Lavender lass, thanks, we no longer have horses (did for years) but like to have the pasture grass eaten to prevent it being a fire hazard when it dries in the fall so we 'rent' it out (mostly accept what neighbors/friends offer) to people with horses or cattle. We had a hobby farm for years altho when the animal census here went over 70 it was no longer a hobby but a lot of work. There are quite a few hardy perennials that do well here altho I don't have a fraction of what I could have. For years, because of said 'hobby' farm I didn't have time and now I don't care to try for a showcase garden - it just has to please me. I grow the plants I like and occasionally try new things by seeding perennials. I like deer resistant plants for the obvious reason that we live in their forest. I'll just c&p my plant list for you of what's growing here altho it's not complete. I haven't put most var. as they are just common garden plants. I haven't done roses since my most wonderful heritage rose died the first year I gardened here. I hate seeing plants succumb so stick with very hardy ones. Plants I have: Leopard's Bane (Doronicum plantagineum), Dwarf Siberian Irises, Autumn Joy Sedum, Hens & Chickens, Blue (creeping) sedum, Green (creeping) sedum, creeping thyme, Bugleweed (Ajuga), spotted deadnettle (lamium maculatum), Bearded Iris, Shasta Daisies, Feverfew, Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla), Pulmonaria, Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue'), variegated ribbon grass (invasive, not recommended), Perennial sunflower (Heliopsis), Jacob's Ladder, Potentilla shrub, Spirea shrub, lilac shrubs, Lily of the Valley, Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria 'Kelwayi'), Oriental poppies, Iceland poppies, peony poppies (not hardy but self-seed) Coralbell, Columbine, Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris), Cranesbill, Creeping Jenny, Daylily, Delphinium (tall & medium), Bleeding Heart, various lilies, Purple loosestrife, Campanula glomerata (clustered bellflower), Fleabane, Monkshood, Mountain Bluet (Centaurea montana), Dwarf Spike Speedwell (pink), blue flax, Maltese Cross, lavender 'Munstead', red/pink/yellow yarrow, lamb's ears, heuchera 'Stormy Seas', dianthus (Sweet William & Maiden Pink), plus one struggling peony that I'm afraid to transplant! Several different trees that are DH's (maples, Russian olive, some fancy birch?, and a caragana). We also have native alder, spruce, fir, and pine in our house yard. Thanks gldno1, yes, I hope to use the garden house as sort of a greenhouse as here in zone 3 we can't even grow tomatoes in the ground due to possibility of frost at any time. When I grew them on the deck they were safe from frost but not from the squirrels. So I *might* grow them in my little house if we stay home long enough. We're retired so travel a bit. Darstar0301, thanks, I'm glad to inspire as I receive so much inspiration from others. We had this house built 14 years ago in the middle of a forest and, believe me, it was 'interesting' for the first few years. I redid the garden several times even tho I initially had a plan which quickly went south. We learn as we go and every little change adds up. Gardening has certainly helped me learn patience altho it's still not my strong suit. Christinmk - thanks, I don't think I can 'let' ;-) my DH hire out as I don't consider my garden house finished. There will be a porch with potting shed added, it needs a floor (concrete pavers we will do ourselves), stairs to the loft, outside battens, and maybe more window trim. He did get a kick out of the compliments tho as he downplays his woodworking talents.

Thanks so much! I'm glad I'm not the only one that likes it. I wanted something with a little more interest and character than the booby light, something mildly blingy, but not too much. DH says it's going to be a dusting nightmare, and that he doesn't want to hear me whine and complain when I have to clean it. I do have concerns about what fixture will replace the one in the living room. We don't have a totally open floor plan, but it is a ranch, so from some areas, the dining room, entry, living room, and eat-in kitchen lighting can all be seen at once. All of those areas have their own identity and style, so none of the fixtures match finishes or sizes or styles. This light is most similar to the dining room chandy, but that's ok. I think in the end, the living room fixture will be very simple and plain. What's up there now is a ceiling fan with a Tiffany style light that gives off completely inadequate light, and seems a bit oppressive. I've debated about the ceiling fan part, but when we entertain for large parties, and there's 20-30 people in that room, a ceiling fan is really nice, and I like to use it when I mop, so the floors dry faster. I've not been able to find a ceiling fan that has an attractive, multi-light fixture for such a large space. The biggest fans seem to still only hold 4 bulbs, and some of them have a 40 watt limit! The quest continues for that light...later. I do love the look of seeded glass, but I'm afraid I'll be replacing one trend with another. I bet it would be really pretty, though. I may just take the whole thing to a glass shop and see what the different glasses look like on the fixture before I pick.

I fell in love with the fabric, but I originally was looking for something with blue in it but wasn't finding anything that excited me. I kept coming back to this one, even though the scale of the pattern caused me to think it would be too large for small dining seats. But then I figured 'what the heck'. I didn't try to center the pattern (that would have cost a fortune for enough yardage to do it that way). I bought 3 yards, and had enough left over to make two small accent cushions for the living room. no-green-thumb, yes, the chairs are very sturdy. Other than some gummy residue on the arms of the captains chair, and a little on the upper backs, they needed only a wipedown with the Restore-a-finish. The whole project took very little time, and within the week from bringing it home, it was all done and sitting in our dining room. Re Lee Valley, I agree! It's a fabulous place that has quality products, and a lot of things they carry you cannot find anywhere else. It is so nice to browse through the store, and I particularly love the garden product section! Their staff is very knowledgeable and take the time to answer questions. The gentleman that served us took about a half hour to tell us how to acheive the glossy finish I wanted, didn't try to sell us products we didn't need. We walked out with a package of sanding disks and a confidence that we could follow his directions and get the results with the tabletop that we hoped for.

A few years ago we remodeled our house and so also needed to find ways to merge the new and old. Having a theme and some consistancy in terms of overall style and color scheme is very important. Get the bones right--as furniture can always be updated as you go along. One thing I never did, though at times wish I did, was to consult with an interior designer to help me with my color choices. Some of the best advice I received here on this board was not to rush it and take it one step at a time. Good decor is an evolutanary process that happens over many years. If you are putting in hardwood floors, then one of your first decisions may be to choose some area rugs and use those to build a color/fabric palate around.