I'd love a visit, Felix! We will definitely put our heads together on that one. I miss Sylvia and your Mother, too...please be sure to give them my regards. And your whole family! It's good to see your roses looking so happy, and Nova, that picture is divine! I just (finally) planted the cutting of Old Blush you gave me a long, long time ago. It was languishing in a container, waiting for me to find a home for it, and I forgot it for awhile. Now it has a big space in which to spread out. Hopefully, the shock of being CARED for won't kill it! Haha. Marcia

BJ - how nice I stop by and see you shouting for me. You make me feel loved. I am crossing my fingers for you and the inspection on Monday. Suzanne - thanks for the email, it is nice to be missed. We had rain yesterday and this morning. Boy do we need it. Marita - of course you are welcome to join us. Welcome! Trekaren - I hope all works out with your eye issue. Keep us updated. McPeg - good to see you posting too. I was just about to post asking where you have been. Jan - droopy drawers - you are making us look bad. Congrats on your loss - you are an inspiration to me. Milkdud - you sound as busy as ever. Silversword - It is nice to be able to walk to the store especially in your beautiful CA weather. I am involved in an Adirondack Chair auction and although it is a lot of fun it has been consuming all my "free" time. I just hung all my paintings in my friends barn gallery and I am organizing our July sidewalk art show. The Chamber of Commerce has had meetings every week since I became a director and I am gearing up at work for the summer season, so that is where I have been. Our friends from FL just arrived and we will be doing dinner tonight and hopefully get a boat ride in at some point over the weekend, although the temps aren't suppose to go past the 60's. I will try not to be a stranger.

Stoooooooop - no hurt feelings - I'm just a silly redhead and waaaaaaaay too sensitive. I should have just thrown my work out there and not worried whether anyone responded or not. BTW - referring to your comment, LORI, about posting to my Photobucket - I didn't get an email message. Usually when someone posts on one of my photos I get an email. I w/never have neglected to respond had I received one. SILVA has posted a couple times, and I responded. Sorry. Thanks again for accepting me back w/such warm comments. I'll be gooooooood in the future - promise, and I'm here to stay.

I am glad you mentioned Anthoflores. First of all, it taught me another name besides Rhapsodie & Optimara. And looking up some of their pic I opened my world a little more! Second,,,I thought Anthoflores was something new. You referenced it to be much older. Did not know that. Oh, just had a thought, if Diana may have them in PA.,,I wonder if they would be in Tennessee? My daughter lives there. Hmmm, road trip???? lol I know Optimara is in Tn., and when I go down there you know where she and I are heading? Can ya guess? RIGHT !!! Yippeeeeeee !!! Everyone here probably thinks I am "stuck" in the 60's & 70's. Well,,,I AM. But that was my heyday with violets. So many memories! Oh I am well aware of Lyon! Remember,,,he was not strictly mail order then. You could buy his violets in the dime store! Woolworth, Kresge, the corner whatever store. You name it. And Granger and Tinari,,,,,all of the names you can only mail order from now. If they are not closed. No Optimara's yet, but there were the Rhapsodies and the beautiful Ballet Series !!! AND I worked for an AV grower who would order leaves from these companies and if I found something in a store he did not have,,,,he would trade me leaves for leaves of his !!!! Can you imagine ??? What a deal, and working there, I knew what he already had and would look (man was I on a mission !!!!!) for stuff he didn't have just to trade and expand MY collection !!! I agree that some of the vintage are not near as lovely as the ones today. But we don't always want the newest and the best. Some of the vintage I would not desire today. But there are some I have sentimental attachment to. Maybe it is the leaf. Or flower petals. We all have our attachments. And OH not to worry. I see the modern ones and am drooling as I type this ! Oops sorry,,,let me wipe the keyboard ! Have you looked through my Ideabook Wish List?????? Ohhh, go take a look! I won't live long enough to acquire 1/2 of them. [I will be 66 soon] Nor do I have the room. And I keep adding to the list ! But I am having so much fun !!!! Glad you are also playing "catch up" as I am. I had said before that once the babies started growing up life got in the way and there were times I had [oh dare I say it ??] no violets or very few. But I am back now and geeze,,,,love hearing from all of you on forum OR privately. I am saving all of the references you just posted about places to order from. And if anyone has any others,,,,please let me know. I will order eventually. Oh man, my posts are so looooonnnngggg !!! Shutting up now! Thanks! Rosie