Thanks for all of the advice. Yes, ordinarily you would think that the trees and shrubs would be suffering at this point, but pines fines are so "fine" that the movement of water and air is never a problem. Also, this larger material was likely planted when there was still real mineral soil close at hand. There doesn't seem to be too much mulch built up around the collars or crowns of these plants, at least not enough to hinder thier growth, but there is MORE than enough to prohibit normal growth of perennials and groundcover. Its near impossible to get these to establish properly towards the front of the beds. Plants that spread by runners or rhizomes or never have access to actual soil- they just hang on as long as they can in a mixture of pine bark and a bit of compost that I've incorporated over the last few years. So, I'll just remove as much as possible i suppose and maybe even topdress with mineral topsoil.

i hope you got my send-to list kym? i sent it a good few days ago ok onto my pictures (because someone said how to do it LOL dont think they have watermarks? please excuse if they do they ARE older pictures as well) thats my angel i easily have TONS more pictures of her from me messing around with the flash and such i love taking pictures of her but shees just soo camera shy! --if anyone knows what breed she is im ears all i know is to me shees like perfect soo kind soo loving the first cat to llike me and really aware of her claws was taken according to its statistics (the website these are all on is an art site) in 04 i know this was before "taming" her at the time i think i took a step closer and she bolted so its OLD--anywho thats buffy who my mom thinks may be a coon and theres harley that was the first picture i took with that camera it was literally "har can you come? can you sit?" and took the pic he is OFTEN on my wing watching out and just being a good pup i think hees a border collie mix and overall i think great pup --oh lol aand GOOFY! ok that ones not a photo of my "pets" (lets face it you dont "own" them you care for them and if they dont respect you then youre theere servant as well--ill stoop my possible rant there as well) but its one of my many art projects it was hand drawn (1/4th of it) then scanned cleaned up colors inverted with the pattern put together on illustrater and border added on illustrater then saved as pdf and resaved as a jpg on shop (ok it SOUNDS a lot worse then it was) but i had fun and its been too long sence ive drawn too too too long this waas done in fall 07 i think its prolly been that long sence ive really drawn also in fox on 7 i right-click "copy image location" to get the url it works on xp and vista i think it also works on mac os (may require a control click on the thing in question an image here) yes i am geeky oh! lol aas for orniments i dont know yet i have hemp paper some atleast basic skills could prolly make something from them alone (thinking a square knot variation of a bead thing i made at the camper was the only 3d option ive done bead things and tho most were like gekos or so fairly common to find) hmm if i can find some wire thats soft enough i could prolly hammer out some design and all from there --hint the JOKE with me in high school was which art classes i HADNT been in so i think i understand the basics of some few things --ohh! ohh! i need to get our blowtorches over here! i could make real glass orniments (we have stuff for glass beadmaking which i rarely get to use) what does everyone concider "basic" matereals? (oh plus i have ALLL my 2d supplies and i think i could dig out some paper machet paste/powder/stuffs some add water and let dry sort of thing) thinnk ill start basics try to go from there? know theres an oragami star that i could make for the top i think it uses 4 like "strips" of paper and i did have the pattern to make it memorised at one time

This thread is so interesting. So many varied interests and hobbies. Like many of you, I am way ore into home decorating than my friends or family. That is why I love GW. Pesky- I also am a rock nerd. I love rocks. I have a weakness for geology and when I was in Vegas, I had more interest in exploring Red Rocks than the Strip. I am running out of places to put the rocks & minerals I collect...DH and I are thinking of dedicating the library to our rocks. I pick them up everywhere I go, and DH and I gift one another with rocks. People just don't get our fascination. As the daughter of a geologist, I can completely relate. I too,love rocks and minerals and have many of them displayed in our home, as well as large ones outside that I just put in my garden. We just moved cross country, and the movers looked askance at me when I asked them to pack all of my large lava rocks and petrified wood from the front yard. Lol. My daughter is carrying on the family tradition.she often picks up interesting looking specimens and then asks my dad about them via skype.

So many good quotes on one day, it took me a while yesterday evening to read through and I have too many favorites. Thanks and I think I re-read later today.