THanks, Blayz! Yes, I used to write a lot of poetry and most of it has more thought put into it. THat was just a lttle giggle that came to me after inspecting my flock under the lights. I used to paint too before our 5th child arrived by adoption 26 years ago. HAve tried to get back to painting several times but it is just "gone". Now I paint with flowers and often they are poetry in motion! I used to belong to a great poetry support group that met monthly and I really fed off the energy of the group, but the group morphed into something elseI was not devoted enough to morph with them. I do not go out at night...can not see to drive safely after dark, so I would rather sit with my computer and my seed catalogs. I am glad I AM getting a rest from the demands of the cut flower business but I also am so antsy with a lot of pent up energy and my knees too bad to walk it off. I am on "Hold" until the season turns again, and I can get those new knees and learn to use them. Hopefully I can get it over with before spring returns and planting time along with it. So gardening in my work room keeps me sort of sane through the winter darkness and wet! 9 hippis with buds coming up now. Probably still a week away from the first bloom, but there should be more buds up by then. IT is all just starting in my Hippi winter quarters!

Mehitable, I feel the same way when my Wisteria blooms. At first, when it didn't bloom all that much the first year, it smelled good. I had it planted by my front door, and the flowers were pretty. The second year it bloomed heavy, and the smell was strong and potent. I didnt' like it at all. I moved it, now I am fine with it, just too strong for me. Smell is different for everyone.

It helped tremendously. For me, and I suspect for many others, nothing will motivate you as much as presenting your work to others. Reading my work in front of others is both scary and exciting, and hearing it in a radically different context than my own kitchen is more helpful than I could have imagined. On another note, I have had a sad event recently - my brother died at the age of 45 after a sudden short illness. All of you mothers out there will understand that this was devastating to my mom. At the age of 77, she did not expect to experience the death of an adult child. Coming so close after this event, she was absolutely thrilled at this modest happening. I got my love of poetry and literature from her, both in my genes and in my upbringing - she read us poetry and had us memorizing it as soon as we could talk. So I am very, very happy that this gave her a bit of brightness in this sorrowful time.

I haven't had Teas for that long but they are definitely amongst my best roses. In my hot, humid climate (10b), my favourites so far are: 1. Rosette Delizy - I think this one is my best rose overall. I love the growth and sheer number of blooms. I don't have any problems with balling and they only burn a little on very hot days, which doesn't really matter to me as there are new blooms opening all the time. No disease and fast growing. The blooms don't nod and last ages in a vase for me. 2. General Gallieni - I don't think many people love this rose but it's imperfection is the key to its beauty for me. You never know what you will get! I love the look of the blooms on hot days, where they look like they have been painted with watercolours. Doesn't ball or burn at all for me. Took this pic not long after it arrived as a tiny spindly bare root a few months ago, now it's 5ft high and rising! 3. G Nabonnand - some days it's my favourite but the blooms aren't as tough as the others so it suffers a little in the heat. Beautiful leafy shrub though and always in bloom, like everyone says. I think it has nice perfume too. 4. Duchess de Brabant - I didn't like this one much to start with but it's growing on me! Love the perfume and the number of blooms. Gets a bit of black spot here but nothing serious. 5. Climbing Devoniensis - wow, what a climber! It's my most vigorous climber by far. Actually I'm a little scared of it. My favourite perfume from all the Teas. Also gets a little black spot here. 6. Anna Olivier - mine is still young but it's graceful and has soft full blooms. No disease, not as fast growing as others but it's slowly making a nice full shrub. 7. Baronne Henriette de Snoy - not 100% sure about the growth and how the bush will shape up, it's a bit branching and angular and sparsely foliated at the moment. I'm hoping it will improve. Love the full pretty blooms though. 8. Reve d'Or - I don't even own it yet but I love it! It's on order! I've admired the mature bushes at the rose garden for ages, I can't wait to find a spot for it. 9. Lady Mary Fitzwilliam - sneaking this early HT in as it grows like all my other Teas - vigorous, leafy and healthy. I guess I can't be sure the rose I have is Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, given the contention, but I think it could be. Never balls, never burns. 10. Mrs B R Cant - wasn't too impressed with this one until I fell in love with the reverse of the blooms! So pretty (and huge!) She is sprawling at the moment and may get too big for her spot. Not as floriferous as others for me but very good blooms for picking. 11. Souv de Pierre Notting - here this rose loves the heat. The hotter, the better. I don't have a problem with the brown ruff of outer petals unless it rains. Last very well in the vase and an interesting shape. Love the tinge of pink to the golden blooms. Healthy but a little less vigorous than others I have. 12. Marie van Houtte - I adore this rose but it's a monster! Beautiful blooms that I prefer to most other pink/yellow combinations. Nice tea perfume too but it's getting too big for its spot sadly. Should be higher up my list, I just forgot about it. Ones that haven't impressed are Monsieur Tillier (blooms fry instantly and are tiny, so disappointed with this one), Francis Dubreuil (likewise), the imposter Noella Nabonnand (floppy wet rag blooms here that don't last) and White Maman Cochet (balling a bit, slow growing for me, not many blooms so far). I've ordered loads for next year so I'm sure my list will change! I'll be adding Mrs Dudley Cross, Tipsy Imperial Concubine, La Vesuve, Comtesse Riza du Parc (whatever it really is - Dr Grill? Mme Charles?), Souv de Therese Lovet, Souv d'un Ami, Mme Jules Gravereaux, Triomphe du Luxembourg, Etoile de Lyon, Archduke Charles, Duchess d'Auerstadt, Marachal Niel, Octavius Weld and Lady Roberts. Now I just have to make more room! A Tea I'd love to add one day is David's Dilemma.