Hi to all of you. I feel as if I've been gone so long, I half expected to see pictures of Ivy at her high school prom! Glad that is not the case. Oh, 'bug, I love to watch Patrick skate. I also skated until I was about 16 and then went back to ice dancing as an adult. What I love about Patrick is that he is the whole package-not just a jumper, but his footwork is wonderful and his spins are good, too. He is, to my mind, one of the greats. Cindy, your gardens are beautiful. Your clematis is way beyond mine. I only have buds at this point. Doesn't seem fair since we are so close to each other! Happy birthday to Stella. Want to see pics of her celebrating and of Isla in the water. Babies do love that class and they are so cute the first time they go under the water. I laugh every time I think of doing that with John. Norma, your dogwoods are just lovely. We lost three since last summer. I am exceedingly envious and appreciative of your wonders. Chelone, the Picea looks great. Really, if you are worried about all your unfinished projects, just drop down here for a visit. I have tons of "not even started" projects. I think having in-progress ones would be grand. I suspect I am just plain lazy. Sending good thoughts Nolon and Marian's way. Hope the surgery went smoothly. I am always amazed these days at how routine so many of these operations have become. Hope that was the case for Nolon and that recovery is quick. Julie, won't you have fun redesigning your garden now with sun-loving plants. Much as I hate them in my bird feeders, I am glad the mama squirrel was able to rescue her babies. Martie, happy news about Ky and Lauren. Hope something breaks for Rich. Job hunting is not easy these days, is it? Drema, congratulations on the job! So nice to "hear" your excitement! Michelle, Kenzie is such a cutie. I understand her wanting to feel the sunshine-love that! Deanne, that is one absolutely beautiful plate. What immense talent you have-and in so many different areas! Impressive! Those dew-drops on the rose are incredible and the colors-wow. Eden, cute Easter pictures with THE bunny. :) Saucy, thanks for the birthday wishes. I hope your weekend in NYC with Sarah and Emma was full of laughter and fun! Kathy, I always love your garden pictures (the roses are fabulous), whether your own or the ones you visit, but now I want to see your b-w stairwell gallery. I bet it is marvelous. Yeona, that necklace is so pretty and I'll bet she loved that it referenced the eggs she gave you. Love the one you made for your mom, too, Michelle. Woody, I hope your weather improved from last weekend and week. It will be more fun once the clean-up is behind you. I suspect, though, that Randy probably enjoyed the fact that you were stuck inside and got the sweater finished. It is fantastic! All you talented folks put me to shame. I never learned more than a basic stitch because my mother, who was a wonderful knitter, was never inclined to teach us. Oh well. Hope I caught up with everyone, but I am sure to have inadvertently missed someone, so if I did, I will catch you next time for sure. Around here, we have a huge oak that is leaning suddenly and Chuck is, I think, going to leave it until it falls on the house. He wants to just have someone cut two big limbs to see if that helps. Egad. All I have to say is that it had better not hit me when it topples and crushes the cars, the kitchen, the living room, dining room and my pretty little magnolia that is near it. Not to mention all the stuff in the house that will need to be replaced. Aaarrrgghhh. I will be back sooner than later this time, I think. We have our state tests this month and I have finished collecting the evidence for six of my kiddoes who are doing portfolios for their reading assessment rather than taking the multiple choice test. I have five students doing math portfolios that are due in two weeks, so we will be busy finishing those up. It just takes so much time. Oh well. All the rest are taking the tests. Wishing everyone a week of contentment at the very least and perhaps joy and laughter here and there. Time to finish laundry and start getting ready for the week. Oh- and I am setting a goal-when I realized that the Queen is only 26 years older than I, I decided that it is now or never to try to get back into shape a little (I am currently 35 pounds over my nine month pregnancy weight-not a pretty sight), so I am sharing with all of you-perhaps that will force me to get back to being more active!!! :)

I live in a beautiful 160-year-old home in historic Warrenton, NC, an hour north of Raleigh. It's a Greek Revival & Italianate southern antebellum home by renowned architect Jacob Holt. I cherish every inch inside and out! The grounds are covered with enormous oaks and pecans. I'm originally from northern Virginia/Maryland (DC, Stafford, Quantico). I lived most of my life in Havelock, NC and New Bern, NC. Spent alot of time at the beach. Then I moved to the city ~ Greensboro, NC for eight years. Great thread! Caroline

Liz K & bunti: I am in 7b and planted a Brown Turkey fig two years ago. It died to the ground but returned and even produced a few figs. Last year, I covered the base with pine straw and wrapped the branches in bubble wrap and cardboard. Semi fell apart but mostly still covered thru winter. All branches (~4' tall) seem to be alive and sap is rising slowly so only the lower portions have budded out but all buds appear healthy.

Ginny, I've been following the updates in the local paper... You can too, if you do a Google search to find the Salem News online edition. Every few weeks they usually have an article about what's going on at the site. The basic scoop -- a big developer, the Archstone Corporation had the winning bid for the development of the hospital campus, but the stipulation was that they had to preserve the Kirkbride (that's the big gothic main building). Archstone had its engineers do an initial check of the structure, and reported that with some minor adjustments they could preserve the building. After Archstone got the deal, though, they proposed a plan radically different from their original. Now, they claimed that the age and degree of decrepitude of the Kirkbride would make it impossible to save anything but the front facade. The Danvers town council was outraged (as were many residents). On top of that, relatives of some of the patients who had died and were buried on the campus were very concerned that any development plans that go through must honor and preserve the modest cemetery. The deal was just a big mess. Archstone dropped out. Another company (the name eludes me right now) took it up and apparently has provided a plan that preserves the Kirkbride exterior and its main interior structure... but with major renovations. There are supposed to be lots of new condo buildings, plus use of the Kirkbride and neighboring brick buildings, but I don't know what those uses will be. I presume offices and/or more housing. I drive by there quite regularly, and have always been taken by the beauty of the setting and the drama of the campus structures. I hope that any development that is undertaken preserves the dignity of the place, and its lush green setting.