Field, I did not go into great detail as to what I think may be happening re the possibility that cornmeal controls scale and sooty mold. When I first noticed this happening I sought out others with one or both problems and began experimenting, treating and observing their plants closely. At the moment I don't want to attempt an explanation although I am pretty certain I understand what is happening. It has nothing to do with nitrogen or fertilizer. What I do want is for anyone fighting scale and/or sooty mold to toss cornmeal under the plant(s) three times a year as I explained above and report their observations in about a year.

Bmore, now, that is one COOL looking area! That's bringing the kitchen all the way across the house! But, It's COOL! Do I want that much kitchen? Well, maybe! I think our posts crossed before I saw your design. What a surprise. The kids would essentially have their own kitchen! What do you all think about that much? Half my house would be kitchen. One of my kids commented not too long ago that they thought it would be cool to have an island kind of in a piano shape! They even drew it out. Rhome, I like this! A couple of questions.... What is in front of the pantry? Is that a sink, and did you move the pantry door to the side? The lower part on the island...for rolling? Maybe a marble section? or for the kids? The dotted lines in the island, is there a raised bar area? Is that a proposed kids table at the end of the freezer wall, and what is the area behind that wall? Storage? Bookcases? Something to keep kids art supplies? Cookbooks. You know, I have a spare bedroom that I intended to make their play room, but they never seem to go there, they are always in the kitchen underfoot, that's why the idea of kids area came to mind. With maybe a combination of my personal books and cookbooks. So glad to have these to contemplate. I'll be showing DH first thing in the morning. He's already asleep. Oh wait, maybe I'll wake him up! Thanks, I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

I wasn't necessarily favoring the fridge and freezer on the back wall, but taking a suggestion and offering another functional option. It offers more counter beside the stove, but I could go for either my last plan with the sink on the right (with windows), or your plan with the stove on the back wall (with the right oven). They each have their own sets of plusses and minuses. I wouldn't want the range on the righthand wall, because I can see snackers and others tromping through the cooking area to get to the fridge and pantry, and that defeats the purpose of separate zones...and the cooking zone is the most important one to protect from interference. Because it's a busy place where timing and maneuvering is important, and because you are moving quickly, wielding sharp and hot things, injuries are most possible. That kind of cross-traffic is sometimes unavoidable, but not in a kitchen like yours (new and big with other options). It is something I worked very hard to prevent in my kitchen, and I am so very glad that I did. (You definitely wouldn't want seating on the stove side of the island where you can trip over or back into it, and will be blocking your access to workspace.)

YIKES!! house sparrows are noted for taking over blue birds nests and will kill the young and destroy the eggs, especially the male sparrow. Important to note also that blue bird boxes should not have any kind of foot hole peg by the hole. Black birds are also invaders if the hole is too big on the box. House wrens are equally brutal birds.