Thanks Brandon. That is something to think about. Maybe I could transfer the spring blooming ones in the fall, and the fall blooming next spring? Something like that? I really am so tempted to do it now! But: a) the bed is not ready, and I'm not even 100% sure exactly where it goes. I'm also pondering whether or not I would like to do a raised bed. And b) I told my husband no more beds this year, and he will kill or divorce me if I even look like I am thinking about it. LOL!

Lucy, my Mom listed her house in a small town in MN (even smaller than yours), so I've been looking at the RE listings in her area. I know exactly what you mean about slim pickings! Mom listed at $165K, and there are hardly any listings near that price. There are old/tiny houses for less than $100K, and there are lake properties for $300K+. I suggest you do one of two things: either keep renting, and save as much as you can (dump your car and student loan amounts into savings), or change your expectations. You might not find your dream house in your community right away, but can you find a house you could live with for 5 years? Another possibility is to buy property, but wait to build. If the property is paid for, it counts as equity when you go to build.

Pier One? www.pier1.com/Catalog/HomeAccentsDecor/ProductListing/tabid/508/List/0/CategoryID/938/Level/a/View/2147483647/Default.aspx Also etsy, because I love almost all things etsy, www.etsy.com/shop/MelindaMay?section_id=7893511 Becky, who is really the wrong person to help because half the greenhouse is now overwintering in the kitchen and bedroom... Here is a link that might be useful: P.S. from the other year (here)

I am wondering why Ben Moore would tell me they are the same? I don't know. Could depend on where you are. Boxcar Red is CC-122 which means it's in the Canadian fandeck. If you're in the States maybe Onondaga Clay is the closest match possible to Boxcar Red for some reason and that's where they're getting the "it's the same color" business. If you're in Canada and have the actual chips and/or samples to compare the two colors, then the data backs up your opinion that they are not the same color. Oh me, that sounds so scientific to my unscientific mind! It's really no more complicated than LRV when you get right down to it. Just like you can quantify a color's light reflectance value with an LRV number, you can quantify the other important parts of color too: hue, value, and chroma. When you put all those quantified parts of color together at the same time, it looks way more complicated than it really is. But, all of the data together is how you can figure stuff out so you can confidently know the answer to color questions like, "Is Boxcar Red and Onondaga Clay the same color?" The best part is you're not dependent on a paint store for anything but making the paint.