Yay Bill! I'm glad to know my bamboo isn't completely imaginary after all! :) Mike, if you check the eGroups list archives (well, Yahoogroups, now), about a year ago, there was a lively discussion about wild bamboo, and judging from that, I'd say your bamboo will likely recover....and then take over your whole yard! LOL! Fishing poles! Yes! Long before I got my first flute, I had a bamboo fishing rod. Forgot about that thing...it was a long time ago, and us old guys get senile, y'know. ;) Bill, give the panda a fishing pole, and maybe the bamboo model can be stretched to look like a tree/bush? Or hm...maybe I'll need to do some botony research!