Debbie, Gigi, Carol & Scarlett: I like the Sunset books too! One of the first garden guides I ever bought (about 25years ago!)was Sunset's "Garden Color, Annuals & Perennials". I had forgotten that there was a small encyclopedia in the back that included info on how to care for each plant. A very nice little book! I also received the Sunset book, "Cottage Gardens" for Christmas. Beautiful photos and helpful info on many plants. Marylu, I agree with Haziemoon. Great idea about having an ongoing wish list! Georgeanne & Bibliobeth, there are certainly never enough flowers or books at THIS house! Nan, The "Rodale's encyclopedia is excellent. I highly recommend it to everyone! As for garden magazines, I am definitely hooked. They are piling up now, unread next to my comfy chair. Waiting for a snowy day when I have time to read them! Leslie, you HAD to mention English Garden magazine! I'd never heard of it before and a flyer came in the mail TODAY with a reduced rate, and since you spoke about it in such glowing terms, I just had to get out my checkbook and subscribed on the spot! It's all your fault. Haha! I agree with you about Larry Hodgson's books. "Perennials for Every Purpose" is such a great book. The way the plants are divided up by growing conditions, such as wet areas or shade is extreemly helpful, especially when I am unloading a trunk load of newly purchased plants, and can't remember which plant likes which conditions. Honeysucklecottage, I've never attempted to grow herbs, but I'd like to try next year. Rob Proctor's book will be first on my new "Wish list", along with the American Hort. A-Z encyclopedia that Lynne suggested. Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. I hope others will add their fav "how to" book. Patti

One guy I used to work with couldn't even agree with his brother how to pronounce their own last name! It's Shragg. He pronounced it so it would rhyme with "rag". His brother pronounced it (the old world way) to rhyme with "hog". Try heading to Wisconsin and ask for directions. Shawano is 2 syllables, not 3. (Shaw-no) Chippewa of Chippewa Falls is also 2 syllables, not 3. (Chip-wa) Although not too surprisingly, Eau Claire="O-Clair" (also 2 syllables if you noticed) So, is it E-gor, or Eye-gor? Frank-en-stein or Fronk-en-steen? Smith or Genovski?

Whoa, if you get a degree in industrial arts you get to acquire carpentry textbooks along the way?!? Sweet! Kim, I've always enjoyed/appreciated your contributions; given the wisdom of trial and error that was behind them, I see why they stood out. My mom got us a couple of the Reader's Digest fixit books (have to run downstairs, one of them might be the very one you have); I like the way they are encyclopedic and detailed. I know Jane Powell but not the Small Houses books (do you mean The Not So Big stuff by Susanka, or the Small House anthologies from Fine Homebuilding?) Thanks for mentioning books; I think I might start a reference book thread for this forum. Hey Casey, THANKS for taking the bait. And you are NOT a bloody genius, you are an old house DEITY for crying out loud! Would you please start your own show on youtube? Or maybe just a house tour? Even Petch house has youtube videos. Or, do you already have a project blog and everyone knows about it but me? Actually for someone with a degree in historic preservation, I am impressed with how low-key your posts come across; they read more like an old friend who's "been there" and wants to pass along lessons learned along the way, it's really very nice and encouraging. But if you ever want to browbeat me feel free; I would take it as a compliment. To be honest if I post about something I'm thinking of doing to my house, and you don't opine, I figure one of two things is going on: 1) you're not on the forum; or 2) you're politely disapproving. Most of the time I assume it's 2 because you seem to be pretty consistent around here. But I just want to say, and I hope I speak for many, that I love love love your posts, especially when I'm searching on a problem I'm trying to solve and something from you pops up! (PS I finally got around to using that general finishes gel varnish you recommended and it was fantastic, thank you; I will post photos to the woodworking forum sometime before the next census.) Oh, and I love the way you "aged" the color tones in the new pine beadboard in your kitchen; reminds me of the pine in my grandmother's kitchen. When I was really little I used to look at the gleaming pores and think it was the closest wood could get to 24K gold.

If you wish to cloak you post, you'll have to resort to using fake names and places. You do have to sign in to chat on this forum - its a rule of its makeup. Many of us are not using our real names for security reasons, but have created 'handles', same as the old CB days and truckers. Admitdely, some of our handles are cutesy and are readily recognizable by those close to the poster. Below are some things you could do. However, this will not guarantee that the origin of your chat messages will remain a mystery to the person about whom your are discussing. 1. Create a user name known only to you. 2. Never use the real name of the person being discussed. Create fake names, if necessary, to differentiate between two or more persons in the post. 3. Do not reveal any geographical location clues. 4. Do not reveal the relationship of the person in question to youself, such as DD for dear daughter. It is possible that the person in question is smart and will figure it out anyway based on a unique set of circumstances. And most of important: No. 5: Don't do it. This forum is open to the public.