nccata's Profile

I am also intrigued by that rug.

It's difficult to choose just one, but I'll go with our decision to refinish old and (as we discovered) rotting French windows and then believing we could make new window frames. We had a thick blanket covering the empty window opening for MONTHS.

Love. Wish I could "favorite" more than once!

Vodka Gimlet -- vodka and Rose's lime juice. My mother said they used to put hazel nuts in as a garnish, but now all you get in bars is a lime wedge, which is rather redundant. Thus, I make them at home, hazel nuts and all.

Sounds like you have a pretty good plan set out in a good order. And I second the recommendation for the Sunset Western Garden Book. As you research, take note of what you like and don't like and how intensive you want to get. And realize that gardens are living entities -- they stretch and grow and change and refuse to adhere to a carefully thought out plan.

And a tip to keep from being overwhelmed -- work in layers. Concentrate on an area or a layer, for example, just on background (i.e. larger) plants: trees, shrubs, vines. Like interior decorating, I like to live with something for awhile before I make firm decisions and plans.

Good luck and have fun!

I took the "Find Your Best City" quiz and it gave me Trenton as my #1. Trenton. I'm not sure Trenton should be anyone's best anything.

I think for those of us raised during an earlier era, "self-sufficiency" was stressed as a virtue. I personally wasn't so exposed to negative words like "free-loader" or "sponge" so much as the more positive concept of becoming capable. I think it could also be considered an act of faith to believe that if you don't know how to do something, you will be able to learn or figure it out -- very much in the DIY spirit that is experiencing a real resurgence today. It's not so much the quality itself -- whether it's self-sufficiency or the ability to ask for help -- that is inherently positive or negative, but our approach to it. Self-sufficiency can be close-minded, narrow, belligerent, fear-based and judgmental or it can show a sense of curiosity, spontaneity, faith in one's self, ingenuity, and optimism. Likewise, the willingness to ask for and receive help can be open-minded, friendly, community-oriented, aware, and loving or it can display a sense of entitlement, apathy, smugness and an unhealthy passivity.

I do appreciate the reminder, though; it's often a good idea to entertain a new approach in life, to try the opposite of your customary habit. It's like yoga for the mind and soul, stretching muscles we don't ordinarily use and becoming more elastic and able to respond with what each situation requires rather than reacting by rote.

$5.00? Score! Where do you live? Even Goodwill and Salvation Army charge an awful lot for beat up used furniture here in Los Angeles. And very refurbish.

Simple, honest, beautiful, elegant.

I like a bit of a mix so I can close the door/drawer on the less attractive tools/supplies, but have the things that are interesting or attractive and that I use frequently out in the open and easy to access.