Randy, it's just another way of saying I wimped out. Ingrid, Enchantress' first blooms balled pretty badly. Maybe it was thrips or temps or her being a baby in the pot. This flush is doing better, but I don't think I saw the finish of that flower. Souv de Francois Gaulain balled, too. It was not a good first flush really. JBS has not looked anything like she did last year. Her flowers were bigger and deeper pink in the centers last year. The second flush is about silver dollar size. Mrs B R Cant is starting her second flush, and they're normal buds and flowers but not as many so far. Ya know what Forrest Gump said about the box of chocolates? Well, that's been my garden so far. Even Louis Philippe is still balling. He never did that last year. Bermuda Spice looks terrible and has the tiniest flowers. Don't know what's going on but this year is different. Mme C Testout was about the only normal one. She just sailed through. And Souv de la Malmaison has been gorgeous. I just got 2 SdlM's in February and also the climber. I just put one bush in the ground today. Her flowers are wonderful. Oh, and Niles Cochet and Gen Gallieni were planted today as well. And I got soaker hoses down in two areas. It's been a very productive vacation. Didn't get the front feeding & mulching finished, but I got a lot of annuals/perennials in. Sherry

Happy Mothers Day to you all. Hope your plumie babies perform well for you this year. sue

LOL, 2many, I think Sriracha tastes like vinegar and hot peppers, but can't taste any other flavors. I'm a wimp, I like just a little heat but I don't want the enamel on my teeth to bubble. I think if it's so hot I can't enjoy the flavors of the food, it's kind of pointless, but Elery loves heat, the hotter the better. That is one mean looking panty liner, BTW. (grin) Sleevendog, I found a similar potato in my storage: I left it propped up on the counter for Elery to find and he didn't even notice it, LOL. So much for that Valentine's Day thought! Thanks for the sriracha tip on hummus, Elery would love that. I suppose I could just mix it in at the end, so the entire batch isn't "contaminated"? (snicker) AnnT, the steak looks delicious, as always, and although I don't care for very many hot chilies I love peppercorns. It's a different kind of heat. Annie

No fresh shellfish here either. I just can't eat oysters raw, the texture gets me every time. The closest I have to fresh shellfish here is a 2 puond package of huge scallops from the Alaskan Seafood Company, I'm going to cook some on Valentine's Day for Elery and I. BBstyx, note that I said COOKED. (grin) I love what I can see of the sweater, and the big pile of shells. Here the beaches are all white sand, there are no shellfish other than the little freshwater mussels and invasive zebra mussels. It's actually illegal in Michigan to "harvest" the little bi-valves due to commercial fisheries using the shells as "seed" for pearl making oysters. Native mussels became a threatened species in Ohio and Indiana, and so Michigan was trying to get ahead of the curve. Annie