Thanks to everyone for the good wishes. So far, the surviving babies are doing well! I had considered the idea of poison, as lots of my neighbors use herbicide and probably insecticide on trees and lawns, but what are the chances that they would both be poisoned at the same time and die at the same time, right next to each other??? It just seems so odd. It would make sense that they would be by the water trying to drink if they were poisoned, though..... I have already taken care of my HOSP problem.... I made the mistake of neglecting a box out in my pasture last year, and I'm convinced that these HOSPs are the result. After dispensing o the sparrows, I closed off all but one box that my swallows are using. Should I open the pvc boxes back up and hope for bluebirds to use it for a second brood? I am crossing my fingers that some will eventually return. I have planted lots of serviceberry, viburnums and hawthorns in order to attract them. Thanks to all for your help and support!

I don't have a ghost story, only one that makes you go "hmmmm". My best friend from college, Robbie, comes to WI to visit about once a year. He grew up about an hour from where I live but now lives in California. About 25 years ago, Robbie's older brother married a wonderful gal named Kay who quickly became a dear SIL to Robbie. I met her a couple of times and she was a sweet, down-to-earth, funny, loving person. The family was devastated when Kay was diagnosed with brain cancer, but she survived for several years and went through several treatments before passing away. She and her husband had one son. It's been about 15 years since Kay's death and every time Robbie visits, we talk about finding where she was buried, since Robbie would like to see her grave. He didn't remember much about the cemetery or church, so a few years ago, during his visit, we walked for about an hour through a cemetery about 10 miles from my house, since Kay and her husband lived in a small town near here. No luck, and Robbie's details are so vague, I didn't think we'd ever find the grave. Well, last fall he visited and I asked my boss if there was another cemetery in another town nearby. I didn't think there was, but she told me about one. We went there and as usual, Robbie thought this was "the one" and said he vaguely remembered her grave being near the back of the cemetery near the perimeter fence. We drove into the cemetery and found it to be very large. We drove down the main road and Robbie looked and looked for anything familiar. When we got to the end of the road, we could see that the perimeter fence was a ways away and the graves weren't even close to it, so he was doubting this was the right cemetery, either. Well, he told me to turn at the corner and then finally he said to pull the car over so we could just get out and look around. I hadn't even had time to get out of the car before Robbie checked out the closest headstone and found it was Kay's. It still amazes me and I'm certain that we had some kind of "help" finding the exact location after all those years. Here is a link that might be useful: a lucky break or what? :)

Hi! I'm a fan of the GW forums and this one in particular. I am also a freelance journalist working on a story about budget kitchen remodels. Are any of you who are done with your remodels located in the Dallas Texas area? Would you be willing to share your tips and have photos taken of your place? Let me know if you are! Email is covert.eATgmail.com. (Replace the AT with an @ symbol.) Thanks! Here is a link that might be useful: Hands On Blog (work examples here)

Some of those pictures have me wishing a more high-end range, with red knobs, were in the picture. Ah well...I can always replace the range when the money fairy comes by. (I won't. Inertia is a powerful thing.) DJHinVA-- I looked at that orange counter. I looked at it long and hard. (I'd have gone with one of my alternate backsplash tiles.) I couldn't convince The Husband. AND...we'd already fallen in love with the tile I chose. It (and the counter) are our "big splurges." I know that $36/sq 9if memory serves)isn't REALLY that much for tile...but we are trying to keep this kitchen at around 25K-30K--with all new everything but the ceiling and a 5K "oh sh!t" fund. (I've done a major reno before...one needs an "oh sh!t" fund.) And if there is an expensive finish out there...I tend to gravitate toward it. Heh. SO--I have to hold myself back. For instance...I WON'T be buying the Valli and Valli pulls that I fell in love with. Nope. But I'll find something else that functions as well...and I'll love them. (Actually saw some Hickory pulls at Lowes that I liked nearly as well...at less than 1/2 the price.) I'll start a new thread when reno begins in a couple of months. Thank you everyone...this has been fun. And y'all have made me see the wisdom of the stainless. I hadn't thought about the "eye-stopping" qualities of white with wood cabinets. Last kitchen we did (20 years ago!) had mid-tone oak (it was what we could afford) and we kept our original appliances which were 1985 almond. No eye-stopping there. And, of course, this kitchen is all white. No eye-stopping there. Stainless makes MUCH more visual sense, from that perspective. melanie