I would wait at least a week before even thinking of repotting the Strep. This gives it time to adjust from the travel and to it's new environment. When you are ready to repot, do not repot into too large a container. Streps will tolerate being a little too dry over being to wet. The roots will definitely rot if kept to wet. You also want to keep the crown a little above the soil line, not even with it. This keeps the crown from drawing moisture from the soil, preventing it from rotting.If the Strep starts to droop from being too dry, don't worry. It will perk up once given water. As far as the soil goes, using a 1:1:1 ratio like violets is fine. Light is the same as violets or just slightly brighter. Enjoy! These plants are great! Once mature, you will have a beautiful, full, and in most cases constant blooming beauty. Dave

Hi Plllog! "That is, I know it's possible, but might not be in your budget." See, there's the crux of it. This little beverage center idea of mine was not in the original budget. (Nor, alas, were new drywall in the livingroom and halls, the gorgeous walnut top on my used cabinet island, the matching gorgeous top that will soon be on the new media cabinet and the near full gut of the bathroom.) And we're still determined to get through remodeling our ugly duckling without taking out a loan or dipping into savings. Conventional wisdom says: Wait until the coffers are full again but that's so hard to do. First off, I'm a cheapskate. Even if the goose who laid the golden egg waddled up onto my deck and built a nest, I'm not sure I would willingly pay someone to mess up the walls I just paid to fix. Second, I'm not quite cheap enough. My new kitchen is starting to look pretty good but, gosh, it would look so much better if the microwave and coffee maker didn't take up so much room on that one counter. I'm willing to spend a little bit more to change that, especially since I'm going to have a piece of countertop leftover that should be just the right size. Still, it's nice to know that it's possible. Maybe when the coffers ARE full again I'll put a tile counter outside on my deck to shade the golden goose should she happen to wander by ;) Thanks for your help!

I purchased a persicaria "painter's pallette" from Lazy S, and it will be arriving this spring. The colorful foliage was a draw, but I bought this particular variety because it is rated down to zone 3, so I'm not worried about its ability to tolerate our Vermont sub-zero temperatures. Most of the other varieties were only rated down to zone 5, so they would never survive here.

The medallions on the ceiling and fan/fixtures need to go. I would install a nautical-inspired chandelier in your desired dining area. How tall is the ceiling? What furniture are you planning?