pirate girl: I think I mentioned this elsewhere, but I'm talking about pots *made* out of pressed peat and some adhesive. I'm not talking those little peat pellets that inflate when you soak them in water. http://www.novoselenterprises.com/images/mainpic_jiffy.jpg This illustrates the pots and pellets. I use the pots. Not the pellets. Basically I just poke some drainage holes in the bottoms of the peat pots and fill them with a fast draining soil. They don't really hold that much water and tend to dry evenly, as well, since any excess moisture is sucked up by the pot itself and usually evaporates fairly quickly at that point.

IMO hardening off is the process of taking plants that are soft meaning they have been growing in perfect conditions regarding shelter, moisture, light, air temperature, soil temperature, etc. and hardening (acclimating) them to the variability of real world conditions such as breezes/wind, moisture/rain, sunny/cloudy days, wide varying temperatures, variable ground soil temperatures, etc. A non-acclimated plant that has never experienced strong air movement can be crippled or killed by planting out on a windy day as quickly as a plant that has experienced no true sunlight being planted out on a sunny day. Likewise a non-acclimated plant that has always been bottom-watered or misted will get beat down and possibly crippled by the first hard rain. When hardening off plants a person should think about toughening up the whole plant - leaves, stems, and roots. -Tom

You rarely see spare, modern line kitchens. Color has migrated generally to the muted, so much so that kitchens with strong color provoke a startled "oh, I guess you CAN do that, can't you?" kind of response. There's a minority group that focuses on modest, highly personal, apartment, or small urban spaces. You rarely see plain wood cabinet fronts, Currently there is a strong bias in favor of "transitional" or "shaker" (as interpreted by current catalog listings and not actually Shaker) or slightly embellished cupboard doors. (The former seem to be the most economical choice in the current constellation, perhaps explaining this.) There is a sentimentality about inset drawers and doors that seems to assume this is a way of being ostentatious without being ostentatious (sorry if this rankles--but that's my observation). There is a bias AGAINST anything from the 1980s--familiarity has bred contempt. There is a sentimentality about the 1960s back to the turn of the century. Victorian and Early American are rare. Previously, I saw the term "Christopher Peacock Kitchen" in many posts, but this is waning, perhaps as white "cottage" kitchens move into the mainstream. Ikea kitchens are not very dominant and modest or humble kitchens are not the subject of the largest number of responses, except for the "I had no idea you could do that" posting. Moderately priced appliances, faucets, sinks, and paint are usually given a token "that's nice" kind of commentary. Expensive tile and ranges provoke great approval. (Smugly, I applaud the demise of the adjective "yummy" to describe inedible things, even very expensive, very fine inedible things.) Scrounged materials, ironically, are applauded, especially those purchased from reuse stores, EBay, or Craig's List. Pantries, whether closets, passageways, or pull-out storage units are really big. A simple cupboard or two used for foodstuffs is passe. There is generally a bare-window aesthetic. Recessed lighting is preferred. Many rooms are devoid of elaborate details on the ceiling and in the upper sections of the room, except for crown molding and recessed light collars. I agree that wallpaper is almost taboo. There is a sentimentality and preference regarding sinks with a self-finished front. I see fewer built-in drainboards than previously. I also see fewer appliance garages. Granite countertops rule, followed by other kinds of very hard rock or manufactured rock countertops. ___ I find that the real-world images here are highly useful for "what if" thinking. I can imagine more options than would otherwise be in my imagination. It's a treasure trove of ideas and realities. And generally, GW kitchens maximize the value of functionality (as interpreted by the owner) and of the budget in ways that are a credit to him or her. It's a privilege to listen to someone put visual ideas into words and to see them shape the ideas into good design and functional, attractive spaces. I find a lot to like in all the GW kitchens.

sparklekitty: I have also seen islands where one side is counter height and the other table, sometimes with two different surfaces. _____________________________________________ That is exactly what I'm hoping to build - we're waiting until we've set all the perimeter cabinets in place to see if there really is enough room to do the massive piece I want. On the side away from the great room, it'd be counter height containing the main sink w/the dishwasher immediately to its right. Then I'll be able to have quite a bit of storage to the left of sink (should have about 11'-12' of length to work with.) Then on the side nearest the great room, I want dining table height the length of the island. Therefore there will be at least two surfaces (like the pic that marcydc posted) - there will be some kind of ponywall cutting off the sight line for dining table side to kitchen/dirty dishes side. Our plan has a dining room open to the kitchen, but I really want to make that a morning room/sitting area. My parents have this set-up, and I absolutely love it. They have an island w/a lower height eating area, but it's like the rounded head of a comma on the end of the island. I'm partial to a much more clean-lined, rectangular look. I figure if it comes down to it, I'll have room for a great big island either way, and I can give in and put a dining table near the windows where it's drawn if I have to. But if I can make it happen, I want the all-in-one. In fact, I even want to build a really thick butcher block on top of the dishwasher (being on a corner of the island, to the right of the sink). It will be a great landing spot for items from the fridge across the aisle from it, and if I build it up thick enough, it will serve as another break in the sight line ... the aisle between the island and the wall w/fridge is actually the beginning of the hallway that leads to my boys' rooms, so there will be plenty of traffic past that end of the island. The better I can keep a dirty sink hidden from passersby, the happier I'll be. If anyone else has pics like the one marcydc posted, I'd love to see them!