I've jumped to the "reply" box without reading all remarks, so I hope this isn't too non sequitur. Joy, do you remember the prairie you and Hildebrand walked in with me when you visited us in Texas? That side of the road is still intact, but the other side burned last week. It was in two areas, and it looks intentional, like two cigarette butts were thrown out of car windows. (We've had a severe drought since last summer.) The ignition points were next to the road. In their own way those areas are beautiful, with the grass burned and the cactus showing, the mesquite and acacia trees standing there untouched. I know that now the duff has been singed that lots of seeds will sprout. We had a hard rain last weekend, and with the fire and the rain I'll be sure to have my camera ready soon. We should have a marvelous spread of flowers in those burned fields come March.

SRS