That Guy Drew

If it matters, one is a '79 Chevy half-ton with a 350, the other is an '84 with a 4.3L V6 (not sure what the V6 came out of). Both are two wheel drive and both are automatic. Thanks.

I woke up Sunday morning with a little bloody spot in my left eye (today is Tuesday). If I scratched my eye somehow I don't remember it, although I guess there's always the possibility I scratched it in my sleep. It doesn't hurt at all. It's not even uncomfortable, and after three days, it seems to be shrinking and disappearing. I'm just curious. Besides a possible scratch that I'm not aware of, what could've caused this little bloody spot in my eye? Thanks, and have a great day.

This fall I plan on building two or three compost heaps, using mostly leaves and straw. The heap I just finished ran me out of manure, and I'll probably only be able to throw on two five-gallon buckets of vegetable waste, tops, by the time I'm ready to start building these two new compost heaps, so I'll have to use fertilizer instead.

1. If I use half straw and half fallen leaves, what kind of fertilizer (and how much) should I use to bring my Carbon:Nitrogen ratio to about 30:1? If it makes any difference, the leaves will mostly be hickory, oak, and elm, with a few pear leaves.

2. There will be a limited amount of fruit and vegetable waste in these heaps, but like I said, they will be almost entirely built from straw and fallen leaves (with fertilizer and soild between the layers, of course). I'd really like to have these new compost heaps ready for use next spring, as I intend to start some raised beds. Is this mix diverse enough to support sufficient microbial activity for such rapid decomposition? The only other materials I can think of that I might be able to get in abundance would be shredded paper, wood chips, and hair (I happen to be well acquainted with the local barber --- he bought his shop from my great grandfather many years ago, actually).

I realize these aren't the simplest questions in the world, so thanks a million for your thoughtful answers, and have a great weekend.

My grandfather was a farmer, and he kept two "cur dogs." The cur dogs had various jobs around the farm. For example, when my grandfather was loading cows up the chute and one didn't want to cooperate, he'd send in one of his cur dogs to nip at the cow's legs and get it to move. When I was a kid, I remember my grandfather talking to other farmers about cur dogs and feists (feists were mostly used to hunt squirrels and rabbits) at stock auctions, at the supply store, etc. I haven't heard any mention of them for ages, though. I don't think any of the cur dogs I was ever around were any kind of recognizable "breed," just mutts that were bred solely for work (and I do realize "cur" is another word for a mixed-breed, Heinz 57 kind of dog). I'm not an old timer --- I'm only thirty-two --- so surely a few people still breed these dogs, as useful as they were. Have you ever known anyone to keep these utilitarian animals? Thanks, and have a good day.

GE = Genetic Engineering.

I don't think I've ever noticed any other dogs doing this. She's not digging when she does this. Like I said, the way she scratches at the ground, it reminds me of a ticked off bull. I'm not too concerned with it, just a bit curious. Why would she do this? Also, my dog is 3/4 Boxer, 1/4 Am. Staff. Does this behavior have something to do with her breeding, maybe? Thanks, and have a great day.

For the past three years, I've been adding straw, dead leaves, and shredded paper to my garden to keep the weeds down, and plowing it all under in the fall in order to build better top soil. I'm already seeing good results, but there's always room for improvement, so I've recently decided to start composting. I'm guessing I should stay away from waste from acidic fruits and vegetables (such as tomatoes and grapes), since the soil here in the Ozarks is already acidic enough as it is. I've been throwing waste from other fruits and vegetables into my compost bucket, as well as used paper towels and napkins. I know it's best to vary my ingredients as much as possible, but what else should I use, and what should I stay away from? Thanks, and have a great weekend.

Please don't mistake this as some kind of implication that America is better than other countries. As an American, I agree with those who may say that many people in my country are quite arrogant and have a sort of "supremacist" view of our country and our culture. I think a lot of us (Americans) could all benefit by learning a little humility. I've only posted this question because it seems to me that European countries tend to have a lot more problems with multiculturalism than America. Is this because America has always been more or less multicultural, and has (for the most part) always been been populated by a mix of people whose ancestors were from this country, that country, and the other country? Or am I completely wrong in my assumptions in the first place? What country are you from, and what are your thoughts? Thanks, and have a great day.

For example, so long as I don't put my company's name on it, can I legally buy an unpainted mailbox, paint some kind of design on it, and then sell it for a higher price? Thanks, and have a great day.

(When I say "bull and terrier," I'm referring to Staffies, AmStaffs, APBTs, Bull Terriers, etc.) Also, which terrier breeds are best known for their courage and determination? Thanks, and have a great day.

My scroll saw just went out, and the deadline for my build is right around the corner. I'm nearly broke at the moment, and a jigsaw is looking like my cheapest option. The only thing is, I worry that a jigsaw will either jump around on my material so I can't cut straight, or it will crack my material, or both? What are your thoughts? Thanks.

I have a two-year-old Boxer mix (3/4 Boxer, 1/4 AmStaff), and I've recently started to train her on our own little homemade "agility course." It all started because I noticed that she seems to love racing across the top of a line of big, round hay bales, jumping from bale to bale as fast as she can. I decided I would see how well she could hurdle sawhorses, crawl through makeshift tunnels, climb up and down narrow little homemade ramps, etc, and she does really well at it. We both have a blast doing this stuff, and the neighbor's kids love to watch. Besides that, it's a great way for me to run off some of her extra energy, while also training her to be a more obedient dog (not that I've ever had any real issues with disobedience). We'll keep doing this stuff at home, regardless of whether or not my dog can compete. But, still, are there any organizations that will accept mixed dogs in agility competions? I'm mostly just curious to see how well she does compared to other dogs. Thanks, and have a great day.

I have an old May Bell cello guitar that I inherited from my grandfather when he passed away back in 1998. I've played guitar since I was fourteen (I'm thirty-two now), and I've been in four different bands, but I've never met anyone else with a cello guitar. Are they just not popular anymore? Were they ever?

BONUS: My grandfather was a WWII vet, and I'm pretty sure this guitar is a '30s or '40s model guitar. It's not in horrible shape, but it could definitely use some love. I would never sell it because I consider it a family heirloom, but just because I'm curious, would you think I'm sitting on some money with this guitar? Thanks, and have a great day.