Jan - I also get bad sinus headaches when a front is coming. Often, they turn into a migraine and the only cure is sleep. I have been taking Excedrin Migraine this year. If I take 2 pills soon after the sinus headache starts and lay down for about 30 minutes, it works wonders. The trick is timing...I have to take the pills before it turns into a migraine. They are over the counter meds and I highly recommend them. Trying to catch up on all the new posts. I've been so busy in the yard, I haven't had much computer time. And when I do have time, late at night, I'm usually too tired to type a coherent message. I've been moving a lot of plants and replanting beds. All year I've been looking at things and thinking to myself, why did I plant that here...it would've looked so much better over there. Am I the only one who does this? I also found a local tree service company that has a huge pile of free mulch and I've been stocking up. My husband and I have gotten 10 pickup truck fulls so far and could use about 20 more. Their pile of mulch is so nice and clean it disappears almost as fast as they put it out. I love that it's free, but boy oh boy, it's a lotta work shoveling into and out of a pickup truck. Kathy

Well, this is dropping and so it's time to take a moment and thank everyone for their feedback. I got a big kick out of everyone's comments. It's interesting to look at the photos through someone else's eyes (in a manner of speaking). I appreciate all the kind words and compliments. I can't wait to have our shelves in. Then the pendant and hood will both look better and less "stranded". I can also then get things put in their "right places" and get some additional color into the room with displays of my pottery collection (a growing thing). I really appreciate all the help BEFORE the big reveal. If I had been left to my own devices I would have had stools at the end of the stove run out in the way of the aisle. I would have missed out on soapstone. I would have never heard of NeverMT. I would have lower cabs instead of drawers and pull outs everywhere I could. I would have done uppers instead of open shelves. I never would have shopped around for cork flooring. I probably would not have heard of Schoolhouse Electric (this impacts my front and back porches and my carport as well). I would have never driven all the way across the state to get my Domsjo and Numerar from IKEA. I would not have ZONES. I would never have dared to sink my fridge in the wall so it was flush with the counters. I would undoubtedly have a 4x4 square backsplash (but I hear those are coming back "in"). :) I have learned a ton here. I have seen a lot of really cool ideas. I will have some more of them before I am done. I will have a charging station and a pet center in my back entry way if it kills me. This forum is filled with great people. While we don't ALWAYS get along, who does? I don't get along with my family all the time. I don't see eye to eye with my coworkers all the time. This community has been very helpful and welcoming. I hope to pay some of the kindness back with DIY knowledge in the future. Got a DIY question? Hit me. Thanks again to everyone! Ne

Color me rainforest green... with envy! Those counters are stunning! I love the wildness and the colors ;) You went bold and it paid off BIG! When I picture my fave granites, they are with this kind of movement and panache. I love, love, love it!

Kathy - we use the same big pots that we use for growing peas on the driveway - the pots are just cheap big storage tubs that we drilled holes in the bottom for drainage. The pots only last about 6-7 years before the plastic starts breaking down, but they are cheap and easy to replace. When the peas are finished for the season, we tear out the foliage but keep the soil in about 5 of the pots. DH plants the garlic in mid-November. The pots spend the winter in the garage and come out in late March with the garlic up and growing well. Here are pictures from late March/early April: mnwsgal - yes, those are hardneck garlic. We use a lot of garlic in our cooking :-) We ran into one of the garlic-growing neighbours when walking this morning. He had harvested his yesterday too - he grows about twice as much as we do, but says he gives a lot away to friends and family. floral - DH has had that hat for about 25 years! He got it at a local Eddie Bauer store. I checked their on-line site and they didn't have any on there. It's about time he got a new one (the straw is starting to break around the edge of the top of the crown) so he'll have to check to see if there in any in one of the physical stores around here.... It's definitely a nice hat!