Well, the peace and quiet is over and so is the stitching time

Okay, I am officially announcing my senility here! I don't know if it's early Alzheimer's or I am just having short term memory problems, but this is happening a LOT these days. I'm glad I gave you good advice!

It's very easy. You need to have at least 50 percent native plants, a place for animals, birds, etc. to nest and raise their young and a food source, which can be in shrubs etc. You apply online at

I have some antique ones with pewter lids - though I believe they're actually tankards. I thought beer steins were like Pilsner glasses.

Ellice

We saw the start of this with soccer kids in the 70s - they no longer viewed it as a great way for their kid to exercise, develop team spirit, learn to lose as well as to win. It completely put me off, I started managing a mens team instead and David continued on trying to change the parents attitude, like that was going to happen !

Yeppers, somebody cheats at bridge and I go ballistic lol

I shall be interested to see, they used to race ponies down at Happy Valley in HK, I know they completely redid the area a few years ago, I expect it is all very luxurious for the horses.

In all the German kitsch catalogues I've ever seen, the pottery ones with lids were called "stein" (which also means stone, hence, makes sense to me that it would apply to pottery more so than glass).

While I don't want them in my hen house, I love having skunks around the property since they dig up yellow jacket (wasp) nests and eat them. :-))) Usually, it's a case of we don't bother them and they don't bother us. The presence of the dog keeps them from getting too comfortable too close to the house. Liz from Humbug

I know who they are. DD has the paperwork, we just really need the water source on the property.

Cheryl

I felt bad - poor thing was clearly ailing.

I know there will be a replacement by this time next year.

Cheryl

Ever see what a pair of skunks can do to a newly sodded lawn when they sniff out bugs ? Happened to my neighbour, nice new lawn in the evening, rolled up lawn in the morning. Even he had to laugh, we weren't certain whether it had been skunks or raccoons, but someone did it lol

All you need is a birdbath.

German = stein for some beer vessel To Bruce in the UK = tankard Pottery, or pewter - mugs with handles - older ones with lids - English language usually refers to those as tankards.

ellice

Thanks Ellice. Some pubs used to have a few pewter tankards for their regulars but I think the practice has died out and pints of beer are served in glass tankards or glass sleevers. For descriptions see

I'd like to do a small pond or fountain with pool that I can put BT tabs in.

Cheyrl

You can get a small hard pond cheaply, but no matter how small, you will still need to keep the water moving or it gets rank fast. I don't recommend fish unless you have really have a deep pond for them to hide from the raccoons, and in our case, the Heron's.

One of the reasons I haven't is the oddball local codes required to have an AC operated pond pump.

Cheryl

They won't accept solar operated fountain pumps? All you need it to do is move the water to aerate it. If you don't have fish you shouldn't need a filter. Eh, I feel like I'm pond thumping you! LOL.

If I could turn the entire backyard into a pond it wouldn't be too soon for me. I adore water gardens and if (oh with dred) I ever have to move, I will not have a pool dug. I will buy one of those endless pools which can be in or outoors and I'd build a series of pond systems with streams and stuff. I want to move to Wyoming. Mark started to shiver!

What about one of the solar powered ones ?

I could do that, but I don't know that I would get enough sun where I want it.

Giggle

I used to shop at a garden that had the most wonderful series of streams and eddies that ended in a lovely pond.

You're quite welcome, Bruce. When I lived near Southend, one of the locals out in the rural area had tankards for the "locals" - knew I'd been there enough with my friends when I got to keep one there. They hung all around the main bar. Of course, I guess for the most part in a pub I'd usually expect to get my beer (whichever variant) in a pint or 1/2 glass.

Ellice

Thanks, I kind of thought that was it. Sorry for the delay in getting back here.

A friend of mine has always maintained that tea just tastes different in a porcelain cup, and she acquired one that she didn't like. It was more of a coffee cup rounded style (rather than a footed tea cup style), which didn't suit her as she prefers a mug style. Now, if I can only find mug style porcelain cups that holds a decent amount, she and I would both be happy. Any suggestions?

-- Carey in MA