The first of the Sandhills started showing up in the marsh adjacent to the dog park last Thursday, and the population is growing bigger by the day. Watching and hearing their courtship rituals up close has been a daily highlight for the last week. As for your son's dilemma, the lesser of two evils is not necessarily a good choice, and I wouldn't undertake an endeavor if I didn't feel right about it... but his mileage may vary.

Hi leafy02, from a fellow central KY gardener. The Valley is out in Scott County. You may want to select an uncommon small tree, if you want it to stay within the constraints you've selected. However, you are probably like most gardeners and want something with size already since you don't want to wait for shade. The usual dilemma... I'd vote for one of the small Asian maples like Acer triflorum, Acer griseum, or Acer maximowiczianum. These will have much more of a tree-like habit, with the dry seed samaras that won't be a nuisance along a walk. Great fall color and winter bark interest supplement reasons to use these trees. Other smaller trees rarely used in KY landscapes include the many-season interest Stuartia spp. (see also Stewartia, but this is being changed). Early summer flowers, dry seed capsule, lustrous foliage, wow fall color, and very interesting jigsaw puzzle flaking bark cobbled onto a slow growing species. Fun plant. I'll throw in a few more, just so you can spend more time looking: Viburnum rufidulum Symplocos paniculata Chionanthus virginicus and C. retusus Osmanthus americanus Magnolia virginiana All are good plants, and can be grown well in central KY on normal soils. You may need to decide what your minimum starting size requirements are, determine availability, and then go from there.

Budge I remember this from a while ago... I too have a Lee sofa - which I purchased fr. local furniture store incredible deal $1300 - yes, it was there floor model but it worked and price pt was so great I couldn't resist I think this is it but mine is 2 cushion style http://www.leeindustries.com/viewZoomDetail.asp?style=3895-03&category=WhatsNew I also purchased an apt size sofa & chair for my mom fr. same shop http://www.leeindustries.com/viewZoomDetail.asp?style=123-01&category=Chair Again incredible price pt - their showroom piece In this fabric or close to it http://www.leeindustries.com/viewFabricDetail.asp?Id=090019002073 I have the down cushions & it is the most comfy sofa Where will your sofa be going? I ? because, while I love the style & lines the arm height is only 21" if it is in a family room type environment - it is not a lounging type sofa - you can't comfortably rest your head on the arm & watch TV - more of a sitting room type - if that makes sense I have 5 stores w/in 5 mi of my home that carry Lee - I would be willing to "sit" in one if you find what you like & photo it for you http://www.leeindustries.com/WhereResults.asp I would also contact Lee directly & see if they can offer any assistance

Houzz is so addictive for me, I would never sign up for a notification button! It's is my major go-to procrastination distraction. I even downloaded an app to restrict my time on here. I mainly spend time as a Commentor--which is nervy since I don't have a design background--and have created multiple Ideabooks just for other people. In the process, I've adapted many of the pros' suggestions in my own home. I'm not a designer but care a lot about good design. I like to encourage people to value qualities that make a room or home inviting and liveable: airiness, function, flow, harmony, comfort, hospitality. (I'm not so good on picking furniture or suggesting specific colors.) Since I feel so strongly about these qualities, I'm kind of a missionary about them. IMO, arranging furniture in good layouts and adding great lighting can often do more for a room than gutting it. I make an effort to help people see the basics of their space--Wood cabinets? Keep them (if they're in good shape). Red brick fireplace? Don't whitewash it, work with it. And don't paint that wood trim! I feel an unstoppable urge to step in when someone buys one kind of house then tries to make it some farmhouse thing they saw on HGTV. I especially want to rescue midcentury modern houses from going farmhouse-y. (I do like the farmhouse style quite a bit in the right houses--simple lines, very light and clean looking. But you can get that without shiplapping the heck out of a house.) Even if I have to pay bills or get back to real work, I will lose an awful lot of time on Houzz advising someone embrace and enhance what they have rather than try to force their house to be something else. I usually choose Dilemmas that won't be costly to solve, i.e. don't add an entryway, float the sofa to make a hallway--that kind of thing. Along with some of the pros, I hate, hate, hate big black or brown leather "manatee" sofas, most especially sectionals, so I do my best to discourage the purchase of them. If it's too late, I try to help the Dilemma poster to lighten up other furniture in a room. I can't resist telling someone not to buy a humongous TV either, which is often why a room doesn't feel comfortable. So add it all up, I'm a design bossypants with no background in it who wastes a ridiculous amount of time on Houzz. Let me know if there's a 12-step program for it. (I don't do this in my real life--wouldn't dream of telling anyone I know how to fix up their place unless they asked. And they do!)