100, and I also understand that geese mate for life. I did have one that was only 2 when his mate died, he grieved himself to death shortly.

For what it's worth from a vermiculture novice, but with some scientific and life experience, I'm 100% behind the concept of "Do what works for you" with regard to liquefied worm poop. I would add several examples where "science" and "technology" have been added to some human endeavor that has been around AND functioning just fine without the science and technology for a LONG TIME. Unfortunately, too many of my personal examples are currently not politically correct, and people would simply get distracted from THE POINT. What's THE POINT, you ask? THE POINT is this: Science, and applied science (AKA "technology") are PROCESSES. As such the RESULTS from the PROCESS can be INTERPRETED in MANY ways. Unfortunately, today, people have been INDOCTRINATED to "believe" that IF the scientific PROCESS has been applied to a particular subject, THEN the results - REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY ARE - can be INTERPRETED to MEAN SOMETHING. THAT IS FALSE. A great deal of the results of "scientific research", while "statistically significant at the 95% level", are COMPLETELY irrelevant to practical, 'real life', application. Let me see if I can abstract this a bit from worm poop. In Great Britain, they have extraordinary complex laws about how livestock can be killed. At the moment, (it changes frequently based on "new" "science"), there is a "gun" that delivers a steel rod through the animal's forehead to the brain. The force applied to the rod; the diameter of the rod, and the length of the rod, are all specified in excruciating "scientific" detail. However, the view of 'the forest' that is lost in the trees is that "dead", is "dead". There are no "degrees" of deadness. If you are dead, you are ALL dead. You cannot be like the "Farm Boy" in The Princess Bride, "mostly dead". Now, comes the "science" and "scientific logic". If a steel rod of "x" dimensions, driven at a velocity of "y" can kill an 350kg steer, then a steel rod of "2x" dimensions driven at a velocity of "2y" will be "better". Who can argue with that? Makes "perfect" sense, right? WRONG! DEAD IS DEAD. You can't be MORE dead because I hit you harder. So what's this got to do with "aerating" vermicompost, you ask? Simply this: While some "scientific" process can produce some "scientific" results that get 'sanctified' by "peer review" (ptooey, that term leaves a VERY bad taste in my mouth), the APPLICATION of the INTERPRETATION of those results to REAL LIFE may be COMPLETELY irrelevant or even ABSURD. Until there is IRREFUTABLE evidence from ACTUAL APPLICATION - NOT "scientific" "proof" - I think one should use, and continue to use methods that they BELIEVE are "best". More importantly, they should NOT ARGUE ABOUT IT! THAT is patently ABSURD, and here's why: LIFE is not an "engineering" project. LIFE is complex. LIFE is "variable". Furthermore, it is not only "possible" it is a CERTAINTY that what "I" do in some application will be FAR more complex than I am WILLING to keep track of. Therefore, what "you" do will CERTAINLY be "different" in ways that "I" am not interested in "tracing down". Aerate the hell out of 'your' compost tea. DON'T touch your compost tea. Add a POUND of molasses to your tea. Don't have a jar of molasses within 500 feet of your "tea" brewery. Real Life is showing CLEARLY, that DIFFERENT PEOPLE WILL GET DIFFERENT RESULTS. I'm damn tired of trying to "fine tune" LIFE based on ABSURD and slavish DEVOTION to "the Best" ANYTHING, especially if "the Best" is determined by some "scientific" process instead of REAL LIFE. I return to: "What are you going to believe? My peer reviewed, "scientific" EVIDENCE, or your lying eyes?" Paul

You need a good finish carpenter. Such craftsmen are harder to find than the big box stores. Also check for lead paint which may be a challenge. There are ways to sand and smooth old drawers then rub runners with a candle, wax paper or soap bar to help them slide. There may be hardware pull outs or lazy susans that could help problem cabinets function better. A rope of led lights above cabinet and under cabinet lights would bright the area. A backsplash of tin ceiling or light beadboard would bounce the light more. There is paintable wall paper for both of those too. Beadboard plywood could also be a ceiling option. I would paint cabinets a creamy white or very pale green or buttercream yellow. then pick a midtone neutral counter top. Pulling up old vinyl and refinishing wood would be beautiful but time consuming. laying new vinyl right over the old could work well especially if the flood might be too uneven for ceramic tile. A small bakers rack and kitchen cart could add some storage and work space. Lots of possibilities but lots of work