Sorry it has taken me a while to get back and check in. I was out of town for work and just got home. Thanks so much everyone for the compliments. It makes me feel good, I must admit. I always seem to see what needs to be done, and sometimes forget to look at what it is! I will try to answer everyone's questions. Hope I don't miss any. In no particular order... The lilies in the "big" picture are almost all daylilies. The lilies in the close-up pictures I am not sure. Just some bulbs I picked up, probably at a big box store or the local garden center? Sorry I don't have their names. The rose pictured in the 4th picture is Morden Belle. There are actually 3 bushes planted in that bed. I hope that is the rose you meant? Yes, I do have the courtyard of roses and yes they are blooming. However, many of the roses on the fence were taken down this year due to RRD. I have planted bittersweet in their place. Won't be the beautiful flowers, but will provide privacy that won't get RRD. As you can see from the picture below, the fence is now pretty bare looking on the side. I have decided that I will try to keep the roses on the fence across the end and around the corner. The need for privacy there is not so great, as the Wine and Roses weigela in the island bed does screen most of the garden from that end. Again, thank you everyone! I am so glad you enjoyed the pictures. It does help to make the aches and pains feel better! :-) Marylu

Sue, here are afew better pictures of the dinng space: Sue and pal, those leather stools are my favorite too. It's the Oly studio jonathan stool. I had the same concerns about too many tufted elements. Unfortunately, I dont think the stool comes without tufting. the small gray tufted accent chair does not have to stay. In fact, it's the desk chair for our guest room, I just put it out there for extra seating and I thought it went well with all the other elements. But honestly, no one ever sits there. I could always move one of the dining chair over if I needed the extra seating. How about a pair of these wisteria stools: I would reupholster them. When everyone says, they prefer the wood one, they mean the rustic one, and not the modern one right?

rsslp- the distance of the island from the counter is 42 in from the sink side, and actually 56 inches from the stove. I think I planned it so that when the oven doors were open, I still had 36 inches to walk by. However, you could definitely go with less and be OK. Any more would have been too much. Kulagal- My stools are from Ballard Designs. I have been happy with the quality. As you can see, I did not have enough space for a stool with a back on it and these tuck right out of the way. They also have the swivel top which I like. huango- I am not sure I can get my floor plan on here, but I love the window as well. The window size is 80 inches by 60 inches. Our ceiling is 9 ft tall if that helps. The trim was designed by our very talented carpenters who did our trim. They worked it out as a way to keep the crown moulding and the curve of the top of the window working together nicely. It was definitely a case of a problem being turned into a feature!

Thank you, I need to take a few more pictures, as the house is CLEAN! I have not had my surgery yet, it's Tuesday (reason I have been cleaning & finishing projects). I feel like I really got so much done! I have 2 small rooms left - and one coat of paint along the baseboard once we add the cord-around. I finished painting, light plates on window hardware & doorknobs... I hung more pictures, and I feel like... it's home! Now I'm going to try and have fun (after my surgery) and attempt to make a window seat cushion, pillows and valances for the kitchen - the fabric all arrived today!