These accounts of critters has been hilarious, although probably not for those of you experiencing the problems. To think I was griping about a couple of deer and a dozen or so cats in our yard! Thank you for putting a lot of perspective on it, I'm thinking the grass is just a bit greener on my side of the fence. Although I do have to be very careful with bulbs in the house, our parrot can munch them up like they've been through a meat grinder. Can you imagine, an elephant in the garden! And they're shoo-able? We may have a short growing season up here, but I don't have to put up with nearly as much as the rest of you do! Linda Okotoks, AB It will be a brown Christmas this year and we're supposed to hit 8C on Christmas day. Shame the ground is frozen, it would be great gardening weather otherwise.