Where to start? 1997 Yardman snowblower 9 horsepower Tecumseh engine. 2008 Toro Single stage snowblower 2-cycle R-tek. 2007 Sears Craftsman Lawn Tractor 18 horse B&S engine. 6 speed manual. 42 inch deck. Soon to be 1986 John Deere Lawn Tractor. 12.5 horsepower Kawasaki engine. Hydrostatic transmission. 38 inch deck. 1988 Lawn Boy walk behind 4.5 horse 2-cycle engine. The first personal pace model number 8480. 1996 White walk behind mower 3.75 B&S engine. 18 inch cut. A late 1950s Jacobson walk behind. 2.5 horsepoweer 2-cycle engine. Runs like brand new. 2004 Echo GT 2000 gas trimmer. 2000 Echo gas blower. 2008 Troy Bilt walk behind edger. 2 Weed Eater electric blowers.

Ezzirah, I don't grow raspberries because they don't like the heat here, but I would think that any high-quality potting mix would do. You want something that is light and fluffy and which drains well. Avoid the ones that are labeled as 'moisture-control' because they can hold too much moisture and kill plants. I grow blackberries which are very heat tolerant in the ground in clay soil that's been well amended with a lot of composted cow manure and they do great in that. However, if you're growing raspberries in containers, you can't use native soil because it packs down and strangles the roots. Containers need a well-drained soil-less mix. I usually mix up my own container mix from a few basic ingredients and I can 'make' it drain more quickly or more slowly depending on what I use and on which proportions I use. A soilless mix is generally composed of some combination of peat moss or compost, vermiculite or perlite or expanded shale and pine bark fines and often has other ingredients added to provide nutrition or enhanced ability to drain well. The next time you're in a store that sells bagged potting soil and garden soil, look at the bags. Usually the name-brand ones that are labeled container soil or potting soil will be a soil-less mix. The ones labeled Garden Soil or Vegetable Soil likely contain some topsoil or dirt and should be used only in raised beds or added to your native soil. The poor quality mixes often contain a lot of black clay and should be avoided at all costs. For seed-starting, it is best to use a sterile seed-starting mix which is very light and fluffy and has only tiny particles so there's no particles large enough to keep seeds from sprouting. When handling ALL potting soils or seed-starting mixes or soil-less mixes, ALWAYS wear gloves. People who handle these mixes with their bare hands can contract some very serious illnesses from them, including a fungal infection that can get into your body and become systemic and chronic. It is your garden. Plant what you want and plant as much of it as your want and just enjoy the whole process. If you burn out, that's OK, because everything you do still will be a great learning experience and will leave you better prepared for the next garden. If you have lost your marbles, you'll eventually find them again....and most likely you'll find them in the garden under a large and vigorously growing squash plant. Here's my feeling about 'planting too much' 'going overboard' and 'losing your marbles': if those three things are the worst thing you ever do, you'll likely survive and have a wonderful life. Look at the other obsessions some people have.....spending tons of money to attend athletic events or take trips to exotic locales or go on guided hunting or fishing trips or maintaining their own deer lease or bass boat....or buying a new pair of shoes every couple of weeks so you have shoes that match every outfit or whatever..... If you enjoy gardening, then throw yourself into it wholeheartedly and love every minute of it. For me (and y'all probably can tell this already), gardening is not my hobby--it is my lifestyle. It is great exercise, it beautifies your property, it gives you FRESH garden produce, fruit, herbs and cut flowers and it feeds your soul. I can't see a downside to gardening. I find that I hit the 'burn out' stage several times during the gardening year and when that happens, I force myself to 'take a day off' and not step foot in the garden for a day or two. It is surprising how quickly I miss playing in the dirt when I take that day off. Dawn

I have never had to go without power for more than a day, but I used to go camping by myself quite a bit and didn't want a lot of leftovers either as there is only so much room in a cooler. Pasta is great. You can cook exactly as much as you need and can put just about any protein and veggie in it. I believe that Classico offers some small jars of pasta sauces, both tomato based & creamy style. A white wine, garlic butter (or olive oil) sauce is easy...if you want to go easy on the fat, use only enough for flavor and then add a bit of chicken stock. Knorr makes a powdered bouillon that is better than the cubes, not as salty, and you can make exactly the amount you need to use. A very nice sauce can be made with some bouillon, a chopped fresh tomato, garlic, some fresh basil or other fresh herb,& some red pepper flakes or black pepper. I generally buy Parmesan in wedges and grate it, but the Kraft pre grated in the green can keeps fairly well without refrigeration. Top Ramen is a great base for a meal. Just adding any meats & veggies you like makes a wonderful lunch. If sodium is a problem, toss the dry soup packet and use canned low-sodium stock instead. The noodles can also be cooked, and then tossed with blanched or raw veggies, meat or seafood and a vinaigrette for a cold plate meal. I like it with an oriental type vinaigrette...rice vinegar, soy sauce, grated ginger, sugar, & a little sesame oil. If your grocery store has a deli, speak to the store manager and suggest that he could probably do a rousing business if he ordered things like the individual packets of mayo, coffee creamers(the kind that don't need to be refrigerated) and salad dressings and offered them for sale. Some random tips... If you use half an onion, don't wrap it. Let the air dry the cut side and then when you want to use it just discard the first, thin slice. (If flies are a problem, cover it with cloth, not plastic). You can do the same thing with cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, oranges. In warm weather, wrapping unrefrigerated veggies and fruits seems to "boil" them somehow, and they actually go bad faster. Fresh basil and other herbs last pretty well without refrigeration if you trim the cut end of the stems when you get them home and put them in a glass of water, just like cut flowers. A few snips of herbs can "freshen up" the flavors of canned foods. You can keep your butter in a small bowl, and then invert the bowl in a larger bowl of water. The water should be changed every day. Butter will stay fresh like this, unrefrigerated, for weeks. Eggs can be left unrefrigerated for at least a couple of days, so if you buy half a dozen, you don't have to eat all of them at once. I know this is all a pain, but it will be over soon and it will give you something to tell stories and laugh about years down the line. :D

kksmama - I am really liking this layout also. I never thought I'd be able to have an island centered on a large range in this kitchen and am thrilled that it might work. I think I agree about the prep sink being on the island. One good thing about my clean up sink now is I can face people at the peninsula when I'm washing and prepping food, and I'd still be able to do that if the prep sink is here. I'm willing to sacrifice some storage space under the island to allow an 18" overhang on 2 sides so I can fit 4 seats there. Prep space and seating are my main priorities for the island. I'll draw it tonight when I have access to my computer. Sena - I love, love the drawing. Thank you! I will definitely consider a narrow oval table for the banquette. I usually prefer rectangle or round tables, but the oval will probably work better here - more table space than round and doesn't have sharp corners to bang into. Great idea! I'm wondering, if I put the prep sink in the island, 1) where do you think the fridge should go on the DR wall - near the doorway or closer to the range, and 2) which direction should the prep sink face - the fridge/pantry or range wall (I'd like 3 stools facing the range if possible so I'm thinking this may affect placement of sink)?