I'm a fan :D So are two of my grandkids,the third is still kinda scared of it...the tin man scares him half to death for some reason! I made a small little tribute to The Wizard of Oz in a part of a small flower bed under a tree. I have a tree face...the kids LOVE that, the two tried to make it talk back to them when I first put it up. I have 2 garden statues, one is 2 kids on a trike, I painted them to look like my redheaded grandkids, and the other is a boy on a trike right behind them, painted like 3rd grandchild, and they are on a yellow brick road I painted. I had a blue glass gazing ball for Glenda, but the squirrels dropped a huge limb on it and it broke. My DH found me an oil can, and I have an old kerosene can for the tin man's body. Oh, and my sister gave me a small pair of shoes I painted red and covered in red glitter. All the kids loved those ,and will put them on,, or try to put them on! Well, I was gonna post the photo of it, and I don't see it on photobucket right now.

Here are a few more pics. I discovered they were taken in Oct. 1985. I don't think Graceland had been opened to the public for very long. One reason I'm thinking that is because his aunt still lived upstairs and they had it roped off for her privacy. She was there during our tour along with his cousin who showed us around the grounds and Elvis' trophy room, TV room and all of his vehicles. All separate from the main house. 'I think'. Sheesh, it's been a while folks. LOL There were a number of rooms you weren't allowed in. The kitchen being one of them since the aunt still lived and ate her meals there. Since his bedroom was upstairs, you couldn't view it either. I scanned two at once here. Another photo of The King along with his wife Priscilla. Looks like we fudged and used the flash on this one, unfortunately. This maybe when they told us no cameras with a flash. Also, this was either off the entry or in a foyer. Sorry it's so dark. I should have scanned it separately and lightened it. Of course, this was the formal dining room. I couldn't find one of the jungle room where they jammed and recorded the Moody Blue album. Or, the pool room, which was walled in, I'm thinking, a paisley fabric. All 70's colors of course. Jungle room too, best I recall. Here is a picture of Elvis' grave. Not a very good one. He was laid to rest by his father, Vernon and I suppose his mother, Gladys. However, the name on the headstone to the left looks like it ends in a nnie, like it would be Bonnie or something. I'm confused. Maybe someone can help us out. I know his deceased brother's name was Jessie.

