Andrew, Yes the neighbors moved as hell have no fury like a scored/pissed plumieholic. After the plumie tossing incident and report to the city about an illegal nursery, the neighbors decided they were going to build a patio structure. Well you better believe that she was watching and noticed there were no permits. Once the neighbor completed the patio maybe a week or 2 later, as to let them enjoy it so they would know what they were missing, she called the city and reported the illegal structure. You better believe the city came and knocked on his door. The neighbor got fined/cited and had to tear down the illegal structure. I believe that is when the neighbors had enough and put their house up for sale, supposedly it sold in a matter of weeks. The neighbor was a retired Highway Patrol officer or cop (cant remember). This was years ago and told her at the time she better watch her back, law enforcement can be worse than the criminals as they have the power. Even after they moved I was told she kept getting reported. I know though she stopped selling on Ebay and MPG, and only sells on her FB Page. Well I received a 911 call from my property manager today, she told me she was out in the front shaking out her front door mat when this guy random scary looking guy opened the gate and just walked on the property aka trespassing even though there are 2 very blatant signs that states "Private Property No Trespassing Or Soliciting, Plants are not for sale!!!!" The Prop Mgr said she informed him he was trespassing and he needed to leave. I was told she was very scared and he just ignored her and kept on looking, then he asked about the plumerias asking if cuttings were available. The prop mgr yelled at him again and said she was going to call the police, then he walked away to the sidewalk and kept staring at the plants. I was told she pulled her cell phone out to dial 911 and told him he was on Cam being recorded and pointed to the camera, then he went to his car and drove off. The prop Mgr was pissed at me stating if the plumies were not there people would not be trespassing and bothering her. So again is it the plumerias at fault or the rude, selfish idiots that do not give a s#i%. Here is the sign that is posted on the first panel of Wrought Iron at the beginning of the drive way: This is whats on the closed gate, there is a kingdom hall that trespasses all the time so I had to include them lol: Who much more clearer or ruder must the signs be? I am in the process of getting a new taller gate that only opens by key or combo. Because of someone being rude I had to rush down to the South Bay and call wrought Iron people and now spend money for a new gate all because someones too cheap to use their money to just buy plumies on their own. This post was edited by freak4plumeria on Tue, Jul 9, 13 at 20:30

Actually I'm kind of feeling bad. The whole toilet bowl idea may be someone elses pride. Even if a whimsical joke. And Im wondering if I could say what I'm typing to that persons face personally. And not feel the hurt I might cause. But I did get a good laugh : ) To add constructively to the thread one pet peeve of mine? Neighbors or homeowners in a community hiring Landscapers to do renovations requiring the disposal of old shrubs and perennials. Seeing them chainsawd and chipped, buried by heavy machinery. I mean that is horrible. I never looked at it that way until I started the process of donating a Japanese Garden to a local community business. Here I am wondering why the rootstock cant be shared by community members who are financially unable to afford such plants. Here I am wondering how Im going to pull this off with no money of mine to spare. So I must resort to finding recycled plants. For the first time in my life. Ive always spent other people money. Now I have to come up with ideas so as not to loose face and make the Japanese Garden a reality. I wont accept a penny more from the place Im building it. The whole idea is about community service. Giving something that is a passion for free. I have a passion so its easy. The rest is patience. I hate evil plant killers :) Let youre fellow citizens have a chance to adopt a plant before you send it to a tragic death.... People!!! Especially at the hand of Monster Landscape Contractors who arent even willing to keep the plant for themselves to use on another project.Sometimes the completion date requires dispossal of ornamentals not in the design rather than re salvaging. Maybe the local town Gardening Committee will use those ornamentals. Making the town plan of beautification financially feasible. Ive never heard of such a thing but sounds like a good idea. So many homes are stripped of old growth ornamentals that have overgrown the original space. To be lost forever. I sometimes to the embarrassment of myself will stop at such a job and ask for all the root stock still alive.. Many trades men will look at me askance. Like Im crazy and should know better than to ask such a question. Giving that tough guy attitude. Like get the hell off of my job you jackass. I can see it in their eyes. And in truth I hate that feeling. Its hard for me to swallow. I must look like an amatuer doing such things. So in reality I'm doing this rarely. Driving my dump truck to the sites who are kinder. I might get something. Knowing one particular customer of mine who is low on money would appreciate these plants. Giving that customer back for the opportunity they provided earlier. To work on their property when they had money to spend. Maybe sounds old fashioned but I like my customers to be happy. I want them to have dreams fulfilled just as I want mine. Business sometimes corrupts that process of brotherhood. No one could put the value of driving onto a customers property with a huge Rhody salvaged from being destroyed. Its a priceless moment. And what did it cost me. Maybe 20 dollars in gas. A few hours labor. But what I get in return is priceless. Compassion from the person Im thinking about. We see eachother as equalls. Something money can not buy. And when you get used to this way of thinking you never expect anything in return. The whole idea was just do it. Its the right thing to do. For no real reason but it just feels right. I dont need books to know this. Its the same act as when a baby hands over the food for you to take a bite. Isnt it awesome to see a young child offer food that was almost going into the mouth hesitate. Then look at you and put the food in youre mouth intead! Its human nature to share. Sometimes I think how cruel it must be to see ornamentals a neighbor could never afford but truly desire and watch that tree discarded like trash. The owner of such ornamentals never asking fellow neighbors if they would like to have it. I guess most people believe in not sharing and rather see material things in the garbage before theyd ever concede to the principle of giving without hesitation. That was good. I feel better! Japanese Gardening has made me think differently. To give and help the community you are a member of is the goal. Finding every opportunity to make a community come together with little things. Not on the rare occasion. But on a daily bases. Its easy. I like what Im saying and will try harder to do so. This is what makes me feel like a boulder resisting the rivers current. Finding wieght in my doings. Even if the community is too complex to understand I feel rooted to living out one aspect of being a member. Feeling like you belong. Not just driving to the local store for groceries and back home. But stopping along that daily circle to do one small thing. No matter how little. Like someone you see going to the mailbox every morning while leaving for work. Saying to that person.. "Hey Ill have Peony roots by the end of the day. Only a few. Ill leave you some tomorrow morning." At least its a start. And after a few years you can see that act of giving grow into a smile on each others face every time you cross that persons path leaving for work in the morning. Nobody said this means becoming nosey or involved with strangers. Its just one simple way to say hello. Next time we see each other we can smile and wave hello instead of me driving by like a sardine in a car. Gardening is probably the easiest way for a community to come together. Every home has something to offer. Dont throw ornamentals away.

