Those trees used to shade that complex, and I'm sure the tenants appreciated it during the summer. They'll probably have tufts of twigs at the ends of those stumpy branches for a long time now. That will be interesting to see!! How do I find the City Forester? I know Texas Parks & Wildlife used to have an Urban Forester, I heard him give a talk about the urban forest once, but have no idea how to get in touch with him, there's no link on the TPW website. A search for "urban forester houston" yields a landscaping company. Way to go, Ken. private means private, even if what they do is butchery. God forbid, they should cut them out and replace them with Bradford pears, though! I found a city ordinance that regulates the planting of street trees, but I think these are a bit too far back to be street trees. And I learned that the city of Houston requires each new house to have one street tree in the front yard, and it can be a new tree or existing tree. Wow, I had no idea. I have noticed that the landscapers usually stick a small live oak in the yards of new houses, even if the yard is the size of a postage stamp. I can just imagine the damage to foundations and driveways when those trees get large. The tree canopy will be larger than the yards. Very good, Ghost! Thanks! This post was edited by eahamel on Thu, Jan 31, 13 at 20:30

My most fun days in NYC have been just walking around-- particularly Soho, Tribeca, Financial District and of course 5th Avenue. I think that transcends age-- though what catches your interest in those neighborhoods may vary by age, there's plenty to see and experience. Many families go to Serendipity for frozen hot chocolate-- I've never been. A favorite starting point for me is Balthazar-- just love the decor and the energy and while the bakery isn't an option there are plenty of gluten-free options. Ellis Island is on my "must see at all costs" list. I've never been but my family came in through Ellis.. and after reading A Fall of Marigolds, I realized how much I do not know. I love the NYPL and the Met-- I agree with Annie that the experience and views from the rooftop are just breathtaking but I am not sure it's open to the public anymore. I did some work at the Met about 10 yr ago and at that time, it was employees (and contractors) only. I would think the average 11 yo would prefer MOMA. So many iconic and recognizable works of art. And I am a bit of a train romantic-- love train stations. Grand Central is just gorgeous. I've never done a cruise or ferry-- but I have added that to my "must do at all costs" list also. A broadway show is quintessential NY but don't discount off broadway. I have seen and enjoyed a wide range of shows-- from dramas to audience participation type performances. Whatever you do-- have fun and hope you have great weather!

Woot! A positive ID, and such a lovely one too! I look forward to it flowering all summer for many years to come. Interestingly, this is the second potential link I've found to Portland. I do wonder who the rose lover was. On to pink rose #3. This rose is about 6' tall, upright, and shows no signs of pruning. It's quite vigorous and is pushing new canes up from the ground. It's growing in the roots of a Western Red Cedar that is at least 100 years old (we've seen it in aerial photos from the 1920s, and it wasn't small then). Quite thorny, this one is a repeat bloomer that bloomed continually all summer last year and has no hips. It's growing in a different area than the majority of the roses, so it could be from a different era, although so far they all seem to be from around the same time period. The buds are a coral pink, but it blooms out to a somewhat shocking bright pink. Someone who gardened here was a pink lover - the majority of roses are pink as are most of my 30' tall rhododendrons.

Looks magnificent! I hope something similar will be on this site, it is our town's news. I'd like to see some projects in my town!