So far we had less then an inch. I am really worried. We have a well, the snow pack that feeds the aquifer is way below what it should be. Without a deep snow pack, Shasta & Oroville lakes won't have the water needed to keep water flowing to the South. There won't be enough water to keep salt water out of the Delta or to keep the salmon alive. Three years of drought in a row could destroy this state.

I'd never heard of a "galley sink," but they are awesome! In looking them up, I see that they are often installed right next to or very close to the cooktop. It looked weird at first, but it makes sense given how they are essentially your prep counter. And you'd want a prep counter next to your cooktop. As it seemed that the galley you're interested in is large enough for two people to work at, it certainly can function simultaneously as your clean-up sink and your prep sink. So with that in mind, here is a suggestion: Keep in mind that, though the cooktop and galley sink look as if you don't have much prep space between the two, essentially the sink is your prep space. So if only one cook is in the kitchen, that is 5' of prep space on the sink + 3' of counter next to the cooktop = 8' of prep space. Or if there are two people at the sink, the one on the right has 30" of prep space on the sink + 3' of counter to the right = 5.5' feet of prep space. And the one on the left has (if cooking) 30" of prep space on the sink + 4' of counter to the left = 6.5' of prep space or (if cleaning) 30" of sink + 4' of counter = 6.5' of cleaning space. That is PLENTY. This initially started because I was excited about your galley sink, and it sounds as if you were too, and I wanted you to have it. But also with that, I was concerned about your aisle widths. They are technically within reason, but given how many doors you have in and out of your kitchen, it really just looks as if you need wider aisles all around the island/table so people aren't running to each other/things. 1) So I gave you wider aisles and also got rid of that weird jutting out bit of wall next to the basement door. The latter made a big difference to how well the island/table fit. 2) Because wide walkways seem to be called for, it poses a dilemma for the island. If it is to be a major player in regular prepping, an especially wide walkway in the work zone would put the island uncomfortably far from the cooktop on the perimeter. To address this, I put the galley sink on the perimeter (so the island wouldn't be your major prep station -- the galley sink would). And then instead of an island, I gave you a big workhorse-type kitchen table, which would be fine to have a bit farther away from the perimeter. You won't be going back and forth between the cooktop and the table a whole bunch. Those big tables are really handy as an extra large expanse of surface when you are laying out cooling racks or any other big elements of a project. And they're great for social things like gathering the kids around and decorating cookies or making gingerbread houses or whatever. And, of course, they are great for seating everybody in a place handy to the kitchen. And those tables are also nice as a nice place to sit down while you peel a million apples or whatever time consuming activity might not be so fun to do on your feet. But those tables aren't meant to be your main prep station (no sink, usually not counter height), so it's not a big deal to have the table pushed a bit farther away than you'd want an island. Here are some examples: (Most of these do not have wide enough walkways around the table by a long shot, but you get the idea.) 3) Another benefit of a table is that it costs way less than an island. That would help you pay for the galley sink. :) 4) The layout you posted looks like a very dark kitchen with its one little window. I gave you a big, centrally-located window for maximum light penetration. 5) I have grouped non-cooking activities in one location outside the main work zone. So people can come in, get a bowl/plate/glass/fork/spoon/etc., get something from the fridge or freezer or pantries, and use the microwave without ever entering the major work zones. It would make sense to have the coffee maker on the counter next to the fridge too. 6) The dishes are also handy to the dishwasher, so unloading will be fast and easy. 7) Your ovens are now next to the baking zone, which is much handier, and the ovens are placed where it would be unlikely that someone would run into them by accident. 8) The cooktop is on an exterior wall for easy venting. 9) I am picturing the pantries being used for snacks and things that aren't really used in the cooking/baking area. It would make more sense to store the cooking ingredients (flour, sugar, spices, oils, vinegars, etc.) in the upper cabinets of the baking zone. This post was edited by Jillius on Tue, Jan 27, 15 at 15:46

Signet, It gets a lot of sun, but it does have shade times too. I do have sunnier spots but they are all taken. However, I have been trying [not too successfully, thanks to this forum!] to down size some, and this one has to go! If you seriously want it, I'll sent it for postage. I am also going to get rid of Top Guns Ninja Star, not for performance but it is not my favorite color; and Catherine Woodbury as I've gotten ones similar that I like better.

Thank you all so much for the happy birthday wishes. You are such "uppers" for me. And I, too, am still digging all my planting holes--just dreading this spring when so much needs to be transplanted. And, yes, I still have alyssum, too. It's one of the last to go, Ingrid. Southern Cal is probably on a different alyssum "schedule" than up here. But it should reseed a lot for you, though. Diane PS--I truly believe we gardeners do stay a bit younger (or I want to believe it). We have the emotional respite of working in the garden, the extra exercise, and most of all, the faith that the garden will be even better next year. There is always something to look forward to. Diane