erm... wait a minute. Hold up. You mean, the excitement over getting a compost pile cranked up AND sizzling hot, is supposed go away after the first one? Beg to differ... thats NOT how it usually works. I still get excited about them all. On occasion, I'll get MORE excited than usual. For instance, this time (current hot pile) ...I had to hack up a layer of glacial ice with a giant ROCK PICK to get to the LAST pile, so I could build the NEW pile. Never had to do that before... wasn't sure how it was gonna fly. But it worked! (I got stoked, right away... who wouldn't.) Then, I ran out of ICE to feed the pile, and it started to dry out...Gah! Had to feed it yukky CITY water for the first two flips... worried that would be too much the microherd to bear at this time of year, but they pulled it off...whew! (Got excited over that also...for obvious reasons.) Now today, were having a BLIZZARD...after record daytime highs over the whole last week. Second flip was only the day before yesterday (tap water...grrr)...and now its COLD, heavy wet snow everywhere. Double-gah! I feared, the whole thing might STALL OUT, and loose too much of its momentum... but we are still smoking, hanging right around 140. Right on time. AND, the pile has shrunk down to about 1/3 of original size already... its only a couple weeks old! Go microherd!!! (Yep. Giddy, all over again.) After all this, as if it wasn't like Christmas already... I came up with a NEW PLAN this morning...that's designed to insure, that THIS pile (and maybe even the NEXT pile) will NEVER need to suffer with yukky, treated, city water again! You can't stop me from doing the yippy-skippy dance over this one...check it out: (oops, I'm sorry... almost forgot what I came here to say. Congratulations on your first hot pile. I can totally relate to your excitement, it's perfectly justified. Just be mindful, as you move on to the next one... these hot piles can get a little addicting. Just sayin'... Les in CO Here is a link that might be useful: Check it out...

Zone 6, southern coastal Maine is FINALLY being serenaded by their little voices! I'm just in from a cat calling safari and this is the first time I've heard them this year. Not a riotous chorus, but the first wave is making its presence known. YAY! Big "croakers", too. And bats were out tonight, as well. Everyone has "spring fever". :)

Happy Friday.... I have not been around to open Jeannes Christmas in July package, which arrived a few days ago. And she also included my poetry prize....very cool! And here are the 12 days of Christmas from Jeanne.....how fun! *Christmas card and inside a 12 days of Christmas word search game *Partridge in a Pear Tree.....Jeanne sent Pear preserves and a mug mat (made by Jeanne....love it) and in the pocket of the mug mat is American Classic Tea. The tea is the only tea grown in the U.S. and is grown at the Charleston Tea plantation in SC. *Turtle Doves...a white bird with a clip so I can attach to my Christmas tree, a gift ect *French Hens...Puffy Pancake recipe which uses eggs....a family favorite. *Calling Birds....CD with Christmas songs "Home For The Holidays"...the birds not only call, they sing....LOL! *Golden Rings...."Extra Golden" California Poppy Seeds *Geese a Laying....an artificial egg and the egg layed "Interesting and Amazing Information On Geese"...................a got educated on Geese! *Swans a Swimming.....a white wash cloth which reminded Jeanne of a swan.....and it is a soft one too! *Maids a Milking.....Milky Way candy bars *Ladies Dancing....They are dancing to the music on the CD....LOL! *Lords a leaping...Star package tie ons.....leaping to reach the stars. *Pipers Piping....A bookmark with Jeannes horse Piper.....How cool!!! *Pipers Piping and Drummers Drumming.....A steno pad....and on the cover of the pad are pipers piping and drummers drumming..... Jeanne, thank you so much! I absoloutley love my 12 days of Christmas......very, very clever. And thank you for my prize! Your surgery was on Tuesday. Thoughts and prayers......be well. Annie

I started the New Year's day mystery yesterday morning, was sewing along nicely, then had to stop for phone calls from children. I got behind and then we went to neighbours for dinner. So my first goal is to finish that. By the way, it is the Weathervane pattern in a nice setting. Pretty easy. Next goal. While talking to DDIL yesterday, she mentioned they now have a king sized bed, so, would I be able to make a quilt. She is not very particular and likes scrappy. I think a scrappy Log Cabin might be just the ticket. Will help use up the loads of strips and scraps which are taking over the sewing area. Beyond that, who knows! Theresa