Well I don't know how to make floating row covers nor do I know what they look like. Also I'm on a very limited budget so I don't think it's an option to make them at this point and time. Regarding the cloches, I plan to use the 2 liter pop bottles for my seedlings. They're mainly going to be used to protect my seedlings from windy weather; the fact that the cloches act as a mini greenhouse is just a bonus. Should I put holes in the cloches using a drill bit? If so, how many holes per cloche and what would the size of the holes need to be (1/4", 1/2", etc.) I'd like the holes to be big enough that my seedlings won't be overheated but small enough that windy weather won't knock my seedlings down. The normal rules of gardening don't apply to me, because I'll be growing things in containers. I'm guessing that the soil will boost the temperature? My main concern is at night; the temperatures during the day are warm enough that it's not a big issue. However they drop down to about the mid 40's in the evening. Where Can I find black plastic that is used for gardening? How much would I need? I realize this depends on how many containers I have and what the dimensions of the containers are, but I have the dimensions for the containers I have. Here are the dimensions for each container below: 10 gallon (have 4 of these) Length-19" Width-13 Depth-12" 15 gallon (have one of these) Length:23" Width:17" Depth:15" I have a container that is roughly 10 gallons, but slightly smaller so here are the dimensions for it: Length:19" Width:14 and a half inches (it will not let me put the back slash so that is why I had to spell it out) Depth:11" The other containers I have are a 5 gallon circular container and pots that have rims with a diameter of 9" and 10". I don't know the dimensions for these though. I cannot afford to spend $80 on the black gardening plastic. Can you recommend a place that sells it cheaper? Over the internet is fine, so long as I don't get ripped off with shipping and handling charges.

Luckily, my area does have recycling; a weekly pickup in my neighborhood along with county-provided dropoff bins in a local shopping center. Last I read, they were making several hundred thousand dollars annual *profit* with expectations of trebling that amount. Yep, it's a big, populated county and I can see that a tiny town wouldn't consider making just a few dollars worthwhile. But because I compost everything possible; deliberately plan meals to have re-runs; and buy cheapest large sizes of staples (and repack into smaller units); there is very little for the recycler. We put out the bin every other week and it's rarely more than a few items, mostly plastic milk jugs. Almost the same ratio for general trash -- one tall-can sized bag from the kitchen, and again it's rarely full for the weekly pickup. Remember that odors in the trash mostly come from food (unless someone is disposing dirty diapers), so if food is never put into the trash, there isn't anything there to get stinky. Even the newspapers used to wipe out dirty frypans go into the compost; bones and pieces of fat are wrapped in newspaper and then put into one of those plastic bags the newspaper comes in... no smell gets out even on hot days although if one is really concerned the bones and fat can be frozen and deposited in the trash just before pickup. It's fair to say that's a lopsided point, because we don't eat much meat to provide the non-compostable byproducts; but the fact remains the same no matter the quantity -- if there aren't food products put into the trash, there isn't anything to cause a smell. josh - a properly run compost won't draw vermin or have an unpleasant odor. Proper means adding as much or more dry material (newspaper is good) as there is wet material (peelings/scraps), and keeping the additions covered with at least an inch of [X]. [X] is garden dirt and/or shredded leaves and/or sawdust. I use a bottomless 30-gallon trash can which is partially buried to prevent being blown over; at the edge of the garden nearest the kitchen. Once a year I lift the can off the compost and dig another hole to put it in. The dirt from the new hole is used to cover the scraps that were being held by the can. Everything decomposes within a month and sinks down to the level of the garden. Tomato and melon plants adore being planted in the compost. The covered can is painted dark green and keeps the composting discrete while preventing dogs, rats or other vermin from getting into it. OTOH, one can compost even easier; see link. Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen composter

There are a lot of books and mag articles on such a topic, and I have come across lots of features in my years of taking too many magazine subscriptions, so you might browse a bookstore or search the net for great photos. The closet might be able to be outfitted as the actual "office," if you use the right doors and really outfit the inside. There are lots of decor features on that approach. That is more important, I think, if you and your nuclear family want to use the room more often as a cozy library/study and can then close the doors on printer, FAX, etc. but also is a great way to maximize floor space, since you can use a closet as an "indent" in a room for office equipement and desk, but can't sleep in the closet! Sofa bed vs. Murphy bed can be space-saving. There are furniture lines for installing Murphy bed and associated cabinetry. This approach is more for if you yourself don't need the sofa and want to preserve more floor space and a clean-lined look. Otherwise, a compact sofa bed would serve you and your family for library. Shelving is key and you should be prepared to design and install it so that it works for you--(or have done professionally). That goes for the whole room--by that I mean, draw your floorplan and wall views with windows, doors and really brainstorm on different ways to use the space. For example, you might be able to surround a sofa bed with built in shelves floor to ceiling for a great library look, whereas a lot of free-standing shelves would take up space. Or, you might be able to find free-standing shelf units you can pair and connect with a bridge. Lots of ideas like that. Of course you have a budget, but try to think outside the box and be prepared to buy a new item if it will really make the space work better--so if your current file cabinet doesn't work well, you might budget for one that fits better or is more streamlined, or maybe you need 2 matching and put over them a desk top. As in first paragraph, there are huge numbers of ideas on multi-tasking furniture for these purposes--file cab as bedside table or under a table top and skirt; rolling file or printer stand that rolls under desk top; storage containers that might let you "remove" a few items temporarily when guest using the room and needs place for luggage, and return later.

I think maybe she should be encouraged to explore collage. It would be similar enough to what she's doing now, but would produce things that could be filed away FLAT and rotated in "the gallery" that is your home. My daughter used to do her drawings on a million loose pieces of paper. I was always encouraging her to draw in her spiral art book so I wouldn't lose anything. It sometimes worked... It might help to let her know that almost all museums only display a small percentage of their collection. Lots and lots of art is put in storage and brought out only occasionally or maybe never at all. I think the idea of photographing the work, cataloging it as a museum would, could be an interesting project. You could do some learning together about how museums work and give her a context for putting things in storage. If every single piece of art a museum owned was out on display, it would detract from the overall experience. One would not be able to appreciate the qualities of each piece. I think that is the overwhelm you are feeling. Is there a delicate way to convince her that you are not able to enjoy the beauty of each individual work of art with so many piled up? I also agree that the hurt she may feel could be long-lasting and therefore urge you to handle this very gently. It is said that there is a moment, when we are young, when our view of our parents changes irrevocably. We are suddenly aware that they are not the perfect people we thought they were and it usually involves a sense of hurt or betrayal. I absolutely know when my moment was with my own mother. Not sure about my daughter's moment with me...she's not in therapy yet! ;-)