my $.02 too first thing i always tell anybody who asks me about what to do in their yard (i'm not a pro ) is: 1. live with it until you decide how you are going to use it and start making a list of what you wnat to do. 2. live with it some more until you know how it works- where is the sun/shade,wet/dry etc. 3. draw a map of your yard/house, circle and itentify what you want to do where-- will it work in that area. examples. i live on a city lot 50x125. the house was built in the 20's, it's 25 feet from the street. the drive runs from the street to the rear of the back yard, but there is no garage. we had twin 2 year old when we moved in. #1 need was a fence to contain them. thats what we put up as we moved in. after living there for a year we knew we wanted an area to dry clothes on the line. an area for the kids to play in -- including a swing set/sandbox and fort. we wanted an area to grill in/eat out. an area to relax in that wasn't in the sun. all this we wanted to do in the back yard. in the front yard we wanted to use as an entry way that welcomed people. I was willing to spend 1-2 hrs per week doing yard work as well as a spring and fall clean-up. in reality i' only willing to spend about 1 hour perweek. This means i need to rely on perinneials and tough plants that don't need lots of care. our 3 major problems with the yard were too many trees, the back third of the back yard was low, slow draining, and never got sun (think mud for 6 months of the year or more) and heavy clay soil.` year one we cut down 42 trees from the lot -- most were over 8" in diameter. We kept an ancient hickory (58" diameter), a young hickory (14" diameter) a maple(12" diameter) and three pin oaks (all about 14" in diameter). we ran a clothes line along one side of the back yard. since the back third of the yard was in heavy shade and only mud. we topped it with 18 tons of pea gravel-- put in the swingset, fort in the maple tree and a large sandbox. also we made a sitting area and put the wading pool there. no sunburns while the kids played, no more mud, cool and shady. we use the drive as a patio. but all this took us three years to achieve-- time to observe etc. nowe that the kids are 18, i can replace the fort/swingset with a shed for storage. the sand box is used for forcing winter publs and as a temporary holding bed. the lay out of the clothes line is being changed so i can increase the area where i have flower bed and so that it isn't so obvious now that we can entertain. also i'm finally able to start putting in plants i truly want as the soil has been built up over the years with many applications of compost, mulch, topsoil, sand and peat. i'm losing my big hickory-- maybe 10-15 more years, but i started a replacement for it in a better spot that a future owner will appreciate. but what you need to do lis figure out what you will do in the yard, what you want to see from the house, what you whant to see from the road. where do you always go into the house from? where do you want guest to go when they arrrive? where do you needx a shovel in the winter. then you need to read read read about plants and ask questions. as some one said you can always move the plant-- i'm ready to rip out my front flower beds for the 5th time because i finally think i have a plan that will work right for me-- i have homes for all the plants in these beds in other areas of my yard. so cut rake compost plant annuals stick in bulbs find plants you like and learn for a year or so then satart putting in the 'bones' of your garden and then start filling in the gaps. diggerb

Lori I'm rooting for the Pats just for you. But I gotta tell ya I hate watching basketball. Sharon we saw that production here in LA. John Boy is no Peter Fonda, but it was still pretty good! Bessiedawg you go girl Kidney stones are no fun. I watched DH go through a lithotrypsy (sp?). Susie the caregivers forum will help. I'd also recommend seeing if you can get a social worker to help convince her. Good luck. I've told my boys to give me a martini and chocolate when the time comes that I cannot be easily cared for and they can do what they want, I won't fight. Gina everytime I hear you say 'ping pong' I can't help but think of 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert'. I'll shut up now. Shaun I'm sure you'll find a way to make your hubs forget that you didn't get him a bday card. Ahem. Diane I'm tired just reading what you are doing. I'd love to come help you. Woodie enjoy your shows. Did you see Avenue Q yet? We took our boys. Heh heh. Carol, just for you, I sing 'The Internet is for....' (finish that sentence, or look it up on YouTube) Changeling, feel better. Me? Yesterday it was Cotillion with DS #2 - parent/child dance. Awwwww. I tried to get out of it by scheduling his teeth (two of 'em) extraction for that afternoon. It didn't work, he came home, got over it, and said 'get dressed mom, we're going dancing'. Dang (for those who don't know me yet, thats why they call me 'Evil Jessy'). Sent the rest of the family out for dinner. Today I drove DS #1 to take a practice SAT/ACT exam, and we're hanging the rest of the day. Tomorrow is the game! Basketball, right? What do I know.....its all about the food and company. For Lori and Bob, go PATS!

Oh yeah, homemade ice cream is definitely worth the trouble. I like the mocha brownie chunk, I got the recipe here. Elery loves butter pecan, I make it with brown sugar from another recipe I also got here. I have one of those little Cuisinart ice cream makers that you put the insert in the freezer. 20 minutes and I can have ice cream, or that prickly pear sorbet that Sol pointed me to, or frozen yogurt or a zillion things. Oh yeah, definitely worth it. I seldom top ice cream, although I've been known to make a chocolate malted out of it. The Monkey Princess and Bruvver like fudge sauce for their ice cream, and sprinkles. Annie

Clink! Hey Nancy! Happy canning I didn't get to do much this year. Hope all is well with you and Kim. Man, it's been five years since that wonderful time in the Smokey Mountains.... Ann, hope all is good with you, Moe, and Matt. Sorry you have to work this weekend. I know for a fact that doesn't hinder your cooking and baking. Hey Sharon! It has been five years, YIKES! I was thinking about my Mayhem gals this week too. I still have pics but we agreed not to post most of them...LOLOLOL Guessing Sara is out of High School and in college by now. I'm sure Dad is having fun. No grands from Chris or Meredith yet?? Eileen, hope all is well with Alice and Danny. Been catching up and Darla is a dead ringer for my Lucy if you remember her. Got a lump in my throat when I saw the pics. She was lucky to have you there to take here in and find her a new home. Nothing wrong with starting the weekend early! Annie, I know you will have a great day tomorrow with the kids. Can't wait to see the pics, it's been too long for me. I have vague memories of Grandma going to the back yard to grab a chicken or two for dinner. A lot of work but so well worth it for some good fried chicken. The dust storm was crazy for sure, it was worst west of us but we did have to drive with our headlights on for yesterdays evening commute. Hope Elery, and all the kids are doing okay. Pam, hope all is well with you too. What's up with that crazy neighbor of yours? LOL Hope those boys of yours are taking good care of you and all is well with you Mom. Enjoy those ribs! I'll be putting a rack or two in the smoker in the morning. Cathy, hope all is well with you and Raymond, the grandkids too. I've been a sealing fool thanks to you! Like I mentioned to Nancy, five years since U-turns and table clothes and more. LOLOL! What a great week! Lars, glad to hear you are enjoying your smoker. Sounds like a fun weekend you and Kevin have planned...hope you share some pics if you get a chance. So sorry to hear about you Mom and I hope your health challenges are getting better. I still have the readings you sent me years ago for my Birthday...... Sally, sorry y'all have that dang flu/crud that's been going around. Not fun! I saw the news about Big Tex today, that is just crazy. I've been there a couple of times for the OU/TX game back in the day. Hope your place down in Talaquah is coming along too. We need to try to get together one of these days. I'm rubbing my meat down with dry rub tonight and doing some household chores. Have to get up early to fire up that smoker so the meat is ready by game time. Gooo Soooners!!! David