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Phyllis Smith goes for the joy even in Sadness

The 74-year-old actor gets emotional about returning to the role of Sadness in the much-anticipated sequel “Inside Out 2.”

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Check for girdling roots when choosing plant at nursery

Q: I have a Mexican bird of paradise that was planted five years ago that suddenly died. It had flourished until now. I pulled out the plant and sent you some pictures of the dead plant, girdling or circling roots and borers that I found in the center of the stem that probably killed it.

While unsightly, slime flux is nonlethal tree disease

Q: I have two paloverde trees in front of my house. One seems to be fine while the other has struggled for four years. I am told the tree is healthy, but every summer it leaks white, sticky foam from the trunk. This foam attracts bees and beetles. The tree has received professional borer treatments twice a year, but it’s still bad.

Borer damage to trees, shrubs is obvious this time of year

This is the time of year when borer damage in trees and shrubs is most obvious. Limbs are dying. Their damage can be seen from a distance now, but they’ve been working hard feeding on the inside of trees and shrubs for months.