Beverly, I've seen lots I didn't like either, they were either too short, or had plunging necklines about to the naval, so low in back that you could see their butt crack (well, nearly), or slit up the side to their armpits. And those were the ones that weren't so tight they looked as though they'd been applied with a paint gun. Sheesh. I was always told there was a fine line between slinky and sleezy, and a lot of dresses this year crossed that line by about a mile. Nope, I liked that little mint green fairy dress with the floaty skirt..... Annie

First, thank you all so much for weighing in on my decision! A different question, I just found a 14"x16" (basin size) in the enameled cast iron that would be identical to my main sink (kohler Whithaven in cane sugar). I had planned to do SS for the prep, but am now second guessing and considering matching the sinks... So, is it too matchy matchy to have the sinks the same? Or would it look better with them the same? Thank you!

Yup! H macrophylla and serrata are the two main kinds that are pH sensitive, and that's it. Asperas and involcuratas mint also be, but they're much less common. In addition to arborescens, paniculata and quercifolia are not pH sensitive. The trade off is you only get whites/greens aging to pinks. And another reminder - Bella Anna has been killed as an ES product line and shouldn't be sought after. If you want a pink arborescens it will be Proven Winners' Invincibelle series, which now includes Spirit II, Blush, and Ruby. So you've got plenty of choices to try. :)

I had a florist decorate our home a few times when we were having holiday parties. In our last house, we had a big flight of steps and a long banister right as you came into the foyer and he would do evergreen garlands and big bows all the way up and around. I still have sets of those wired bows from different color schemes he did and I use them myself for decor sometimes. He also would do a beautiful oversized magnolia wreath for the front door and wrap the columns on the front half-moon porch. And make arrangements for the DR table, coffee tables, and the three mantles in the downstairs. But we always did our own tree. Hiring an expert saves a lot of work, and it does look far better than anything I can do, but it was so pricey I always felt a bit guilty about it. And that was without custom glass bears. Since I cannot abide by red, you can imagine how I feel about this hot mess. I do like the dear, but I'd like them better if they did not move; that is just odd. It is so funny, I was looking at my tree the other day and the gifts underneath and I told DH it looks more like a baby shower than Xmas. I use a lot of shades of pink, some turquoise, gold and silver, and olive and lime in my holiday decor.