We grew "Lundy Lane" and I found it to be a very lovely mostly-yellow Pernetiana. Its' foliage is a very light-medium green, and very attractive. One caveat: of all the Pernetiana roses I've grown it suffered the most badly from blackspot. I have an organic rose garden and never sprayed it with anything other than Cornell. It continued to bloom c. 3 weeks later in Autumn than my other Pernetiana roses, which also endeared it to me. For comparison, these are healthier Pernetiana roses for our area, near Oakland, California. I never needed to spray theses with anything: "Duquesa de Penaranda" the healthiest of all Pernetiana roses in our area. The climbing form is fantastic!!! "Soliel d'Or" "President Herbert Hoover" the most fragrant of the Pernetiana roses to my nose. "Gruss an Coberg" "Mari Dot" a fabulous Dot rose but very small on her own roots, I'd love it on rootstock. Luxrosa

I agree. A lot of other folks from the Jacksonville area have written the same thing. Problem is, my caladium are planted around an oak tree, smack in the center of my front yard. I can't leave that bed full of tired, straggly caladium leaves for the whole winter. I live in one of those neighborhoods where - believe me - the pressure is on to have the front yard looking fresh and good all year-round. So I lift my caladium in the winter, even though they don't have to be lifted, so I can plant winter annuals in that front bed.

Whoa, if you get a degree in industrial arts you get to acquire carpentry textbooks along the way?!? Sweet! Kim, I've always enjoyed/appreciated your contributions; given the wisdom of trial and error that was behind them, I see why they stood out. My mom got us a couple of the Reader's Digest fixit books (have to run downstairs, one of them might be the very one you have); I like the way they are encyclopedic and detailed. I know Jane Powell but not the Small Houses books (do you mean The Not So Big stuff by Susanka, or the Small House anthologies from Fine Homebuilding?) Thanks for mentioning books; I think I might start a reference book thread for this forum. Hey Casey, THANKS for taking the bait. And you are NOT a bloody genius, you are an old house DEITY for crying out loud! Would you please start your own show on youtube? Or maybe just a house tour? Even Petch house has youtube videos. Or, do you already have a project blog and everyone knows about it but me? Actually for someone with a degree in historic preservation, I am impressed with how low-key your posts come across; they read more like an old friend who's "been there" and wants to pass along lessons learned along the way, it's really very nice and encouraging. But if you ever want to browbeat me feel free; I would take it as a compliment. To be honest if I post about something I'm thinking of doing to my house, and you don't opine, I figure one of two things is going on: 1) you're not on the forum; or 2) you're politely disapproving. Most of the time I assume it's 2 because you seem to be pretty consistent around here. But I just want to say, and I hope I speak for many, that I love love love your posts, especially when I'm searching on a problem I'm trying to solve and something from you pops up! (PS I finally got around to using that general finishes gel varnish you recommended and it was fantastic, thank you; I will post photos to the woodworking forum sometime before the next census.) Oh, and I love the way you "aged" the color tones in the new pine beadboard in your kitchen; reminds me of the pine in my grandmother's kitchen. When I was really little I used to look at the gleaming pores and think it was the closest wood could get to 24K gold.

Stephanie, I know what you mean. I want to be fun and spontaneous but sometimes it's so hard when she won't eat her vegetables, or doesn't clean her room, to give treats and not turn into the "Mommy Monster"! Finding a balance between being the enforcer and friend. I feel so guilty so much of the time, I'm not doing enough, I could be doing more. It's really hard for me. This morning I thought I got out of the house before she woke up, but just as I left, here she comes out of her room "mommy mommmy" and my heart went two directions. Irritation (that I would be late to work yet again) and absolute love. Of course I had to spend a few minutes with her, getting her out of sleepymode and into the morning. I felt like I was abandoning her! I want her to know that it's not my choice that I'm not with her every second of the day. That I love her so much and that being a Mommy doesn't come with a rulebook, we're just winging it and doing the best I can.