Laura, thanks, I do know not to put out bird feeders, if I did, I would be inviting a big black bear to come and visit Mike. Yes, I'm gonna put a couple of my Walmart specials out for a trial. One time I went so far as to put some cubes of rat poison down into the tunnels in the yard. I really don't want to do that again.

Thanks Ladies! Am rushed for time but wanted to say that DH has ordered the cast cover that Outsideplaying and Cat Mom suggested. It should get here on Friday. Thank you for that one, Ladies!! Have made and frozen 4 dinners so far: Shepherd's Pie, Spaghetti and my homemade meatballs, Meatball Stroganoff and (today) my homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. Thanks to Joanie for reminding me to think about comfort foods. I made my own personal comfort food: my homemade Chicken Noodle Soup this afternoon! Thanks to Jshore's suggestion, I'm making sure that everything is pre-cut into small pieces as I won't be able to cut things for at least the first week. I had NOT even thought of that before she suggested it! I have my list (thanks to you all) of things to do and to buy in the next 4 days and am checking them off one by one. I feel so, so much more prepared because of you all. I am usually a super-organized person, but have found that in stressful times like this, I do need a little help from my friends. Thank you for that! I'm off to go iron 3 or 4 shirts for DH. By Sunday, I'll have a at least a week's worth ironed and ready for him. Lynn

What you do really depends on where you live, what kind of grass you have, what kinds of grass you want, whether shade is involved, and...whether you're willing to water it as much as 1 inch per week in the hottest heat of summer. Based on the dramatic difference between the two pictures, and based on grass apparently escaping over the concrete, I'm going to guess you have a Kentucky bluegrass lawn. And I'm going to guess that a tree or building shades the grass in the top picture. KBG is a full-sun type of grass. Where people have a mix of sun and shade, then it would be appropriate to mix a blend of fescues and KBG. Fescue can tolerate shade and remain green, but it tends to thin out over the year(s) and requires reseeding IN THE FALL to stay dense enough to fight off summer weeds. If this is KBG then overseeding is not necessary. Furthermore, seeding in the spring should be avoided if at all possible. If you had a lot of bare soil, then I might seed now, but you don't. You'll be much better off taking proper care of what you have. Here are some basics: Water 1 full inch all at one time, once every 2 weeks until the temps get up into the 90s. Then change to once very week. Measure 1 inch using cat food or tuna cans. Time how long it takes your sprinkler to fill the cans. Don't be surprised if it takes hours and hours. Mulch mow KBG at the mower's highest setting or one notch lower. Fertilize with synthetic fertilizer on Memorial Day. If you feel the need to do something now, use any organic fertilizer. If you want an inexpensive organic, let us know. Milorganite is fine, otherwise. Don't be tempted to use weed n feed. If you want to kill weeds, spot spray individual weeds with the appropriate herbicide. And there's no need to aerate. If you have hard soil, aeration won't work nearly as well as spraying 3 ounces per 1,000 square feet of any clear shampoo.

Not sure of your source but clematis do NOT stop growing without a trellis or other support system - they either create their own (sprawling up though other plants or any other vertical structure) or they act as low spreading groundcovers. But if you want vertical growth, providing some sort of climbing support is advised. Fishing line is a great idea - it is virtually invisible - but make sure whatever you use to attach the fishing line allows some distance/air space between the wall and the vine. This will allow for proper air circulation (reducing disease issues) and keep any wet foliage away from the side of the house.