Before you get invested with property, you might check with places that take apprentices, learners, interns, that want to learn farming or raising crops to sell locally. Not sure what they offer, but I know there are programs out there. Locally we have a real basic place, teaches crafts and skills in low tech farming, educating people from other nations who go home to improve their local conditions by training others. Gardening, using draft animals, improved plows made locally, blacksmithing, building wooden things from furniture to barns. They have interns each year, do many projects in learning the skills. http://www.tillersinternational.org/ I am sure there must be other places that teach skills to folks wanting to live closer to the land. This kind of farming lifestyle may sound idyllic, but sometimes must be combined with money producing, RELIABLE income for cash. Can't pay the property taxes with vegtables or a lamb. Anyway, learning is much easier if you get it done before investing money in land or "accessories" to work your own place. You find much information, better methods that work for you in certain settings, and if you really like doing this day in or out. You can travel easily if you don't have property, responsibilities, nothing to hold you, going off to these educational places. Check them out, seek far and wide. PA is home, but other places are fun as well, have other benefits you would enjoy. The more you learn, the better you can make informed choices in deciding your future goals. Best of luck Here is a link that might be useful: Tillers International

What terrific pics of all the kids! I love it and hope more will post. Nothing better than when the kids have on these cute costumes. Its just my opinion but I think if you're going to take your kids trick or treating they should be dressed as 'something' even if its done homemade and makeup. We had a huge turn out last night of both, some not dressed up at all carrying a grocery store bag or a pillow case for you to put their candy in and then complained when you didn't give them enough, lol. But most of them were just dressed so awesome, I begged them to let me take pics, they didn't mind and I've got some great shots. Anyway, here's a some of Julie & McKenzie. Also some of my step-grands..... Kenzie daytime with MeMa.... Mommy & Kenzie before T or T MeMa I don't care about your pic, I want to check this out~ The Cat in the Hat Hope everyone and your kids had a wonderful and safe Halloween! Sassy

Welcome, Karen -- and all the other newbies! I'm Sue, a retired medical editor, and I live in Baltimore with my husband of 40 years. My DD lives in Seattle with her partner, and my DS just recently moved out there, too; he's staying temporarily with his sister while he hunts for a new job. From all reports, they're having a great time together. He just wrote me that his sister taught him to make his first pie: a peanut butter/peanut/chocolate chip pie with an oreo cookie crust. It's tough when your children live 3000 miles away, but it's good to know that they're healthy and strong and getting along well together. Now, if someone would just provide me with a grandbaby ...! DH and I now share our home with my cousin, who is a psychiatric patient and can't manage his own affairs. Life has certainly changed for us! We're in the process of packing up and cleaning out his old apartment and moving his stuff to our home in Baltimore. He's diabetic and has a cholesterol/triglycerides problem, so I don't bake any more and read labels carefully to watch for cholesterol, fat, and sugar content. Fortunately, he loves to eat and enjoys my cooking (plain and simple though it is). I find that, because our food dollars have to stretch further these days, I've become more creative with ground turkey, tuna, and other less expensive choices. Although I lurk here more than I post, I've learned a lot from the Cooking Forum, and my repertoire has really expanded. When I was in the Pacific Northwest, a few years ago, I met Terri_pacnw. I've also had get-togethers with several Kitchen Forum and CF friends who no longer post here. I'd love to meet more of you! Sue

It's easy for a normal consumer to start questioning a design choice or material when everyday, every hour, we are bombarded with "what's new". I am a catalog hound, and I finally realized that if I stopped most of my catalogs, I would be able to calm down the part of my brain that says "oooh I want that".Whether its shoes, or wall art, or countertops, or home fabrics - I know I will be more than content with my already beautiful home if I stop exposing myself to other choices. The Pottery Barn catalog now has color choices from Benjamin Moore; the Napa Style catalog has all the things I need to make my kitchen a warm, loving place for people to gather around my pizza oven, and use all six kinds of my "fun" glassware, while snacking on eleven different types of artichoke spread. They keep showing us stuff we didn't even know that we need! I am definitely a conspicuous consumer - I fall for it all and I buy so many silly things. All I want to do is create a functional kitchen that is easy on the eye now, and at the same time create one that will be easy to live with a long time. I do have to agree with Peacock - it may be easier on the eye and on the budget to make classic decisions. Should you still buy the provencal yellow Lacanche range? Sure, as long as you realize that you will be looking at it and decorating around it as long as you live in that house. Maybe that's part of the problem - so many people in this country move so often that a kitchen re-design is rarely a permanent decision! Interesting thread. Good food for thought. I still want the blue Lacanche though... Mary