I found Tom's revised list to be smack spot on for what produces best in my backyard in Burbank, CA. I have 17 of his 21 which I accumulated by trial and error before he revised his list. I was so pleasantly surprised that his list so closely matched what I have now growing after years of vetting. Snow Queen nectarine is absolutely wonderful. Sweet, juicy, amazing flavor. It's been around many years and is considered a tried and true old-timer. That's why there's no patent. It has proven itself over the decades in So. Calif. and probably elsewhere. I haven't tried Arctic Star nectarine because I think it is right on the borderline of getting enough chill in my area. But the ultimate proof of the pudding is in the actual growing of it and seeing how it does in one's own area. I am currently more than full up. When and if new space becomes available, I'll try Arctic Star nectarine. Spice-Zee nectaplum is also wonderful for me. Grows like gangbusters, sets fruit which are wonderful - sweet & juicy. Fabulous white nectarine flavor predominates. Beautiful color foliage very nice to look at as well. Splash pluot fruit was too small for me. Although it grew well and set fruit like grapes. I took mine out. Emerald Drop fruit was also too small for me. It did not grow as vigorously as Splash and it did not set fruit as prolifically as Splash did. I took mine out.

marti8 and sheetalN, we do love waking up in there. I need a 9x12 rug to ground the space, but it's so much more serene with the lighter color and softer headboard. Makes such a difference! Before the room was a bit too masculine for me. BlackChamois, here's the link for the tutorial. As far as tutorials go, it was just ok. She left out the hardest part which was getting the fabric around the curves. We figured it out eventually, but it took some tries to get the fabric straight so it wouldn't bunch. nosoccermom, the paint color is BM Nimbus. I think it's either at 75% or 80% -- i'll have to check the can. I love the color - it's a true gray with no undertones. I've repainted both of my bathrooms with it. Here it is at 100% in my daughter's bathroom (sorry for the big pic): Here is a link that might be useful: Tutorial

VCT = vinyl composite tile. AKA "schoolhouse tile". That swirly stuff most of us remember from schools and hospitals. Cheap, surprisingly attractive if you avoid the pea-soup green they always used in the schools ;-) and wicked durable. Tina, one of the few MCM things I've ever liked was the tree-slab tables, but the bases usually spoil them for me. (I keep telling Housevixen that I'll gladly take custody of that "tree table" her DH adores and she dislikes. So what if it's literally on the opposite edge of the continent? LOL) I'm sure you MCM fans would plotz at the handed-down stuff I've put out by the side of the road at the first opportunity I had for replacement. :-) I'll be honest, I just like things a bit fussier, I'm more William Morris than Gustav Stickley. I've actually drifted away from American Arts & Crafts furniture and a LONG way away from most Mission... it's mostly just too spare and angular, a bit too much Asian influence for my tastes (especially the Prairie School and the Greenes), while I've fallen in love with things like barley twists and "carved to death". :-) I've got a couple of nice Mission pieces I would love to get rid of if I weren't going to get completely screwed on the money end, but 10 cents on the dollar is just painful. I can appreciate the craftsmanship on the nicer MCM pieces, like say Nakashima, and I can see why other people like it, it's just not me, that's all. Robinco (BTW, is it Robin Co or Rob In Co? I can't remember) thank you so much for the compliments! I don't think I deserve them at all but I'll slurp them up anyway. :-) I've really only "publicized" the two good rooms, the bathroom (and for what we got screwed into spending, it dang well better be good) and the living room which is pretty good but still has two chairs I hate, and cheesy pine trim and mantel that I dream of replacing with oak like in the bath. Folks are wearing me down on those floral drapes that everyone hates but me, too, tired of hearing people b*tch about them just about every time I post a picture of the room! The color of the library was a mondo mistake and I can't get past the heinous melamine bookcases... but, they hold up the books, and even if we could do Ikea (which would be tricky) it would be close to $1500 for the ones I actually like or $700 for the bare minimum. DH gives me the hairy eyeball if I even mention repainting. Let's not even talk about the upstairs or the siding, either! :-)

I'm strongly inclined to wood tones. But I do believe there should be some variety of finishes too..so I have-in different spots of living and family spaces- a glass coffee table, an upholstered ottoman, a rattan stool, a small gilded occasional table with a mirrored top..Every room needs some relief.. I dream of having something lacquered/painted, but I didn't find that piece yet. I thought I did (a wonderful secretaire- I saw it by chance in a consignment shop, and immediately bought it for a song)..but my husband was so much against the idea that I had to drop it. I did read in one of the books on design about the apartment that belonged to well-known designers(maybe Mitchell and Gold? I'm really not sure), and their thing was to paint all their antiques and other furniture in either black or white.