Hi, trailrunner! You've got so many responses already, I don't know if this has already been said. I just wanted to say that you may want to get a second opinion about removing your large trees if you already have drainage problems. We're suddenly having MAJOR drainage problems on our lot because of the recent removal of many mature pines. We had a landscaper build us a retaining wall to help re-route the storm water, but all that's done so far is to retain the water a few feet farther from the house than it was. Whereas previously the water had been absorbed by the big trees, now nothing is absorbing it. My husband has been digging and installing hundreds of feet of French drains for weeks now and they seem to help some, but the water problem isn't entirely gone. Our next step is going to be installing a pond to contain some of the stormwater, and a rain garden to catch the rest. I really encourage you to look into rain gardens. In our research, we've learned that stormwater run-off, in addition to making your backyard an unpleasant place to be, is becoming an environmental issue, at least around here where residential growth is rampant. It's much better for this water to percolate through some soil and plants BEFORE it gets to streams and lakes. A rain garden is a nice solution and there are a fair number of plants out there that tolerate both dry and damp conditions. Good luck! Bad drainage is NO fun in the mosquito-infested South!

After selling your set on CL check out the one in your area for MCM pieces selling for a song. This MCM baby is listed in my area for $200. You have to look at pieces with a good eye for how they can work in a new space. Imagine this with really cool chairs in your space. Most people photograph their items in the garage or basement, or with their current funishings which do not do a piece justice. I think they have the bases reversed though and they should be facing curved outward: With placemats you won't be looking at your dinner guest's feet and legs.

Gads, I so relate to the paint splotch angst. Iron Mountain appears to be a fantastic color, but at least on my screen it does seem to be in the same basic color family as your current color. Do you want to stay there in the blues? I'm having trouble seeing a green with Iron Mountain, but agree that the right gray could be smashing. I am such a fan of white trim, it makes me rather unhelpful on that question. White would also go with your windows, if you want to stay away from painted ladies...pretty as they might be. White would highlight the trim, though. Is Iron Mountain on a swatch with lighter tones on the same swatch? Looking forward to the pics of last-minute samples - and totally rooting for you. The house looks huge and full of character, you lucky woman.

There is often debate over whether it's necessary to filter a pond, and always a few people who claim they have great luck with letting the pond "go natural" with no human interference. A man-made pond, though, is not a natural environment, and will only benefit from some form of filtration or at least aeration. Filtering keeps the water cleansed of organic wastes that can cause cloudy, smelly, murky, or even toxic water. It simplifies maintenance, conserves water by cleansing and recycling it, and can help create "gin-clear" water that allows optimal viewing of the pond and its inhabitants. If you plan on creating a water garden and keeping only plants in the pond, you should be able to get away with little or no filtration, depending upon the type and number of plants you grow. A small pump used with a spitter, fountain, waterfall, or similar feature, should create enough movement to keep the water from stagnating, and diligence in keeping dead plant life from accumulating in the water will help maintain water clarity. However, most people find that, once they've created the pond, they want to add fish, and this is when filtration becomes vital. The more fish you have, the more filtration is necessary to keep the water and the fish healthy. Fish produce ammonia from both their gills and kidneys. Ammonia is also produced from other organic matter decaying in the pond. Whatever the source, ammonia is toxic to fish and must be removed from the water. Frequent water changes and ammonia binding water conditioners will help temporarily, but the addition of a biological filter is the best and easiest way to deal with this toxin. Briefly, a biofilter works by creating a suitable living environment for certain types of bacteria which do the cleaning for you. As pond water is slowly pumped though the biofilter, Nitrosomonas bacteria consume the ammonia, turning it into nitrites (which are also harmful to fish.) Nitrobacter bacteria then oxidizes the nitrites into nitrates, which become food for the plants in your pond. Although these "good bacteria" are present on every surface in your pond, they are not usually there in large enough numbers to reliably cleanse the water of these compounds that are so deadly to fish, and so biofiltration is strongly recommended when there are fish in the pond. Mechanical filtration (that which removes solid waste) is always beneficial, but simply keeping the water clear of solids does not guarantee fish-safe water. Ammonia and nitrites can not be seen except through the use of water test kits. Ideally, water will first pass through some type of mechanical filter that removes solids prior to entering the biofilter, where the toxic compounds are oxidized to nitrates and sent back to the pond where the nitrates will be absorbed by the plants therefore keeping the pond healthy for both your fish and plants. These beneficial bacteria cease to function at temperatures below fifty degrees, so running the biofilter all winter is futile if you're in a cold winter area. The fish will not be eating and producing their usual amount of waste during the winter, so the biofilter will not be needed anyway. Once the autumn temperatures are below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, clean and store the biofilter until spring returns. If you're lucky enough to live in a warm climate, it should be kept running year round. Start the filter up again in the spring as the temperatures get into the upper 40s to low 50s. The nitrogen cycle takes about four to six weeks to establish once the bacteria begin colonizing in the warmer temperatures, so be diligent about testing your water for ammonia and nitrites if the fish are eating. It would take far too many pages to describe here all the types of filters available. Research and ask questions of more experienced ponders, and join several of the informative forums on the Internet. Do not always believe a manufacturer's advertisements, and if tempted to buy something being touted by a salesperson, research it before making an investment. There are many plans for do-it-yourself filters that are simple to make, produce excellent results, and are much less expensive than most of the commercial filters available. And remember - you can never have too large a biofilter! Ronaye, Steve and David