Cutie :-) I'm still up in the air about starting a keike on my Yu Ping Panda "White Leopard". It has six leaves and is in full bloom.

After a whole year of growing Canna and spreading them, I think I can provide a better answer to this question now. I have observed that Canna bloom rather randomly, one plant blooming while another is not. They do not all bloom at once. I imagine that if you plant your Canna by breaking them up and regimenting them separately, into some geometrical pattern, that it just won't look cohesive because of the randomness of each separate plant's blooming. Therefore, I have found even greater reason to prefer allowing Canna to clump thickly. The random blooms that appear in clumps stand a better chance of having separate clumps showing blooms continuously and the randomness of blooms on individual plants is lost in the overall presentation of clumps or clusters of Canna. Mind you, that my current clumps of Canna are not yet thickly established and so, all through the season it has been odd to watch a bloom here, have it deteriorate, followed by another bloom somewhere else, in a rather haphazard fire-works like fashion. I personally, will strive to thicken up my Canna now so that each clump stands a chance of having continuous blooms all season long. And that means, letting the Canna grow thickly in groups and solid bars or lines along walls and fences. I find Canna an good answer to a problem I wanted to solve earlier in the year, finding flowing plants that will grow in shade. Canna do well in shade and unlike many plants that need sunlight to flower, Canna will flower in Shade or Sun. But because of the randomness of their flowering, I think I'll try to supplement them with some other flowing plants that can find harmony growing in close proximity to the spreading rhizomes of Canna. In that way something is flowering virtually ALL THE TIME. I just don't know what that other flowering plant will be yet as it also, must do well in shade or part shade and be a ground cover type of thing. IMHO

Am I in trouble if I have a couple squirrel box houses in my trees, and a swinging bridge for them to cross back and forth on? hahahahha I had seen a squirrel with just a nub tail in the area, and for a few years, I often wondered if it was the same one, or possibly a passed down defect. I saw it so many times I am not sure it was the same one. Also it seemed smaller one viewing to another. Maybe I just have a cat in the neighborhood with a TAIL collection. There is also a squirrel a few blocks a way that is a red type, but 3/4 white/grey. I have seen it a few times.

nkkp-No idea about the title being marketable and insurable, but will make sure to ask. Not something I'm familiar with. I do plan on doing a title search and get title insurance. My parents are giving me a mortgage so not sure if that would make any difference about the title being marketable and insurable??? I appreciate you giving me a heads up about this though. sailorman, thanks for your input. A hutch type piece may be a good addition on that one wall. You mentioned putting up a fan in place of the exhaust that's there - but what about the rest of that area? I have a piece in my current house but I don't think it would go, but I'm sure I could find something. Trust me, if we make an offer on this house and get it, I'm going to be thinking good and hard about everything - it will probably be an obsession from the moment I put in the offer!!! plllog - thanks for the laugh, I too went oye! So it's not an actual pass-through - is it actually a peninsula? Personally, I like just a regular stove with the back panel - not this flat looking thing. Not sure about those posts being structural or not, someone would have to tell me. I've seen pictures of other kitchens that have those posts while others have nothing on that end, so really not sure. I'll definitely look in to Circuspeanuts post - sounds interesting. I like funky, but I think I'll probably just stick with something a bit more subdued - my mind says funky but my age would say otherwise. I think the countertops aren't in bad condition, they're just white, plain and blah! Will double check tomorrow when I go again. I thought, if I did keep the cabinets, a tan colored countertop (granite or similar) would be nice - would lighten up not only the cabinets, but the darker floor as well. Thanks for all your ideas! desertsteph, there will be a table on the other side of that "peninsula" as it will be the only place to put a table to eat. Since it's just the two of us, we'll keep it to a small table that we can expand when company comes, but this is the only "dining area" we have in this house - not sure why it was built like this (lets not mention the staircase that's in the living room going up to the attic!) I need all the cabinet space I can get. My current home has a LOT and while I want to downsize, I don't think I can downsize that much. Def. cabinets in the laundry room - can't remember how big that area is, but hoping it can be both a mudd room and a laundry room. I'm hoping they'll accept my offer if I should decide to go ahead with it - they may laugh me right out of the office though. lilyfreak, can you post pics when you're done, please??? rjr220-I too thought about possibly putting the fridge where the pantry would be, but honestly, I forgot how wide that area is and if there's a door there, or a solid wall and if there's even room to stand in front of that space and be able to open a fridge door while standing in front of it, but will look tomorrow and measure as well. I think that wall that juts out may be the garage - my age and mind aren't letting me remember - when looking at so many homes, your mind goes to pure mush! I like the idea you gave of putting the stove where the fridge was - will look at options tomorrow. Well, I'm going to see the house again tomorrow morning and then will (hopefully) make a decision on which way to go. My offer may be so low that I don't get it and all this will be for naught, but better I go in with some type of ideas than none at all. I plan on taking more pictures and measurements as well. Will definitely post an update along with more pictures when I get back and can get some computer time. What's the opinion on building a pantry along the wall where the countertop is - nothing as deep as a cabinet, maybe around 12-14" deep - I have a huge one at home that I keep my food and cookbooks in (not that I cook, mind you) Any ideas for the area where the dining table would be. That area actually leads out to the backyard, so it would also serve as a walkway, so I really can't have anything more than a table I think. The view when you walk in the front door goes through the living room straight to this eating area - the pic below shows the french doors that go to the backyard from that eating area - the doorway you see way in the background is the front door, so it's a straight beeline from the front door to these double doors right through that eating area. I don't recall the size of this area, maybe 10x11, but again, will double check tomorrow. The other side of the eating area, across from the peninsula is what we consider the den - the owners, for some reason put a big opening in the wall - makes no sense to me, and I'd definitely close it up. The 2nd pic below is this patio/sunroom that needs major help, but those are the doors from the eating area that leads out to this, again, some major help is needed in this area!!!! If anyone comes across any ideas on the web, or has/had a kitchen like this they are renovating, would LOVE to see pictures. Will be updating soon. I'm a firm believer, if it's meant to be, it's meant to be - should I not get this house there will be something else. THANKS ALL!!!!!