I live about 2 miles up the road from Duke Farms. I have gone on the greenhouse tour about a dozen times over the past five years. I especially loved going in February when the sky and the earth are so gray and brown. The gardens were transporting: so enchanting and uplifting to walk through such color and frangrance. Mrs. Duke's cat, until its death a couple of years ago would wander through and you felt a whisper of Doris Duke's presence. I tried to get in one last tour before the gardens closed-I could usually make a reservation without much difficulty (you need to reserve a spot)-but all the tours were free the last month and booked up quickly. There have been a few changes at Duke Farms in the past few years. About three years ago, the Trust sold off most of Doris Duke's furniture as specified in her will. In 2004, the estate hosted the Geraldine R. Dodge poetry festival. The estate also added horticulture classes. Butterfly tours. Guided bus tours. Nature walks. From visiting often, I do get the impression that the trustees are trying to follow Miss Duke's instructions. Articles in the local papers have the foundation planning to rebuild the greenhouses in another location on the estate.

Thank you very much for posting Samuel, you can visti to see more photo of my roses on flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27006758@N04/

Hi Vickey...that is true, for the German Shorthairs, but these pups are not German Shorthairs. They're a similar, but totally different (with different breed combo backgrounds) breed, registered and bred through a German organization. They're Deutsch Drahthaars (even more confusing since that means 'wire hair'; but they're not 'German Wirehairs, either! LOL) The Drahthaar breed does not have a "physical standard" as most AKC breeds do. "Looks," other than solid, strong, and able to hunt long and hard, are the last consideration for a Deutsch Drahthaar. DDs can be any shade of black or brown, with any degree of markings - or not - solid color or not, bearded or not, tall or short, and range in size from 40-85 lbs. Their only requirements are that the parents be registered DDs that have passed all four of the breed-standard hunting tests and be hip-dysplasia and physical deformity free. If they meet these standards, which is extremely hard to do, the DD organization issues breeding permits. The qualifying dogs are allowed only three litters during their life between ages of 3-9, I believe. They have to be matched up and bred with other qualified and approved DD mates.

Thank you, Murraysmom. I hadn't seen those FindAGrave memorials before. Phineas is my great-grandmother's brother. It was only a few years ago that I learned the Phillips line of my family started out as Sieradzki. I had no idea I was part Polish. Then when I had my DNA tested I learned I was also part Scandinavian and Italian. The latter was an even bigger surprise. :-) My cousin hopes to find the maiden name of Phineas' mother, Amelia, on one of her children's death certificate. He obtained the one for my great-grandmother, Esther (whose name can be taken off the list above), but that gave both her mother's and father's name as Phillips. Could be true, of course, but he thinks it's a mistake. Thanks again!