Home Depot has those orange buckets with lids for $3.00. I always carry them with me; the lids fit tight, so as not to spill over. A bucket is like getting a bag bought from the store only free. I use five buckets to make the trip worth it. To use the manure I fill the bucket with water and let it soak for a while, and then use the liquid as a fertilizer around some of my more hardy plants. I am hoping that by soaking the manure I will be killing the bugs that I get here, like scorpions, centipedes and roaches large as mice, and of course speed decomposition. The lid will help keep any smells from bumming your neighbors and help drown anything that might crawl out. I then use the stuff without composting it, by digging a hole or trench near where I plant. By the time the plant is big enough the manure has mellowed. Keep in mind that I am in zone 11, manure break down fast here. Oh and just go to the front office and ask and they will give you the run down on the place like: do not drive too fast, the horse riders have the right away, if you open a gate close it, do not leave gates open, do not feed the horses, though they love them over sized carrots from the garden and if you bring your dog to the stables do not let him chase the chickens. There are probably more rules; those are just the ones that I know, now. Mostly though horse people are good folks and do not mind you being there. John

yes, I will. Good idea. Thanks for that suggestion, although I am reading this in Saturday, and Monday is Columbus Day. I finally heard back from Bayer, they said the pasture would be safe 24 hours after spraying. I am still a little (a lot)paranoid though. We have had cooler, drier weather for a few days now. Most of the Nostoc is black and dried up/crunchy underfoot. I tried to rake it up but it just breaks up, plus takes forever. I am wondering if dried Nostoc is no longer "living" and therefore safe...or maybe it now has concentrated properties and is *worse??* I may start a new thread asking about that. The weather is so pretty and I would love to see the horses out there, enjoying it! FYI, the horses are NOT stalled, they have stalls attached to large shady paddocks and can go in and out at will. If all I had were stalls I would be borrowing a friends' pasture to make sure they got out to graze and stretch their legs. I just want to make that clear.

Since nobody has answered you, I think even if my ideas aren't great, at least you got an answer. If the area is sometimes soggy (willow trees) Creeping Jenny loves wet soil. I have it in a wet lower yard area under trees. Ajuga is great in well drained areas. Vinca will grow like gangbusters, but if you add other perennials, it can overtake them. Pachysandra likes shade, and will spread, but Ajuga is nicer, just my opinion though. I hope someday to have an area like that. I will need a larger area, my trees may give me that in a couple more years. You have that FAMILY sized hammock. Is it tied around branches, or attached with hardware? As far as tropical decorations. Look up Design Toscano. I don't get anything from you buying from them, but they have nice statues etc, a little pricey on some, but that's your call on buying etc. The Hypertufa forum has recipies for hypertufa. Usually peat moss, cement and sand some vermeculite also, mixed with some water. You can carve out designs, statues etc. If you are good at it, you can make some nice stuff relatively cheap. Go to the hypertufa forum, for recipies.

Never mind whether we think its awful or not, what do YOU think? Does it suit your region, location and neighborhood, as well as your lifestyle? Do you want/need 2 eating and 2 living spaces on the main level? Are you comfortable having all the bedrooms on the second floor? It will be fairly pricey per foot due to the level of detail and complicated roof and footprints. Things like the alcove in bedroom #2 are wonderful but come at quite a price. I'd say say the overall look bit earlier than the design period you mention. It's elegant on the outside and welcoming inside, but a little decorated for my taste-- I guess I prefer a little more arts and crafts influence. I like the lack of hallways [hate paying for square footage just to walk through] but I'm not sure how I'd use the 'study': too many windows for a good computer room unless you keep the blinds pulled, which seems a waste.