Oh boy ... that's definitely a loaded question, but thank heavens my husband doesn't read these forums! I'd had it all planned out (the shed, that is), but it was not cost effective. Oh all right - $2000.00 IS a bit ridiculous, I suppose. We modified the design and took a few shortcuts to significantly drop the cost, got a few things from friends ("free" works for me!), and ended up w/ a really cool shed, inside & out. It's large enough to hold all of my garden tools/accessories/books/etc. Plenty of space to move around, lots of counter space for various tasks ... I actually spend quite a bit of time out there on the weekends, even in cold temps (propane heater). BUT ... the number one thing that I would do different is the roof. While corrugated tin LOOKS absolutely fantastic, rustic, etc., it doesn't hold heat worth a darn! Of course, I can't possibly say anything about it at this point - the shed is built, and I'M the idiot that fell in love w/ the overall look of a tin roof! *heavy sigh* Guess I shot myself in the foot, so to speak!

I've seen on other threads that some people have suggested to stop feeding the other birds and other little critters in the area and the hawks will move as the others move off due to lack of food. We don't feed the local wildlife, of which there is usually very little. Is there something that will just annoy the hawks into wanting to relocate? We're not, by bird standards, terribly far from the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge, 20 miles or so. And the Adirondacks are only 150 miles away. Could we gently nudge them in that direction? Another thing, one of my co-workers thought the bird still might be migrating north, that this is just a stop over on its way home. Is this likely in Upstate New York this time of year (it's still very cold, we had snow last night), or is the bird here to stay? Most of my neighbors in the eight square blocks on this side of town also have small dogs, so we are all concerned. We are in hope that the big birds in question haven't found a new home here with our pets on the menu.

I think that brickeyee might be clairvoyant for in my misspent youth I did train and work in fancy schmancy restaurants and the cooking habits I picked up there have stuck with me in my personal life as I moved on to a different career. That said I never had to actually design the workplaces (kitchens) and I simply adopted to the various layouts so I never paid attention to the principles of design. I suppose I'm kind of like Cole Trickle (Days of Thunder) who knew how to drive his car but didn't know anything about engines. As for the question of going to the fridge, I do so during prep but very rarely when I'm actually cooking. So it's not a matter of only making one trip and getting everything, I agree, it's a matter of having the fridge handy during prep and once I finish prepping I'm not really needing to make dashes to the fridge. In this way I'm the opposite of bmorepanic. The suggestions for the prep sink being are very sound and consider it done, in this plan and the very likely next plan as I start afresh. This was an enlightening topic and I thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's perspectives on the issue at hand. One thing I've discovered is that there is a world of difference between using someone else's kitchen and DESIGNING your own. When using a kitchen you find ways to make due and your improvise and that's different than starting with a blank sheet of paper and trying to achieve a harmonious balance of all the components.

Thanks to all who looked at the photos, and also to those who commented. MsRed Bryd, I had to check really closely to convince myself that the white and pink blooms were on the same stems. Juneroses, the wooly bee bush/brush (here are more photos) is not commonly found in nurseries even in Texas. It seems it's one of those plants still waiting to be 'discovered'. With its rough rough textured leaves and many grey branches showing it may seem to lack refinement, but I love the slightly shaggy look, plus the blooms are elegant. Incidentally, I have three sweet almond verbenas which have grown into trees. They flush many times a year and are covered with blooms right now filling the yard with fragrance. Bossy, the snapdragon vine is an annual in my garden and has never been rampant. It regularly came back from self sown seeds and its delicately beautiful twining foliage decorated a portion of the chain link fence. Then one year I did some digging in that area and I guess the seed got covered and it didn't return so I got it going again with seeds from Patty. I used to have the pink 'powder puff' and don't remember it freezing back like the red one. Unfortunately, I tried to move it at the wrong time of year and it died. I'll buy it again if I find it.