All this talk about SOH, I saw some in a nursery the other day and bought one - Ceropegia woodii. The label reads: "One of the hardiest of all basket succulents. Hearts can be grown almost anywhere indoors or outdoors, sunny or dark. Long tentrils can grow a metre or more in a season and fill a pot very fast.......... Large number of potatoes form inside the pot to store food and water so plants can live for many months without water......." So I split it in two and put them up in a tree about 2 metres above the ground. We're just in the middle of a tropical downpour at the moment, 29.2mm in the last half hour. Hope it doesn't get washed out of the tree as I didn't anchor it all that well. But I'm not going out in this to check, too much close hit lightning.

Khoursed, about the roots being in such a tight ball, "rootbound" or "potbound". You're right, when that happens, the water runs right thru and the plant doesn't get any of it. This is not good for the plant, it just gets drier and drier and drier. In that case, I think if it were mine, I would go ahead and repot. I only suggested waiting because you mentioned several others that had died after repotting. This may not be the best solution, but it's what I do when I get a plant like that. I hope others will chime in with their tips for rootbound plants. *Before repotting, soak the plant for a half hour to an hour or so. This makes sure the plant gets water at all. Add just a drop or so of some dishwashing detergent like Ivory Liquid to the water. This makes it "wetter" and helps make sure the roots absorb it. Doing this, you make sure the plant was properly hydrated before the repot. You could add a *very* dilute fertilizer to the water. Use fertilizer at 1/4 the strength suggested on the bottle. *Use your fingers to gently try to spread the roots out and untangle them. Sometimes you just can't do this, the ball is too tight. If the ball is too tight to loosed, make several vertical cuts on the outside of the rootball, maybe 3 or 4 to the whole ball. Roots tend to branch when cut, and these new-growing branches will grow into the fresh soil in the new pot. *When you water your newly repotted plant, use water with that drop of detergent in it for 2-3 weeks. Pour it in the center of the pot where you know the old roots to be. (You don't want a bunch of wet soil on the outside of the pot anda dry rootball in the middle). Here you are doing all you can to make sure the real roots get water. *I would keep it in the shade for the first couple of weeks, til you get the feeling the repot is "taking". You don't want to stress a plant that has trouble taking in water by putting it in the hot sun in this kind of heat. *Use no fertilizer or only 1/4 strength fertilizer til the plant shows you it is starting to grow into its new pot. How do you know it's taking hold? It just gets a "glow of health" about it. Starts to look really good. :) This is what I do with rootbound plants. If someone else has another method of dealing with this, I hope they will post it. Hope this doesn't dismay or confuse you. None of this means you can't get your beautiful new gardenia to thrive. Potbound plants are common as dirt-- but it's just to caution you that you need to take a little extra care to make sure the plant really is getting the water you are giving it until it shows signs that is is ok. Good luck. I hope you'll let us know how it does.

Honest? I'd change the paint color. It's not right. Is it horrible OMG the neighbors are going to call and report you to the HOA? No. But it's not right. There is so much potential for the house to look stunning -- instead of just okay -- it almost makes me tear up. I'd be looking more closely @ the following: - There's too little contrast. I think it could handle more color and/or more drama on the B&B. Only question is could you. As for which paint colors specifically, I dunno. Have to think about it. - The arrangement of windows and front door has me drooling. OMG. Something fabulous and bold for the front door color. A dark purple or something like Red Miso from Martha Stewart at SW. - Maybe it makes more sense in person, but I wonder why the garage peak boards were run horizontally only with out the apex detail like on the house. The different widths of siding and boards doesn't flow together well -- a different paint color, however, could change that. The reason I question it is because the windows on the house are so well-done and so balanced and that side of the house is telling a lovely story of symmetry then your eye meanders over to the garage and it's a little like WTH. The garage peak dimensions look identical if not pretty darn close to the house peaks. Mirroring the vertical/horizontal boards on the garage seems like it could be a good idea --- from my seat in the virtual peanut gallery. - I'm concerned that you said that you didn't like the color of white that's up there with the siding. White windows doesn't mean you're obligated to match the trim to that window white -- unless you want to. If you wanted warmer, creamier trim you could still do that and leave the windows white. - Don't feel rushed. If someone has to wait a day or three for you to decide about the repaint, it's not going to kill them. If you need more time, tell them you need more time. (I definitely wouldn't ask, I'd tell, but I'm pushy)

circuspeanut, I didn't think it was possible to improve one of my all-time favorite kitchens, but you managed! That hood looks fantastic. pllog, your kitchen always makes me smile. I love the beauty and creativity. gsciencechick--fantastic fridge! cooksnews and firsthouse, your kitchens are also beautiful. I could easily see loving working in them every single day. holligator, definitely, we need pictures of that wonderful pear! I expected to feel ho hum about our kitchen after 5+ years and I can't believe that my heart still sings when I'm in it or when I look at it as I head up the stairs at night. If I had to pick one thing that gets my heart singing it would be the hutch-style cabinet we used as a separator between kitchen and table. The upper portion is glass on 3 sides and I adore it every time I look at it. I'm not big on ambient lighting but I love the way natural light (or even the light from the ceiling fixtures) streams through it and the privacy the hutch allows the 2 rooms while keeping them connected (I love separated rooms rather than open plans so this helps satisfy that desire.) The things I STILL often actively tell myself that I'm so glad we have/did are the much improved layout with lots of storage, prep sink (a biggie for me), 48" wide range (I love the room it allows for a 2nd cook--but I still really appreciate the expanse when I'm cooking alone), the warmth of our wood cabinets, lots of windows, and local stone counters. I also still really appreciate the way our dish drawer dw functions...and I still smile when I tuck our little tv into the cabinet over the fridge. And our improved mudroom, closets and powder room are also still well appreciated. It's great when things work out the way you hope.