A couple questions about my compost piles (plural) if you will.

How often do you water them? I've noticed that with all the heavy rain I've
been getting lately that the clippings have composted rather quickly and
into some rather nice soil. All that makes me wonder if I'm not watering
the piles enough - as in I don't letting rain do that. I do turn my compost
piles, that's why I have two.

How long would you expect a tree branch to take to degrade? Normally I
don't put wood in with my compost, but the occasional fallen limb (less than
3/4" diameter) makes it in there. But some of those limbs have been in
there for a couple years without any outward indication of decomposition -
even when surrounded by fully decomposted grass, dandilions, and shrubs.