Thanks for the advice mgleason56! It looked really different, very intriguing! I'll make sure it is in the best growing spot to give it the best possible start. I can start hauling compost and preparing the bed. It will be potted up first, and babied along. Good thing I made plenty of compost this year! I thought I'd also mention Vintage Gardens and their possible closing in my party plan (not roses) sales talk. Lots of people here love to garden and would like some nice roses. Every person can help a little, and maybe we can keep a great rose vendor who really deserves to stay in business! Still doing the HHRD, Linda

Here's some info that I got on that subject for future reference (I've not done any). Two different parties. One with labels not covered, and the second has the option of having the labels covered (this one sounds really interesting). Party One Lay a table with eight to 12 cheeses, at least three different wines, bread, crackers and fruit accompaniments, and perhaps a bowl of olives or some nuts in the shell for guests to crack. For a more formal tasting with real cheese lovers, make individual tasting plates and serve two or three courses of cheese with selected wines and accompaniments; for instance, you could start with a selection of cow's and goat's milk soft and semisoft cheeses, strawberries or peach slices and a baguette with a dry white or light-bodied red wine. Follow with an interesting array of aged firm and hard cheeses, dried figs and apricots, and hearty rye bread, accompanied by a full-bodied red wine. Then serve a plate of blue cheeses, pear slices, walnut bread and a glass of port. Finish with a dessert of Medjool dates accompanied by a fresh cheese, such as mascarpone. ******************** Party Two Cheese Party Forget serving cheese as a simple hors doeuvres  this culinary delight makes an exquisite entrée at any party. Read on for ideas and tips on how to make your cheese party a crowd pleaser. Invitation Ideas For the perfect cheesy invite, cut yellow card stock into a triangular shape. Using a hole punch, make several holes in the slice of cheese, so it resembles Swiss cheese. A cheese party is perfect at cocktail hour or later. Decorations Keep the décor simple, yet elegant, taking inspiration from a European vineyard. YouÂll want the wine and cheese to be the highlight, so use white linen on the tables and accent with red, burgundy, green (use dried grape vines and a variety of washed grapes as a centerpiece) and silver or gold (think napkins, napkin rings, wine glass charms and coasters). If you live in a home with several rooms available for the party, decorate each room with by theme (France, Italy, England) and serve corresponding wine and cheese in each area. Label each cheese with a ceramic or metallic label, or to improvise, use "Hello my Name is" stickers (stick two together on either side of a toothpick). If youÂre serving a variety of cheese from various countries, try a miniature toothpick flag for each cheeseÂs origin and handwrite the name of the cheese on the flag. Playlist Ideas Match your music to your menu by playing music from the countries of the cheese you select. For inspiration, try these: French: Serge Gainsbourg, Air, St. Germain-des-pres-Café collection, Amelie soundtrack British: Coldplay, Franz Ferdinand, KT Tunstall, James Blunt, Kate Bush Italian: Andrea Bocelli, theme from Life is Beautiful, La Dolce Vita soundtrack, Il Postino soundtrack Canadian: Sarah McLachlan, Sarah Harmer, Daniel Powter, Chantal Kreviazuk, Ron Sexsmith, David Usher, Shania Twain, Our Lady Peace, Melissa OÂNeil, Barenaked Ladies or Sloan Cocktail/Menu Ideas Cheese plate: A gourmet cheese plate will impress guests and let them mingle as they try a variety of cheeses (set each cheese at a different table or room). Select five types of cheeses  and just adjust the quanity of each depending on the number of guests. Try to choose at least one type of cheese from each category (ripe, semi-soft, semi-hard, hard, blue) and type (cow, sheep, goat). Tip: Let cheese sit at room temperature at least an hour before serving (unwrap from plastic or paper first) and serve cheese whole, allowing guests to cut their own piece. Beverages: For a sensational experience, pair each cheese with a complementary wine. For example, match soft cheese with champagne or white wine, blue cheese with port, hard cheese with fuller-bodied reds. Tip: the more pungent the cheese, the sweeter the wine should be. Try to match the region of cheese with a similar wine (ie Italian Amarone with Parmigiano-Reggiano or an Ontario wine with Thunder BayÂs Thunder Oak, an artisanal gouda). For a non-alcoholic option, serve apple cider or low-acidity tea (avoid fruit teas), both of which can be served hot or chilled. Cheese fondue: In addition to the cheese plate, set out a cheese fondue [link to Foodtv.ca recipe] using a medium-sharp cheese (such as English cheddar). Arrange fondue spears or long wooden spears to dip artisanal bread, crudités (pickles, baby carrots, mushrooms, picked cauliflower), cubed ham and fingerling potatoes. Dessert Cheesecake makes a thematic end to a savoury meal by adding a touch of sweet. Try Mocha Cheesecake or Philadelphia Lemon Bumbleberry Cheesecake for a twist on the traditional, or, to give guests variety, make miniature cheesecakes (in mini muffin pans), and set out bowls of toppings (blueberry, strawberry and cherry sauces) for guests to create their own concoctions. Party Activities To get guests in the spirit of all things cheesy, test your guests knowledge by not labeling the cheese and having them guess the variety or each, or make a playlist on your iPod of cheesy 90s musicians (Kenny G, anyone?) and have guests guess the artist. Favour Ideas Tie pretty fabric ribbons in a variety of wine-and-cheese inspired colours (think merlot, silver, gold, dark green) around an assortment ornate cheese knives and place them in a wire basket so each guest can help themselves to one when they leave.

mongey, I have not been on GW in ages and just saw this...perhaps you have already made your range choice! I love my Berta and have had no issues with it. I use the burners very frequently and heavily, and the oven not as much, as I am not a baker. The oven is perfect for my needs--family dinners like sheet pan roasting, casseroles and dutch oven simmering. On the rare occasions that I need a precise temperature, I have a thermometer in the oven. I also really like the convection setting to keep the hot air circulating even when things are sort of blocked by my huge sheet pans. If you bake often and require precise temperature readings, this may not be the range for you. I love the vintage look and didn't want anything with digital readouts, blue lights, etc.

Home4all6- Thank you for the picture and the link! I remember seeing this keeping room, when it was in the magazine...especially this picture :) From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures The yellow walls and the blue fabrics, look great with the wood furniture and those tile floors. That's almost the color of my brick fireplace. If they had some green plants and a bit of lavender, it would be perfect! LOL Did you notice though...how the kitchen looks a little colder than the keeping room. Love the tile (especially on the island) and the floors, but all that white is just too bright and new (IMHO) to go with the older/collected feel of the keeping room. I think antique (rather than shiny) brass would help...but some wood cabinets and maybe a warmer white would make a big difference. Thank you so much, again, for the pictures and it would be fun to be neighbors! (LOL) But, I don't think that would be enough land for my horses...they eat a lot and need a really big pasture. Mike- I'm glad you like the pictures! I really like that finish, too. It's not too glossy and does look more like a natural finish. My guess (and it's just that) is maybe they have a satin finish on them and aren't stained. A good finish should protect them...and again, guessing, but probably several coats, sanded in between. If you want to use these pictures, please feel free to post them and ask if anyone can give you more info. How goes your kitchen remodel and what did you decide to do with your hearth? Sorry, if I missed a post...but I've been wondering how you were doing. It's going to be such a great kitchen!