We use tanglefoot out here in California quite a bit to keep ants out of fruit trees. I use landscaping cloth wrapped around the tree trunk, about 4 to 5" wide and wrapped around 2 or 3 times, then tied in a knot. Then paint on the tanglefoot. That way, the trunk can breath, but the tanglefoot can't heat up and burn the cambium layer during our sunny weather. Patty S.

Kiddo. Same problem here, but it's a problem which occurs every year since I have Rock Maples bordering some gardens as well as White Paper Birches. I just rough up the soil/mulch a bit with my fingers which cuts off the sprout from it's roots and that's it. Sopmetimes the whole sprout will come out of the ground so I just leave it on the top and it becomes part of the mulch since it dies. It's that easy when you catch them at that young stage.

You are all cracking me up. Wanna hear another in-law story? Now, bear in mind these are people that my husband never sees, except for funerals (and the occasional wedding). We had gone to see his Grandmother on her death bed. I loved the crazy old gal, she was a real hoot and just so sad that she'd had 10 pretty much worthless children. She loved to talk with me because I was the only one who would listen to her and she used to tell me "I talked so pretty." In any event, we went to pay our last visit and we were at DH's 'richest' Aunt's home. She was a widow who had been married to a man who'd owned a junk yard. Since I'd heard all about how 'rich' Aunt B was, I was utterly unprepared for what I saw as we drove up. She lived in a rural area and as we drove down the dirt road, we passed lots of junk cars and a sign on another driveway that read 'Tresspassers will be shot'. As we continued down this rutted, poison oak choked road, we passed more and more junk, rusted appliances, farm equipment, unknown pieces of metal & wood. Finally we pull up in the dooryard and I see a run down double wide mobile. The door has a towel for a curtain. But there was Aunt B's Corvette parked out front. We enter and it was like walking into the Dollar Tree at a fire sale. Those optic lights and lava lamps are glowing. Dozens and dozens of dolls are lined up and sitting around. Feathered flower arrangements and neon 'silk' flowers abound. Window treatments consist of blankets. (In their defense, they were covering the windows to darken the room for Grandma, who was lying in a hospital bed in the front room). The sofas were that orange & rust colored floral patterned crushed velour faux colonial/early American style. Covered with rainbow colored granny square crochet afghans. Most of the nephews or grandsons or whatevers were sitting around a tv playing video games. In the kitchen were the women, cooking up something. I ventured out to the deck to get some fresh air and someone comes walking out with a bowl and offers me some cantalope and gravy. Yeah, cantalope with sausage gravy over it. I threw up a little in my mouth. A couple of people are standing around eating that concotion. Then they started talking about how one time Granpa made squirrel dumplings and going on about eating squirrel meat and I just lost it. I went inside, sat next to Grandma, held her hand and whispered to her that I loved her and to just let go. We left shortly after that, and she'd passed by the time we got home that night. I STILL have nightmares of that visit. I swear I could hear dueling banjos.

hmmm...how are things going? What a loaded question. My doors are still not painted. Well, the MBR ones are almost done. I have these doors primed. I've now been in my house since 8/04/05, so just over a year. I have had boxes stacked to the ceiling in my children's study and our office. I couldn't stand another day of these boxes in my office with no furniture, so I finally got them out and they are now in my foyer. Shelves are up in the children's study and almost ready to go. I bought new office furniture and am a bit excited about getting it set up. All 30 or so boxes in the foyer are starting to dwindle down now. There are files and books that I have to go through. There is no way I can keep all of this, but I cannot just through these files out. They are from two businesses, four children, over 20 years in the military, college, and 9 years of home schooling, etc. Most of these boxes have been in storage for over 8 years. My DR still has 8 doors almost finished for my MBR. It's too hot to paint here in Florida and way too humid, so I have my DR floor covered up so I paint inside. DH and I don't like it, but we don't have much choice. I'm glad you wrote because I am going to do a weekly goal sheet. I love lists anyway! This is my goal that by next week the MBR doors will be done and installed. Hopefully, I'll start on the kitchen doors after that to finish fine sanding, priming, and then paint. It's overwhelming....I have no help to speak of either. Add to all of this the fact that I do the high school band web site, news emails, and volunteer. And my mother has been sick, a close friend is dying of brain cancer, mother had surgery yesterday...and OH>>> an almost 21 year old and a 26 year old still living at home...along with my 13 & 14 year old kiddos. The 20 year old registered for college and left a note for Dad to pay. Then she took off for Virginia for a week with her brother and did not tell us until she was packing. Dad refused to pay the college bill and she's already missed her first classes this week. She has medical issues herself and will have no medical insurance if she is not enrolled full time in college after November. She doesn't care. Darling Hubby is fed up. I'm fed up. My kiddos are slap spoiled rotten and it's all my doing. The 26 year old made the President's list in college this last term and wouldn't even share his grades. He's been belligerent and distant since he came home from Iraq. They pay no rent and seem irritated and angry at me if I don't do more for them. Seeing no cabinet doors still makes me feel like a huge failure in all areas of my life. I'm irritated and overweight. I honestly do so much for everyone and it's not enough. How do I stop? I need help even writing a new mission statement. I think it should start with: Help my man-child and woman-child pack their bags and take away their house keys. You know what? I just smiled for the first time in a week! I might be on to something! :D You know, I haven't said much here because I haven't had much good to say. I'm really going to try to focus on getting the doors done as soon as I wade through these boxes. I kid you not, I'm thinking of just burning these files. I've already ruined a shredder. I hate paperwork. The only 'good' thing is they're all organized. I'll keep you posted.