well i lied i still have more rant! i did this and my envelopes were returned. only they held them for a week! and then returned it with a note saying this was too thick for a "flat/large envelope" and had to be a parcel price. ! the other weird thing, in some kind of not funny irony, was i also got some seeds i bought, they were in a small thin bubbly, and at "flats/large envelope" postage rate. 1.19 in postage, made it perfectly fine ( as it is the correct, CORRECT postage)...and my envelope which looked almost the same...with the note saying not enough postage even though theres three stamps. so i went over with the printed out copy of the size requirements for "flats/large envelopes". and she tried again to say anything over 1/4 inch is a parcel, and i said nooooooooo...its 3/4 inch and it says right here, and that they have been overcharging me for quite a long time. she said we havent been overcharging! and i said yes...this is what i usually mail..."flats/large envelopes" and they are at these prices....and even though these are IN FACT flats/ large envelopes...you always charge me for parcels. and pointed out that if i mailed from the coast or a nearby ish town it would be that rate. i shouldve brought in the other envelope...to show her...but i didnt realize that until later. argh. well actually they did eventually agree to mail it. but said well if someone turns it around and returns it for not enough postage its not our fault. i told them i have to weigh ity at home and put the correct postage oin it, as that seems to be the only way not to overcharged. and sometimes even have to factor in how they overcharge me if i want it to make sure it gets there...but thats not fair because if i was somewhere else at a post office they would charge me the correct amount and i wouldnt have to pay more than i am supposed to... i sort of wished i had brought up how they say theres been not enough postage on some stuff where other people sent it to me...when in fact it was correct postage, but not their (distorted) idea of what "correct" postage is... but of course i didnt...i suppose i just have to be happy enough that i finally made some headway and now when they see my envelopes they maybe wont return them. but the person waiting for my side of the trade had to wait an extra week...before they even sent it back to me!

I am sorry photobucket locked up my albums. I will repost the tutorial here: 1. Cut paper into a 3 1/2" or 4" square, wider if you need a larger envelope. 2. Fold the square into a triangle like so: 3. Fold the two flaps almost all the way to the base of the triangle: 4. Fold the two corners of the triangle toward the center: 5. Unfold the flaps. Place a piece of transparent tape over the two corners. The envelope will look like this: Please note the base of the flaps. If the two corners of the triangle are folded a little deeper so that the flaps are not perfectly triangular, small seeds will not leak out. 6. Seeds go in between the two flaps: 7. Fold down the flaps and insert it into the envelope, like so: Inserting the flap into the envelope keeps seeds from leaking out. I actually got the idea from kizzyseeds and, I believe, tidewaterlily. Both of them sent me seeds in plain folded envelopes with no tape at all. None of the seeds leaked out. Using catalogs was my idea. It's a good way to recycle seed catalogs. :-) Have fun!

Good idea!

It wouldn’t worry me too much to have woody growth engulf a support stake BUT what I see would worry me because it looks like the the trunk was bent enough to break the stake - and the stake split the trunk so you now have an open wound in the trunk. Trying to remove the stake would increase the damage. I think sycamores are prone to various fungal disease and an open wound might make this tree more at risk of having/getting a disease. If what indianagardengirl sees is really a girdling root, that’s two strikes against this tree… At the very least the company that planted it should be notified that it is damaged and that you would expect it to be replaced if it deteriorates. If you suspect the company might not be in business in the longterm, I’d want them to replace it NOW.