Thank you, Sandandsun, for that compliment. It is nice to know that people have enjoyed reading about my roses even if they weren't living in such a cold zone themselves. I must say that after all these years, just that smidgeon of decreased cold to garden in is exciting to me - although you'd never know any difference from the brutal winter just past! So I had to go out onto the patio to refresh my olfactory senses regarding Kordes' Savannah, where the roses on the wagon were snugged up to the glass door over night (it's only 32 degrees out there right now.) The only wide open bloom has a damask scent to it - not very strong, but the bloom is old and it's very chilly. There are two more buds that will open if we get some sun and warmth and I'll be sure to note the type of fragrance for you when it's fresh. I did snap off the open bloom and bring it indoors but I'm afraid it is competing with the overpoweringly heavy scent of Easter's potted hyacinths which is filling my house right now! Still, sinking my nose right into the bloom, I think of the damask, old rose scent. Yum.

Heres what you missed "FRUITA ORCHARDS PHOTOVisitors of Capitol Reef are often curious about the orchards that lie within a mile or two of the Visitor Center. These trees are the most obvious remnant of the pioneer community of Fruita, which was settled in 1880. Usually no more than 10 families lived in Fruita at any one time, and the last resident moved away in 1969. Early settlers planted the orchards to insure subsistence. Today, the orchards are preserved and protected as a Rural Historic Landscape. The orchards hold approximately 2,700 trees and are composed of cherry, apricot, peach, pear, and apple, as well as, a few plum, mulberry, almond, and walnut trees. The National Park Service now owns and maintains the orchards with a 2-person orchard crew that is kept busy year round with pruning, irrigation, and orchard management. You are welcome to stroll in any unlocked orchard and you may consume as much ripe fruit as you want while in the orchards. Fruit may not be picked in quantity until the designated harvest begins. Orchards that are open for picking are signed as such. A fee is charged for all fruit picked and removed from the orchards. Signs listing fruit prices, scales, plastic bags, and a self-pay station are located near the entrance of open orchards. Please select only ripe fruit and leave the rest to ripen for other visitors. "

Fern, Go to Costco garden center....maybe they will have some. ;) I bought a rhodo this week. Right now its sitting in my diningroom. LOL. I have a friend that has one by her front door...I don't know the kind.....but they learned that they had to wrap it in burlap for the winter and it blooms nicely for them every year now. When they first got it..years ago...they didn't wrap it and it survived but didn't bloom...they said it looked kind of sad for the first couple of years. But since they started wrapping it...it blooms beautifully...I have watched it for a few years now.... So hopefully mine will be as nice. Keeping fingers crossed. Sierra

1. Your house has great bones. It would look beautiful in any color. I'm advocating preserving the brick, though, because using that brick color was integral to the design of the house, is more appropriate for the era, and also because you can't get that brick anymore. It's historic & perhaps even rare. It's a golden color with a lot of depth & character, looks good no matter what the season, has a natural earthiness to it, and makes the house fit in with the land. And when the sun shines on it, it exudes a warm glow that's just so homey and lovely. 2. The Great Painted Brick Debate: caroleoh brings up a controversial post from last year about a house with gorgeous brick that the owner wanted to paint. The issues with that house were different though. The brick was only on the front, with vinyl siding on the rest of the house. The house looked nice...from one angle. The house looked disjointed from all other views. Also, the windows on that house were awful: unattractive vinyl windows, placed badly too (a lot of tiny windows on a massive facade). The owner especially didn't like how the windows were so prominent. The dark brick, though lovely, just made the bad windows jump out at you. She wanted to paint the entire house a soft, light color to unify the sides and downplay the ugly windows. She did, and it worked. There was a lot of heated argument about painting that brick, though. It was beautiful brick, but it's like the builder tried to cut costs elsewhere by using lots of vinyl, and the house ended up looking awkward for it. That pretty brick juxtaposed with all that vinyl didn't work. 3. Your example, snagd, is gorgeous. Your house could probably wear those colors & accessories very well, and I really can understand why you'd want to "update" the look of the house. In lots of cases, that works for the better. But I feel strongly that pretty old houses like yours are a dying breed. People "update" them or tear them down merely because of fashion. Here you have this exquisite historical home with authentic colors and design, all of which are still fabulous & beautiful. But you want something else, and want to make superficial changes that will destroy the historic character of the home, and perhaps the neighborhood too. (I'm saying all this without anger, btw, just trying to present a reasonable case for historic preservation.) Besides, if you clean the brick instead of painting it, you'll have more $$$ for the interior & landscaping :)