I'd have to read the book first, but I can imagine that if a poem mentions, for instance, a "cricket resting under a mushroom", I can picture a quilt with a cricket on a quilt with a mushroom alongside him, and all the little details that might go along with that. does that help Shannon?

I would add to Sophie's comment that a Parti is the initial attempt to organize a building to meet certain goals and it will inevitably evolve as the design process proceeds. But it is important to hold on to it as it changes because it is easy to become lost without a guide as you begin to consider the many elements of style. A "Cape Cod" house is a great example of the relationship of spacial organization, practicality, climate and decorative style. The original idea was to enclose space efficiently with little concern for decorative style. It placed the entrance, stairway and chimney in the center of a story and a half frame with a steep roof without dormers. There were variations in width (half, three quarters & full capes that involved different numbers of double-hung front windows) . They had no porches, porticos, or roof overhangs. This kind of house was so common in colonial times that it is now considered an architectural house style of the American Colonial period. It is a good example of how practical spacial organization and features and the absence of stylistic decoration can define a style. For me, after creating a working spacial organization or parti, the challenge is to carry the design forward as far as possible while looking for stylistic opportunities. Architects have their favorite stylistic ideas but from working with many clients they become fairly agile in identifying various opportunities. Anyway the idea is to avoid commitment to specific styles until you have had a chance to explore what ideas are well suited to your parti. Frankly, the only thing I will not consider is any massing that requires the use of long span roof trusses. I believe they lead designers into architectural traps often resulting in dwellings that look like the first phase of a condominium complex or shopping center.

Graywings, Bibb lettuce is the type I see here sold in those clamshells. As long as the roots exist and have been kept moist, they can be planted and will grow more leaves. I planted the remains of our local hothouse Bibb variety about 2 weeks ago and they are almost ready to pick. My daughter allowed red leaf lettuce (greenhouse purchased) to go to seed last year and this year she has several beautiful heads. here's my lettuce surrounded by pepper plants in the grow box. We can’t have a garden here because the deer, rabbits and other critters have a field day.

As many of you predicted last year, the two Love Songs I planted in containers at the beginning of the year soon outgrew them. They are going in the ground this week. Photo taken 11/2. Yup — not container plants here. The two I planted in the ground really took off - I just took this photo now. They are of course more lavender and less pink than the picture shows. I just cut these this morning — with Dream Come True at top and Darcey Bussell (the ever-blooming) on the right. Pardon the clutter!