glad you're back

Welcome back. I still have visions of your beautiful ligularia and astilbe in my head, so you have me pulling back muscles as well. BTW I was just reading an article (probably an old one since I always get back issues from the library) written by a magazine editor that was saying how he always looks at everyone's garden's and then thinks about how bad his garde is. It seems to be a normal gardener's thing, but he says that no matter how inferior he feels there is always one plant that he sees that is not doing as well as his or something like that. I think we all see the imperfections of our own gardens that we want to fix, where as when we look at other's we just see the beauty.

Welcome home sugarhill.
My spyware problems ended when I began using firefox. Something to think about!

GGG

I know what you mean GGG. FireFox is a huge improvement. So good too be able to read everyone's posts again. I now know why my daylilies are doing so poorly and the blooms are deformed - thrips. This must be a problem all around Lake Lanier this year since I've noticed most of the posts were coming from the Cumming and Buford areas. And I see we're already talking about the fall plant swap. So good to be back.

Have you ever tried "Ad-aware"? It's free and is hands-down my favorite spyware remover. Paired with the "Google toolbar" (pop-up blocker) it works very well. (You can use google to search for both of those.)

Also, check to make sure you have the latest update from your antivirus software. (If you don't have it, I highly recommend downloading a free-trial version.) Sometimes a lot of spyware comes from a program running on your computer and antivirus software can kill the program.
Also, make sure you have the latest windows updates. (Service Pack 2 with Windows XP has a built-in firewall.)
It sounds like a lot, but if you turn on Antivirus automatic updates and Windows automatic updates...you won't have to think about it.
I haven't had a single pop-up in years.

I love computers just about as much as I love gardening.
Welcome back!

I use firefox, but still need to use Internet Explorer on occasion, certain things don't work with Firefox, Adware is a great thing. Microsoft XP Service Pack 2 is the other thing my husband highly recommends (if you are running XP) that is is line of work.

Thanks for the information guys. So far you are suggesting the stuff my computer tech guy - a genius - put on my computer and suggested when we had to reformat the drive. It is amazing how much stuff you have to get to protect a computer. It's worse than the growing list of things I add to amend soil. Which reminds me, what is the best - really best - soil amending method you have come across other than raised beds. I have an area where I truly cannot raise the soil level without endangering my foundation. If I'm going to be doing all the backbreaking work to fix the soil, I want to hear who has a method that produces beautiful soil. Thanks.

Sugarhill I am curious as to the answer to that myself, maybe you should start a new thread with that title.

I agree...I'm curious as well!