Boy does life really take us on different journeys. Started 2010 taking down commercial holiday decor. Continued family fighting over estate matters for my Great Aunt. Decided to build our dream home on our land. Met a con artist contractor to facilitate home build. Fired con artist who stole our dream, building funds. Hired a lawyer to commence civil litigation regarding home build. Communication broke down completely with sibling (co-executor of Great Aunt's estate). Hired lawyer. Tried to talk our best friends from Scotland out of coming to Canada with 2 daughters (they booked for July in January) due to having no home to host them in. Had a mental health break down, tried to commit suicide. Got help - again. DH purchased weekend trailer day before our home sale closed for us to live in on our land. Home effects went into storage. Worked with lawyer to build a major lawsuit. Met more new friends (neighbours) who opened their hearts and doors to us. Helped us make a decision to fight back and stay here to fight for our 16 year dream. Found a new contractor equivalent to 'Mike Holmes'. God sent us a miracle. Continued fighting with family. Continued getting help, seeing doctors. DH went to doctor. Wore down from stress. House build commenced, health started to improve. Made our little trailer our home. Built flower gardens around trailer area with plants from previous garden. Experienced horrific winds that demolished outdoor tented area (had my clothesline....). BBQ blew over, awning tore off side of trailer...felt like I was going to Oz. Learned lifespan of plastic pail port-a-potty. Appreciated construction site toilet hut - luxury at last. Experienced bird baths in large buckets. Washed some clothes in large pot of boiling water. Traveled to laundry mat every 2 weeks. Finally got power to trailer, unhooked generator. Got telephone line and internet in the trailer - the world returned. Came home to KT. 6 months later, moved into new miracle home (downsized dream). Launched major lawsuit against group of individuals for original disaster home build. Continuing to work with lawyer for estate matters. Said good riddance to 2010. Starting new life with new hope. Promised myself to get back onto a healthier lifestyle and to enjoy the small things in life again.

Robo, I hope the rest of your LA visit was great and hopefully not too hot for you. Did you see some of the LA Marathon runners? I had looked at the route and noticed it went right by your friend's neighborhood! Mtn, it was great meeting you today! Mtn and I had breakfast at a cafe right on Venice beach. Perfect weather to sit and chat. Enjoy your stay in LA and the rest of your vacation. Let us know how much you "loved" Disney!

Carol -- I am DEELITED to answer those questions, because they're part of why I love this rose . . . When the remnants of the Donner party finally reached Sutter's fort in Sacramento, Governor Castro sent a messenger, inviting the Breen Family to come to San Juan Bautista, and stay as long as they wished in the home he had there -- across the square from the mission church. Why? Because they were Roman Catholics. But also because the Irish-American Breens, despised by everyone in the party for their ethnicity (the story has some relevance for us, today) were the ONLY family to survive the disaster intact. They even took in an orphaned girl, and protected and saved her. So, the Breens came to San Juan Bautista, and the oldest Breen boy headed for the gold fields. And believe it or not, he actually struck it rich. He came back to San Juan Bautista, they bought the Castro house (now Castro-Breen) and bought up acres and acres of land in the Valley (much of which the family still owns, I gather). We found this rose on a visit there some years ago -- a whole group of us, including Mel Hulse, and Jill Perry, and my husband and I. We went through the place in the company of a Park Ranger who had grown up in the town. We were looking at the big rose out front, but she said: "There used to be another rose here. A red one." And by golly, there it was, all 12-inches of it, with some faded red blooms, right at my feet." Heck, we thought it was a little China! But THINK, if you were the Breen descendants, what rose would YOU have planted, to honor their parents? I think a rose named Bloomfield COURAGE is a no-brainer.

Lilyfinch, I saw your cute bubble pics on IG. Lucia is filled with such joy. She and Henry are delightful. Lisa, you had me laughing at your dwarf SdlM. Goes perfectly with my non-blooming variety. But, your poppies! Wow! Now, that's a poppy! How long do Baby Blue Eyes bloom? Had to look up Bubble Bath. How have I never heard of that one?! HalloBlondie, I'm going to suggest he just add on to the small barn, which is more of a big shed. It houses his ATV, snowblower, lawnmower, wagon trailer and junk. We have just under 6 acres, but the out buildings are all clumped together near the house. Not the best look. Altorama, I'm torn between pampering my Edens and neglecting the heck out of them. Maybe I should send them to you for a few years, then you send them back to me once they get the hang of it. Sultry, the answer to your question is - not a clue. He asked me to find some barn pics to show the builder. He said I should choose because he wants me to like it. Can't be too upset with that! Lily, you'll soon be growing things you couldn't before and your growing season will be almost year round. Only a couple hours away is Roger's Gardens in Newport Beach. You'll love all the garden bling in addition to the huge plant nursery. Festival of the Arts in Laguna Beach is fun and Pageant of the Masters is incredible. There are the missions all up and down the coast. San Juan Capistrano was a favorite. If you like Mexican food, you will find that it is so much more authentic than Mexican food in the midwest. You'll love the jacaranda trees, camellias, gardenias and being able to grow your own citrus. I'd grow citrus for the scent alone. The fruit is just a bonus! Plants that were annuals in TN will be perennials in CA. You can visit Grace Rose Farm for a day trip. Sounds like they're gearing up for visitors, big time. The entire Santa Ynez area is worth staying a day or two and visiting Solvang, and a little further up the coast is Carmel and Monterey, wonderful get-a-way spots. At least, they used to be. A stop in Santa Barbara is a must. And, if you like antiquing, Summerland, just outside Santa Barbara was always a must. Not sure if it still is. Deborah would know. These places are not especially close to San Diego, but more like day or weekend trips. And, I am positively green with envy you will get to visit Lisa and Ingrid.