You are right about that, Lisa. I have lived here for 20 years since I was 22, and my gardens still aren't done. My backyard is still very plain, but with the pond, that's going to change. I had always wanted a pond, and when I stumbled into this forum, I REAALLY wanted one. I kicked it around for a year, and just decided "Go for it." Everyone on this forum has been super, super, super with all their help.

Aren't those stripes just something to see. The camera doesn't even really show how vibrant they really are. It is going to be a long wait for next year. I've already sowed plenty more chive seeds so that I can have plenty of the plants to surround my gazania with. After finally having some blooms on a few plants, I'm not letting those rabbits get the best of me and my gazania plants next year. Now just hope that it will be a far better growing season that what we have had, so far, this year. Fran

Toni, I am the SA beachplant(s)! LOL! Grown many of the crassula from seed. The orchid has a nice story, it is from the garden of my wife's parents, who are no longer with us and it flowers every year on her birthday, so mom & dad is still sending flowers!! That what we believe!! C. muscosa grows wild around us, I actually do not have a pic of the mid-size one we have, but its between the small and large versions. Rian

Katie, I have mixed feelings about the sub. Yes, it's so impressive to see. The doors feel like they should be on a bank vault. When you open the door at night, the lighting is so bright and white(I'm waiting to hear the "angel choir" sound :)). But then I think about just how expensive they are and then I feel a little silly. We also bought a full size fridge and full size freezer by frigidiaire commercial series, which we put in the basement. They look and work great, but without the bells and whistles of the sub and not as quiet. But they cost together a fraction of the sub's price. Downsy- thanks. I originally wanted a dark stain on Cherry, but my wife pushed for this finish and I'm glad she did. Yes, the granite is baltic brown. We had our heart set on this from the beginning(the fact that it was a lower tier didn't hurt, either!) The pictures don't really show how well it goes with the cabinet. The colors match the cabinet such that it makes the glaze "pop." We're so pleased with the result. misstaceyh-Thanks, we weren't going to go thru with running the lights to the island, but thank God my brother is an electrician, or else it wouldn't have happened... He spent many hours doing the lighting after closing, which made it more difficult.