Very pretty results! Congratulations to both of you!!! For those who do not know yet...Blossom Peacock is a Japanese hybrid bred by Miyake Nurseries, registered in 1997. It is one of my very favorite doubles for it's Lotus like flowers. A definite must have in ones collection. Like most flowers that "blush", intensity of it's flower's colors is very dependent on light exposure and temperature. Here is one of my Blossom Peacocks that bloomed in a cold January.

Happy to see people checking in and okay. Hurricanes are so scary, especially with all of the flooding in your area. I was at a public golf course today, here in Louisville, to videotape a PGA golf clinic. Ike's winds came rushing through, and we stood there watching 100' trees falling over all around us. Needless to say, the clinic was canceled. Fortunately, everyone got out of there unscathed. I can only imagine what it was like in Houston. After hurricanes Francis and Jeane, all of my landscaping was wiped out, along with my fence. The windstorm insurance did not cover any of it. They only covered the "footprint" of the house... Not even the exterior paint! A special rider was required to cover anything else. Hopefully, that will not be the case for the good people of Texas. The most important thing, though, is personal safety. Gardens will recover... especially for people like us, who are sure to make it so! Bob

An easy first step to narrow down your choices is to find pictures of kitchens you love, which should help you get an idea of the overall look and feel you hope to achieve. Not all materials are available in every color, so picking a color will likely reduce your options (light or dark, busy or monotone, cold or warm?). What does the rest of your kitchen look like? Countertops should fit in with the overall picture. Budget is likely the next big factor. Then there are other priorities, like how you need your countertops to function for you, and whether or not you're into protecting the environment, keeping-up-with-the-Jones', or worried about resale value. If you like new gadgets, you might want to consider newer countertop materials, like glass-composite, paperstone, customizable-concrete or kirei board. So much of this is personal. I was raised not to put hot pans on the counter or to cut on the counter, so I don't mind butcherblock, laminate or Corian/solid-surface. Others don't want a counter they can't use as a hot-pad or cutting board. Laminate gets a bad rap on GW, but it's still pretty common and well-liked in my region; my mother and aunt both get compliments on their new laminate countertops, and Senator13's kitchen is proof that it can be well-done. Stones are popular now, but I personally dislike cold counters (plus attractive options were out of budget and my cabinets couldn't handle the weight). I believe I've seen worries about maintenance mentioned when discussing butcherblock, stones, solid-surface, glass-composite, concrete and even stainless countertops, so look into the potential maintenance of your pick and decide if it's something you can handle. If you're worried about resale or keeping up with the Jones's, check out what countertops your neighbors or comps have installed. And if the environment is a concern, there have been various articles debating the environmental impact of different countertop materials (from sustainability, to life-cycle, to energy consumption). I installed butcherblock countertops to replace my old purple laminate, and I LOVE my kitchen now! Applying the Waterlox was time-consuming (multiple coats, with 24 hours between coats), but it was worth it to have beautiful, warm countertops that are also water and stain-resistant. I do worry about the butcherblock slightly more than I did with laminate, though. Laminate was a consideration and was even easier to care for, but there was the issue with how to make the underside of the overhang into the living room attractive. Budget was a huge consideration for us, but if I get to do another kitchen, I'll definitely consider stainless steel (cold, but functional and IMO attractive) and the various solid-surface options (love Corian Raincloud). Here is a link that might be useful: Green Countertops - trends in eco-friendly surfaces

I went to see the movie of The Hunger Games over the weekend. Heartily recommended. Excellent acting and unusual restraint for Hollywood in handling the violence of the story. I guess they wanted their PG-13 rating but IMO it made for a better movie. I had read the first two books in advance, and am now in the middle of Mockingjay the final volume of the trilogy. I am just about to get in the car and drive to the post office to mail Maddy Clare back to Pam. Thanks for circulating this book! Rosefolly