Agreed the understory looks good in PA for the most part. What makes no sense to me is why the salt spray damage is SO MUCH worse in that stretch of PA than anywhere else? Could it be the method the PA DOT applies the salt? There was some frost damage in OH for sure...There have been two freeze events this May there, interspersed between an otherwise quite warm May. There were a few singed leaves on my dad's Japanese Maple that were probably due to frost, but the shoots themselves were intact and few leaves had more than a little damage. I saw some oaks with "crinkly" looking older leaves that might have been frosted. The only major frost damage I could see conclusively were on the Ailanthus trees that sprout up everywhere...a clump of them at a low site near my father's house were completely zapped. Not that anyone would care if some Ailanthus were killed. The cornfields looked fine even 2 days after the freeze on May 25. Things like tomatoes and peppers, etc were toast in much of the Akron area though.

The Chickasaw plum, Prunus angustifolia, is similar to the American plum, Prunus americana, but has smaller leaves. about half the length and more narrow. Both species are native to this area and I often see one or the other along roadsides, when in bloom. I grew several of the Chickasaw plum about 40 years ago, but made the mistake of trying to adapt them into a specimen, landscape small tree. There was just no way that they would cooperate! They were unruly, unkept, always needed a haircut and slouched or leaned to one side, like they were trying to support an invisible wall! The fruit was tart and sour tasting and was only good for making jelly, which we really didn't prefer. I spent several days, during one spring, after they bloomed, digging them out of what was at the time, the rear lawn. Have never regretted that move. They would probably make an ideal living hedge or divider between a woodland and cultivated area, but there are much better specimen shrubs/trees. I'm sure some wildlife would appreciate them, wherever they are! My 2¢ Rb

Sandy, the golds seem to be acting like butterflies, right? They spread the wings on cool mornings to catch the rays and warm themselves. Plants can do the same thing, like the "sensitive plant" and the mimosa as well. And long term, the limbs on the sunny side of a shrub grow toward the light. Plants are interesting, and I suggest you read some of Michael Pollan's books. Especially THE BOTANY OF DESIRE. I think the light gold leaves tend to bounce the heat of the sun back and it moderates the debilatating effects of bright direct sun. I'm experimenting now with some golds in a lot more sun, to see what happens. So far, our days are not so hot that the leaves are scalded or damaged. Well, maybe just on one plant. My older Sum And Substance has two leaves with some damage which I think may be related to a heavy rainfall and wind a few weeks ago. I will put him (should be a leap year hosta) in a whiskey barrel all by himself and see if that is of any help. Once I do that, no more moving him around. As good as planted in the ground.

also remember that MOST of the people who post here are the ones who are having problems. People who don't have problems, don't mention it. I have almost never had a neighbor who was inconsiderate. Once, I think, and once I got a change to exchange more than 2 sentences with him, things were easier for me. So there are pleasant neighbors in apartments. I think the attitude you outlined is a sensible one. I hear my neighbors walk above me now and then, and I've heard the laughter from their parties, or the music from their instruments or their stereo. Never so loud that I can't ignore it. When I hear their nosies, it is first filtered through the basic fact that *I wish them well and like them*. This makes it easy to say, "Oh, Lee's having a party, how nice for her" instead of "what are they doing up there, i wish they'd shut up." There's an unspoken deal I make w/ my neighbors--I refuse to *notice*. I hear, I just don't remember. I think all NYers make this adjustment. Someone can bump into me on the subway, apologize, and get a "what?" in return--I paid so little attention that I don't even REMEMBER that they jostled me. Ditto w/ the ordinary noises my neighbors make. The less I dwell on it in my OWN mind, the less of an impact it has.