Thank you Bright! On the Thanks Giving post.......click at the end of the post where it says "# of comments" and just say "Hi" :D I don't have very many entries yet...tell everyone to enter! And thanks, I've been waiting a long time to work on this tea set and I think it's gonna be extra pretty...I bought a nice bag of vintage jewelry to decorate the lids with.

-R, You're quite right - I should have used 'opportunistic' rather than that other word, which of course has to do with the roots many Crassulaceae put out. But I'm not making myself understood by y'all (thank you for your use of this underused word, btw). In response to your second paragraph, no, not at all. My premise is simply this - if a plant grows in the winter in South Africa, it will grow in the winter in North America. You're basing your argument on Mesembs, but it's by no means limited to just that Family. You could use Aloe dichotoma as an example. Whether it's a Cono, Aloe, Tylecodon, etc. if it comes from the winter-rainfall areas of the RSA/Namibia, that's usually an indicator that it does most of its growing, by and large, in the winter. Given that, it will grow in the winter, given average growing conditions, whether it's December in Vancouver, BC or July at the Orange River. The plant will make the switch to its growing time where it is, but it's programmed to growing certain external conditions are met - rain, short daylight hours, cooler temps at day and night, and so on. They don't switch their growing seasons - they switch the months which they grow in. Now, having learned from x and others that many so-called only-winter-growers can actually do a cultural modification and grow some in other supposedly-dormant seasons, I'm still learning. You cite an excellent source, but your interpretation of that information is topsy-turvy. If you read your 7th paragraph, you're agreeing with us - '..some plants that grow in winter in the Southern Hemisphere don't make the shift, and only grow in winter in the Northern Hemisphere' - that's it exactly - they're winter-growers no matter where they are, even though your we're-almost-there! sentence is almost negated by your belief of the plants not making the shift. -R, they do so make the shift, but it's not going to bother me a great deal if you don't accept it. I myself am still looking for the pot o' gold at the end of every rainbow I can hug.

Depends on the room, how perfect you need it to be, not to mention the tile type. With zero experience, there will be a great deal of uncertainly - nothing wrong with that, per se. But I would suggest getting some hands-on experience somehow. Conversely, you might try tackling a backsplash, powder room floor yourself, but I wouldn't recommend starting with your kitchen floor or master bath. And definitely not a shower enclosure, etc. as a first job. How about posting something on craigslist? "Hands-on tile experience needed - Willing to learn in exchange for lending an experienced person a helping hand."

Good for you in not letting yourself be intimidated by the granite installer. I agree-advice and info from this forum is so worthwhile. Now, how about posting some pics of your magnificent granite!!