Thinking I might have found the bright side of the garlic grass that's invaded most of my gardens, I went googling for "plants that repel voles" and found a promising article on Elsevier (they publish research journal articles). The goal of the study was to find plants that kept voles out of orchards. The method was to see what deterred them from eating their favorite food, applesauce, when it was mixed with different concentrations of the various plants under consideration. I'm not positive that these results actually imply a repellent, but for what it's worth, here are the results: Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis Sieb. and Zucc.), boxwood (Buxus sempervirens L.), daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus L.), and crownvetch (Coronilla varia L.) were the most effective. The abstract is at the link below. I can probably get a PDF of the full text from the WHOI library system if anyone wants to see it, but I'm hoping to find something more apropos (I really don't *want* pachysandra everywhere - or anywhere.) Here is a link that might be useful: Crop Protection abstract

Hi all! I am so grateful for all your comments. We had this house built 19 yrs ago. I am 55 & just retired from teaching. My husband is in county politics, so we plan on being here awhile. Our son is grown & the house is too big for the two of us, but to sell & buy smaller what we want would be about the same money. I figure this is my last kitchen so I need to do it up right. The cabinets will be good quality for around here. Custom made by a popular area cabinetmaker, or a small company in the next county. Kitchen Jewels from Jasper, IN--anyone heard of them? Someone asked--our appliances are GE Profile. WE went to the local Parade of Homes today & every house we saw was dark cabinets, dark counters, & dark or SS appliances. Now I'm not sure I like that look all put together. Our kitchen is fairly small with one over the sink window. It opens completely into the dining room & it opens into a sunroom. (I found out later why the saleslady wanted me to order the pink chairs--she wanted to see them to see if she wanted them in her house!! She could have had mine!) I won't mind the cleaning of the black granite. I would wipe down my counters anyway. Some of you said my appliances will be wearing out soon. Not the stove--it is never used. I am a non-cook. Hate to cook. That may get me kicked off this forum with my very first post!

Slightly OT but still kitchen related. Last summer I started watching a friends son on the weeks that he had him. His dad doesn't really cook so every week with dad is a different restaurant and every week with mom is some variation of frozen fish sticks and french fries, etc. Last summer I started teaching him how to cook and I am so proud to say that since then, every time he is at my house he asks if we can cook! I am watching him again this summer; he just turned 10 a few days ago. He mentioned this morning that one of his favorite dishes is fettuccine alfredo. I didn't have any fettuccine in my pantry so I improvised. Here is a quick shot of my stove being used to the max while teaching this wonderful and enthusiastic boy how to cook. We had rotini cooking, broccoli steaming, chicken grilling and we were starting the roux to make the alfredo sauce. I love seeing this excitement in a child and sharing my cooking knowledge with him!! My hope is that here in a year or two he will be cooking his dad dinners so they don't have to eat out every night!! Just had to share!!

Sounds like a few possibilities- if daughter/grandkids moved in recently there must be no father on a continual basis. The boy may not understand that your house is no longer 'his' home. He may have witnessed/lived with a defiant/violent/drunk male in the past where this type of behavior is all he saw. Monkey See- Monkey Do. He may be ADHD. ADD. Fetal Alcohol Sydrome Disorder child. - 91-94% of ADHD/AUTISM is later diagnosed at early school age or adolescent age as FASD. ... It IS his mother who needs to set boundaries. Grandma already raised her kids- it is not her responsibility. Is the mother an alcoholic? Drugs? Physically or mentally abused and does not have the capacity herself to guide her children. You may not know these answers yet but dig. Ask grandma over or out for a hamburger. Discuss your worries with her and she may shed some light on the situation. Or not... It is not the child's fault, as much as it puts stress on you. Be proactive- lock your garage door. Lock your home doors. Ask a legal person if YOU may put a lock on the gate. Look at your County Clerk office tax assessment/file to see who legally put up the fence- you may be surprised to find out it is really your fence. Talk to your insurance company- they will have suggestions about how you can cover yourself. Most of these things are private and the neighbor's will not know of you trying to figure out the situation. Sometimes it DOES take a village to raise a child- especially a mentally affected child. I am blessed- I too have a connecting yard because two sisters and their husbands lived side by side. Then they were widows. I was able to know/visit the sister that previously owned my house for a year, before her death a few months ago at 100 years old... Her sister is my neighbor at 90, who is a wonderful woman. Don't dispair- there is a reason you are there. Figure out why as exhausting as it is right now. Chin up!