This is a little off subject but not, since it has to do with rescueing a dog. When I was in the 6th grade, a friend and I found a whole liter of puppies that someone threw out in the woods edge. We brought all of them home, I kept one, friend kept one and dad got the rest to a rescue shelter. These puppies were too small to eat, we had to feed ours "Lucky"(as in lucky to be found) with a dropper. She seemed to know that she had been saved, and for many years was my best friend. She lived until I was 24 years old and I loved her every day of it, even after I left home and went to visit her. When I was younger, a few years after finding her, I used to walk the woods with her. She would follow me for a long ways, and I swear I would get completely lost each time. At some point she would take over the lead, always looking back to see where I was. If I was too far behind she would come back to me, if I wasn't to far she would stop and wait for me to catch up. Then before too long we would always end up at home and never too late. When I was older and had a dirt bike she would follow me when I rode. I would keep watch over her and make sure she was close. I stopped at every pond, etc. and let her swim and drink, and always packed some food for both of us, since we usually stayed most of the day. We would stop by a pond and eat sandwiches, then she would swim, then we'd go again. The stories like this go on and on, and sitting here now thinking of her is bringing tears to my eyes. She was the greatest dog ever in my life, and for many years my best friend. We moved around a lot and all in all I had very few friends during my childhood. She will forever hold a very special place in my heart, and I trully hope dogs go to heaven so I can see her again. I think rescued animals make the best pets, cause they trully do love you for what you've done for them.

online shopping is doing strange things to what employees in stores are told to do. I like to talk to them about what the company insists will keep stores going. Online shopping is superior for most people but I don't want the kind of warehouse semi slavery that bezos has created for Amazon and that is the future for those employees if things keep on as they are. The attempt to survive and make profits, fabrics get thinner and cheaper. Clothes are discarded after a short time so that they must be replaced. A typical garment sewer in Los Angeles makes 4-5 dollars an hour or less if they don't get paid which happens frequently. Mostly it's Korean run sewing rooms using Latino sewers. I shop the garment district fabric wholesalers that supply these sewing rooms. It's all the same fabrics used in the clothes everywhere from high priced to low. Stuff coming in from China is exactly the same but sells for half the price. Race to the bottom. As long as people buy it, nothing will change. I sew for myself and many times I buy something inexpensive and take it apart to make a pattern so i can use better cloth. Some of the better quilting cottons make beautiful shirts. Qualitymen's shirts can be cut down as well. Menswear seems to be made to last. I think they view women as discarding clothes and replacing them as compared to men. Silk knits are very nice and soft and don't shed. I do love angora sweaters though shedding and all. Acrylic is super soft but pills right away so I never get that if it's blended with wool. Linen is my favorite. Its cool, it lasts, it's classic. It wrinkles.........can't have everything.