My grocery store and the Whole Foods have local sections. They are my first choice for produce unless it is really ratty. Lately the local produce has dried up but I'm still able to get produce from nearby states. I'll buy US produce from other states, but not out of the country if I can avoid it. I've noticed the same thing though - the signs overhead say US product, but the actual wrapper does not. The tangerines right now look incredible - but they're from Peru! So it's local apples and California peaches for my lunch. Not that I'm suffering. . .

Granites are all made of rock, so most of their quality is pretty similar, except some colors that has many small cracks on the surface, like Ubatuba, which is a really soft granite. But black granites has more density than other color granite, it weighs more, harder in other words. I don't really see a difference in quality on absolute blacks, once you put them on, they are all the same.

Hi, I do try to buy made in USA whenever possible...I've not been as good about it as I could have been with sheets, because I bought some flannel ones from Company Store, which I love, that surely are imported. I think for things like linens, it is easier to find some made here when they are sold as organic. Not sure why, maybe just a niche market, but it's nice to know they aren't using chemicals when treating/finishing them. There was a thread about this on the Cooking conversations side recently. Don't know if you can find what you are looking for at an affordable price, but this was how I found them before - check especially the stillmadeinusa link: Here is a link that might be useful: usa made sheets

Thank you all for the ideas. You guys are so great and have given me a direction. Bodica thank you too for the compliment. I really do like the idea of the shutters or ornate gable vents (actually a very good idea). I am kind of thinking of them as one in the same. I think either one is something that I would enjoy having up there and am kind of jazzed now that I have a flicker in my mind of what I want to look for. Shutters or gable vents sound unique and I think different enough that I won't see them elsewhere. I showed DH the Photo Shop brugloverz9 did for us and that was so helpful (thank you again!). Usually I'm ok visualizing things (except with this vent!) but DH has a real hard time visualizing anything. Most of the time I try to explain something but he can't "picture" my train of thoughts......(he says my hard-drive skips!!!).... Anyway, after seeing the PS he agreed that the shutters or vents would look great there. We went to Eastern Arizona this past week to see a friend's new home, (we live in SoCal). We hit antique stores going and coming with eagle eyes for shutter/ vent type antiques but didn't find anything. I think I will do as whenicit recommended and at least paint it for now then hit the antique malls in our area (or maybe Ebay) until I can find authentic, crusty, fun, ancient, looking shutters or gable vents. As soon as I find something I will post pictures. P.S. msrose I'm still working on trying to get the actual name of our paint color for you. I re-read my answer in an earlier post on this thread and said it was WM (duh...not sure where that came from!) The paint is Benjamin Moore. Sorry.