Scrapbookheaven- I like the red, too! That's Andi's kitchen, but the red is so cheerful :) Pay it forward- Thank you. I really love the plan, it has everything we could possibly want. That being said, I finally talked to my contractor today and while we could probably do the bigger plan, it is going to be much more difficult to add on the bedroom wing to the exisiting house. So, I'm rethinking my slightly smaller plan, which is also very cute, but a little more compact. That being said, if anyone can use any ideas from this bigger plan, please feel free to do so! It's a lovely plan, but I've been rethinking the size...and the upkeep. Plus, a smaller/less expensive home would mean more money and energy for my gardens! LOL Summerfield- You are amazing and I NEVER would have gotten this far, without all your help. You are a wonderful person and I want you to know how much I appreciate your patience, ideas and talent. My contractor is completely smitten with your software and wants to know when/if it will be available, to the public :)

Hey Les! Here are a few more shots of the room. I apologize for all of the pics but at mere 12'x13' it is one of our largest rooms in the house and until I figure out how to use my wide angle lens I can't get alot in one shot. Here goes: Upon entry into the room (double wide opening) this corner fireplae is immediately to the left (old pic): Full on (todays pic): Coming around Fireplace in proximity to reading corner arrangement #2: From reading corner to game table wall & the chairs that will be used.: From Game Table wall to next corner: Next wall is another window just like game table window but this one takes up the whole wall then we move onto the next wall (w/ the double doorway) and DH's desk (YIKES!) that takes up all of that wall space: Double doorway (old pic looking into LR): Oh and Les - that probably is the exact same table! It is from Bombay Outlet! I am intrigued about the thought of a small fabric covered table. I will fuddle w/ the light arrangement & softening up the console as soon as the arrangement is nailed down. DS1 was very curious why there were #'s on everything so I showed him th epost after school. He read almost every post and really seemed to think about many of the possibilities before he said #2 arrangement is his favorite. DH really liked it too when he saw it. Teacats - I had exactly the same thought about the silver nailhead trim. It was either Les or Palimsest who had suggested the same nailhead trim for DH's desk chair when I finally settle on fabric. Rushmom3 - that was so nice - Thank You! I'm pretty sure the ottoman is a fair amount bigger than the rocker but I will go to the store and take measurments on it because I think that's a good idea too. Well - of to Calico Corners to check out some linen!

We have four horses, and it costs us about $500 a month to keep them. That is with feeding hay...but it is a less than that in the summer, because we have pretty good pasture. They eat a round bale about once a week, or a little less than two square bales a day. The main thing, is don't let them stand in mud...so you need pasture. I'd think that five acres would be enough for two, but no less, and a little more would be good. If it is really muddy, keep them confined to a small paddock with an open shed in the winter...because horses can stomp more grass into the mud than they can eat. Stalls are good too, but if you have a turn out area with an open shed, that is all they need except in the worst weather. Old, rescued horses need more attention. It is fairly easy to maintain weight on horses, but if they are thin, they can be harder to get weight back on them. One of my worst pet peeves are people who move to the country and think that an acre or two is a lot of land and get horses...usually multiples...and they end up standing in mud and gnawing on fences and trees. Horses are grazing animals. You must keep hay in front of them at all times if you don't have pasture. Once a horse starts cribbing...chewing wood and trees...it is nigh unto impossible to break them from it. Most of my animals are rescues. I rehab wildlife, and the shelter gives me cats that have been neutered but no one will adopt. I don't keep them confined...and they are not bad about killing birds, for the most part. I do have one that is a dedicated birder, but he stays inside most of the time. Most of them, once neutered, eat and sleep and not much else. They don't bother chickens. Dogs are a different story, and you must be very careful in adding a dog to a mix. I recently adopted an old dog from the shelter, because I had to have my dog put down, and I just wanted one to bark to let me know when someone came up. He doesn't bark, he wants to chase cats, chickens, fought with the two feral hogs I have...to his disadvantage, and this has all been with me keeping a close eye on him. He's doing better but now I have to watch him around the hogs because they have it in for him, and would disembowel him, if given half a chance. I work closely with several shelters and I would foster horses if I had more room, or maybe when these old ones I have pass on. I don't let anyone ride my horses...I have been so soured on people and how they treat horses, mainly because I have seen so much stupidity and neglect. My old horses are just living out their lives. Here is a picture of them. The chestnut on the left it 19 and the grey in the front and the sorrel that has her rump to the camera, are in their late 20's. The other grey behind the front one, is the "baby"...she's 7. An accident from the sorrel mare. I would cut my own throat before I would give them to anyone else. (Or sell them).

"Do y'all have dealt with mosquitoes on lake front property?" Get a screen room -- my cottage has a 10' x 12' screened in room about 3 steps away from the door. That's where my hammock is. "In the age of VRBO I see no compelling reason to sink investment dollars into a second home." It depends a lot on how often you use it......I felt exactly like you did for 30 years, but when my sister moved 4 hours away, I bought a lake-front cottage closer to her. Before, I might have wanted to go to a lake front cottage once or twice a summer, but now I go year round every 2 or 3 weeks (since the lake is not the only reason to go).