drive threaded steel posts into the ground where you want your pots. The stuff looks kind of like rebar, and you can get it at most home improvement stores. Drive the posts in deep enough where its definitely difficult to pull them up again. If you are really worried about it, dig a big hole, attach a bolt-and-huge washer system at the bottom of the steel bar, then backfill the hole after you set the bar into the hole with maybe 6" of the bar above ground level. Use the biggest washers (stack them in increasing sizes if you have to) you can get your mitts on. Stomp the soil down really well, or use cement to fill the hole if you are even more worried. Then, at soil level, use a large washer just below the pot, thread the pot on to the steel bar through the center drainage holes (drill other drainage holes to make up for it), add another series of washers until you get to a really big one, bolt the washers into place, fill the pot with soil and then plant your plants. People can then TRY to make off with your pots, but it will take several REALLY strong people or a truck with some kind of tow system to dislodge the pot--and you should notice that kind of noise. ljrmiller(z7 NV) I have been considering a system similar to what ljrmiller previously posted for the past couple of weeks. I have a beautiful vitex that I grew from a cutting that I want to put in front of my A/C unit at my apartment. I am going to place a corkscrew anchor, like bad pet owners have to keep their dogs from running loose through the trailer park, through the center drain hole of the pot. Then take galvanized bailing wire, tie it to the eyelet on the corkscrew and wrap the wire tightly across the top of the root ball to anchor the plant thoroughly to the ground. As to not damage the plants roots I am going to place burlap across the surface of the rootball. Finally I will add a thorough layer of mulch to not only aid in weed control but to hide the wires that secure the plant to the ground as well. I might be doing this a s soon as this coming weekend. I'll post photos of the finished product.

I'm glad everyone understands my frustration! Now, if they would have dug up the butterfly bush, I would have been thrilled!!! That thing really needs to be removed, but its root system is massive! I guess I'll just try to root some cuttings off of one of my other roses (Ballerina would look pretty there) to replace White Out. I really don't want to spend anymore money if people are going to just dig up my plants and take them. As for people stealing my fruit, that hasn't happened. Luckily, all my fruit trees are in the backyard within the fence. So the only one that steels it is my cocker spanial who has learned to jump up and rattle the tree...lol! Same fate for my raspberries and blueberries...eaten by the dogs long before they ever ripen. Let me tell you, I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for a White Out in some of my neighbor's gardens ;) Tammy

Good morning! I too try to visualize people and it rarely, if ever, works out. it is nice to put faces to names. Shirley, still thinking of you and keeping you in my prayers. i know that's your daughter, brittney and dawson -- who are the others (inquiring nosey minds want to know) and as for your mom, you never know what the next roommate may be, perhaps you can hold off on the move until you see what comes in LOL, however, I think I'd want to be with my own and her secrets kept!!!! annie your dogs are beautiful, as are you. my aunt and uncle, for as long as i can remember, were the first home for service dogs until they were ready to go into training. they had several different dogs from what i recall. sorry about your lizzie...i know how hard it is to lose a beloved pet. my next dog is going to be a shepherd, but it's been decided that we will only have one dog at a time now, so I have to wait my turn. (we'll see) i made an anniversary cake for a group i belong to, it was our 7 year anniversary so i made this massive cake. i filled it with alternating layers of buttercream and lemon curd, and dang, if it was not tasty. I was able to take a slice home for the family to taste and seriously wish there had been more leftover, would have made a nice breakfast!!!! a real nice combination, even though it started out that i was going to use raspberry as well...i just couldn't get enough to cook them down to make a nice sauce/filling. it's still so cold and seems to be staying that way until at least next week, when it's supposed to go to the high 40's, with rain. by then, i'll think it's summer. this cold is bone chilling and of course, they are calling for more snow. we haven't got much of it, but.....this year it is bothering me like mad! i shouldn't complain, there are parts of the country that are in the negatives, so i'll just keep my mouth shut on this subject any further! so whose left to post their pic? come out. come out whereever you are! speaking of which, jeanne, how are those triplets of late? is mary ellen still a part of this group? i feel like i haven't seen her in a long time...maybe since she became a grandmom, or right before that? hae a nice thursday! maryanne

Wow. That's terrible. I had a high end laptop and some jewelry stolen from my house on the job (whole house remodel). There was no sign of B&E so it was clearly someone on the job although no way to know who. My contractor offered not fiscal compensation. I guess after having gone through this I would say it was the contractor's responsibility to insure his equipment. Bad things happen. Although you feel awful about it (as I would), it wasn't your fault that his tools were stolen. I think it's great though that you want to do something for him, especially since it's his livelihood that has been impacted by the loss. I don't think it's required or should be expected however, and I'm sure he realizes what great customers he has.