just moved to Missouri....

I LOVE my concrete block raised bed. I use it as my compost heap in the late fall and winter, we never have to till it, it rarely has weeds and they pull right out because the soil is so loose. This year I'm planting herbs in the openings at the top, I filled them with leaves last fall and added kitchen waste all winter. You couldn't pay money to get the great soil I have in that bed.

cathy, could you help me with the soil. I don't have anything in the beds yet. So I am guessing you started with soil and then?

Happy, everything in my bed was stuff found in the yard and kitchen. Cardboard on the bottom to block weeds, chopped up leaves (we collected from all the neighbors the first year), manure from rabbits because that is what I had access to, coffee grounds, vegetable peels, etc. Newspapers, shredded bills (hubby is paranoid about ID theft) an old bag of dry dog food, lots of water. We built our bed in August and planted in it the next spring.

The only "soil" that I've used is a bit when I've planted seeds directly into it, such as peas, lettuce and spinach so that the seeds don't end up too deep. Then I just used garden soil from the store, maybe a bag of it a year. I do empty my pots in there after summer, so that potting soil is in there, too.

Hi Rusty, haven't "seen" you in awhile. Hope you are doing good.

Well Darn Cathy, I am behind the 8 ball again. I want to plant in the bed this year. Wish I would of prepared or "known" that last fall. I know I can buy bulk compost in the city, would that be better than starting with soil and trying to amend it? I really haven't done compost before. I was planning on putting the heavy cardboard on the bottom because of weeds, but that is as far as I had thought actually.

Glad to "see" you. Glad the "kid dogs" are doing good. Did you get moved?

Blue Eyes, Congrats on your new job. I hope your are liking it and Mo. I'm a transplant as well, and I like Mo. We're having great weather right now.
How did your summer go?

I had a very sad day today....we had the funeral of a very good friend who was from Rosebud, MO.

He opened the door at about 3 AM and a 17 YO boy pushed in the door and slit his throat....then proceeded to sexually assualt his wife, and my dear friend, until a trick call from her to a friend got the police there to the house.

He will be tried as an adult and he was on drugs and booze. Jo

OMGosh. How terribly sad. There's no rhyme or reason for such actions. You have my sympathy.

Mine too, what a trusting person to answer the door at 3am, still, that's very sad. I remember at that age, (and older) I was quite a jerk (a sober one), but not at all to that extreme, boy is that kid ever going to regret that, he'll probably be on suicide watch in jail.

Roadrunner - I'm sorry to hear about your freind and his wife. What a hard thing to have happen. Please make sure she gets into talk with someone in the counseling field about this.

Thanks, all....she is doing very well...and has so much support at our church tahtt I think she will be fine. She won't go back into the house, but is moving into a retirement place....Jo

Sounds like a good idea to move to someplace else esp after such a horific event. My aunt moved to a retirement home after my uncle died. She said she felt safer there.

I agree that it's a good thing to have a supportive community esp church and family. I've lived in small communities and so know what that means in terms of relationships. That's not why I am suggesting she talk with someone trained. I have concerns about her having a level of emotional trauma could cause her to have PSTD. She has experienced some of the common events leading to the development of PTSD include: rape, physical attack, sudden death of a loved one, and being threatened with a weapon. PTSD effects everything (sleep, mood, relations) and an episode can be set off by anything. Sight, sounds, smells. Something as simple as a sound at the door or time at night can trigger an episode. Essentually they relive the trauma over and over again because of external triggers.

There is a method out there called EMDR. It is very effective in helping people release the emotional aspects of trauma. They are using it on war veterans with PTSD. It also works fast.

Look at Mayo Clinic for some more information. See the left side of the screen of theurl below to get info on causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Mayo also lists EMDR as a method. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/DS00246/DSECTION=symptoms

I hope she does well and feels safe soon.

Susan....thank you so much for this info...I have no doubt that if the police hadn't shown up he would have killed her also....leaving no witnesses. Praise God for His intervention. Jo

You are welcome. There is a EMDR association on-line. She or someone else can find a listing on the web. Look for a facilitator level person. Should be a number of people in the St Louis metro area. If she needs a recommendation of someone then send me a Dmail. I'll ask some freinds in KC if they know anyone in St Louis or Columbia.

Take Care

They have lived here in AZ fdor the last 12 years, and she plans to stay here. Jo

Okay. I'm a little confused about where this happened at. I must have assumed MO since you were talking about his being a freind from Rosebud, mo. I would think that someone in the congregation or city may know someone who works with EMDR. Keep to the "facilitator" level if possible.

There are 570 clinicians listed for AZ. http://www.emdr.com/find-a-clinician.html

SusanKC I am glad you are giving good advise.