After a little research I am pretty sure what I have are paper wasps, they are a little longer and more slender than some photos of yellow jackets, and they don't really seem to be too aggressive, I tried photographing one that kept flying around and around my potted golden celebration (my rose with the most leaf damage) it was very obviously checking the undersides of leaves & it payed me no attention at all. It was kind of neat to see this in action, these bugs are obviously pretty intelligent and seem to remember finding the larvae in that area before. BUT don't get me wrong, even if this type of wasp is less aggressive than actual yellow jackets I am still terrified of these little critters. Especially after researching them and reading a few of those horror stories out there. I just hope I never happen upon these guys' nest, I don't see it anywhere on my porch or my yard, so hopefully it's in my neighbor's yard! Michaelg, when you say yellow jackets usually don't do that until October, do you mean that they usually don't show their faces until that late in the year, or that they seem to be more aggressive around that period of time?

Ok, neighbor (I live down by LAX), I'll throw in a couple more cents. First of all, no, you're not silly, you just shocked the heck out of us is all...I think it was the evening view toward the house that did it!!! Secondly, don't give up your questions because you do want to make *some* changes otherwise you wouldn't have asked. It sounds like the 'sterile' observation hit a chord, so work with that. I can't tell from just the two pics, but is this a fairly new property, because the landscaping seems small, either young or groomed that way. As someone with a passion for gardening and I would think the feeling you have being in the garden may be add odds with the straight, although beautiful, lines of the columns and house since you had the idea for the English garden. Sooo, take a deep breath, with any house, let alone a large one, it's a marathon, not a race, and there's always things that need changing. So, since you asked, here's some thoughts that come to my mind, in no order.... -For sure keep the view from the house to the ocean open, it looks nearly like an infinity pool, is stunning, and I would think very relaxing and good for the spirit. As mentioned, taking out the pool entirely is probably not the best thing if you move, and if you're not old enough for a jacuzzi yet but you will be eventually so that's a must keeper if they are the pools on the sides! ;-) Or, for that matter, if you re-arrange the pool a bit later, I'd keep the 'therapy' water in the design. Folks may not swim, but most everyone has a bad back, etc. and what better than enjoy the therapy looking out over the ocean??? -Is that a balcony in the middle of the house? What about some _modest_ sized, so as not to eliminate the lines of the house trailing plants or even roses? Bouganville would be monsters unless you could find a small variety, but would be drought tolerant and match the style of the house. -Urns would match the decor, but not soften the appearance if that's where you're going. Also, don't forget, unless you specifically drain water away from pots, they'll stain the concrete around the pool and it will look ghastly. -I have to agree about finding a professional for more guidance in the pool area. There must be a ton that work up there. There are so many landscape designs up there drive around at least for ideas, and if you're really brave, knock on the door on a weekend to see if they'll share. If nothing else, they should take the question as a compliment. -Knowing not what I know not, I wonder if there are pool people that could change the style of the pool to (it sounds like?) something elegant but more garden appropriate, more pond-like as mentioned above, ie, darker bottom, garden waterfall into it, etc. If it's chlorine you can have a gizmo put in that somehow makes chlorine for you, eliminating some of the maintanance, or go for salt water, some people like it, I don't know the pros and cons. -Weather. It gets chilly up there in the afternoon, let alone other than the summer season. And foggy. If you do make changes, do keep in mind some protected space if you don't have it elsewhere, if you want to sit outdoors and enjoy the view of your new garden design and the ocean. Ok, gotta get back to work, but do take to heart that although I'm sure you love your new house and the view is amazing, you wouldn't have posted if you were 'comfortable' in the pool area. Follow your instincts and see where you go. It's your space, keep asking questions until you're happy with it. Best wishes!

Yup, I think we're tiling at least part of that wall (it wraps around in an L from the sink wall, so I can't figure out where to stop the backsplash otherwise---right now there's a chimney and it stops at the chimney). I had the same issue with many of the Victorian or 50s hoods looking, well, too Victorian or 50s...and we're not even going for true "period" per se. I'm hoping a simple modern hood will do the trick if I can find one that looks right---we're also not hiding the dishwasher, etc. so I figure throwing in some modern trappings isn't such a bad thing at that point. The Vent-a-Hood website, while mostly filled with lots of hoods that are out of our budget, did have some nice photos of canopy style hoods used as freestanding hoods with no cabinets, though (and I actually think those look great with cabinets to the sides, so maybe something that could work for yours?) The funny part is that we have the ceiling fan with the pull-switch right now (not that we use it as it shorts the kitchen out with the new GFCI outlets...) I went through a very brief little period of wondering if we could add a modern blower up in the attic and still use the old fan, since it looks really cool (probably c. 1950, all chrome-y) but got vetoed incredibly quickly on that one! We're trying to think of creative places to use the vent cover and an iron cover that's part of our built-on ironing cabinet that sadly is coming out with a wall removal, and has sparks cut out all over it---also very cool, and can't wait to see it when the paint is stripped!

I haven't had much time to play with it. I thought I had bought 3/4" flexible tubing to see if I could smash it enough (like you explained, Joann), but I only had 1/2". I did hammer down the end of a 3/4" corrugated tube, but I'm not sure it will work for me. I've tried out the spillway I bought, but I'm not sure about that either, so I rinsed it out and am keeping it with the sales receipt. We do have a bunch of PVC pipe and connectors around, so I think I might try that next. I did attach the new 3/4" corrugated tubing to the pump and it's flowing in a nice stream into the pond for now. I do like that increased flow, compared to the 1/2" flexible tubing I was using. I just need several days of nice, dry weather, with nothing else to do but play with my ponds! (And a few days afterwards to just take tylenol and ice my knees!) ;) But it sure is fun, playing with our ponds, isn't it? I really appreciate everyone's suggestions.