Dave -- Thank you for your suggestions! I will definitely try to prop the dome a little and keep a fan going nearby. Oilpainter -- I acknowledge that damping-off may have played a role in killing the seedlings, but I did notice that they were fine when the soil was moist ... and in the morning, when the cell had tried out too much on top, they had fallen over (and not from the stem base -- it was more like an overall drooping). I've also heard a bit about this cinnamon trick -- I'll have to give it a try! Sleepy33 -- Thanks also for your advice. I may need to pull the lights away from the not-yet-germinated seeds, especially the poor surface-sown ones! Keriann -- You were actually right! I have both seedlings and not-yet-germinated seeds going right now. Swamp milkweed, purple prairie clover, sweet indian plantain, scabiosa, some violets, dill, and prairie coreopsis have sprouted. Milkweed is doing the best right now, just about to show first set of true leaves! I'm most worried about the violets, which are sprouting slowly and sporadically. They're so small, I'm afraid of them being consumed by mold. Same with snapdragon and joe pye weed seeds, which are extremely tiny and surface-sown. As for fungus: So far I've mostly seen a white haze of mold on my soil. Very subtle-looking. But strangely, I've also noticed many chunks of perlite exhibiting a coating of yellowish to orange-ish mold! What in the world!? I took tweezers and removed as much of the perlite from the soil surface as possible. I've also just started trying to overnight my seedling/seeded flats in my bedroom with a fan on to help keep the mold down. And sadly, I have no other place to set up my lights. :(

Here is more logic for engineer-types-- With alkaline soil areas, peat appears to have postive effects because the salts (excess minerals) present in irrigation water (Los Angeles?) easily move through the peat-amended soil profile, as the acidity frees up these minerals that would otherwise tightly bond to the non-peat amended, alkaline soil. (The salts, if allowed to accumulate in alkaline soil, will eventually impede root growth to a very large degree. This occurs often, with improper, shallow watering techniques.) However, where amended soil (peat or compost) in a bed butts up against non-amended soil beneath, a barrier is created that produces a perched water table, which holds up the salts from being further flushed to safely below. Ordinarily, to get around the accumulation of salts that inhibit deep root growth in alkaline soil, deeper watering is called for, and less frequently, which will push the salts lower simply due to the large mass of water combined with gravity. This is not easily accomplished with peat amended soil. Peat holds water so well, compared to compost, (if it remains hydrated), that it is eventually evaporated off or used up by the shallower roots before it is allowed to travel further in depth. Simply watering more can drown the plant or it will find a place to run off. So, the gardener loses one of his/her best tools in keeping the root zone free from accumulating salts by using peat. Therefore, lower drought tolerance, with shallow roots is the result, and weaker plants. I'm not certain how an an engineer wouldn't agree, with a little bit of patience of the technical talk. The ones I know are all on board, once they thought it through. M

Check the Bravos models, be sure to get one with an onboard heater. I run most of my laundry on the bulky cycle because it uses the most water and sprays water over the load to saturate everything. I still save water over a non-HE model, but my clothes are clean. They only get really tangled (as you describe) if I have a really big load. I always use the second rinse and dump a detergent bottle of plain water on the load before starting a cycle. This makes the washer "think" there's a bigger load, so I get plenty of water to wash in. I might not be saving as much water as what some people feel is best, but my loads are truly clean and completely rinsed. No detergent residue for me. Good luck on your quest and let us know your decision.

Lav: It's just that fridge and big sink on that wall seem to eat up all the countertop. Plus, the fridge needs like, 4" minimum clearance against a fixed wall... I wish that wall were a little longer cause I'd love to have the fridge to the left of the sink like that. I always seem to want to prep to the left of the sink. I don't know if I can change that habit, can I? I get having a prep sink closer to the stove, but this copper sink is made for prep with the cutting board that sits on the ledge and the drain tray. Not to mention that after what that thing cost, DH will probably throw up if I mention getting another sink, lol. Bellsmom: I was told that having the whole wall open is a problem with structural stuff. That's why DH wants a rustic railing with upright beams in part of the opening. I can't tell exactly but the island makes the walk around about 30"... seems too close to the step down for safety? Rosie: Your words are food for thought. I am definitely a sink/window prepper. I tend to live in front of the sink for some reason. Don't really see myself doing too much between the fridge and stove (in the original layout) And, as I said above, I tend to want to work to the left of the sink. Angie's idea is very appealing though. I like the smaller area to cook in and less walking around. I like the fridge out of the main area, so anyone can get something without, 'excuse me'. The one thing DH does is make adult beverages (killer old fashioneds for those familiar with Wisconsinites) and we're always in each others way when that happens. I thought a bar sink over by the window could double as a kind of prep sink and I'd have mondo storage over there, too. But, it does close up the room somewhat, at least for traffic, but maybe not in a bad way. Idaho: thanks for the info and I was kinda thinking that empty corner could be a safe cubby or something like that. Keep our Cracken in there, lol. Marcolo: are you saying to leave the fridge as it is in Angies plan? I'll have to play around with that configuration, too. Thank you...