Did you know that there is an African violet gallery? It's been pretty quiet lately, could use some posts over there. Look up towards the top of the message list, it's a link next to Exchanges.

Hi Greg, Yes, I think this was the biggest snowfall that VB has seen in quite along time!!! Now they are predicting another snowstorm on Saturday...I hope the temps warm up so we will see rain instead!! Enough snow for now!!! I think the lows for our area after the snowfall were down into the high 20's...then back up into the mid 30's so we started to thaw out. The back streets are finally clearing up...now everyone can get back to normal!!! VBers don't handle the snow very well...they drive like it's the first time they have ever been on the road!!! (Drives me crazy) LOL !!! Great idea for Christmas cards!!! I Only wish that I hadn't taken down the large ornaments that were hanging from the palms during Christmas!!! That would really make a great Christmas card with the snow on the ground!!! Hope all is well with you up North!!! Take Care everyone!!! Laura in VB

I imagine that your lilac will be fine. You can trim away any broken portions, but otherwise delay any trimming until after the bloom period has finished. Even when a lilac gets completely trashed in the winter it will send up all new shoots/suckers. Ask me how I know. :p

I think I agree with you, just making it a bit lighter in style, not as heavy. Something that could be very similar I would say is a ladie's secretary/desk, the kind with the fold down writing surface, and then the upper "hutch" area would be glass paned doors. I think the secret would be to make sure the piece has open legs, and does not block the space across the bottom. I've noticed that having the floor tile go all the way to the wall beneath cabs in a kitchen gives it a much more open and "clean" look. And so I'd love to try that when we do our kitchen. You know, if you like a lot of makeup in your bath, having a fold-up spot like a secretary's slanted lid, that would let you hide things from view without really putting them away. And I like the basket weave tiles on the floor of that pink bathroom. I'm not too fond of the pink since I had a MCM pink bath--tile, fixtures, all were pink, but that picture you uploaded shows a gorgeous bath. I notice that the British telephone set plumbing on the tub is freestanding, not mounted through holes in the tub rim. It gives the tub a very clean appearance. When we did our clawfoot tub, our British telephone set was rim mounted at the tub, but it went through the floor. I wanted to make sure the hand held shower wand did not drip on the floor, so it is mostly INSIDE the tub. With me, that is not a problem. But when DH was bathing the other day, OH BOY, he turned on the shower control while the wand was still in the cradle, effectively spraying down the wall and floor of the bath. Lovely......But not a problem unless he does it ever more. My tub is the clawfoot slipper tub. That bath picture is gorgeous.