Kay - Congrats on getting Cerulean Warbler. Mine is sulking and has not yet put up scapes this year. It's past time for it to do so, but I've still got my fingers crossed. Out of 6 fans, you'd think at least one of them would scape. It has a wonderful bloom. Rita - I get the most compliments from neighbors about the hot colors bed. I pretty much ignore it, and hardly ever photograph the daylilies in it. Most days I even forget to look at it, because there are so many other ones that capture my attention. The pinks, lavenders, purples and near whites are where my heart is. Debra

rtwilliams - Yes, we added the great room, kitchen, a master bedroom with his and her baths, and a large garage. We also remodled some of the rest of the house. I plan to post some bath and laundry room pictures. fouramblues - you made me laugh. labbie - my husband bought the commercial grinder and coffee pot several years ago, and installed them in my itty bitty kitchen where they took up very valuable real estate. They are a dream to have to make coffee, as the water is plumbed in and everything is automatic, but they are large. It was those two pieces though that inspired me to create the whole beverage/butler pantry idea. Ginny20, ppbenn - hey maybe I will start a whole new trend on double refrigerators. walking chick - I am so glad you delurked to comment. You will get great advice and ideas here. Oldbat2be - thanks so much. I am so glad you noticed that picture. My pantry will have a little memorial space for my grandmother. Her picture has been in my kitchen since she passed away. She is the one who taught me to cook and garden. I have her old kitchen dishes in the top shelf of the pantry, and I use her old measuring cups every day. aliris19 - I love the stools, too, and I actually built the island to go with the stools ( I bought them before I built the kitchen), but they may not stay, as they block the view. We will keep them for now, but I don't know that they will make it for the long haul. They are really comfortable and they swivel. Oh, and I do have one more, lol. I decided 4 was too many. camphappy - materials were a real issue here. I just could not get some things I wanted - like soapstone. The granite I originally wanted would come in and get shipped to everywhere but here. I finally went to St. Louis and picked out an in stock granite and the fabricator had to go pick it up. Our fabricator was an hour and a half from us. The internet was my friend for a lot of things. Plumbing and light fixtures were mostly all ordered from the internet. As were many of the appliances. biochem101 - yes, it does feel like heaven. For I while I was rather embarrassed that it turned out so large and grand, but I got over that and now I just enjoy it. gr8day - I am so glad you saw this. I probably would not have posted this kitchen if you hadn't asked about it in another post. Thanks to everyone for all the nice compliments. In regards to being so organized - it is truly easy to be organized when you have a place for everything. The things that tend to create clutter are those that you don't know where they go, or don't have room for them.

We usually visit there once a year but won't make it this year. We love to walk around the gardens but we get overwhelmed by the number of plants. Last year we went with a list but none were for sale--it's important to remember that they have another more current list but even that is only updated each May. If you want a specific plant it's important to call ahead and check availability. Great place to see what hostas actually look like. We've climbed up and down the hillsides so be prepared for more than a garden stroll. It's acres of plants.

There are multiple tomatoes that are yellow and pear shaped, but there is a variety called Yellow Pear, too. Sometimes people call them all Yellow Pear, kind of like some people call most pastes Roma, but Roma is a variety, too. Some other yellow pear varieties include these: * Medovaya Kaplya (tr. Honey Drop; this is very sweet) * Fargo * Beam's Yellow Pear * Medovaja Kapiyia * Yellow Trifele (and/or Japanese Yellow Trifele); this is orange, really If you like pear tomatoes, you might be interested in other pear tomatoes that aren't yellow, such as these: * Green Pear * Chocolate Pear * Cherokee Green Pear * Aladdin's Lamp * Pakenham Pear * Cartago Pear * Japanese Black Trifele * Beduin * Austin's Red Pear * Indigo Pear Drops (PVP) * Evan's Purple Pear * Blue Pear * Red Cluster Pear (multiflora) I've grown five in that last list and two in the first. They weren't all prolific for me (e.g. Beduin and Aladdin's Lamp), but they might be for someone else or for me another year, and Aladdin's Lamp did get smothered. I'm growing Pakenham Pear, this year, for the first time. I'm growing Green Pear, Chocolate Pear, Medovaya Kaplya, and Yellow Trifele this year, for the second time (from seeds I saved). I've read that Victory Seeds carries a particularly good version of the variety called Yellow Pear. Beam's is supposed to be great, too.