Thank you everyone for all the comments and pointers! I looked strenuously yesterday for little noses poking up through the leaves--none to be seen yet. But I have daffodils and irises with buds, so I imagine the hostas will soon follow. I'll definitely try to post pictures once they are up and going. I've always admired hostas, so I was very excited that we had some in our new yard. It'll be fun to see what comes up. Thank you, MJ, for the link to the hosta library. Looks like a lot of good information and searching opportunities. :-) I look forward to spending a little more time there. I am already addicted to plants...hostas will just be a new venue. Sigh...I will have to start beefing up my plant fund. Maybe hubby and I should have a budget committee meeting. lol

I copied and pasted my response from another mantra/motto post. I have since bought a Nike Just Do It tee shirt that I wear on clean up days to keep me on track. This is strange but I have found something that has made me more productive and happier. With Nike staring at me from every closet and garage shelf, their "Just Do It" slogan hit me. I have a bad habit of letting things slide; simple projects/tasks that are staring me in the face, things that make me think of them in the middle of the night, or reach out to me as I pass. This constant nagging brings me down but I still don't tackle them. Examples: For 3 weeks the empty bird feeders kept saying "fill me" every time I looked out the window; clean out the refrigerator vegetable bin; or dust the guest room. I have changed my 'I'll do it later' mentality to a "Just Do It" mantra. For a month I have followed this tactic and it is paying off. I "Just Do It" and I am happier that I have completed the task and my mind is no longer nagging me with a multitude of little but annoying unfinished tasks; kind of like defragging your computer. Granted, there are still major organizing and cleaning projects that need to be done but I am clearing out the little naggers daily. I know we all have to find our own motivator to keep the Procrastination Monster at bay. Thanks for letting me share mine.

I dont think this is that out of the ordinary, but I have a Horstmanns Silberlocke Korean fir that is doing well in Columbus, Ohio after 3-4 years (this is the year it finally "took off"). When I bought it at the nursery it was the last one of 6 and they did not recommend it for central ohio ( specifically too warm/perhaps humid as well summer nights). They said the other 5 had been returned for credit/died. Has always looked nice, just hasnt done a whole lot (like establish a leader) until this year. Pretty excited seeing as Im half Korean. Actually very few of my conifers would be alive if I didnt build up huge mounds for each and every tree, I have leeches living in my soil and a super high water table (didnt drop below 30" the entire year a couple years ago, I had a moat around the foundation footer of the old house and 25-30 frogs living in it all spring, summer, and fall).

Hello Jazz lover, how nice for you to be building a new house! I know what I’d do if it were brand new kitchen. I actually had a similarly sized kitchen in my previous house. - I’d add that second doorway, but scooch it towards the stove so that you can extend the sink counter area to the corner. I don’t like corner cabinets. - move the refrigerator to the stove wall and arrange (so that from your main entry) you have small (12”) lower cabinet, no upper or use an open angled shelf for both, fridge with upper extend to font, then a lower + upper cabinet, about 24-30”, stove, and same arrangement as entry side. Your doorways or your cabinet sizes may need adjusting to suit. Standard cabinets usually run from 9”and up in increments of 3”. - align the island with the lower cabinet on the Ref end. - on the wall where the Ref is now, add 2 pantries separated by lower cabinet. The amount of stuff you can add to one these 7’ tall guys is amazing. iIn fact, I’d consider a custom pantry in the left hand corner of your sink wall. Have a counter height opening for your microwave with lower drawers and upper cabinet doors. - I had my sink and dishwasher in my island and loved it! It formed 5e perfect triangle which cooking and allowed me to enjoy the windows to the left and right as well as 5e people seated at th island. I sure miss that in my current kitchen. Anyway, I hop that I’ve given you some helpful ideas to work with. Best of luck and I’d love to see the finished room!