It can be very cold in El Paso. They actually got a decent amount of snow this last winter, more than us up north in central NM. My dad who grew up in Michigan and resides here in NM where it snows regularly says the biggest snowflakes he has ever seen in his entire life he saw in El Paso! Warmer atmospheres allow for bigger flakes, incidentally. Colder than one would think. It doesn't snow often, but it can surely snow (unlike most of AZ). The ariidity helps tremendously with the palms.

Vanessa, I see what you mean about a little color around the edge of Deep Blue Sea. I went out to take a look at it, and it does have a SLIGHT different shade around some of the leaves. I think maybe it's transitioning into an all-around solid color though, just because this is the same plant last year: However, I'd love to see an edged sport, though! You bet I would : ) Don B.

Here is a few more after last night's rain, and I will finally post the pics I had of the first bloom of Brown Velvet, from a bud till a week later--the petals finally came off in the rain last night. Brown Velvet day one--sorry for the blur, but as you can see it was raining at the time day three--also, the one from the name that rose game was from this day day four day 8--last day before petals fell in the rain. finally looking a bit more brown than orange, though I would still call that color a pale salmon rather than brown. Applejack now Sappho is cozy-ing up to Zephy Gruss an Coberg The battered bud of Iobelle tries to open

ESMERALDA was pretty thirsty tonight. I have water all over the pen in different containers besides this rubber tub. Gotta keep 'em hydrated in these triple digits! A buncha the girls foraging around... Gotta have the "chicken butt" shots!! They have the cutest butts... except when they get pasty butt like Josephine... GABRIELLA - one of my beautiful Brahmas. They are huge birds. I have a feeling when they start laying, their eggs will be bigger than Elvira's! More foraging... MORTICIA - Elvira's sister. She's my noisiest bird. She makes all sorts of sounds and practically yells. Sometimes she sounds like a dentist's drill buzzing... My best girl FREDERIKA (Fred). She sit's on me and sometimes falls asleep on my lap. She's so pretty. She has a bum foot and sorta limps when she walks, and waddles so funny when she runs. I love her to pieces!! ROSALINA & HENRIETTA. Miss H is molting on her neck right now, and most of her beard is plucked! Silly birds... GRISELDA (Grizzie) - the sweetest of my two Barred Rocks. Her sister Ezzie bites me.. hard... draws blood sometimes. But I still love her too. They're all my sweeties. I just love them so much. Best thing we ever did... besides growing roses....