We say "pop" up here, but "soda" is gradually creeping into our vocabularies. Soda used to just be that stuff you'd put in cookies and biscuits to make them rise, or in the refrigerator to keep it smelling nice. From old old stuff I've read, I gather it used to be "soda pop", and then for some odd reason it split off differently in different regions. Other than the soda/pop thing, it's kind of funny-- the accent of the southern part of MN is different from the northern part. I really noticed it when I moved down here. Even though the people are mostly two or more generations removed from Europe, the people's accent where I'm from (land of Eino and Toivo jokes) has more influence from the sounds of Finnish, and the southerners' (Twin Cities and south- land of Ole and Lena jokes) more from Norwegian. If you hear somebody with that stereotypical "Minnesota accent", they're most likely of Norwegian descent...or putting on. It's uncommon enough that I can definitely notice it when I hear it, don't ya know. You betcha! ((Just for the record, the jokes mentioned are mostly just silly, and they don't ridicule any particular aspect of culture. IME they're told, more often than not, by Finns and Norwegians themselves.))

Thanks for the shoulder, guys. I know very well that I can move things around even in spring, but wouldn't it be nice to put them in their 'forever home' (ha!) the first time. I'm not that bad about plotting generally, I don't think, it's just the stupid deal about the difference of say 3x3 vs 8x5! This is TREMENDOUSLY confounded by the problem of wasted time and difficulty digging holes up here - if I were back by the coast I wouldn't give moving a bush over a couple of feet a second thought (we bought a jackhammer the first summer when we were planting the 15gal trees). Another reason to buy bands - then you only need a hole sized for a gal pot at best. I also know very well that I should have posted pics for suggestions a long time ago but always think of something better to do than go through pics and endure the photobucket upload. Stay tuned for more "wack-a-doodle" posts this week, if you don't mind ;-) Today I have to get out and get *something* done. Pam, thanks for the thoughts. I think you're probably right about how long we have colder temps being important than the snow issue, for sure I don't worry about snow damage except when we get a lot and then the ice block melts and breaks branches. Interestingly, there are not a lot of roses up here (Blaze is the only one I see around town) because they grow so well - probably due to ground squirrels as much as lack of interest. Fortunately, I've only had a relatively small amount of gopher damage and in an isolated area. Otoh, the hardware store sure sold quite a few this summer but they are a poor example as the gal that runs the garden center prunes the HTs in front to an inch of their lives in the fall. I've tried to talk to her about it but you know how that goes... Btw, Pam, I posted a thread on the Roses forum you might want to respond to. I was asking those that got your roses for the first time from Vintage to comment on how they were doing and report any geographic variations on possible disease. Hopefully we'll get some good reports and more will be purchased next season! Sherry, I know exactly what you mean about the blank page, I'm a good copier, too! Connie, tempest fugit is no kidding. Hopefully we don't get cold weather until after Halloween... Thanks again! Kerin

I noticed back in Washington years ago that my Austins would fade almost to white in the hot dry summer months and than color more richly when fall came along. 'Perle d'Or' is beautifully colored right now, and the Hybrid Musks have particularly rich colors in fall as well. On the other hand some of the Teas seem to fade in cool weather. 'Mme. Antoine Mari' goes from her spring and summer whipped cream and cool pink to an autumn yellowish white--not an attractive color, to be honest--and I remember 'General Gallieni' turning much softer, and to my eyes much more agreeable, shades of peach and pink in the fall, after the burnt-looking summer hues. I agree with the predominant opinion here, I like how rose colors change with weather, season, and all the other factors that act on them. Roses can also change color after they're cut. Last spring, for once in my life I was able to gather pristine blooms of 'Etoile de Lyon' (I think that's what it is, though it didn't come with that name). Every year the rose beetles ruin every bloom, but this year EdL bloomed six weeks early, and I cut large, magnificent flowers to enjoy. They began colored shades of golden and creamy yellow touched with honey and fawn and soft tawny pink, but as the days passed the color changed, ending finally an even pale metallic yellow, different but still beautiful. Melissa

Hi, O. J. That was supposed to be 10:00 - 12:00 for the Book Club. Just goes to show you exactly how frustrated and tired I really was! LOL. If it's taking so long for tomatoes to ripen, how about some fried green tomatoes added to the diet. Yum. I am lucky to have so many choices of stores within a reasonable distance and actually there are three others that I didn't even hit. It's one thing to visit a number of them to shop the sales, (not my M. O.), but it is frustrating to have to visit so many stores to complete a grocery list of about 15 items. Particularly when you're pressed for time!