'Tropical' for your zone could be plants such as Serissa. You might also use a 'Jade Plant' which develops a satsifying trunk quite quickly. (You mentioned you were cactus-confident, so a succulent could be a starter - and would be kept indoors over winter.) Before buying books - make good use of the search engines. There are several different expressions of bonsai. The formal Japanese styles are just one form. As you look at what people of various countries have posted on the Web you could find yourself drawn to one or several of the methods and ways of growing small trees artistically in containers. As you look at the pictures you might want to take the time to ask 'I wonder how they did that?!' Then, when you are reading through directions for wiring, or pruning and pinching, or in-ground growing there'll be a mental picture and it will make a lot more sense. Expensive: it can be but doesn't have to be. Those gorgeous pots and elegant stands aren't needed for growing on young plants. In fact, it's probably better to wait a few years until the tree is leaving its gangly juvenile phase and is developing character and style before looking around for the perfect pot to show off your artistry. If you are 'handy' you can quite easily make up wooden pot forms for use, or buy durable plastic bonsai pots, or make your own from hypertufa. The plants don't mind (except for maybe maples and satsuki azaleas in a new 'tufa. Let the cement weather out first.) Tools and wire. Ah, yes. You can definitely spend a lot here - but you don't need to. For example - root rakes. Get an old screwdriver with a comfortable wooden handle and shape the blade on the grindstone before putting it in a vise and bending the shaft to suit yourself. Snippers and loppers - ignore 'stainless steel' - its so hard to put an edge on them and keep them sharp. Go for a steel that will take an edge and that you can keep clean with rubbing alcohol and a touch of 3-in-1 oil. If you have an urge toward forming elegant 'dragon's eye' calluses on the trunk then investing in knob cutters may well be worth it. Chopsticks are excellent for putting earth in around the roots when you're repotting. And they're generally cheap. I personally prefer bamboo ones because they take on a pleasing and useful shape after being used in gritty mixes over time. Something about 'the patina of age' ;-) From what you've said you are already confident with plant care so the annual repot for young stock will find you prepared with mixing bowls, work surface and watering devices, plus mesh and 'copper butterflies' to hold the mesh over the drainage holes. (You can also use plastic mesh.) And an ancient toothbrush, fairly firm, which is most useful for cleaning unwanted moss from trunks without causing harm. If you aren't doing zillions of plants then quite small containers for graded grit and additives, plus any fertilisers you choose should be plenty to start with. Sometimes at my local club there is a "True Confessions' session where the older artists mention their favourite tools - and the ones they bought in Japan which they keep for show and never use! When it comes to special soils - you might want to, and budget accordingly, but many people grow bonsai very well where those mixes are either unobtainable or not permitted as imports. You've already been warned that this is an addictive hobby. Enjoy!

Usually the more finely detailed part goes on the bottom, not the ceiling. The profiles usually have larger curves at the top and smaller, tighter curves at the bottom. If you look at charlieinnj's link above, you will see what I mean. Diane

Jay, thanks for the Green site. I'll have to sit down and take my time going through it. marti8a, that is quite the house. It looks huge! It looks like they have implemented some good ideas, but the absolute true cracker style is very simple compared to that home, in the general style. However, whose to say if those early settlers were still around they wouldn't be trying something new, right? There were a few around with a cupola in the early days, but they don't seem to be common. We were going to put one on the house originally, but they can be hard to maintain and is another area for a potential roof leak. My husband said with the proper vents the house will perform the same as if it had a cupola. Some of the older homes have vents on the gable ends. I can't even imagine having a cupola with windows. I've seen a couple of them on modern versions of a cracker home. For one thing, who would ever want to clean the things? No one. So then you see dirty windows all the time. The other thing is the sun would be beating in and making the house extremely hot. There really isn't a practical way to cover them. Some cupolas do not have windows, but anytime you make a hole in your roof for something...... As people settled here from different areas they gradually brought some other styles with them. There are a few old homes in town that have been restored, and they have a more victorian look. There are also a few southern plantation styles that are old. The most common style still standing here is a two story "I" house with the added addition(s) on the back of the home. They had their kitchens outside the main living area for heat and safety reasons. They also added on as their families grew. The area that we live in is so cool because we can study these homes everytime we go into town or for a ride on back roads. We had a composting toilet in our "little house" (about 400 square feet) that we lived in while we built the main house many moons ago, when we were first married. I love the idea of composting toilets, and would have no problem with one in an outbuilding, but I didn't enjoy having one in my home. I'm not a squeemish person either. It made me feel like I had an outhouse in my house. They also have to be delt with properly or you can end up with odors, flies etc. I didn't get bugs in the house, but sometimes the venting fan froze in the winter and then pee you! The shower we build will most likely have a lip as well because the roll in ones can make a mess. I guess if one of us ever needs a wheelchair we'll have to remodel the shower. Hopefully, it'll never happen. My big thing is no shower door to clean and no shower curtains to deal with either. I'm still feeling really good about my loft. I won't be changing my mind again. Gee, I sure wish all of you were my neighbors. We'd have such a good time! Sandy

Wow, lots of responses. And you all just jumped in! I'm glad to know that I'm not crazy. Fori, great idea with the limes. I had been thinking of using a smooth roll of cotton and hand rubbing vinegar, but the limes sound much nicer. Can't wait to get my hands on a piece of marble to try it out. Farmhousebound, that sounds like a good experiment, making your own patina. Does it feel very rough? I don't mind rough like fine sandpaper. Any ideas if this "rougher" surface will still work well with rolling out bread and cookie dough? I would think that a smooth surface would release dough better, however marble has been used forever in baking, and I am sure it is not babied in professional bread/chocolate shops. brickeyee and vrjames, thanks for your chemical know-how. One more question, if the reaction gets out of control, couldn't I just sprinkle some baking soda on it to stop the reaction? Thanks for all of you for your answers - I just don't want to stress out about the marble, and this has helped. Hestia