Tracy, Those limelights are growing in full sun on the northeast side of the house. I also have Oakleaf Hydrangeas which, though only planted 2 years ago, are blooming well, too: This picture makes them look like they've fallen over under the weight of the blooms. In truth, I think it's just that they've been expending their energies on the root system and will start growing "up" soon. (I have a few in a different area that did that. They are now about 5' high.) Anyway, the Oakleafs are planted on the NW end of the house, where they receive hot, hot, hot afternoon summer sun! My "shade dwelling" hydrangeas haven't flourished so well for me. I was excited that, after 3 years, Endless Summer bloomed this year: It's small (freezes back to the ground every winter) but pretty. My variegated and Blue Wave both freeze back as well. Neither has recovered to this point yet. So frustrating!

Rereading through this thread. I'm not sure this is a "first world" problem so much as a "modern life" problem. Back when no one hardly moved anywhere, kids just transitioned into their parents house, no need for sudden, dramatic downsizing. Now we're so much more mobile, we are transitioning into a more mobile culture as far as our possessions. I was talking about this to someone I met and they recommended the book "Boomer Burden." It's about how the material-intensive lifestyle our parents and grandparents and even great grandparents held is not working for current generations. In that old world, treasured possessions were passed down from generation to generation, just getting them in the first place was quite a labor intensive accomplishment. Now, we are inundated with cheap disposable "stuff" everywhere. And overflowing landfills, which is not good. I think our generation is the sandwich between the two lifestyles, trying to sort out what is worth saving for generations, and how best to do it. And the younger folks are trying to figure out what they should never accumulate in the first place . . . constant effort at "de-cluttering" and moving isn't any less stressful than maintaining a lot of stuff. De-cluttering as opposed to fleeing with whatever you can stuff into your coat IS a first world problem . . . On the one hand. On the other hand, I cringe watching all the carp my grandkids are surrounded with, and the rate is is all discarded. I used to think my parents were mean by only getting us a few toys for birthdays and Christmas, and all the hand me down stuff. I now realize they were being good role models . . . but when you have so many families torn apart, there's no coordination and a lot of competition for who can shower the kids with the most "stuff." At some point, we must all realize "stuff" is a fool's love . . . I quit my job to downsize. It is proving VERY difficult. For me it is a matter of time. If I've invested a lot of time in something, and if I ever want it again, it's not that I regret not having the thing if I throw it out, it is not being able to get back the time previously invested to get it in the first place . . . an ironic example is my yogurt strainer. Had it for nigh on 20 years, got it as a hand me down from my mother's downsizing, who probably had it as long, never having used it. So two years ago, off to the Goodwill it went. Now that he's retired and we got an Instapot, hubs is getting into making yogurt which benefits from straining . . . this is why we happily shop at Goodwill!! Kind of a cheapie example to a serious topic, but on a serious note, I get so frustrated with my Dad not being able to let go of absolutely inanely useless and unproductive things cluttering up his home, (literally trash like envelopes and old boxes) and he's 89 so I continually wonder why he doesn't want to focus on happier items . . . A friend once remarked that as we lose control, we tend to focus on the banal things we could possibly control. One has to learn BEFORE one gets into a bad situation, what to let go and let God on . . .

Woodswoman : Living Alone In The Adirondacks -- Anne LaBastille

I read The Personal Librarian and really enjoyed it. What an amazing story and a good read. I do kind of wonder if Marie Benedict is such a good writer, or is it because the lives of those women she writes about are so fasinating- kind of the chicken or the egg. Either way I like reading her books. I gave it 4 stars. I also did read Foster, which I enjoyed but also felt was not quite complete and sure did end abruptly. My book club met yesterday to discuss Anxious People, and the vast majority maybe 12 ,loved it. There was one other like me who was kind of in the middle about it ( 3 stars ) and 2 women who said they couldn't finish it and gave up.