"Hello again," to anyone and maybe especially maybe to akamainegrower, if you happen still tobe around this forum... Due partly to my having as yet not been able to get much of any reply to somewhat extensive inquiry sent the past year or so to two (I think--having various inquiries and "feelers" out there to various places, it's a little hard to keep exact track) heavily involved in blueberry research , I've elected for now to try contacting that other type of place you mention: Christmas Tree Growers' Association (s). But, so far , a few weeks later, no response. Of course, the timing isn't necessarily the greatest, being around tree selling time, as well as apt to be time already of some freezing already of the ground. That University of Maine department which you mention, also may be of interest. At the same time, maybe "if" I could , before contacting them, run a test myself to , hopefully, get some sort of actual proof begun, of one or more of my specimens actually being immune-maybe that might help make my inquiry to them or to whomever, more intriguing? Sure seems like it couldn't hurt; and in these days of easy photography and easy communicating, maybe I could at least visually document my efforts doing such actual test. But , besides that the bushes involved are somewhat "well out" in the woods...under a foot of snow and ice I guess, around now...I still will have to somehow come up with a few young fir seedlings or young plants that have the disease (to use as source of disease spores to expose the blueberry bushes to...inside on my big plant-growing window sill, I guess). Maybe --by some longshot chance--someone here would happen to know of and have access for digging up ,of a few young "infected" firs trees (any kind of firs, although if it'd be wild firs rather than tree plantation ones, seems to me it'd most likely end up being "balsam" firs). Young or seedling firs "infected" with this fir-blueberry rust, that is...(the Pucciniastrum goeppertianum one...the one that causes broomlike growths on blueberry plants, and I guess as to on the firs, causes just small yellowish or whitish spore capsule happening on some of the needles . I maybe should stress, in case I haven't mentioned it before, about the "other" kind of witches broom happening with fir trees: the "other" kind does make broomlike growth happening on the firs themselves...but that's a totally separate disease, if/when "that happens". The only ones I'd be interested in are young or seedling firs happening to have gotten the first type of "witches broom " disease, the one wherein it's only the blueberry bushes that get the brooms, with the firs , again, just getting some kind of small-to-tiny tag growths on their needles. I do think that likely as not, patches or areas of firs of most any kind , happening to be very near (especially within maybe 50 to 100 feet[ of a bunch of wild highbush blueberry bushes or a patch of lowbush blueberries, IS by my guess, at least pretty likely to be involved with the blueberries with infection of this disease happening between them. Given these two types of plants growing nearby one another, the infection of this disease that I see as likely, might be easiest to spot the likelihood of, by checking whether the blueberry bushes have any if the broomlike growths showing. There would be pictures readily available (I think I'll also see if I can get hold of some images and post links here, assuming that's allowed and that I can figure out the procedure) to check further what to look for, online such as at Google Images, Yahoo Images, etc. (searching for , probably: witches broom, blueberry. or: fir blueberry rust). Which, especially as to possibly making available to me, a few of these prospective "infected" young firs--would be "going some", I realize. Therefore, here's what I think (hoping there's no proscription here "against" it) I think I can offer (if anybody's not already been too bored , here, to read this far): If anyone can find and have or get access (for digging) such an instance of little fir trees and blueberry bushes growing together, or adjacent, such that it's resulted in the occurrence of this disease, and would be willing to try to dig three or so of the infected firs for my use: than, while it'd be apt to need to be "first come, first served " and maybe only one deal available: I believe can try to make it worth your while, monetarily (make an offer?) Pictures "first," please...of the plants on the site, showing infection (typically very obvious when it happens) of some of the blueberries on the site, with the broom-like growths. Also, if possible, pics of the evidence of the disease on the little firs that would be dug. Maybe send COD, for no risk? or otherwise, putting them for me on Ebay? I'll try to follow here, of course, for replies...while I believe my profile page does have a link for privately emailing me, if anyone wants. "Thanks" to all.

The work not yet completed... there is no option for this We ordered a Kemper Kitchen from Metropolitan. This is the worst Kitchen company. Compared to other places that we designed the same Kitchen this was one of the most expensive but since they promised a 4 weeks turn around for semi-custom all wood cabinets we went with them. It is almost 6 months now and they have not yet resolved the issues. The issues included: warped pantry door, misplaced drawers, doors and racks that do not open or close well, all the doors are random sizes and some of the doors do not even open without hitting the microwave (there is already damage to the door!), unfinshed areas where the glass was cut and placed, etc. In some areas the distance between the two cabinets is less than 4 mm which does not allow the door to open. Susan the sales person from Kemper in response to the random sizes of the doors and drawers says "people ususally do not care how their kitchen looks like". And then she claims "average people in their life time only design 1 and 1/2 kitchens so they don't know better". Well we know better and we do care and you should not be in a business that you don't care about the quality of the work that you provide. And then Jim, the person Kemper sends to correct issues! He does not respect the customers time, he started a fight with my contractor that I almost called the police on him. While Ron the designer tried to work with Kemper and get the problems resolved, he too kept saying "I am just the middle man". Jim claimed that the contractor and the designer were wrong for not putting spacer in between every cabinet! Ron correctly says that a spacer in between all cabinets will provide ugly seams and lines everywhere. Ron should not be selling a product that is so full of problems. Instead of 4 weeks we are now almost 6 month into this with no resolution about the major issues with this kitchen. Will be contacting attorney general's office and BBB as well as the credit card company. The problem is that with this kitchen if we want to redo it now the quartz and all the appliances are in place and it will cost double the cost of the kitchen itself to get another kitchen put in. Please think twice and do not go to Metropolitan and do not get a Kemper Kitchen from any other dealer. I hope I can add photos to this to show you how bad they are with their product.

For anyone who's still reading, I'm pretty sure this is what I'm going to get. Sorry, have to post 3 separate pics. The shade color on the island fixture and sconces will be the same (beigey linen shown on the first pic) and all metal finishes will be the same (same finish as first pic, Dark Smoke).

I second checking out Retrorenovation. Lots of cool info there. I will say those cabinets look in excellent condition -- no rust or major dents. Having them professionally painted would look great. I hope you do not want to do them yourself. Good luck!