So funny, your new pictures remind me of when I took out a tree from my old house...It was shocking at first. I would look out the window and see a blank space where a tree should be. Kind of when you get a major haircut and don't recognize yourself when you look in a mirror. Then I got used to it and loved the more open feeling for the yard.

Eden, that's a lovely shot of Jen and Kate. It has that timeless quality that would lend it nicely to a round or oval frame if it could be manipulated accordingly. Marian, I very much enjoyed the pictures of your lovely property. I think the "pour off" is grand and I instantly wondered if the pool was deep enough for a quick dip! The surrounding terrain is rugged and reminds me of the White Mtns. of NH. Wouldn't it be terrific if we could just wave a wand and, POOF! walking trails, stairs and handrails could appear where we'd like them? Do be careful when you're out bushwackin'.... (cluck cluck cluck; the sound of a concerned BIT... biddy in training). And PM, my my! aren't you industrious? if you'd like to perfect your wall building skill by all means c'mon up and practice here with me. ;) It's going to be lovely when it's finished. I noted with interest that you've deepened the bed in the picture. I plan to do that will the front bed here. The learning curve is steep when you begin gardening with little or no real background and a minimal sense of scale. It's that sense of scale that I find I'm developing more and more over time. It's going to look terrific when you and your generous DS are all finished. Be sure to keep a good photographic record. Woody, I've had to "terminate" exactly two people in the time I had my "straight" job. One was a slacker and it made me uncomfortable to have to "look over her shoulder" to be sure she did routine things correctly (or at all), so when it came time to give her the book I didn't really care. The other, however, was very troubling. She was illiterate and I'd never before met someone who couldn't read. She was punctual, cheerful, and she really tried. But she was unable to handle the simplest sewing operations in the line and was so disappointed when I had to let her go. I've thought of her over the years and wondered whatever became of her. So, I'm sure you felt a certain level of relief when the deed was done. I hope you gave Misty a swift kick and then went outdoors to torture the sod for a bit. I smiled at the "watched pot" comment, too. But for a different reason, I recall being the watcher... keeping an eye on Mum to make sure she was safe and noting changes and trying very hard to be "cool" about it. You bring such an interesting perspective to our conversations here, Woody. I believe Sue has blown us off, having retreated fully to the "dark side" of sound bytes. We can only hope that she and Deanne don't abandon us completely and forever. I was going to suggest that she was perhaps in deep mourning for Zoe, but that doesn't strike me as her style. :) Mary and her family crossed my mind the other day when news of the Red Sox triumphant double header hit the news. I wonder if they braved the rain delays to see all of it? And I wish I'd urged her to take in the Gardner Museum, too. It's a jewel... even the blank wall where the stolen Rembrandt seascape used to hang. 'bug, I'm sure there will be many weepy moments for you and your family in the coming days/weeks. Poignancy lends a certain "flavor" to anything... may the "sweet" in the sweet and sour be especially so. Was Indy a "puppy raised" dog? We have a saying here, "nothin' like a kitten raised cat" and it holds true for dogs, too. It's one of those things you miss out on when you make it a goal to reclaim other people's cast-offs. We frequently wonder about Rex and what his life was like before we "sprung him from the joint". Why are you telling me this, anyway? you know I hate dogs. Looks like I'll be working on Monday, seems like the prudent thing to do to head off a stressful dash to the finish line for a Wednesday installation; I'm always interested in containing and minimizing the chaos whenever I'm able. ;) I worked alone yesterday (I like that) but still came home feeling that no matter what I did, how much I did, or how well I did it it still wouldn't quite enough. It doesn't matter that it's not really about me at all, the fact is, nobody likes going to work when they feel the task in front of them is Sysiphean. I haven't returned to the cutting table pcs. since I filled them. Foolishly I set them up in the Salon without thinking of the mess the sanding will create (duh). So, I'll set them up in the garage bay and have at 'em with the palm sander today or tomorrow. Then drag them back upstairs for the finishing. Right on top of it! that'd me. :) Time to tend to some chores while it warms up outdoors. I have the sunscreen at the ready and a very basic plan of attack formulated. My greatest concern today is what to make for dinner... helpmeet will not be home until after 6 and it hardly seems fair to saddle him with the responsibilty for dinner after such a long day... . I'll have to think about that for awhile. Gotta be really easy.

Jackie, I have no experience with OLD roses, and my Le Vesuve is a mere baby in comparison to yours, but I have wanted to post on this rose since recently observing the way mine is growing. I'm afraid anyone who has ever seen RRD would be petrified to look at my bush. I was amazed to see new growth that looked like the witch's brooms of RRD. Now this is different in that it matures into normal growth, but that new growth was coming out of the end of older canes every whichaway and was voluminous. The bush is truly becoming a tangled mess. I wanted to ask someone if it would be wise to trim out some of that new growth to keep the bush from becoming so entangled (maybe pulling it off at the growth point the way you do rootstock suckers) OR would that just promote more growth as is typical with Chinas. Now that you mention yours growing "around in circles and intertwining with each other", I can see the beginnings of that on my bush. I can barely reach into the bush because the growth is so dense. I can see where the soft new growth could easily and often bump into another branch and be forced another way - through, in between and around older growth, creating curls and circles. Does anyone have an answer to this possibly destructive growth habit? Or should I just stand back and let him be? My plant has not achieved symmetry yet (I think the neighbors must be wondering why I don't shape him up, but he's almost there), but about 75% of him does overlap the edges of his 6' round bed, and he's at least 4' tall now. I was also wondering if you shouldn't also cut out a few of the oldest canes on your bushes (not just the dead stuff). Do you think he'd put out new basal growth like a climber and thereby rejuvenate himself? Sherry

Western Larch was reported historically to 80m tall; whether that's accurate or not I've no idea, and of course there's none remaining anything like that tall. Must admit I'm very dubious about these old historical claims, so probably best left out. There's a Lebanon Cedar in Italy 3.6m diameter, one in Britain 3.5m diameter, and a wild one on Mount Lebanon 3.35m diameter. Ponderosa Pine is also worth considering, to 78.9m tall. Resin