Amy - I go walkabout my garden every morning/afternoon and mentally move plants around for a more pleasing appearance. I figure that at some point I'll find the time to actually, physically move them but I don't let it stress me out when the seasons pass and nothing has changed. With a garden, things grow and change at their own pace so I don't worry that it's not 'picture perfect.' Maybe someday it will please the eye, maybe it won't, but whether that happens is secondary to having a garden where I have the option to change it any way I like. Re the astilbes: I grow them in groups of three plants, all in part sun. They get midday sun but morning and afternoon dappled shade. As long as I keep them watered, they do fine. I wish they bloomed longer but they're still one of my favorite perennials. My Virginia bluebells are gorgeous in spring but by the end of May they've completely disappeared and there's no trace of them. I'm wondering if what you've got is something other than VBB. Here's what mine looked like this year: Whenever I start feeling like all I do is garden, I stop and back up a few steps and think about how much I enjoy gardening and why. I hate the heat and the bugs and the aching muscles and don't particularly enjoy watering during dry spells but it's all part of the experience. I just put up with the bad because the good brings me so much pleasure & satisfaction.

There are many considerations: Cold hardiness is important because many modern roses die back to the ground in PA. Starting over from the ground each year works for a bush, but the whole effect of a climber is lost if it only recovers to four or five feet. William Baffin is a good example of a rose bred to survive the cold. I believe New Dawn is another tough climber. Remember, just because your local nursery sells a rose does not mean it is hardy locally. Disease resistance is also critical. PA is home to many fungal diseases which can ruin the appearance of your rose. It is harder to spray an 8' high rose. Rebloom may be important to you. Many of the tough climbers do not. Some produce a few later blooms. Fragrance is rare in hardy climbers. Very few climbers meet all of these criterion. I have successfully grown Westerland. It thrives here just south of Allentown. It may suffer winter dieback in the coldest areas of PA. It is only "somewhat" resistant to black spot and requires 3-5 fungicide applications per season. Westerland repeats well and is fragrant. I suggest you log onto the Rose Forum and ask the experts. Westerland

"Yow! I wonder if it would really attack or it just did that because you were running away." It was an attack. At this time of the year, the ganders are territorial and will harrass. They do challenge people, but if an adult stands his ground and counter- attacks, the goose will usually yield to the superior size and strength. If not, grab the goose by the neck and it soon realizes who is boss. However, a young child fares differently - its a size thing. One time when I was about 6 years old, a tame gander of ours grabbed be by the seat of my pants as I ran for the gate. He was beating his wings and trying to hold me back and then lunging forward to get a better grip nipping my little behind in the process. My mother was no help - she was laughing too hard. I was scared and did not think it funny. The main danger from such an attack is eye injury.

Hazel, Lovely locket...are you following a tut?....got the url handy?...thought I'd try & duplicate what's happening in your image... Are both your images (the locket & the photo) clean & clear before you use the deform tool?...maybe try putting the locket (before you use the deform tool) on a colored background to check...see if there's any jaggy's left behind.... I use the deform tool quite a bit & never had that happen before....always something new to keep us on our toes... : )) Jan