Hey all! I am liking this tablet but am missing a key board and mouse. I must be old fashioned, lol. I am trying to stir up a twitter hashtag for us #gwroses but I'm not sure it'll work. I hope it does I really miss the old days here. Y'all became such great friends. I do get free books with kindle, but no free rose dictionary yet...here's hoping. Florence, each day has been a struggle but my family and roses are my reason d'etre. How are you feeling???? I truly hope all is well! Rosy hugs, carlota or @HobbesCarlota on twitter.

Hi Mike, it seemed like it has been a weird day. First I forgot that I had a Dr's appointment and had to rush to get there. Then I went to use my bank card,it wouldn't work so had to go to bank and get a replacement. Then I got a call that a very close friend of ours fell and broke his femur and is in hospital . Anyway going to try to write again after losing everything yesterday. Mike I am very pleased about the solar cover. It is great. Unfortunately it is 70 degrees in there but due to the wind and rain I have not opened the door. Hopefully it will get cooler. It is 72 outside at the moment I am so sorry your Mom is still having difficulty. Fried food will definitely not be good and fatty foods can be difficult to digest . After having the gallbladder removed the common bile duct will take over the job the gallbladder used to do, secreting digestive enzymes etc. Does she see a dietition who can help her with food choices? It may take awhile for the body to adjust. I had my gallbladder removed 20 years ago but still cannot eat fried food. I do hope she feels better Please tell be I am thinking of her. You are right about wanting flowers and plants to grow once the trees are inside for the winter. I am in love with the mini orchids . I like scented but have to be careful as some cause my asthma to act up. As for watering the mini's some say an ice cube once a week . But I have read the cold might not be best. Warm water might work but they should dry out once between watering. What is the correct way to water them? I hate to think what I might buy at the two orchid shows that are coming here .i had better ask for advise first I am so happy you were able to get your refinancing, and at a good rate. Good for you Mike. I think everyone struggles now. The markets are all over the place. My husband is a financial advisor and he says it is unpredictable these days. There is so much going on in the world that effects the market that we cannot control. Scary. It sounds like we are all getting warm weather . A nice surprise after the cold spell we had. I apologize for my pictures being upside down. I am still trying to fix the problem. I have been researching to find out what to do. Next time I will try turning my iPad around. The problem is they are all right side up on my end. It was so nice to see you so happy about the warm weather. It bring you so much joy. Take care my friend. Maggy

Good Morning, Everyone! Thank you all for the "welcome back". I missed each and every one of you. Stormy here today on this Good Friday. Dark and a bit chilly out. Good weather for gardens though. Glad for the rain though. We've had high temps and high, dry winds this past week and wildfires every day. Nothing close to here, but close enough that I could smell the smoke. My dogs erupted in chorus with every firetruck that passed by over on the highway.(hehehe). I took pictures of the gardens on the 31st. Glad I did, as the hot, dry winds dried out all the pretty yellow Jonquils later that day. Blasted hot winds ruined them before our Easter Sunday family picnic and egg hunt. They were magnificent in chorus with the yellow forsythias, white Bridle's Wreath, and Redbud trees now in full bloom all over the garden. My beloved Jane Magnolia is breathtakingly beautiful this year and smells so wonderful. I planted out some Orange Perfection Phlox yesterday. Tried them last year, but they didn't make it. This rain may ensure these do. I dug around in the bin at the store until I found one, just one package with moist peat inside. Holding it up to to sunlight, I could just make out something possibly alive in that dark green plastic bag. Makes me mad to pay five bucks for dead rootstock. They are not the best looking root stocks I ever saw, but think they will make it. I only need one to survive to establish a nice clump this year for next year's blooms. I also planted a package of purple Liatris and a package of Freesia bulbs for summer blooms. I love the smell of Freesia. Yummy. All the Peonies are up and beginning to make tiny flower buds. Hopefully the red ones and deep magenta ones will bloom this year too. If they do, it will be their first time. Some deer came into the yard this winter and ate the top branches off the one surviving River birch sapling, but it is recovering nicely now. I caged it with a tomato cage and for now they are leaving it alone. They are "camped" up on the hill, hiding in wait for my juicy, delicious roses to start blooming, no doubt. :[ I've been taking the dogs for walks up there every morning and hopefully their pee and poop will make them think twice about coming any closer to the back yard. My English Shepherd could easily take down a whitetail deer. DH said this weekend he would finish stretching field fence around on the inside of the existing barbed wire fencing to keep out critters. That won't keep deer out, but it will keep our dogs in, so we can let them run loose on the property. That will be great. They need the exercise and I need them to do their job protecting the place. They love it, too. Hopefully the raccoons & coyotes will take the hint. Keep Out! Anyhow, so far so good. Gotta go check on my chicks. They poopy up their water really fast and will be ready for breakfast. :) Talk to you guys later. ~Annie

Thanks Yachter, I will make sure I look for that shop. Since I have never been there before, everything will be new to me. One of my other friends told me there is a big antiques/gift/craft store by the highway so I want to look for that too. We got reservations in a park within walking distance of the main drag. That should help us avoid some of the traffic--if we can take the heat! LOL I love it when they put your purchase in a bag with the tissue paper. Tried to get the owners at the antique/collectibles shop where I worked for awhile to do that, but they said plastic bags are cheaper! Amazed me that she was so into doing great display vignettes and couldn't see why nice bags would add a little touch of class and make the customers feel special. Do you already have new homes for all six puppies? That would be so great. I take it this is not the first litter your dog has had. I know they are a very popular breed. So are you going to miss the yard sales this weekend? Oh no, I always look forward to seeing your great finds. I just walked down to one my neighbor was having--not much left, but I did get some baby clothes for my great neice's baby--almost like new from my neighbors twin GD's. Luvs