Joan - you are so sweet!!! I can only hope to come close to that title, you are too kind Jen, I will bring the big genie bottle with me! Kidding, but I am looking forward to seeing your plumies! Honestly, I have just a few tips on what I personally would do for seedlings, but of course I wish I knew the true secret. moonie - aww, thank you so much!!! I was hoping the symmetry of the petal size would clean up but I do actually like the ruffled edges, so in that respect, I hope that stays. I really appreciate your really nice comments about the color too. I can't sell her just yet but I do thank you for the offer! Here are some updated shots.- It still stays very cupped so the flower starts out very saturated and rich and then fades. They also look very different at different stages. This is one of the blooms at it's finest in symmetry of petal size: 2 blooms: As it fades:

Adding another layer, or two, over the plaster will have the same detail-deadening effect on the inside as extra layers of stucco will on the outside. You'd have to move all your trim, fir out all your opening jambs (window and door) etc., to fix this but then you also must extend or re-wire your outlets and wall switches .... well, it's a big job! Re insulating to the max in the attic. I was not suggesting insulating the undersides of the roof, unless you have heated/conditioned space just under the roof. In that case it should probably be done, but you can't just tack up insulation under the roof sheathing. You must arrange to have some channeled air -baffled barriers between the top-side of the insulating material and the underside of the roof. Look for info about insulating a cathedral ceiling to see what I mean. As for the walls, if they aren't plastered up there, then I would rip out sheet rock or paneling and insulate and, more importantly for rooms at the top of the building, install a vapor barrier before reclosing the wall. I wouldn't insulate between the floor joists on the enclosed space, but of course I would between the floor joists of any unenclosed, unheated space. And I would consider using an insulating product with the highest R-value per inch of depth. When insulating (assuming you're are not doing the whole house) put your money and effort into the upper areas/surfaces first, and then cut the infiltration pathways by caulking and sealing like a demon. I'm not familiar with a stucco-coated house, but in a frame house with wood siding, you could see evidence of moisture being trapped in the walls when paint peels off the outside, or mold grows on the inside walls or your walls get stinky and moldy internally. Not a pleasant thought! Good planned ventilation (kitchen and bath fans, primarily) goes along way to fixing this issue. But you can also but vapor retardant paint on all your walls and ceilings, which reportedly helps a lot. Now for the op-ed on this subject: Plaster by itself, especially old plaster on wooden lath, can be a huge moisture mediator, all by itself. And hollow walls allow a good deal of vapor and air to move harmlessly to the outside. (At least in wood-clad house, I'm not familiar with stucco.) All the steps we take in closing up a house in the name of energy efficiency may, paradoxically, be somewhat interfering with the time-tested engineering of these old building systems. And certainly, I believe the standards that are used for new houses which require intense efforts at moisture/vapor management are successful and necessary in builings built of more complex man-made components. But I'm not so sure that one should blindly transfer the standards of one building system backwards to buildings of another construction system. The good news is that older buildings can be quite tolerant, and apparently unharmed, by tightening up and some insulating (especially of attics) without vapor barriers. Just be aware that you can, even in the laudable effort to improve energy costs and loss, create another problem. For myself, beyond the above steps, I try to achieve overall building energy efficiency in different ways, on other systems (heating, laundry, appliances, lighting) and "forgive" the energy inefficency I can't cure unless I tear down more of the still-intact wall covering materials. And naturally, whenever I have an occasion to open a wall for any reason, then that portion in insulated and vapor barriered before closing. I find one of the most satisfying things about living in and owning an old building is that it keeps me aware that there are many different solutions for things, and the latest and greatest modern notion may have nothing on what was common a hundred years ago. Have you looked into the useful series of Preservation Briefs from the National Park Service? I'll attach a link; many topics are available for free on-line and I've always found the info very helpful. They cover a wide range of topics including energy efficiency for old buildings, and most importantly in your case, care and repair of stucco (along with window repair, roof, plumbing, building assesment, etc.) HTH Molly Here is a link that might be useful: Series of Preservation Briefs, List of topics

Klem - thanks! Going to attempt posting pics again, as they may be relevant. I can see slipping a piece beneath the existing sheath for the two side windows, but how that doesn't prevent any water (that may come through) from not draining into the house..does that make sense? With the plastic under the main window so torn up, there's nothing to slip the new plastic underneath.

https://www.amazon.com/Abatron-WR4QKRA-Wood-Restoration-Kit/dp/B0084PQJ12/ref=sr_1_3?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6oHAwIqf5AIVigOGCh0z1ghTEAAYASAAEgLzo_D_BwE&hvadid=241929249324&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=9011283&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16292999201620741332&hvtargid=kwd-20619661172&hydadcr=24657_10400629&keywords=abatron+wood+epoxy&qid=1566772537&s=gateway&sr=8-3 Abatron wood epoxy is the gold standard here. Even though it’s pricey it’s probably cheaper / easier than replacement.