How about this: Name: Star Lake Greenhouse Address: 3419 S Star Lake Rd, Auburn, WA 98001 Phone: (253) 852-3523 http://seattle.citysearch.com/profile/10723289 It's in the area where Federal Way, Kent & Auburn all come together...just east of I-5. I drove past it last spring while trying to find my way to Lake Fenwick. I don't know anything about them. Patrick

I had to go to Hobby for hazmat class yesterday, on Scarsdale, just before Randolph Street, there is a big handpainted sign that says "join my community garden.." and has a phone #, that may still be a little far for you to drive though. And go to City Hall, talk to them, you might be able to start one on an empty city owned lot. It's a win-win, they don't have to mow or take care of it and you get fresh veggies!! You might talk to the apartment manager too, there is one complex I saw a report on where the residents have planted on the other side of a fence surrounding the complex, the complex owns the land and replaced annual flowers with veggies. Just google community gardens for help getting started, there is a ton of good information out there. I found a lot of helpful stuff when I was chairman at our community garden. And there are a lot of resources to help you get tools, supplies, etc. Good luck! Tally HO!

Hi Carol, I live in Kannapolis, NC (Cabarrus County) just a brief drive from Mooresville. I go there every few months or so and I've taken classes in Mooresville. They have a bigger thrift store that I go to (same co. not a big in Kannapolis). It's a great small town and GROWING close to major cities, like Charlotte. Davidson is just a few miles away, a lovely college town. Right now, the prices for homes are still low and if I could move, I would probably move to Mooresville. It still has much of a small town feel to it. The downtown area is lovely and quaint. I don't know about the property taxes, you will have to refer to Iredell County. I've been here 30 years, moved to Charlotte at first. Got out of there, had more crime happen to me than all my 20 yrs. in S.Fla!! The surrounding towns are much better, cheaper taxes, less traffic, and it's a quick trip to Charlotte for theater, symphonies, plays. The wonderful aspects of North Carolina are varied. There are a lot of small towns to travel. You would be right in between the mountains and the ocean, about 6 hrs. away from Wash.DC, 8 hrs. away from Kentucky. I used to live in S.Fla. so I am still amazed that you can get somewhere in just a few hours. Virginia on the west side is just gorgous! Lake Norman property taxes are going up up up, so I would avoid that area. I just read that in the paper. I was talking to a new employee at work, she was born in S.C. but lived in N.Y. for 13 years. She is now South again in N.C. She said that she had forgotten how "friendly" the folks are here in the south!! And of course, she does NOT miss the snow and dark days. Just had daylight savings, and it will get dark around 7:30...stays light till almost 9 in the summer months!! I am enclosing a link from the PBS TV stations that show North Carolina Weekend. I think you can watch the shows online. I have learned a lot about NC by watching these shows. It really shows the history, cities, out of the way super good restuarants, the outer banks, the mountains. It's all good. This is a good show to watch also : http://www.unctv.org/exploringNC/ And the link to the PBS channel is: http://www.unctv.org/index.shtml Hope this helps! Keep me posted! If you click on my name you can send me an email and let me know. June Lynn Here is a link that might be useful: NC Weekend

I read your kitchen should be on the east for morning light and bedroom on west for evening Usually, especially if on enough mornings you like to sleep in... It's what I am doing. If you are usually early birds, the sun helps get you up, and the kitchen/dining on the west can make sense... and depending on the lay of the land, and lake, you may get to share good sunsets with guests. But there are other factors, too. Views to east and west, And since you are lake front, I think what you want to do is something to accentuate the views of lake, whatever that takes. You are the ones who know if you like to wake up and see the lake first thing, and how you want to "share" the lake to visitors - presumably, you do! With this lot, I do think your architect's thoughts will be paramount, and if he thinks you'd do best without an angled garage, listen. You have a house to the north of you blocking view from the road, so I think the "rules" about front facing garages fall to the side. Ahem as it were.