Here is the thing I worry about down the road, even assuming imports were TOTALLY safe. This is dependence on other countries for a very basic need. Food. You would think our present energy situation would throw up the red flags about depending on countries across the world for our basic needs. But, obviously it hasn't. What happens when a sector of a country's production faces a competition with a cheaper product? They can't compete, and they shut down their operation. First the farmers faced this with large corporations and many gave up their farms, now they face it with imports. Actually, food production in America now is being increasingly owned from the field to the the market shelf including all points in between by fewer and fewer gigantic entities. And if (a theoretical supposition) they find they can make a better profit buying in some of the necessary ingredients to their product offshore, then putting their American Trademark on it..........would they? Then the family farms get gobbled up into development and is GONE FOREVER. This makes it harder, and harder for a country to fall back on its own resources if they are ever faced with an economic or natural disaster or war situation with their offshore suppliers. IOW you pay what they want, and you take what they give. In a perfect world, the risks for such thinking are minimal. We don't live in a perfect world.

We lived in the SF Bay Area when I was growing up. (Gorgeous Garter Snakes there! A colorful kind too which are only in SF, they're endangered! We used to see them all the time when I was little, they're so pretty!) Anyway, my mom was tending her artichokes, and later that night, A HUGE black scorpion fell out of her hair!!!! We freaked, she was hysterical, my dad smooshed it, and it didn't sting anyone thank goodness! In the Santa Cruz Mountains where we had a cabin there were these awful, huge, gross, yellow spotted banana slugs that would hang out in the garden, I think they stung too. They are UC Santa Cruz's Mascot. Stepping on a snail barefoot. There are tons of them in the Bay Area, along with Black Widows. The Black Widows get huge too! They are so scary looking, all shiny & black with the red violin on their back! We did have Praying Mantis' though, they were so cool looking, and were great to keep on the Rose Bushes to eat all the aphids. I moved to Washington two years ago, and I have never had such a Garden Enemy as the slugs we have here. They are horrible! It is amazing how much defoliation can occur in one night from these things! They are all different colors, black, brown, spotted, they are hairy, and some look like they have armour on. I hate them! During the growing season I do, "Slug Patrol," every night. I fill a large baggie almost every night with them. It's fun to pour salt in the baggie and watch them melt. They are disgusting!!!!!! I hate them! Here is a link that might be useful: San Francisco Garter Snake

Annebelle, Check out the Emergency Bird care and FAQs link over at the bird watching forum. If you don't find an answer there, try posting your question there, since I know there have been rehabbers who spend time there. Good Luck. Lori Here is a link that might be useful: Bird Watching forum

In general, your layout is pretty good. However, if you move the DW to the right of the sink, you cause problems...it will then be inside your Prep Zone (b/w the sink and the range) and b/w the sink and the Cooking Zone (around the range). If you do want to make the switch, then a prep sink becomes very important. The prep sink will move the Prep Zone to the island across from the range and much closer to the refrigerator (a plus!). It will also put the prep sink close to the range. The layout w/the prep sink in the island accomplishes two things: You separate the Cleanup Zone from the Prep & Cooking Zones, thus making it easy to have someone cleaning up while others are prepping and cooking. Both my DH and I also work full time with two children...and, like you, most of the prepping, cooking, and cleaning up are going on around the same time. The addition of a prep sink in our new kitchen has made meal prep time much easier! Since you spend at least 70% of your time prepping (according to kitchen work studies), you should locate the Prep Zone in the most desirable spot...for most people, that means in the island where you can face people, keep an eye on the kids doing homework (or playing), and feel like you're more a part of what's going on. [Actual time spent cooking (standing at the range stirring, etc.) is only 10% of time...at most (it's less than that for our family, but that 10% is average). Cleaning up is 20% of your time.] If you plan seating at the island, be sure you have enough seating overhang...15" of clear space (i.e., after counting the cabinets & decorative doors on the back of the island). Having at least 15" gives you plenty of room to work as well as room for the kids doing homework or projects and for visitors and their "activities". It also gives everyone enough room for their legs w/o having to lean/hunch over to reach the counter or sit sideways. This means an island at least 41.5" deep: ......1.5" overhang on the working side of the island ....24" deep cabinets ......1" thick decorative door on the back of the island cabinets + 15" seating overhang ...41.5" deep island [Note: If anyone in your family is or will be tall or have long legs, consider an 18" overhang. We have a 15" overhang and now wish we had an 18" overhang. At 5'10" I'm OK with the 15", but my 6'5" DH & 6'6" DS consider the overhang too shallow and rarely sit at the peninsula b/c of it.] Other questions & suggestions... Can you change the windows in the kitchen? If you could "connect" the two smaller windows, you would have an awesome window wall! I would also bring the windows down to the counter so they're counter-height. Drop zone...a "drop zone" for mail, etc. works better and is more likely to be used if it's at the point of entry into the house that the family uses...and this usually means the garage entrance. Your "drop zone" is very far away from that and I'm afraid you will end...