I might rethink planting a type 2 clem on a Harry Lauder. One of the pleasures of the HL is its winter silhouette with interesting branch shapes. Type 2 clems aren't usually cut to the ground in winter (you can do it, but will lose all the first bloom, and some won't bloom as well in the second bloom in my cold zone 5.) If you don't cut it to the ground you will have all the scrappy dead vines left in your winter HL which will interfere with its bare-branched silhouette. At least consider a type 3 or choose your type 2 carefully so that you get one of them that seems to bloom longer so you won't lose too many blooms. My Daniel Deronda, a type 2, will bloom almost all growing season, even after it has winter killed to the ground, and I imagine that there may be some more. I mostly put type 1s and 2s where I don't have to see the dead vines in winter. The other thing to consider is the ultimate size of the clematis and the HL. A large, fast-growing clematis can overwhelm a young or small shrub. I tried the strategy of planting clems on the opposite side of the shrub from where I want to eventually view them so that they would grow through, and I find that I prefer the ones where I planted them on the side from which I wanted to view it. The grow up the shrub just fine in my garden. It may be a difference in sun angle and intensity between Bob's CA location and my NH location.

I had a couple of pink flamingos in my yard for awhile. I named them 'Tongue' and 'Cheek'. They finally died. I think of,embarrassment.

Lavendrfem - I take that camera all over the garden with me in case a hummer comes by! :)I've missed them more times than I can count. . .But when I heard that familiar buzzing/humming, I stopped weeding and grabbed the camera. Trouble is, the vines have completely covered the top of the arbor, so I had to wait until he came out to the side to get the shot. Even then, I was shooting into the sun, so I couldn't even see if I had him!

Often times, birds attack a window because they see their reflection in it, and think it's an intruder (rival male, etc.). They dive-bomb it, and are surprised when they crash into the window. One thing I've had some luck with is to cut out the silhouette of a hawk and tape it to your window (you can probably buy this from some of the mail-order pest control companies). The hawk shape instinctively causes fear and a reverse in course by most birds. The down-side is that if your feeder is next to this window, you'll probably drive away a lot of your desired birds. Perhaps you can put a window treatment on the glass, to reduce its reflectivity? That shouldn't repel the birds...just prevent them from thinking their territory is being invaded. Hope this helps.