The issue I see with this is that a 1 or 2-week camp isn't going to allow kids the chance to see things grow in any significant way. I mean, you could sprout seeds and send the kids home with seedlings in pots, but you won't be able to create and maintain and harvest a garden. So I'd focus on one-day activities. Scavenger hunts, wildflower collecting and identification, comparing different types of soil by mucking about with dirt and water (three wheelbarrows full: loamy, sandy and clayish), examining a working compost pile, a wildlife "hunt", making sunprints with a variety of foliage (you can use sunprint paper or setacolor soleil brand fabric paint), making scarecrows, building a trellis. The one growing project that you could complete in a wee would be growing alfalfa sprouts. On Monday, give each child a teaspoon of seed, an empty jar, and elastic and a piece of fine screen (so-see-um netting or old sheer curtain fabric). Put the seed in the jar with a bit of water, use the elastic to fasten the screen over the mouth. Swill and drain by inverting the jar. Repeat the swill&drain process twice a day. After 5 days, bring a sandwich for lunch and add the alfalfa sprouts you've grown and enjoy. Kids could take their jar home on Monday, tend it morning and evening through the week, and bring it back on Friday for lunch. Hope that gives you some ideas! Miranda

Vista user here. My AVG has had no problems. As well, I use SAS without concern. I don't use any other firewall than the Vista because it is bi-directional. AVG is and has been a wonderful application. Many users switched to Avast when AVG v8.0 was released, and the AV and spyware detectors were combined. AVG might have rushed the release a bit without sufficient testing. There were problems and some users ran around as if "the sky was falling". There is always the potential for burps in any software. However, in general everything is fine now and you can't go wrong with either application. DA

With 12' ceilings you will need to get a lot of light down to the surface area. You are probably looking at using 90-120PAR bulbs (which have a whiter light). Forget about the windows, they don't help at night when you really need the light. What type of light are you using over the counter. How much wattage is there? Also, are you going to do undercounter lighting and other indirect lighting? Recessed lighting in kitchens are usually placed so that they are over the edge of the counter. It would mean that 1/2 of the can would be over the counter and the 1/2 would be on the floor. The rule of thumb is usually placing the cans 4-5' from center. From there you would place the cans as needed. The only place that the light should be directly in the center is over the kitchen sink, if you plan to place one there. This should be on a separate switch so that it can be used when necessary. Saying all of this, it looks as if you have thoughtfully planned out this kitchen and I would suggest contacting a lighting showroom to find out if they have a designer that can assist you. Your contractor may have a showroom that he is dealing with. If not, check the web for anyone close to you that can give you information on this. Another source, if you don't have a showroom within driving distance, is to contact a factory that deals in all types of lighting, like a Sea Gull, Progress, Volume, etc. You can call and say that you would like to use their product but are not sure what you will need. Then they will either give you the name of a person to contact nearby or they might even assist you. Many of these factories have technical assistance.

could you post more pictures of the entire lower room? without more info here are my suggestions. totally remove the spindles and replace it with builtin shelving. just a half wall on the dining side that can be used for a serving surface or bar seating. on the living room side it could incorporate an area for your TV (or not) with open and closed storage. or build open shelving in that area that will give you the most natural light without a serving area.