Kaylah, If only your flu could be as entertaining for you as you've made it for us! Get well soon! Growing up in north Florida, and then attending college in Gainesville in the middle of the state, I remember plenty of hard freezes and a few snowfalls. Florida's not quite the balmy tropical place people think it is. You probably get lower lows than we do here. But the average temperature in Florida is a lot higher: you don't get week after week of temperatures that go from the high twenties to the low forties. And I bet Floridians aren't still lighting fires in the morning in early May. I always thought those frosty mornings were beautiful: a clear sky, a heavy frost on the ground, and the piercing gold sun rising above the horizon and glittering through the dark leafless trees. Don't worry Sherry, it'll pass, and the roses will be fine. Melissa

kaylah - I'm sorry, I just laughed so hard, I know it's not appropriate given the dire conditions in your area, but your first paragraph is priceless. Are you a writer? I love your opening sentence, almost "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." I see the pancakes, the basement, the dishes in the sink, the coffee cup full of water, the boat and the sign with the irony of the caption, great imagery. Oh, sorry, not an English class. It's just that your side stories are so much fun! Yes, to speak on gardening, a zapper would be great. I think you already spoke of it, it's called "lightning" and I love it after a good lightning storm, all those ions dancing around, the air refreshed and clean. I think all life needs it, plant and animal. Which provides me a segue to your boy's band "The Electric Mountain Boys" - great name! Do they have a logo yet? Perhaps a lightning bolt somewhere? Mountains of the moon, dancing ions and satellites??? Good luck on providing a new song list, I love "Hey Joe" but I can see how it could get old. I don't know what kind of music they play, but starting with Jimi Hendrix I think soul, R&B, blues, funk might work. There are tons of songs with the word "rain" in the title, I thought about the ones I like and came up with this short list: how about -'I Can't Stand the Rain' perhaps best and most famously performed by the incomparable, soulful Ann Peebles and also well done by Lowell George of Little Feat fame. 'Feels Like Rain' done by Buddy Guy with Bonnie Raitt, 'Let it Rain' by Eric Clapton (perhaps a sentiment not appreciated right now), 'Wicked Rain' by Los Lobos (perhaps a more appropriate sentiment) and weirdly, 'Rain Rain Rain' by Roxy Music (I know, Roxy Music, but really very cool, give it a listen) And if your rockers really want to go all out, how about 'Love, Reign O'er Me' by The Who? They won't even have to simulate the thunder like The Who did, they'll just pick up the thunder noise outside. Just be prepared to tolerate loud Roger Daltry-like screams and pounding drum beats with that one. Someone will have to reproduce the violin track though (synthesizer anyone?) That song still gives me goosebumps. (Did I just date myself???)

Vera, you missed Tiffy's question for you. I am jumping in here uninvited. Tiffy, how could you forget all of Vera's posts last year whining about her Yvonne's Salvia having frozen? Just kidding, Vera! I did my share of whining about the drought, I know I was queen of the whiners circle! Anyway, Tiffy, Vera's Yvonne's Salvia seedlings did freeze in early spring freezing weather. I didn't sow mine until April last year, and when we had that horrid prolonged Easter freeze, I stashed the seedlings in my unheated garage. In fall, when local weather reports said our temp was around 30 degrees, my mature salvia survived. However, the first really cold night into the 20s, it died. It was pretty dramatic, the plants looked OK at sunset and by the time the sun rose they had completely croaked. I did sow a few Yvonne's Salvia seeds a few days ago, but because I saved my seeds I feel I have some insurance in case of a salvia disaster. Also, after they sprout, I'll probably give them some protection in case of a frost. Anyone else had them survive frost or hard freeze? Karen

Marion, I do the following to root my roses: I like to take the cutting from a branch that has had a bloom that has just finished blooming. I cut it so that I will have 2 sections of leaves, then I cut the spent bloom off the top. I put the cutting immediately into water while I get more cuttings, prepare the soil, etc. I like to use few drops of a product called "Super Thrive" in the water I soak it in, and in the water for the dirt. I use miracle grow potting soil in a small container. I get it wet, but not so much that it will be sitting in a puddle. I make a hole in the dirt with a pencil. I take the rose out of the water, and make a few shallow cuts at the base, then I dip it in Schultz TakeRoot powdered rooting hormone, and stick it in the hole in the dirt. I put the little pot of dirt and rose into a zip lock bag (I like the 2 gallon ones) then I zip it most of the way up, and blow air into it to create a mini greenhouse. I put it in a window that does not get direct sun. In my case, a north facing window. I don't touch it for at least 2 weeks, then I lightly pull on the stem to see if it has rooted. If the stem turns black, it is dead. If it grows mold, it needs to be cleaned off immediately or thrown away so that it doesn't effect the other cuttings. If you are successful, in 2-4 weeks new leafs will start to grow. If you used clear cups for the dirt, you will start to see white roots in the soil. I adapted my method from this video I watched when I first started: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiL83eUKWY8