Dallasguy, I don't actually grow "Madame Antoine Mari" in my garden. I just admire it from afar ... the MAM specimen at the Fort Worth Botanical Garden and other gardens here in the neighborhood that grow her. From what I've seen, her blooms are kind of like my 'G. Nabonnand' in that they don't last long at all, but keep coming all the time. I don't think they'll last any longer in the ground. It's not a negative for me, but I understand that it is for many people. The thing I really appreciate about that rose is the shape of the plant itself, it's twiggy habit, and the porcelain quality and purity of its bloom color when the bud first opens. I have resisted purchasing 'Heromsa' for my garden for the very reason that you mentioned. Cut it back to 6"? I have never cut an OGR back that far, or even close to it. 'Reine des Violettes' is one of my favorite roses of all time. I didn't mention it before because it's not a rose for everyone ... but definitely is for me. I am so prejudiced FOR that rose that it's usually best if I keep my mouth shut, unless directly asked about it. Personally, I can't imagine gardening without it. It has a lot of character in my very biased opinion. I grow mine as a short climber, I think it's most elegant that way, but you could prune it as a shrub without much effort. Yes, it reblooms fairly well for me. Definitely not non-stop like a china or a tea rose, but after its huge spring flush, I get a sprinkling of blooms here and there until late fall. It rebloomed somewhat for me the first year, but got a lot better after 3 years. There's something intangible about Reine des Violettes for me, can't really explain it. Or maybe I can ... when you combine thornlessness, fully-petaled bloom with a charming button eye, unique color blending, & fantastic fragrance, how on earth could I resist? If you do decide to get this rose, and I'm not saying you should ... get it from The Antique Rose Emporium. Their specimen is great & truly thornless. Randy

Hello fellow China Collectors. I am collecting dessert/salad plates in mismatched patterns. I collect the sugar bowls and creamers too. I am working on a business plan to rent props for parties. I have always adored "girlie golden items" sweet flowers...painted tea pots items the pin up girls from the curvy era would use on their kitchen tables dawning an Apron and a smile. I do not care about the value of the dishes. I use them all every day. The trade name of Shabby Chic which still has all of us women in admiration of it's sweet design, calls my name in every dusty shop - mothball smelling - church basement - ninety degrees in the sun venue. I so enjoy the treasure hunt that my IBS starts to rumble. I am caught up in the frenzy of my own accord...fortunately prior to stepping into the hunting grounds...I prepare my quest with great walking shoes...cool loose clothes...a light meal. I can not Thank You all enough for posting pictures of your lovely finds and prized China. My seek and find missions are the highlight of my weekends. I am now collecting cute plastic - backyard fun acrylic plates and wine gobblets for my event planning company. I paint old furnishings. One day...God willing...I will either get this business rolling or my Family will sell it all in an Estate Sale - when I am old and grey. I hope they will keep my bird bud vases for these little pink birdies take little space up on a windowsill.. I am certain a nice Middle Aged Women like myself will see them and use them or loan them out for a grand Tea Party some fine day - after I have left this sweet soil. Enjoy your finds...no dust on the dishes...fine or dinnerware...Share you collection with a few girl pals paired with crumpets because girls - or boys - we all just go around once.

I have a copy of, "the NEW Fannie Farmer-Boston Cooking-School COOK BOOK", 1953. My father, in his retirement, took on the care of several Summer homes in Southern Maine. He would check on them during the winter, board up windows against storms, uncover rose gardens when the time was right, deal with emergencies...that kind of thing. During the Summer, when people were in residence, he was sort of a general, all around handyman. His largest client was old money...there was a beach named after the family, a road named after the family, and a huge home, loaded with antiques that had been the original furnishings. An elderly Black woman came up every summer from South Carolina to be their cook for the season. Little bittie thing, set in her ways and stubborn as heck, but since she'd been cooking for the family for decades, she knew what they liked and how to manage them. I had been separated from my father at age 5, and when I found him again in my early 30's, I went out to stay with him and my stepmother for a year to get to know them. He took me down to meet Marguerite. She was a kick, and we got along...several years later, when she knew that she wouldn't be able to make it up again the next season (or ever), she gave my father her Fannie Farmer for me. It still has a bunch of book marks in it, some with shopping lists, some with her name, some with cryptic notes I can't decipher, all in the same, slanted hand. I actually use the book quite a bit, but I don't disturb the bookmarks. I sometimes puzzle over the marked pages, wondering which recipe she had marked... I also have my mother's copy of "The Complete American-Jewish Cookbook",1952. It has a separate section of Passover recipes. There are no pork recipes, naturally. Generally, the cookies and bread recipes are good. As for unique...I have an Ethiopian cookbook...the only one I've been able to find. "Exotic Ethiopian Cooking-Society, Culture, Hospitality, & Traditions. I've only made a couple of dishes out of it. I love Ethiopian food, and when I found out how much Nit'ir Qibe (purified herb & spice butter) is used in most of the dishes I love, I realized why I love them. For example, in dishes made from 1 pound of ground beef, it is not unusual that they contain a cup of butter. A typical lentil dish pairs 2 cups of lentils with 2 cups of butter. No wonder I love it!

Here is a basic philosophy I've evolved: some cookbooks are reference books for techniques, nutrition, or how to make something, jelly, for instance. Joy of Cooking, Jane Brody, and Better Homes and Gardens fall into this category. Other cookbooks can give technique as well as provide a unique "taste bud experience". For me here are some of the books that fall into this category: 1) a 30 year old, probably out of print, Barbara Kafka book, the Microwave Gourmet, even when I don't do her recipes in the microwave her tastebud choices are so awesome, tasty, interesting that I pull out this book all the time to consult; 2) Emeril's New, New Orleans Cookbook (at least I think that's the name since I'm not at home), an interesting combination of flavors and techniques that I've learned that I don't need to follow every ingredient or technique exactly to create a great meal very quickly. I wasn't surprised at how good this cookbook turned out since I ate at his restaurant in New Orleans before he was famous and went back again in the same week because I was so impressed; 3) Gordon Ramsey's A Passion for Seafood for which I had very low expectations since I just knew him as someone who yelled on TV. This cookbook is also one that you can pull out techniques and ingredients without treating it as gospel and still come up with a meal that both family and guests will appreciate; 4) someone has already mentioned Julia Child's The Way to Cook and if you don't have anything else this is the one to have. My mother was a great cook and never used a cookbook and none of her recipes were written down. I was in despair that i would never be able to replicate her cooking. After I started using this cookbook I realized that dear Julia had compiled the wisdom of all our mother and grandmothers in one beautiful and well written book.