Thanks! When I took these photos, migration was in full swing and the leaves hadn't even started turning yet. Now most of the leaves are gone and the migrants are gone. Birdky members still report them, but mostly south and west of us, usually near large bodies of water. Of course, now the winter birds are returning..saw a large flock of Fox Sparrows on Narnia Ridge this morning

mnovak99 - first of all, you have a beautiful home. The cedar is incredible and I'm sure that has a lot to do with the quality of wood available 25 years ago and you care ever since. That said, I do know the rigors of that maintenance and understand wanting something easier. So with that in mind, do not paint because that sets another type of maintenance that is far less forgiving than the stain you've been using. Solid stain is not much better than paint and IMO, would ruin the look of your house. I'm one of the posters above who replaced wood clapboards with vinyl shake so it's not that I don't like the product but it would be a shame to lose your cedar. I have no easy answer for you and know how nature seems to be conspiring against your dream of easy maintenance. I certainly wouldn't want to be power washing and restaining every few years and especially would not want to be spraying chemicals all over my house in an effort to keep critters and insects at bay. Your idea of vinyl shake with white trim is a lovely look but I'm not sure it's the best choice for your home, especially in yellow. That's a very 'cottage' look and your house doesn't have those cottage type lines. Have you considered shake in an earth tone to work with your stone chimney and wooded backdrop? A clay or mossy green or even brown would keep that house-in-the-woods feel. I think going in that direction, using something other than white for your front door and trim will be a better choice. Your door could still be a focal point but not as stark. And if you don't mind my saying, allow your landscaping along the house facade to develop into more natural shapes instead of being clipped and shaped. Let it fill in and camouflage your foundation line.

MamaP, I can't believe the audacity of those people on AW! I have read your posts on there and they have been nothing but kind and interesting. I guess they just have their own little hen house over there and no newbys are welcomed. That's what's so great about the Laundry Room, we're all one big happy family, even if we all don't post a lot,(hanging head in shame). Stchuck, you are not alone in that. I will say this about Speed Queen, back when I was having issues with the timer and finding somebody to repair it under warranty. One gentleman told my he didn't do warranty work for them anymore because they take way too long to pay them. And I must admit that I am not that enamored with my washer or dryer. I sincerely hope this is taken care and very quickly. Love , Mary

If you want to do Florida in February it will not be easy finding anything reasonable. However, area’s near a major airport like Miami or Orlando will probably get you the best bang for your buck on flights and accommodations. There are always resorts on Groupon for Miami and Orlando. Miami also has some nice somewhat reasonable boutique hotels on the beach. Once in a blue moon there will be deals on flights to the West Palm Beach airport but you really need to check the hotels locations. Singer Island has several resorts that show up on Groupons and is not too far from the West Palm Airport. Perhaps there are some people here on the other coast that can offer ideas for that side.