What Would You Do?

As it usually happens around here, one thing led to another and now I"m stumped. It began when I took some geraniums in pots to the Guest House to put on the front porch,

and some Calibrachoa for the well top in the back yard.

 Later, I added a washtub filled with marigolds to the tree stump in the front yard.

Of course, the flowers need to be watered regularly and since the outdoor faucet is at the edge of the yard, I need something to carry water in.

I mentioned this little need to my hubby, saying that a small bucket would work. I was already thinking of one of several plastic cups in the basement for dipping and pouring, so as not to douse the plants with a tidal wave straight from the bucket. My hubby, though, has vast resources behind the weathered walls of this unassuming shed.

 (If you ever see inside, you'll marvel at the irony of this sign he has posted on the door!)

Although I haven't yet  seen the small bucket I requested, he did produce these two items for dipping:

Now, neither one is what I had in mind, and I'll probably just use a plastic cup. But the little yellow watering can might come in handy if I put houseplants inside someday. I think I'll wash it up and store it under the Guest House kitchen sink for now.This other thing is actually a copper tea kettle.

It's not old, as the bottom is marked "Revere Ware." It's obviously been around a while, though, as evidenced by the mineral deposits on the inside. But Revere Ware is pretty good stuff, so when I saw that it was copper, my mind immediately saw a beautiful gleaming tea kettle perched on the gas stove of the Guest House (instead of this ugly saucepan), making the dining/bedroom even cozier.

I took the kettle inside and washed it with soap and water, rinsing away several layers of dust and dirt. I got out my trusty Barkeeper's Friend cleanser (it's good stuff!)

and was poised with the scrubby to begin my quest for that gleaming kettle in my mind's eye. Something stopped me, though. Voices floated through my brain from Antiques Road Show, American Pickers, and Pawn Stars about rich patinas gained over years and years of existence and how one shouldn't remove them. Uh-oh.

So here's my dilemma: to scrub or not to scrub? I love rich, gleaming copper, but this old green tint is pretty cool. I did scrub a little on the bottom (where it won't show, should I decide not to scrub) so I could see what it would look like if I did scrub.

And now here I am, with a decision to make! I guess, if I scrub the entire kettle back to its copper self and don't like it, it will eventually turn green again. But that might take a long time. And, because if I do decide to scrub, it's going to take a lot of scrubbing, I don't want to use up my precious elbow grease and then wish I hadn't. So what do you think?? Should I scrub it,

 or leave it alone?

Scrub...

or not?

Thankfully, it's a sweet little dilemma that doesn't matter in the great scheme of things...and either way, it will be OK. But I really don't know which I like better!  Leave a comment below and tell me, "If you were me, what would you do?"