Most of the herbs I grow, I use in tea! Firstly, herbs don't really thrive indoors. I've tried this too, no luck. I got a grow light this winter and have been using it to overwinter some plants indoors. Spearmint has done really well, but that's about it. Lemon balm and lemon verbena are both excellent plants, for growing in general and for tea! But they're easier to start from cutting. I took several cuttings last season and had great results. They grew outdoors in pots, and in the ground. I still have one of each alive in small pots in my house right now. But they're sad, so I don't harvest from them. I was also able to keep 2 peppermints alive indoors. These will do great in pots. Actually, never plant a mint in the ground- it takes over. Mints add a nice flavor to teas, they also aid in digestion. Another calming herb which is a member of the mint family- catnip. Chamomile is an annual that will definitely take over a yard if you let it. It drops seeds everywhere and they come back the next spring. They grow happily in a container though, but they need to be outdoors. Only pick the *flowers* for tea. Lavender is hard to grow. Most seeds aren't viable. You'll get a low germination rate. Try to get an already established plant from a garden supply store, or order one. They also don't tend to bloom until they are 2 years old. And they NEED sun. There are a zillion different varieties out there of lavender, I've heard hidcote recommended most for eating. But any variety you pick will do. The blooms grow on spikes, and there's not many of them for each plant. They'll grow in containers, but you might need several of them. You'll quickly lose interest in trying to make lavender happy, but worth a try. I have two english lavenders, and rubbing my fingers over the leaves releases the oils. Smells amazing. I also had a goodwin creek grey one year, and the blooms were fragrant + a nice dark purple. St. John's Wort is a weed, so it grows really well! It also tastes mildly of honey. I've never grown it, but you should try it! Speaking of weeds- try self heal. I had some in my yard but I stupidly killed it. It doesn't have much flavor, but I hear it lives up to its name. And if you can get your hands on a hops vine, adding the buds to tea acts as a sedative. But watch out, the vines are sharp, they'll cut you. And I don't think they can be planted in containers. You have to have space for the vines to branch out + be a vine lover, as hops will quickly consume an entire wall or fence. You can also add sage or rosemary to tea to enhance brain functioning. These will easily double as culinary herbs. I hear rosemary does okay indoors, but both of mine died when I brought them in. I had them in pots all season long, they did well. Another nice tea herb is actually basil! If you're adventurous, try growing passionflower. You can also get it dried. It's calming, but more mild than lavender or chamomile in its effects. For now, you might want to just stick to dried herbs. Order them in bulk from Mountain Rose, this is what I do. Valerian is predominantly used for sleep and anxiety conditions, St. John's Wort for depression. Use lavender essential oil in a diffuser. Two other brain boosting herbs: gotu kola, gingko biloba (gotu is hard to get, but once it does it will live happily in a pot, however it spreads so beware, gingko is a tree and I don't think you want an entire tree so just get it dried) I hope that helped!

Ok, I LOVE that house, HATE that kitchen! The wallpaper totally fits, and that house would sell where I live, EXCEPT for the kitchen! Also, the carpet on the staircase is putrid. The same type of house where I live (Long Island, NY) would have an awesome, huge, top-of-the-line, well-designed kitchen. It would also have more land. The taxes would be $15,000-$20,000 though. My taxes are $12,000 (that was on a 1,800 sq.ft. 3 bedroom Cape; we added on and fear what they will be now)! I've been in some of the local Victorians and they ALL have huge new kitchens - that kitchen is the crappiest, ugliest thing I've ever seen. It makes my tiny galley look impressive. At least mine is original to the house. Seriously, that kitchen would drop the value of that house by at least $100,000 - mostly because it is so small for that kind of house. Also, all the old houses I visited on the local house tour a few years ago were totally restored to the proper period, but they ALL had HUGE kitchen or kitchen / great room additions. Seriously, some of the kitchens were bigger than my entire second floor. I LOVE the barn-conversion house in Indianapolis, though! It even has the original Mid-Century Modern kitchen! But that could use some retro sprucing up, though.

If you're looking for something a little unusual, serviceberry (sometimes called Amelanchier) is uncannily similar to blueberry in size and taste, although it is actually more closely related to apple. I would also consider lingonberry if you like things more on the tart side. It is related to blueberry and cranberry, it is more like cranberry but more palatable. Edit: my mistake, these plants prefer zones 4-8, probably not the most suitable for where you live. Maybe grow some boysenberries.

What some people call a portico and/or stoop and/or porch appears to vary a great deal. If the objective is to cover the entry, you can do that with an awning available in different materials and broad price range.. I'd suggest an aluminum awning and that you choose one wider than the door frame. https://www.ebay.com/i/121873395115?chn=ps&var=420867446666&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=420867446666_121873395115&targetid=883687709934&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9011044&campaignid=9338046419&mkgroupid=103102861148&rlsatarget=pla-883687709934&abcId=1139336&merchantid=115042939&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6PTRpPGG6QIVyZ-zCh2E-Qw7EAQYBCABEgLlNPD_BwE If you want/need more than that, unless this is a long term investment, save for will be a longer term investment or forever home. For now, consider the smaller roof suggested (via pi) by celerygirl -- perhaps extending it out over the steps as well as the stoop. Unless the siding is damaged, you might consider painting it rather than replacing it. Window boxes can hold moisture against your siding and window frame, potentially causing damage. Would remove them from the house ... but you could add them to horizontal rails between the posts on each side of your stoop.