I like annuals, but they don't like me :-( I don't know why, but I always have trouble raising annuals from seed - even those which are supposed to be super easy, like cosmos and zinnias. At the moment, I have zinnia seedlings sitting in the garden and doing nothing. As for cosmos, from the seeds I sowed, I see only two minute seedlings that look as if they are embarrassed... Snaps didn't even bother coming up. The plantings around them are happy enough, so I don't think the problem is lack of soil fertility. I do believe the issue is soil hardiness, as I garden in clay. I also find that our extremely hot dry Summers do annuals quickly in. I have never been able to grow lobelia, even if I start with a nursery pot. There are some annuals that do well for me, though, if they are kept in shade - begonias and impatiens, especially, but I buy these from the garden centre. My major success from seed is sweet allyssum and I have small clumps growing in different areas of the garden. Over the last couple of years, due to our seed swap, I have also grown poppies and they have done well. Petunias are iffy for me. Some will do very well and perform for months on end, others will simply linger there, look unhappy, shrivel and die. Go figure. I also notice that they require a high regular amount of fertilizer in order to perform well. All in all, I would not base a garden around them, or depend heavily on them for looks, but I do enjoy the burst of color annuals provide in a garden. Eduarda

I have some old nylon plastic circulars I bought used on Ebay, so I do not know what they are really made of or by whom, but I love them. The "hip" at the join between the needle and the cable is so gradual and smooth that my yarn never hangs up there. And my hands do not get cold with these needles. I also like metal needles but in the winter my hands get cold using them. I have made larger knitting needles of wood dowel, and they work great, especially for slippery yarns. I have not tried bamboo. But you might try making the bamboo more slippery by rubbing them with waxed paper.

Stainless looks good in certain settings, more in a professional kitchen. I haven't seen many kitchens in houses that truly looked professional no matter how hard they have tried to imitate. Most of the time it looks kind of silly to me. For me, almond or bisque seem the most functional all around but I like black appliances and darker countertops. I don't like all white. Looks to scream "Habitat for Humanity" to me. With the exception of a true retro 1930s to 1950s kitchen look, then white is fine. Although some of those old colors were great. I actually liked the 1960s "coppertone" (dark brown) color. That had a real classy look IMO.

I am planning a three-tone kitchen. I love the "not-so-matchy" look. To me, kitchens can be like any room in the house- different wood tones, different metals, different fabrics- my other rooms don't have all the same color furniture, why should my kitchen? There are some rules to be kept, though, I think. If cabinets are two tone, counters should be the same. I am planning a walnut island, gray-blue lowers on perimeter, with pure white countertops and matching pure white uppers. I feel like the cohesiveness with the white counter/white uppers will help with visual calmness. Here is my inspiration pic: