I got 3" pots of celosia, alyssum, coleus, and iris(don't know if they are Dutch or Bearded) from a landscaper friend of mine and all are growing healthy. Here are my other plants: two lilacs - one died, the other growing good and healthy S facing fence Celosia pulled when they died but wow they are beauties so I will plant them again White alyssum has a nice scent which I can't describe, the purple one has none. Will someone please tell me how to propagate them. They are planted on my north facing wall. Iris flowered last spring hoping they will flower again next year. My favorite is clematis as soon as the one I planted in the fall of 2004 showed the most beautiful blooms I had ever seen. So this year I planted more and have 44 planted in my 800 or so sq. ft. of garden with a few more coming this spring. 3 bush and 3 tree peonies - the trees all bloomed, but none of the bushes bloom at all. Rose of Sharon standard form on container growing good and bloomed all summer in direct sunlight. Tulips and daffodils all rotted last 2004 (heavy rain on clay soil) so the replacements were planted this fall so I hope to see some blooms this spring. I now have a raised garden because nothing seems to grow on our clay soil. Fraxinus Americana and Fraxinus Pennsylvanica are planted in my front lawn - mostly clay but it now has a drain system. What are my chances that they will not die as we are having lots of rain again this year? Any advice or suggestions will be greatly appreciated especially plants good for clay soil as my north facing wall only has a 6 inch raised bed. This is celosia: This is a clematis named 'Bees Jubilee'

I so wish the local animal control, or fish and game would come take care of the skunk I accidentally caught in my life trap (intended for cats that kill the yard birds). Anyway, I called local, state, fed. and they all said the same, "good luck." So this poor skunk is slowly starving/choking to death, because I'm cowardly and don't want to get sprayed or have the front yard stink for a month...so I have to find a way to deal with this! If the law, which I doubt, says I can't "relocate", then I'm left with killing the poor thing! This is going to haunt me in my nightmares! As for Kimmsr and her "well written" and well-researched input: state laws vary widely, it's best to call and find out if they'll help you before doing anything! If your state, like mine, won't help, here is a Youtube video that I think is the most humane I've seen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9F16vTJXbk  

Susanzone5: A few years ago I went for a hike in the Windsor NY are. It was Christmas week. There was spotty areas of snow on the ground. The air was bite your cheeks cold but the sun felt warm. I was walking and stopping every now and then. I stopped at the base of the mountain to look around. Just as I stopped a medium size bear ran up the hill into some spruce trees. She ran from a blow down not 15 yards from where I stopped. As I looked around I saw movement from the other side of the tree.8 short black legs turned into two small cubs. I watched them for several minute. The mother didn't go far. I walked out around where they were. I walked an old snow covered logging road just above where mom ran.She never crossed the road.Again this was Christmas week.Bears in this area do not always den up at a set time. Males will wonder on warm or sunny winter days looking for food.I don't believe a mother bear would den next to a blow down that offers sparse cover.Males will den in any spot that looks comfy.It looks like your bird feeder might not be safe except for the dead of winter.

Sorry Allie, looks like none of us have any ideas to offer. I have never seen any plush animals outside, did you see them somewhere? Luvs