I'm anticipating the threads coming up from the new literate gardeners who typically pick up from an article or discussion such things as these and will start with "I know I need to blend my static items with my non-static items, but I need help ...". This is one more phenomena, or tool, which we can choose to emphasize or choose not too. A great and broad subject, but we seem to be focused on minute bits and pieces objects and not looking at what else there is. What about a place like Central park that was originally planted with trees small enough to be moved and planted that would have been relatively small and delicate compared with the bulky stone bridges and other visually dominant structures that are now dwarfed by some of those trees and are being absorbed by vines and shrubbery? How about the subdivision that was brand new that you grew up in with dinky trees and dinky shrubs with the wide road and sidewalk that is now a canopied tree tunnel shading that once stark open road? Then there are those residential landscapes that we did 20 years ago that have the same walk and stone retaining walls and patio, but the growth has changed the whole flavor of the place. What about a place that you did three years ago? This project could have easily been described (and often was) as a wall with plants. Now it is more likely described as a garden that has a stone wall in it. This is the interpretation I made from the thread title. I don't know if I'm narrow in that, but concrete geese are too alien a notion of hardscape for me to envision on my own. They just do not seem to be items meant to be permanent and I think of "hardscape" as something that has the intent of being permanent (although nothing is permanent). It reminds me of some of the old photos from my area. This land was completely cleared by early settlers. Many of the churches were put on higher hills and often show up in old photos, even as unintended distant objects in the background. Now there are a zillion houses, but there are trees everywhere. One particular church in Yarmouthport can be seen from many places (Sandy Neck in Sandwich, Chapin Beach in Dennis, Exit 8 ramp in South Yarmouth, ...). It is now seen as a steeple sticking out of a tree canopy rather than an entire church in a barren grassy landscape. It is almost a measuring stick of time against a big landscape. I don't know that this fits into the discussion, but those are my thoughts. ... that and one of those plywood plumber grannies with the polka dotted bloomers, of course.

I wear layers of silk most of the year, and work on a computer all day in a dry office environment. Sounds like a sure-fire recipe for static cling, doesn't it? And in fact, the first time I wore a silk shirt over silk undies and then touched a doorknob -- I learned you can actually SEE the static spark before your hand touches the metal!! A friend advised to use body lotion (on the skin not the fabric) just before dressing, and that does eliminate most cling. But I haven't had any problem at any time with static or cling since learning to wash the silk with shampoo and adding vinegar to the rinse water. I honestly don't know if there is an ingredient in the shampoo or if the vinegar is reason, but I will say I haven't had a problem with static for several years.

I should have added... -If static in your dryer is your problem, you are over-drying your clothing - which is a huge waste of energy. -Avoid drying synthetics in the dryer to prevent static - they dry very nicely just hung on a hanger or a clothes line. -If you are drying a mixed load of natural fabrics and synthetics, pull the synthetics out before the load is completely dry. -If you find you have static in the dryer, then give the clothing a fine-mist spritz of water and give it a tumble on "air" only, no heat, for a couple tumbles. That will break the charge of the static. -Grainlady

Oh man, this is a huge issue for me. In general, I am not a pack rat. However, there are a few big stumbling blocks for me. The first is a desk my father made for me. It is the only thing I own that came from him. It is well made for a home project, but it is too small and does not work at all in my home office. I have nowhere else to put it. I want to replace it but the thought of sending it off to a thrift shop is killing me. I also have jewelry from my mother, and more to come since she is still quite alive. I also will inherit sets of Limoges and Spode china, a big silver service, Boehm birds and on and on. None of these items fit my lifestyle. I will offer them to my nieces but their lifestyle is even more casual than mine. Yet, I know all these items are important to my mother and I hate to let them go. I also have an attic full of old Fisher Price and Playskool toys that I saved for my grandchildren -- who never materialized! I am not sure what they represent to me, but I simply cannot part with them. Maybe it's the knowledge that I am never going to be a grandmother which honestly doesn;t bother me that much. I have four darling grand nieces and nephews. Here's another -- miles and miles of old home movies. I have had them all transferred onto DVDs, but I feel so nostalgic about the films. Just seeing them and smelling them brings back a rush of memories of my father, who loved his 16 mm camera. I guess they will stay in the family until they reach a generation who doesn't give a hoot about them and tosses them in the dumpster. I dread the day when I clean out my mother's house, which is enormous and packed with stuff. A lot can be dumped or sold but there also are a lot of family items. Why oh why do we do this to ourselves??