The hawk in Menifee, CA can only be a Cooper's Hawk but it is an oddly-colored one. Something going on with the feathers, such as a heavy molt or missing feathers for some other reason. If you have other photos please post.

Thanks to all of you for your kind words. I have so enjoyed looking at everyone's ideas and homes that I was inspired to post my own. I have to say it was such fun taking the pictures and learning about photobucket. I do enjoy the collecting of Christmas stuff but like most of you here on the boards I am budget minded too. When I get some on these gorgeous items on sale after the holidays it makes it that much sweeter. To answer some of your questions: Kathleen li - I love the ironing board Santa in the hall display too. It isn't really an ironing board but a piece of plywood with fabric and paint done to look like Santa. I bought it years ago at a craft fair here in Birmingham, AL for less than $20. The santa portrait is new this year from Kirkland's Home. The have one every year and it is only $59. I got it last week at 25% off. Calicocat1967 - I like the Santa plates. I was fortunate enough to most of them from Fitz and Floyd last year on Christmas day. They put everything on sale and I get their emails telling when. I picked them up for less than $10 each. The covered dish in the kitchen corner cabinet came from Tuesday Morning after Christmas last year. It is a Christopher Radko but I only paid $15 for it on sale. luvstocraft - Thanks for thinking I "belong". I kind of felt like I did and it's nice to point out to hubby "There are others like me. I'm not the only one always picking up dishes or decorations everywhere I go" One of the things I have enjoyed about the board is the comradery. Every when I didn't post I felt apart of the community. I am glad that I came out of lurkdom. I got the angles in the pictures for 25 cents a print years ago and had them framed for less than $10 each. I stole the hanging on a ribbon and dowel idea from a magazine. Very eye catching and costs very little too. phyl345 - I'm glad you enjoyed it. sameboat - Thanks for looking and commenting. melvalena- I hope I didn't create new work for you for next year. I am enjoying changing up things a bit from year to year, so I love the ideas you guys come up with. Hope you have a wonderful holiday with your grandkids. bonniee- Thank you. I enjoyed your post about decorations too. mary ruth - Thanks, I love the Fitz and Floyd too. I got the large santas on top of the refridgerator last year on Christmas day. They are normally $350 each but on their clearance/outlet on their website they were only $89. I know that is still expensive, but I couldn't pass up the chance for something so large and beautiful for that price. I ordered my mom and her sister one for this year's Christmas present. I am so excited to give them to them. They are the chief decorators in the family so I came by it honestly. slinkey - What a nice welcome. Thanks for you praise and I feel like I will be a regular now that I've broken the ice. I do love my home. It is older and I actually came to these boards because we are considering building a new home on a lot we bought so I was researching building and come across this board on a search. But it didn't take me long to go from the Building a House forum to Decorating to Christmas/Holidays. purplemoon - I have loved all of your decorations and posts for the year. I thank you for your comments. The pair of large leaping reindeer are my "pride and joy". This is the first year I have displayed them, getting them last Christmas Day online. They came from Frontgate, which is not a store that I can normally afford. But after Christmas they put all their stuff on sale and mark it down a little more each week. On their website is a section called Outlet. I did not know of it and wanted a large reindeer for my fireplace hearth, so I searched and got a hit on them. The are regularly $199 each and but were on clearance for $59 each. Again a little more than I normally pay for a Christmas decoration, but a great deal on a heavy well made piece. I am pleased with the display. I would be honored to have some of my stuff in the Inspiration Album. Thanks for asking. Does that mean I have "arrived"? Ha-Ha. Feel free to look all you want. prosperity66 - Thanks for your kind words. I am glad others enjoyed it. Thanks again to all of you and I am off to scour the Internet for any clearance deals, but not ever sure where I could possibly put more if I find it. Merry Christmas!

Thanks for the kind words! :) Yes, I imagine given what you've said, that you can approximate what I see in the picture. Sometimes what people are looking for is more of a feeling. What you've also implied is that you really want the look of the best ever inspiration picture. If you're doing a version of that island, I think you really need light, but you can approximate it with granite or quartzite if you're looking more for edgy guy rather than a real break-your-heart bad boy. You could definitely go darker on the perimeter. Regarding soapstone, you might look for one of the harder varieties. Try scratching it with something pointy like a screw or nail. If it's hard to make a mark, you should be able to live with it, even if you're not big into patina. I think unoiled soapstone would give you the kind of color you're looking for, it looks great with light marbles, and is very functional. If you get oil spots on unoiled soapstone you can use a grease cutting detergent like Dawn dish liquid. It's really not that much maintenance. If you go with soapstone, however, do get installers who really know soapstone. It's different from granite or marble, and has different requirements (though simpler tools). As to patterns of stones, it really depends on the exact slabs you choose, but you should be fine doing veins with veins or spots with spots but not veins with spots. Similarly, it's nice if one has more and one has fewer veins, but you want the veins to be not too dissimilar in size. A little difference is contrast. A big difference is just busy. This works best when the stones can be read as inverses of each other, so a white marble with gray veins might work with a brown granite with white or gray veins, but not so much with a brown granite with black or red veins. These are just generalities, however. It really depends on the exact slabs and how you template them and fit them together. Taking away that whole question, could make your life a lot easier. Have you considered quartz for the perimeter? One of the ones that reads solid?

My cat hasn't been any help or inspiration here - but I took command of the towel situation - at long last - in this family of one (plus cat) - and the towels are rolled and stored in neat looking baskets - handtowel basket, bath sheet basket, wash cloth basket - and it did make it easier and neater....which probably seems strange given how you can HIDE stuff in a cupboard. However, I am tired of hiding things so well that I can't find them, much less use them or even remember I have them. Also - I gave away a lot of towels...........AND I reassigned the nylon scrubbies - which I HATE in the bathroom - into the kitchen where they are the most wonderful things for getting glop out of the dishes. grins Vicki