YA'LLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!! The point is serving cake on THE STACKED PLATES! I learned it here on the forum from you!!!! You can have one in 5 minutes (cake not included) if you have the plates, candle holders, skinny vases. Ya'll saw chocolate and forgot how we can live larger for less. We are blessed. Our guests will think we are THE ACE OF CAKES if we use our stacked plates this way. Am I standing here with toilet paper stuck to my shoe again????? Have ya'll been making cakes forever and stacking them on the stacked plates????? OMG (grimmiced the newbie who just fell off the turnip truck). OK-OK-OK "Let them eat cake!" I'll just go off somewhere and invent the wheel. What's that you say??? Been there, done that????? LOLOLOLOL That's a good one! I never heard that before. Yuk Yuk Yuk susie

Well, I got a few estimates on my tree removal. To remove 6 trees, (one is not that big) and (they are tall oak trees), one quote was 1,800., one quote was 1,200. and the first quote I got was for 4 trees for 1,400. (I decided to take down two more after he was there because the second quote told me that they were rotten on the inside and would need to come down eventually. Any ideas which one to go with? 1,200 guy sounds good to me. He has done work around the neighborhood, I have seen his truck. All of them will produce an insurance card when I give the go ahead. Why would there be a 600. difference between 2 of them. 1,800 did say the price is good till when ever, the 1,200 guy said good for the next two weeks as it is winter and he is slow. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

You said, "I'd like to slowly convert" You've already got the idea. My first thought as to what you could do is think that plants might be ready to go in NEXT year at this time. I would spend real time reading and looking at pictures 'til I got a grasp of what it is that I'm trying to accomplish. Even if you start with an Ortho type book or maybe Sunset, these will work you into the mood of contemplating your part of this earth where the garden will evolve. Of course, it would be great to read Saito's "Magic of trees and stones", but it probably won't be available except by a purchase (maybe $100). Don't worry about doing the "wrong" thing. There are many lurking here who will keep you straight. ;-) Meet your rocks, is there a slope or berm already there? Will there be a natural place for a stream or pond? Put it all on paper and then think very small (for place) and very long (for time). The idea is to have fun and passion about the whole thing. Dave

Took a quick look at it while sitting in my recliner watching US Open golf this afternoon. Did this little exercise more for the lurkers out there as an illustration of the value of taking “internet plans” as a starting point towards something that might really work. This example moves away from a garage crudely slapped on the back, as well as bedrooms looking at a scenic 10’ side yard. We may end up meeting with an architect but I feel like I need to start with an existing... plan to help me “see” it better since I’m so visual. Not a thing in the world wrong with that as long as it’s not code for being unwilling to trust your designer and incapable of taking the leap of faith necessary for a true collaborative effort required for a successful project I described in my posts above. The first drawing is the “big idea” as it came out of my head. In architect speak it’s called the “Parti”. That drawing took 20 minutes. Just to get a framework, I assumed a 30’ clearance around the tree. That number is pulled totally out of thin air and may prove to be completely out in left field once an arborist is on the scene but for this exercise I needed a starting pointing point to give me the “build box”, the box defined by setbacks, easements and any special considerations, like your tree, so I arbitrarily chose 30’. The second drawing is the cleaned up version so someone besides myself could understand it. This one took an hour. Still very rough and parts of it doesn't really work well yet, but it shows all the relationships which all DO work well. Note, even in the first, “big idea” drawing, I’m thinking elevations simultaneously with the plan so a couple elevation ideas are developed here. At this point they don’t work 100% with the plan but at least we’re out of the starting gate with everything being designed simultaneously. My area calcs are equally as rough and likely on the skimpy side. I’m figuring the final house will be in the 1800-1850SF range. Good luck in your project…..and to all the lurkers, your projects too! The "big idea"... The "cleaned up" version...