Congrats on your successful Neighborhood Potluck! The Mayan Hot Chocolate sounds delish, especially with it being below zero here today! "We hand mix our Mayan cocoa from an assortment of chiles, Dutch process cocoa, powdered hazelnut, Ceylon cinnamon and vanilla powder. Use 1 heaping tbsp. per cup of heated milk for a spicy yet heavenly Mayan drink. Sweeten as needed. This powder is also nice for baked goods or sprinkling on buttered toast, fruit and waffles. We also carry a Mexican Cocoa and a assortment of cocoa powders. " Can anyone figure out the recipe from the above description? Michelle

#3. 'splain, Lucy! I think the red inserts are too casual for #1. Both #1 and #2 are too olde worlde for the cabinets. I'm afraid either #1 or #2 will also make the wall length appear shorter by chopping up the space - altho somebody could easily feel that either defined the space. Just as side chat - usually, but not always, the hood trim on the front with curves is actually matched on the back with a straight line at the bottom. If true, the charming arch with the tile peeking through on the curve would never actually look like that. You might want to double check to be sure.

Sunday afternoon ... voted (again) ... don't know whether I can make it one more time, prior to 10 a.m. Pacific time, tomorrow ... ... when the curtain comes down! Looks as though the agencies seeking support cover a wide area - nationwide? (In a furrin nation to mine, that is). ole joyful

I keep coming back to this thread. So many beautiful photos. I can't single anybody's out, but Ingrid, I agree with Marlorena and Sheila about your garden. Serene. I always drool over Hoovb's and Marlorena's gardens, but Nicholsworth55, your photo of your burning bushes, made me say "WOW" out loud. Most unlike this reserved Englishwoman. Are they Euononymus alatus? It has been a difficult 2 years here. First the broken leg with complications, which kept me from tending the garden all summer and autumn last year. This year, no rainfall to speak of meant that lots of plants simply didn't flower, or simply faded away. I am hopeful that next year will be good. Still. There are some things I am thankful for.... The new little mandarin tree, which has replaced an ancient orange tree, that died of old age. Fuchsia triphylla, which flowers year round. Lady Emma Hamilton and Sombreuil in the background. Always blooming Pelargoniums. Dead and non performing plants removed, ready for replanting. Always cheerful Bougainvillea in one of the apricot trees. Self seeded lavender. In the way, but I don't have the heart to remove it. Pretty Jessica. TBC