The plant looks like it might be star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum spp.). If so, could be controlled with a "3 way" herbicide (same as used on dandelions). hortster

Kinda reminds me of Carnac the Magnificent...any fans of Johnny Carson out there?

I don't know any teens that would eat cukes any way but pickled....and it's too late for that. You can make quick pickles....slice and salt...add vinegar and some garilc slivers and dill...either a head or just seeds and refrigerate over night...

Ooh la la! Great shingle example, macv. Pamela, how are your boards deteriorated? It may be that there are too many thick layers of paint, and painters are worried about getting one more coat to adhere well? There is a house in my neighborhood owned by a pro painter. It's over 100 years old. The last time he painted it, he had his crew scraping and sanding like crazy, often to bare wood. Some boards were replaced. I have never seen such a thorough prep-job, but, then again, the owner was a pro, and probably keeping his crew busy between other jobs. I'm not sure anyone else would have been willing to pay going rates for that much prep work. It was probably triple the cost of a standard paint job when all was said and done. I wonder if painters are turning down your job because it would similarly require intensive prep to be done right. Maybe they just want to spray and go to the next job. But if you could get someone to bid on it, sanding, scraping, board replacement, the whole nine yards, it might be cheaper than new siding, and future repainting would not be so expensive, unless you let it go too long between paint jobs. I'm not saying this is what you should do, but you might want to consider it. Also I don't see how keeping existing siding precludes insulation. My house had insulation blown in from the inside when we were repainting rooms anyway. From the outside, they only have to remove two clapboards; one high, and one low, to blow in. You have solar panels to save energy. There is an energy cost to produce new siding, and to dispose of your existing. Considering this might be one more piece of your analysis. I think you have a beautiful house and great taste. It's nice to see another old house owner who takes the time to research before starting a major project. I'm sure the results will be beautiful no matter what you decide.