Hi All, I appreciate your wisdom. :-) Even though I may have sounded nuts (and I was!), I realize "Rome wasn't built in a day." I'm glad I've gotten to the plantings this year and think they will help a bit in time. Heaven knows that's the truth for the house--there was *nothing* here when I bought 4 years ago. So, it's come a *long* way. But, I'm a school teacher and during Aug-May I have *no* time. Honestly-none. So, I do what I can in the summer (although we have work on prep and admin. now). While I enjoy the product of gardening/interior design, I enjoy process less--esp in the garden where it is physically hard for me to work (due to an injury that makes walking/digging painful). Soooo...I'll admit I'm looking for something that works the first time, if possible. That said, I'm not beyond moving things if I have to and next year will move 2 laurels--somewhere--as they don't work where they are. And, I do enjoy it at its core. All this reminds me of the "what I learned from gardening" thread. I do need to learn patience and to enjoy the modest things that the garden brings. :-) So, resalesally--you are right that I should just "go" and stop obsessing. HA! :-) Nell- Thanks for your comments, too. It is a great door that they have. (Wonder if I might be too lazy to clean those panes?? Hmmm....) Memo- Thanks for the awning suggestion. Trouble is, I just don't like awnings. I know I'm getting away from the authenticity of the house a bit...but based on my completely crude "paint" experiments in WORD, thing something raised a bit will help give me what I'm looking for. But...you might be right about the awning being so tiny compared to the stoop. (Man, I have *got* to learn photoshop to test your theory out.) As for the lattice...so you're saying to post it in the ground *perpendicular* to the stoop? Is that right? Hmmm...possibly. Hadn't thought of that. What do you think about covering the concrete w/ wood and a railing and giving the house a more "cottage" feel? EVERYONE - Paint trim vote for the bottom of the house?? Thanks, ya'll! Keep those ideas coming.

Mellen, The box from you arrived today. Wow! I was thinking it was like Christmas morning as I pulled one thing after another out of the box. The only bad part is that I am almost certain that I was here when the mail was delivered (probably around 1:30 or 2 p.m.) and the postal worker did not let me know. They usually beep the horn so you can walk out and get the box. Around 7:30 p.m. I said to my husband that maybe we should check the front porch in case the box came and there it was! My husband was a dear and helped me get the plants either in the ground of in pots for the night. You sent me so many plants that I love, I just hope they settle in okay. I put some water on them even though it was almost dark at that point. Anyway, I can't possibly list it all - Mary Ellen sent a beautiful Christmas ornament decorated with fancy lace that I will certainly keep from year to year. I also got a candle, memo pad, journal, angel plant poke and squirrel pot hanger (these two are so cute!) With the journal, I decided I will try to keep myself a little better organized with my plants and will write it what I received and who it came from. I completely lose track of that. Mary Ellen also was a true treasure as a friend because she had already prepared plant markers with the plants' names to stick alongside them. That is so good. I usually rush to put them in a pot or the ground and think I will remember and do a label later and I don't get around to it and forget the name. (I know no one else does that! LOL) Anyway, as for the plants, I got: Sweet Potato Vine 'Marguerita' (I have two sweet potato vines but didn't have this one), a Polka Weigela - it is a shrub - couldn't believe it when this came out of the box! - a cigar plant, a Sum and Substance Hosta that I have wanted for a few years now, a heuchera 'Chatterbox', two daylilies - Heron, and Custard Candy, and a flowering maple (also called Abutilon - I have a different variety that I bought at the Botanical Gardens plant sale this spring and it bloomed all summer and I love it so I am really happy to have another!) Does anyone grow these? I am wondering how to get more (root or save seeds)? I also wonder if they are winter hardy in our weather. Guess I will do a little research. Anyway, I know I did not list some of it. Thanks so much Mary Ellen. I know you weren't feeling well and I don't know how you put all this effort into the box that you sent. Thank you so much! Sandlapper

Thanks for the compliments! I had so much fun with this table. DS helping made it special. Slinky, I'm hoping he will get more into this "dish-iese" with me. My DD likes them, but with 2 boys and another coming any minute, she hasn't gotten addicted yet. I'm going to start on a purple collection for her. She also says she has no place to keep them and the boys will break them. I may have to find her a china closet on Craig's List or at a thrift store. Mine came from a DAV store. She is sort of bummed out at never having a daughter. We had so much fun when she was growing up. It was basically just the 2 of us since she was 4 years old and she wanted someone to share girly stuff with, too. Thanks, Luvs. I've admired everyone's F&F for so long here. Never found anything on their site that made me want to pay those prices. These pieces were reasonable and fit in with my table. I found the one piece one month and the other piece the next! How cool is that? Donna, Love your table. How long have you collected state plates? My Aunt had a whole wall covered in state plates. I wish I would have asked for one when she died to remember her by. I so admire your napkins. It makes them so special when you make them. Sure wish I could have eaten with you! I LOVE pork BBQ! Kathleen, Thanks for the compliments. You and Judith got me hooked. I always come here hoping to see something from you! I'm sure missing Judith. Betty

I'm planning to make this Light Cheesecake with berries that was published in USA TODAY Weekend Magazine last Sunday. Except after two market runs last evening, I FORGOT the ricotta! Back to the market in a minute! LOL HAPPY HOLIDAY EVERYONE! SORRY FOR THE WEIRD WAY THE INGREDIENT AMOUNTS ARE WRITTEN, I had to do that so I could quickly copy & paste w/o those odd symbols appearing. "A star-spangled holiday calls for a celebratory dessert, and this stunning red, white and blue cheesecake fits the bill perfectly. Luxuriously creamy and satisfying but with a fraction of the calories and saturated fat of a typical cheesecake, it is the kind of dessert that lets you have it all. The trick is in the mix of part-skim ricotta cheese and Neufchatel, an all-natural reduced-fat cream cheese, which makes for a texture that is both light and creamy. The cake forms its own golden crust as it bakes, and the fresh berries add all-American color and a burst of sweet juicy flavor without the sugar and calories of the typical syrupy fruit topping. It is pretty effortless to make all you do is put the ingredients in a food processor or mixer, then pour into a pan and bake. You wind up with an impressive, indulgent, better-for-you dessert that can be made ahead, leaving you plenty of time and energy to relax and watch the fireworks. Creamy Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Berries Cooking spray One 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese half cup reduced-fat sour cream 4 ounces Neufchatel cheese (reduced-fat cream cheese), softened 3 large eggs three quarter cup sugar quarter cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. vanilla extract one tsp. finely grated orange zest quarter tsp. salt quarter cup all-fruit seedless raspberry jam 1 Tb. orange liqueur or water 1 6-ounce container fresh raspberries 1 6-ounce container fresh blueberries Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Place the ricotta in a mixing bowl or food processor, and beat with an electric mixer, or process, until smooth and creamy. Add the sour cream, Neufchatel, eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla, orange zest and salt and continue to process or mix until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the center is just set, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before removing it from the pan. The cheesecake will be about 2 inches high. In a small saucepan, bring the jam and liqueur to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Brush the cheesecake with the jam mixture and top with the berries, alternating one row of raspberries (flat side down), with two rows of blueberries. The cake should be stored in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 2 to 3 days." Yield: 8 servings Per serving: 300 calories, 39g carbohydrates, 12g protein, 12g fat (6g saturated), 2g fiber, 110mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium Recipe reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Taunton Press Inc., from The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, by Ellie Krieger. Copyright by Ellie Krieger.