...but Chelone,if I snuck up behind you and carefully placed a straw within my armpit and gave a nice puff...would you lol just a little bit? I bet that would at least make you grin: ) OK it would be short lived but appreciated.lol That's the thing. Life sends us stuff. Some of it is good, fun,happy stuff and then the yucky stuff slips in too-it's inevitable. I think you are going to handle the tax stuff OK-that accountant is a godsend. Your mom's situation just stinks-no one deserves that kind of treatment-or lack of.BUT because I know you-(well,you know)...you will say what you think about her care and that squeaky wheel certainly will get it's oil. She's new there-they just need your input and I think you'll get results. Your brother seems really on board so at least you are a team? Does he have the same worries that you do? No facility is better than what a daughter or son would realistically want for a parent but I hope you do see an attempt from them to do better for her. I think you are exhausted from all of it-look at how long this has been going on for you. That's why you are having sleep probs,you don't want to go to work,the construction stuff is bugging you....each of these things alone are things you are capable of handling(we're talking about CHELONE here; )it's just all of them clumped together and the emotion added to it are muddling things. Take one thing at a time-you'll be OK. It's not easy but I think you will get through this too. Hmmm we're home one day from our paradise weektrip and MIL was complaining on the phone, she wanted life to be over due to some stiff pain she's having...just what Chris wanted to hear... I keep thinking how things could be much worse than they are-it gives me perspective to deal with it. Sue I just wanted to tell you that while I'm sure you'll have some initital discomfort, all that walking/exercise you get will probably cut your recovery down considerably-just be obedient and take things slow at the beginning. I hope you are calm(especially with no wine or food!)and things go well for you tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you...say,does this mean you'll be slowed down enough to idyll more? : ) Drema-beautiful card! Thank you! I didn't know about the program at the CBG but I'll have to look into it. I hope your newly planted items survive-would a heavy mulch at the base help? I think everything that has sprouted now will be a little deformed but get some normal regrowth when temps stablize...(crossing fingers) Hocking Hills was fabulous if you don't mind hail storms,rain and cold : ) STRANGE weather all over the place. Hocking Hills had a couple warm weeks in the 70's before Easter but by the time we arrived they had been having freeze warnings and many plants/trees were zapped. The first night in our place we had a wind/hailstorm that brough an inch of hail!That was loud! I guess there was talk of a possible tornado but I didn't hear if it was true. Well, at least our cottage was built into a hillside so we were very safe. We had one day(Fri.) with warm breezes and full sun...and I got a sunburn from hanging out in the hot tub-odd but true. The ride back was treacherous with a slush rain snow thing happening-it was part of the storm that is going to blast the east coast-hang on you guys. Back here in Cleveland we were supposed to get snow-but they were wrong so it's dry now and the sun just came out-I hope the nor'easter is much less harsh than they predict. I don't mean to be short(I say that alot lately) but I need to finish the laundry and get things ready for the school week. If I have time I'll be back. Cynthia-Monty's illness sounds scary! I hope things are improving for Monty. I hope you are doing OK too. ~Babs

Hi Tom, yep it was little far but after reading the thank you's ;looks like it would have been worth the 2 hour drive each way. Have an experiment in 5 gal bucket SWC's underway with Ed S mix and Al mix. Will keep you posted on the results. Of the 3 tomatoes we have grown this winter, think the brandywine best, beefsteak next, and heatwave least. Have you grown these 3 and how do they compare to your favorites in taste. Have 2 big beef's that I bought plants from in SWC's with Ed Smith mix, have promised one of those to a friend. Also have one from your seeds in the intermediate pot. bernie

I have a pair of bluebirds trying to nest in our new (sparrow resistant house)--that's a joke--finally had to open up a space for the sparrows so they would leave the bluebird house along. Real problem is the young Mockingbird which we have fed throughout the winter with chopped up grapes (loves them) and he is one territorial monster! I moved his grapes further down the yard away from the bluebird house and it only took him 30 minutes to find it and gobble down everything he can get and not let one other bird in there--plan is to move it to the front of the house and stop. Actually, he should be hunting food for himself, but I guess we spoiled him. His parents certainly were a lot more tolerant of other birds--but he is a real stinker. The bluebirds like the house and are trying to nest and yet I saw the mocking bird land right in between both of them and just dare them to live there--at which time I interceded, but won't do that again. They have come back again since that episode--so I feel they will nest there--in between the thunderstorms, hail and tornado warnings. And your advice has been very helpful--last year was my first year for blues in the box, although blues do come to my yard and bathe and show me their offspring, but my first box experience ended in blowflies--cried for a long, long time--felt very guilty and will not let that ever happen again. Wish me luck as the bluebirds just make me so happy and thank you vonyon for sharing your experience with the mockers so I can let nature take its course.

Interesting thread... no sign of the innards lying about elsewhere was there? Or you didn't stumble across a stomach or some other part some distance from the rest of the carcass? Not sure if this applies to birds or not, but many times a cat will reject the stomach of prey animals and sometimes other organs as well, even going so far as to leaving them some ways from the "kill". Housecats will do this with mice, and I have read that cougars/bobcats will even do this in large prey such as deer, even to the degree that it is a diagnostic tool when doing predation determination. Still leaning toward hawk on this one, but just thought I would add this to the pot. And I second Elly's apologies for any of you with more delicate sensitivities...but such is the nature of forensics.