Julie, the hostas in the urns stay there year around (at least for the last two years including the two winters). But I can do things that people in most places, including most of MI and WI, can't do. I live on the Keweenaw peninsula and we have lake effect snow... big time! Last winter was mild. Only 163 inches of snow. The winter before we had 288 inches. In both cases, we maintained an average 30+ inches on the ground at all times. So the tops of those urns were under an additional 15 or more inches of snow. Heaving and winter kill is definitely NOT a problem here! That's the only thing I love about all that snow :-) Julie and Linda, the aegopodium (Snow on the Mountain) was here when we bought the house. It doesn't seem to have spread at all in the past two years, so maybe it just doesn't like conditions here all that well. The vinca and generic stella like daylilies are much more problematic as they seem to pop up everywhere. The vinca is pretty, but there's just too much of it. The daylilies are in the shade and never bloom so they are not something I want there. i-like-to-grow, we started a hen and chicks (sempervivum) collection last summer. There was a great place that we ordered from online. They had a huge variety and really good prices. I've been searching this morning but couldn't find the url to pass on. I can't imagine I didn't bookmark it somewhere, so if I find it, I will share :-) On the other hand, collecting hen and chicks will NEVER be like collecting hosta! At least not for us :-) They are just a great extra dimension for the garden and are easy to grow!

Thank you ladies for all the wonderful compliments. Punk..the iron planter came decorated with fresh Holly & Ivy (for Christmas) and was so pretty. The little pumpkin is actually a rust and green color which went well with the color combo. DH gives painting lessons to my oldest DGS who's also very talented. Mostly now he does lots of woodworking. Please find that Pheasant Plate. I bet it's beautiful...and put it out for us to see! Karen - Thank you..you are so funny... it was Janet's MIL who had those wise words..and they are so true. I'm looking forward to seeing the Dr tomorrow and get a clear 'Bill of Health'! lynnencfan..I like understated too...but then sometimes I see something 'over the top' and say Wow!..but I never find myself doing the same...lol frou..glad you liked the mantel and plates. I've been looking for those plates for awhile and found them on Ebay International at not a bad price. I'll pass the compliment on to DH. magpie > A Tennis Tournament!! wow gal..you must be in Excellent Shape to do that!! Thanks for your caring words... I wish we were closer too.. I think we'd enjoy helping ea other. Wish we were ALL closer..what fun and trouble!! jay...that bus has been making 'Revving' sounds like it's getting bored and 'rarin to go'..! Just need a little more rest and I'm on my way! Gee we took a cross country camping trip once with a pop up...that would be fun doing that and visiting everyone. I definitely can see those Red Farm Transferware Plates in a mantel setting...use browns and rust tones to w/them. nanaK...what a wonderful compliment.. 'like pictures you seen in magazines'! Now that brought a Big Smile to my face...Thank You....Glad you enjoyed everything. marlene...thank you very much for such nice compliments. PLEASE come out of 'lurkdom'..we ALL started out do that here..one by one we came out...me included. Everyone is so gracious and fun...If you have anything to share...we love pictures... I'll look for you ... okay kathleen...I will let DH know you liked his painting... The (half picture) I took of it doesn't do it justice. He amazed me when he completed it - in 2 Weeks at 22 yrs old! oreos-mom...thanks for the kind words.. That pumpkin seems to be pretty popular. Glad you were able to find one at Walmart... I hope Jeannne reads this...she's been looking for one. thanks again everyone for looking.. jane

kelly~ After posting on another thread to see more of your house photos, I did a search and this thread came up. OMG!!!! Your house turned out SPECTACULAR. It is soooo gorgeous. I love it all. There's not one thing I see that I think should be different. It is perfect. I too love the kitchen, the wood ceiling, the stone walls, and both of the showers. That slate is amazing! That's the most gorgeous application of slate I've ever seen (and I happen to adore slate!!). I am so happy that you have moved in. How goes the progress? Are you hosting the holiday's in your gorgeous new home? It would be a crime to keep that beauty all to yourselves. LOL. :o) Is that an outdoor shower? My goodness. I could just look at your photos all day. The trees in the front are gorgeous. The view looks amazing. The colors are perfect. The wood is sublime. Girl, you couldn't have done it better. It's stunning. And I too can see why you have oodles of equity in it already! Many happy years in your new home. :o) SusanL~ I too bought the Harrod's Creek plans from Cornerstone. We ended up not building that plan (too expensive for the area we were in... it was "overbuilding" for there). We purchased a home in your state and are having it finished. So now we're "neighbors". I hope you'll post photos of your house as you progress. It was my favorite home, and I still hope to build it somewhere, someday. :o)

What a mess. To begin with, you're mixing up some of the terms, which makes for confusion. But you obviously have a lot more common sense than the previous owners and "handymen"! I'm not trying to figure out the whole thing. But I will just comment on a few obvious things: * the header over the opening (the fifth pic up from the bottom). It's absolutely inadequately supported. It should have been long enough to be supported on either side by a built-up post (several 2x4s or 2x6s nailed together--and there are even Code provisions for the pattern of that nailing. And even this assumes there is a bearing beam in the basement/crawlspace beneath. *Yes, those shims are inadequate and don't even provide full support. Maybe they figured a lot of caulking/glue would hold it altogether. *Those random 2x4s laid flat don't provide any useful support. *The third photo from the top reveals five-six studs removed and replaced with one misinstalled diagonal 2x4. You ask, "Is this support up to Code?" Uh, no. To come up with the appropriate fixes requires an inspection of the structure of the house, additions and all. "Up to Code." What a horrifying idea! Your helpful neighbours are taking the wrong approach. What you can't see can hurt you--especially if your house experiences a sudden structural failure. (Not to mention whatever electrical/plumbing "improvements" the previous owners made.) If the municipality provides a free inspection, I would take advantage of it and follow their advice. At the least, find a competent framing carpenter or a design professional who can design the corrections. Here is a link that might be useful: Details for Conventional Wood Frame Construciton