Like James Beard, he's more fun to read than follow. This article just appeared in our local paper, and I sent it around to my friends with my own comments added. YMMV! ********************** A note regarding these selections: One thing I dislike about Ina Garten's recipes is that she always uses extra-large eggs. This will throw your baking recipes way off if you're not careful, since most people buy large, not X-large. Some of my own favorites are no longer in print, but usually available used: Farm Journal's Book of Cookies, and their Homemade Breads: both are absolute classics and every recipe is well-tested. The Other Half of the Egg: Ever do a recipe that called for 5 egg yolks, leaving with you with 5 wasted egg whites? Here's the book that will give you great recipes for using them up. The first half of the book is egg yolk recipes, and the second is...yup, egg white recipes. Mediterranean Kitchen, The World Cook's Collection, by Jacqueline Clark and Joanna Farrow: I picked this up on the sale tables a couple of years ago, and the dozen recipes I've tried so far have all been winners. There's a high percentage of vegetarian recipes in it, which is nice. Gourmet Chinese Regional Cookbook, by Calvin B.T. Lee: Hard to remember a time when stir-frying wasn't a technique every home cook has mastered, but honestly, there was a time when most people had no idea what went into a wok, let alone how to cook with it. This was, simply, the best basic Chinese cookbook ever published. At a time when most people only knew about Cantonese and maybe a little Szechwan, this cookbook opened a window into the wider variety of Chinese cuisine. If you are really, really into learning the history of Chinese cuisine, you can try to find the Penguin Books paperback published in 1972, Kenneth Lo's Chinese Food. There is no better or more well-researched cookbook. As a student of English literature, lecturer, and graduate of Peking University and Cambridge, Lo is a wonderful and entertaining writer. Happy eating from JK! &&&&&&&&& San Francisco Chronicle Food staffers pick their go-to books Wednesday, December 3, 2008 Hardly a week goes by that the Food and Wine staff doesn't see slews of new cookbooks landing on our desks. Because we're all passionate about cooking, we are constantly adding these new volumes to our home collections. Yet we're still faithful to books that are stained and dog-eared from years of use. Here's what individual staffers picked as their all-time favorites. It wasn't easy to choose, especially because some - like Deborah Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" and "The Zuni Cafe Cookbook" - were high on everybody's list. Still, we were able to whittle it down and find a spot for all our classics. Here they are: Amanda Gold, staff writer "The Art of Mexican Cooking," by Diana Kennedy (Random House/check). A thorough primer for anyone interested in learning about Mexican cooking, this two-decade-old book (recently reprinted) serves as a recipe book and reference for both technique - like how to stuff peppers or make tamales - and ingredients. "Bittersweet," by Alice Medrich (Artisan). As a baking enthusiast, I constantly refer to Bay Area baker Alice Medrich's paean to all things chocolate. It's useful for duplicating recipes like her Chocolate Pecan Pie and Nibby Espresso Cookies, plus it answers all kinds of questions about working with chocolate. "The Last Course," by Claudia Fleming (Random House). Fleming's enticing dessert recipes from New York's famed Gramercy Tavern inspire me every time I flip though the pages of this reliable book. Categorized by ingredients, recipes like the sinful chocolate caramel tarts are festive and inspired, yet doable for the home cook. Stacy Finz, staff writer "Barefoot Contessa Parties!" by Ina Garten (Random House). I love all the Barefoot Contessa books because the recipes are pretty much fail-safe. I entertain a lot and find Garten's tips and menus extremely helpful. "The Silver Palate Cookbook," by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (Workman). A classic. I can't count how many times I've made the chicken Marbella. "Bistro Cooking," by Patricia Wells (Workman). Not only is this a great cookbook, with recipes that are simple to duplicate, but when I went to France I also used it to help me find many of the bistros Wells writes about. Deb Wandell, recipe and copy editor "The Zuni Cafe Cookbook," by Judy Rodgers (Norton). From the chef-owner of the San Francisco restaurant, this award-winning cookbook is worth the price just for the section on salting meat in advance. If the recipe instructions seem lengthy, it's mainly because Rodgers is thoughtful and thorough. Her attention to detail comes in handy when re-creating Zuni classics such as Roast Chicken with Bread Salad and Chocolate Pots De Creme. "Sunday Suppers at Lucques," by Suzanne Goin (Knopf). A spin-off of the popular weekly dinners at her L.A. restaurant, Goin's seasonal menus have a celebratory feel. Condiments, such as Currant-Pine Nut Relish or French Feta Salsa Verde, require a little extra work, but elevate the meal. A book for cooks whose idea of relaxing is spending a Sunday whipping up a four-course dinner. "Four-Star Desserts," by Emily Luchetti (Harper Collins). San Francisco pastry chef Luchetti has written several dessert cookbooks, and this the one I turn to most often. It's beautifully photographed with sweets that range from four-star fancy to down-right homey. Luchetti's style is unintimidating and the recipes are easy to execute. Try the gingersnaps. Tara Duggan, staff writer "Naples at Table: Cooking in Campania," by Arthur Schwartz (William Morrow). This is one of my favorites. Schwartz's take on the simple but enticing food of Naples and Campania has broad appeal, with favorites like spaghetti with mussels and Neapolitan ragu as well as more obscure recipes. Essays illuminate the fascinating cultural background of the region's food traditions. "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone," by Deborah Madison (Broadway). This exhaustive book is an amazing resource for any type of vegetable or grain you might have picked up at the farmers' market on a whim and don't know what to do with. The recipes are foolproof, even for everyday foods like cornmeal pancakes, and they invariably have a twist that makes them all the more irresistible. "The Cake Bible," by Rose Levy Beranbaum (William Morrow). Whether you need to make a cake for 50 for a relative's 70th birthday or sour cream coffee cake for a small brunch, this book covers it all. The recipes take time to put together, but you always learn something new along the way from Beranbaum, one of the country's leading authorities on baking. Miriam Morgan, food editor "The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook," Volumes 1 and 2 (Chronicle Books). I know, you're probably thinking, "Sure, she's gotta pick her staff's own cookbook." But, since we cook all our recipes in our test kitchen before they go into the paper, I know they work. And they're great. In these books, executive food and wine editor Michael Bauer and former recipe editor Fran Irwin have collected some of our best. They're all winners - truly. "The Working Cook Cookbook," by Tara Duggan (San Francisco Chronicle Press). Being a working cook myself, I find Tara Duggan's recipes just the sort I need - and like. They're quick, capitalize on our wonderful local ingredients and ethnic cuisines, suit the seasons and, best of all, they're delicious. The recipes are good for beginners, too. "Cafe Beaujolais Cookbook," by Margaret S. Fox and John Bear (Ten Speed). It didn't take long for Mendocino to become a food-lovers' destination once Fox opened Cafe Beaujolais in 1979. I can't even begin to count how many times I've baked the Apple Oatmeal Crisp. And, Anni's Fudge Pie is a true paean to the art of chocolate. For those old enough to remember Cruchon's in Berkeley, this is that pie.

Patricia beat me to it! I think what you are trying to do sounds great but the scale of everything seems off. Beautiful house; nice larger front porch and front lawn, but small flower beds narrow walkway. Try to add some size - it doesn't mean tons of plants, just make the beds bigger with a more pronounced edge and nice mulch to really show off the plants. Also don't underestimate the impact of hardscaping too. Save up for a wider more interesting walkway or plant beds along each side using stone as a form of mulch. I think your idea of planting under that front tree is great also. You could put tons of bulbs there for the spring and then plant shade loving annuals. Just work on one area at a time - enjoy it Good luck!