Ranunculus are a cool season plant with a frost sensitive rhizome. In an ideal climate (like Carlsbad, CA) you would plant the rhizome in late fall and it would put out roots and then leaves from December - February and then bloom in March or April. After that it would go completely dormant during the hot dry summer. The problem with trying to grow them in the ground in cold climates is that the rhizome is not cold hardy so you can't plant it in the fall and let it get established in preparation for spring blooming. If you have very cool summers you can probably plant it in early spring and have a summer blooming season but then you will have to dig it up and store it in a frost free location over the winter. If you have hot summers (like me) it doesn't work to plant it in the spring because the plant doesn't have enough time to get established before the weather gets hot and triggers the blooming process. Without being properly established it will put only small weak blooms or none at all. I've tried several times and had only limited success growing it in the ground. I do have a nice one that is about to bloom in a pot and that may be an option for you if you have a cool sunny location for the plant to grow along during the winter. - Steve

I got a First Frost a couple years ago. You'll love it. It gets better each year. BTW weed,welcome back! I haven't seen you posting in quite awhile. Somewhere in these postings,you'll see a post from Raye labeled First Frost. In there you'll see a pic of hers,and one of mine. Phil

Mrs. Pete - If you are putting a back on it - make it deeper - ours is borderline on depth. I love our pillows vs a standard cushion on the back. Our pillows our about 22 inches square. Initially, I was going to go with 18 inches but so glad I went bigger - but bigger size means the pillows are deeper. If you have enough height - I would try to have a 4-6 inch cushion for comfort (ours is 3 inches plus padding - so close to 4.5) Also - unless you are a DIY - plan on the upholstery and cushions to be expensive!! I hoped to DIY, but just didn't have the energy to pull it off. Our GC was a genius with the back - If our windows were higher, I would not have needed the fold down - but it is a great feature. I love our nook - I just want to go there and read my Nook! Think about what type of table you will need - Fishies has been struggling with her design. We are going very basic and planning for only 2 people. So our table will be coffee table height but will rise up to 30 inches to use for a desk or breakfast. Power the area - we put power under the benches and in our "caves". I was working on the computer and realized the batteries were low(the bad battery gene runs in the family - LOL), so just plugged in and kept working! Good luck and will be watching your plans.

I'm very happy for you about work, but you still need to get to the doctor about those head aches.I know you are scared and I would be too, but you will not be any good to any one else if you do not take care of yourself. I know I sound like I'm preaching, but you really do need to take care of yourself. Quit worrying about work, they seem to be very pleased with you at work, and they don't won't you feeling this way either. Now tomorrow morning get on that phone and call the doctor. It may not be anything real serious, but do you want to go through the holidays, feeling this way and not knowing? Not too long ago my dh was having alot of problems and I was just as scared as he was. The not knowing is almost worse than what is wrong. When they finally figured out the problem, we didn't like the answer, (m.s.) but at least we know what we are dealing with now. Please, Please go.