Thank you, Mary and teisa! Here are pictures of my newly potted up Red Buttons. So excited for the little peduncle! Peduncle I also have decided to be brave and give African Violets a second try. I picked up this little beauty Friday at a local (little) Christmas Tree show held by our local garden club. Here's a picture of that too. Check out the underside of this leaf. There are only a couple on my plant like it. Perhaps it's a light issue? Blooms Enjoy! Brad AKA Moonwolf

Thanks for the sympathy everyone. Gardeners understand. The arborist is coming late this pm to at least cut down the widow-makers tho that's all he has time to do (and I can afford to have him do at the moment). The trunks will have to sit there for awhile. It *is* scary to think I might have been underneath when it happened. That area is my wildflower & fern garden, and part of my perennial border. Before the trees came down, I had just gotten home from church and headed over to that area to see the spring wildflowers coming up and some in bloom. But I had good shoes on and didn't want to muck them up so I thought, later. Close call.

Sorry the plan isn't all that clear. Let me see if I can clarify. It's a small prep/bar sink to the immediate right of the fridge. I found in a previous kitchen incarnation that I loved being able to take veggies from the fridge wash 'em, chop em and move 'em right to the stove in one sweep. There will be a 4' run of butcherblock with a built in knife slot just to the right of the prep sink. Haven't picked out the fridge yet, but the plan assumes a counter depth, french door style, with bottom freezer. To the left of the fridge is a smallish 24" wide, 18" deep china type cabinet, with a 24" wide , 12" deep book shelf/wine rack unit next to it. They make the transition into what is now the dining room. It will remain the dining room, but be more multi-purpose, as it also houses my largish roll-top computer desk. And there'll be two stools for seating on the dining room side of the peninsula. As for the dining room table...it's a 40" square table with banquette under the stained glass windows on the opposite "bottom" side of the dining room. The table has MANY leaves, so opens up much bigger on the rare occassions, I need it. It's not a wall on the right side of the rangetop...Don't know what it is...I think just a ghost in the plan! And to the right of the bathroom door is a 24" deep, 24" wide "Pantry" cupboard of sorts. It's designed to have a tallish big space on the bottom for storage of large bags of cat litter and food, with 4 drawers in the middle (since that's the one thing missing in the "scullery" part of the kitchen" and pull out shelves for serving dishes and what-nots on top. I think what you're seeing on the bottom left is the wall oven and microwave. Across the way, it's a range top only...no oven. I like the high BTU gas burners of a Wolf or Viking range top, but an electric oven. And a cheaper way to get it than buying a dual fuel range is the range top and a good quality wall oven. Also...it gives me two separate zones...one for prepping veggies, etc. and rangetop cooking....one for baking, with a big wide counter to roll out dough, etc. and a place for an appliance lift cabinet for my kitchenaid mixer. I'd rather have it in a appliance garage and just pull it out, but I can't figure out a way to make that work...so the appliance lift cab is the next best thing. I'm sure not lifting that heavy sucker out of a bottom cabinet! Hope that helps! And thanks for the encouragement!

I've never bought refurbished items, but have been tempted to do so. Let me put it this way: What she doesn't know, won't hurt. And even if she finds out (somehow), who cares. By then she'll be enjoying the thoughtfulness of the gift. However, I would not put it in a gift bag, but rather a nice, sturdy box that fits the size of the frame with layers of tissue paper for a better presentation than a bag. That way you won't have to worry about a bag falling over due to weight on one side (if she doesn't open it immediately), because those frames don't stand up well if the easel isn't open (if you get my drift). In addition, I always feel a gift bag is a cop out from wrapping a gift and decorating the box with ribbon curls and a nice bow. I'd much rather open a wrapped box then take something out of a gift bag. It's the unwrapping and anticipation, I guess. Though I have been guilty of using bags if it's an awkward shaped gift to wrap. I would want the $10 rebate if I were you. 'nough said.