PERFECT!!!!! The St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series title last night. Their third-baseman, Scott Rolen, used to play for the Phillies and his then-girlfriend, now-wife Nikki was one of my students. She even brought him in one day to meet me. I was anything but smooth, meeting a big-league ballplayer. He was very nice, however, even gave me an autograph for my grandson. So I've watched the series with interest and your quote this morning makes it even better. Thanks, weebus!

Wow another WS'er here in St. Louis. Granted you don't live here yet I think it is cool you where here for awhile anyway. So you didn't make it to the top of the Arch. Wow I had no idea that place could be so crowded on Memorial Day weekend. Everyone in my neighborhood tends to leave town so things were quiet here. Going to the top is worthwhile. It is a standard field trip for any school age kid living around here. Though I can't imagine it is anything compared to your John Hancock Center or Sear's Tower. I haven't been to the top of the Arch in years. One of my favorite visits was going up in the evening though it tends to be less crowded during the morning hours (before 10). So I've been to Chicago a few times and once to your gardens, which by the way I think are lovely. It just so happened when I was there they were doing a bulb sale. I brought home with me some gorgeous tulips. My home is about a 20 minute walk away from MBG. The climatron is so wonderful to escape to in the middle of winter. So the gift shop has seeds? I think I knew that yet I tend not to visit the gift shop of places that happen to be in my own backyard. This pass fall I took a stroll through there and gathered a tiny amount of seeds from plants they have an abundance of. Happy to say my joe pye weed and white snakeroot both germinated. -StLGirl

Oh, yeah, grandiflora rather than folia, thank you. Have you just moved to the St. Louis area? Your member info shows Georgia. If so, you might want to also ask about this in the Midwestern Gardening forum. St. Louis isn't really in the Ozarks. We have several feet more soil than the Ozarks! I'm not sure how cold-limited the grandiflora Magnolias are. Those in St. Louis do come out of winter looking more droopy and brown-tinged than I remember the ones in Memphis after winter. I might just be remembering Memphis' Magnolias wrong. Even though Memphis is warmer, St. Louis is not quite so prone to those ice storms as is Memphis. Seems like having their big leaves encased in ice would be pretty hard on them. I can think of three Southern Magnolias in my neighborhood. I think the smallest has probably an 8 inch diameter trunk. The largest is probably 10-12, but well over two stories high. I have not seen any huge Magnolias, but that might just mean no one was plnting them prior to, oh, maybe thirty years ago. I do think they grow more slowly here than Memphis.

I wouldn't rush this decision because this is not only very expensive, but will have a huge impact on what your house looks like, not just the exterior, but the interior as well. If you go with the almond windows, what will you do with the interior trim throughout the house? White and almond clash. If you don't care for the white, better to go with driftwood. I've been through a remodel. They will always rush you and tell you you need to decide TODAY, but it is OK to stop work and tell them you need to think about it. Best thing is to drive around your neighborhood and see what similar houses have done. Take your camera along and snap pictures to find your "inspiration" house. You can always repaint your stucco if you want a change. Not so easy to change window color. In my opinion, white is classic, will always be style and will compliment any window trim (both inside and out). But, it's not my house....