I find it hard to even grow grass beneath relatively young ones. I see river birches in many landscape situations planted less than 10 feet away from structures. I'm not recommending that you do this but like like most things in residential landscapes nowadays, it's more for instant gratification and curb appeal. Long term damage and removal many years down the line is overlooked. Knowing that for the cost of two ice cream cones, you could be creating a huge problem for a future homeowner simply because it was an irresistable deal. On the other hand, it will look nice in the garden and if you keep your eye on it and remove it when it starts to get too big then maybe you'll be satisfied. Personally I'd take it back to lowes. Get my $6 back, go get a couple of ice cream cones and then hit the nurseries looking for a more suitable tree to plant for the location that will be there for many future homeowners to enjoy rather than a liability. I look at birches the same way I look at willows. Messy, short lived, problem roots. Keep it a safe distance.

Hi mxk3, I feel the same way about my house (butter yellow asbestos "siding" with maroon shutters and a concrete stoop for a "front porch"). I'm trying to convince my dh to at least build a small porch or portico, he says that once we landscape the front yard this year, nobody will be looking at the stoop. I'm not convinced :). I agree that white's not my favorite color for a house, at least not in our area. Maybe in a place like New England with a different style house entirely, it would be another story. But if you're sticking with white, I do like the combination of white and navy (say, shutters or trim). I don't know if that would be too stark a contrast for you or not. But it also sounds like painting the brick to match whatever color siding you end up choosing is a very doable option too...in which case, what color would you like your house to be :)? I think different styles of house kind of lend themselves to different colors, so please do post a pic if you can.

I read that it is legal to download as long as I am not selling it, playing the song at any place where you would normally pay someone to play a song- such as a wedding, big party... It is confusing... Nope - your not getting legal downloads. If a song has a copyright (and nearly all do) you cannot download, even for personal use. Tally- I DID buy Limewire- $35 for a year. You paid $35 for the LimeWire Pro SOFTWARE - that does not make any music downloads legal - it is confusing - but you actually got ripped off if you think you are safe from prosecution by downloading from them. Their own site states that - although you really have to search for it. When you sign up with LimeWire - one of the things you agree too (if you actually read EVERYTHING - is that you will not download copyright material. This is from Limewire: "LimeWire Users The program distributed by Lime Wire, "LimeWire BASIC and LimeWire PRO", is legal software, but like many legal things, it is possible to use it in illegal ways. Specifically, it is illegal for you to use LimeWire to share, distribute or download (all of which we call sharing) copyrighted files without permission, or to share unlawful pornographic materials. In addition, it may be unlawful to share certain other files that are protected, proprietary, personal or confidential or contain protected, proprietary, personal or confidential information. The LimeWire program is distributed and licensed for use only in an authorized and lawful manner and not to share files which the copyright owner has not permitted to be shared. Your use of LimeWire BASIC or purchase of LimeWire PRO does not constitute a license in or to share unauthorized or unlawful materials. Your download and use of the LimeWire software from www.limewire.com is per a license granted you by LimeWire. To view the license in its entirety, click here. Your license to use the LimeWire program is expressly conditioned upon your agreement to not knowingly use the LimeWire program to share files that are protected by copyright from sharing over P2P networks. Use of the LimeWire program constitutes your acceptance of and agreement with all of the terms of the license. " LimeWire is a Peer-to-Peer sharing service. If you recorded your own original song - and wanted to share it with others, so that they could download it - that is legal. Downloading of copywritten material - not legal. I also bought a couple iTunes, but now can't download them to the mp3- even the computer tech can't- so maybe iTunes isn't the place to buy songs from?? iTunes works with iPods - Apples to Apples if you have a different type of MP3 player - you need to use somewhere else for your downloads. WalMart.com has lots, and there are many other legal sites. If you choose to use an illegal d/l site - that is your choice, but you should be correctly informed going into it. Don't fool yourself into thinking LimeWire, KaZaa or others like that are legal. Read EVERYTHING when you are getting music from a site. It is a $$ fine when you get caught - several thousand dollars.

Wow, thanks everyone, for your welcoming! I must say that it's a foreign feeling to find people in the same situation as myself!!! Leaves me a bit tongue-tied here, in a nice way. :-) chargreen, thanks for the compliment on my member page. I got the idea for adding the "funniest thread" after reading Cactus Joe's member page. I never laughed so hard as I did reading his! It's good for a lift, everyone.