It is a good thing birds don't have feeling in their legs - as far as feeling the cold beneath their feet! Their feathers will keep their bodies warm. Those are very nice pictures. And I really do like the song: I really can't stay - Baby it's cold outside I've got to go away - Baby it's cold outside This evening has been - Been hoping that you'd drop in So very nice - I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice My mother will start to worry - Beautiful, what's your hurry My father will be pacing the floor - Listen to the fireplace roar So really I'd better scurry - Beautiful, please don't hurry Well maybe just a half a drink more - Put some music on while I pour The neighbors might think - Baby, it's bad out there Say, what's in this drink - No cabs to be had out there I wish I knew how - Your eyes are like starlight To break the spell - I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell I ought to say no, no, no, sir - Mind if I move closer At least I'm gonna say that I tried - What's the sense in hurting my pride? I really can't stay - Baby don't hold out Ahh, but it's cold outside But, I really don't know why it is considered a Christmas song since the only time I hear it is with all the other holiday music before Christmas! It is very appropriate for today! Okay, back on topic - Those words just started going through my head when I saw the subject and then saw the pictures - very appropriate!

We're looking for a high around 0°F (-18°C) today. Right now it's -17°F (-27°C), windchill of -30°F (-34°C) and this is using the "new" downgraded windchill calculation. But I'm not going to complain since I noticed it's currently -35°F (-37°C), and that's air temp, not windchill, in some of the northern parts of the state. At least there's no wind up there to complicate things. Oh Dottie!! Phyllis!! I hope you're cuddled up and toasty warm! Don't venture outside today! Not a good day for building snowmen in your swimsuits! although why you'd want to put your swimsuit on a snowman, I'll never know! :)

I, like many others, appreciate all of the advice on this forum. I love it when anyone responds to my postings. I sort through the advice and use what I can and keep in mind what I can't. I love being able to learn on this forum about the different climates, cultures, and how things are in different parts of the world. I find the differences in how the same rose grows in different environments, simply amazing. I also usually ask what zone people are in (as do many, many others) as even for those of us in "warm climates," those climates can vary as well. I know what works for me may not work for someone else. I live where temps get to be about the surface of the sun for months on end, doesn't cool off at night, (Wednesday we are back up to 109 degrees again) and in the winter time, it is cold, foggy with black ice, dark and dank. I generally get about two weeks to a month of spring and the same for fall. So, for me, Sam, your generalizations don't work so well. I garden organically, none of my roses are in raised beds and I continuously try to amend my soil to be the best it can be. My yard was one that was acknowledged by our University Extension, Master Gardeners and the local cities/county, to be "sustainable" for my area as I do garden organically, amend the soil, plant "like" plants together, for watering and other needs. I have "zones" where I can control, through my drip system, the amount of water my plants get, so our precious water here is not wasted. I type this not to brag, but to give an example that us folks in warm climates are also concerned about the environment, soil, our plant root systems, etc. If anything, when I first started gardening, I found most of the gardening literature to be for people in cold climates and it didn't make much sense for us in warm climates. It was difficult to find much of anything for people growing roses, organically, in hot climates, and not growing hybrid teas. I appreciate the knowledge of everyone here on the forum. Lord knows, I am still learning and the folks on this forum have so much more experience and knowledge than I. I am very thankful for that and appreciate the time, energy and knowledge they give to the people on this forum.

You might want to consider spell checking and proof reading before posting. There are so many spelling and diction/grammatical errors in this piece, it is difficult to read or understand.