Carrie, you hit the nail squarely on the head -- some days the enormity of planting my roses can get to me. Most days, though, I'm really excited about setting them free from their pot prisons. Our property has been farm land for its entire history, so our soil is not the usual rocky Virginia clay that I'm used to. In most places, I can easily sink a shovel its entire depth, and the soil that comes up is varying shades of brown. My pH is a little low, but I'll be able to work with that. Since you asked, here are a couple of 'before' photos of the area by the barn that I see as becoming a killer rose garden. The soil there is even better than I've seen anywhere else -- I guess it was all those cows and stuff milling around for so many years that did the trick. Under this mound of honeysuckle is an old cattle chute. During the first day of barn renovation a few weeks ago, I had the equipment operator clear out all the rotten fencing and overgrowth while he was waiting to work on the building. Here's the equipment doing its thing: The south side of the barn, after the cattle chute was removed. We've owned this place for 5 years (though we've only lived here for 5 months) and I had never seen this view because of all the overgrowth. I left the gate that had been at the end of the cattle chute because I liked it and I thought I could use it in the garden. I see it with smallish climbers at each corner. Here's the barn progress as of a few days ago. I think it will be a wonderful backdrop to a country rose garden. BTW, it IS all Robert's fault. Without his example, I would probably have gone about all of this in a much more controlled manner. Seeing what he has created in his garden gives me the encouragement to do roses on a much broader scale, and the courage to try things without the fear of making mistakes. Thank you, my friend. Connie

Lin, several years ago, I spent some time researching plant patent and trademark laws, and came to the comfortable conclusion that as long as I was propagating for my own use, or to give or trade to friends, although illegal, that I wouldn't end up on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list. I derive a certain pleasure from propagating plants from cuttings and since I haven't developed an over-powering feeling of guilt, or loss of sleep over it, I'm still happy with that decision. I'm sure some see it differently. Jim

Are you trying to embarrass me? Of course there isn't. I finished them this morning the whole time asking myself why are you eating these you're not even hungry. Well, at least I don't have to think about them anymore. This is why I can't have any bad stuff in the house. I have no will power. p. s. You did make me laugh though.

We will be making this again. It was an instant favourite! My son told me I should have made the cheese biscuits to go with it. I wish he had told me that before we sat down to eat. Next time..... I'll probably make a salad to go with it so the rest of the bunch of kale can be eaten raw. I have 1/2 the bunch left that I bought.