Enjoyed the visit to your blog & seeing what JT, kids & you have been up to,looks like JT has been a very busy girl!!Love her outfit for the snow!!! Hot choc looks delicious!! Bet that warmed her & you right up!!! Too bad she will be leaving you but perhaps she will return some day for a visit!! Jan

Oh yes, a Cercis Forest Pansy would be wonderful, but I've already lived through that yearning, that phase of my gardening life where you attempt to grow things unsuited to your zone. I think I tried 3-4 Forest Pansies, wrapping them in burlap etc... in vain. This nursery has many Japanese maples that I'd love, flowering dogwoods too. There were wonderful variegated Ginkgos, but he said it would be 20 years before I'd know if it was a male or female. All of these were for warmer climates than mine! My tiny dwarf Korean fir is supposed to tolerate my climate, some shade too. :) I feel as though I've been to a foreign country after this outing! Definitely not a wild country garden look. All that was lacking was the chateau!

When you visit the Florida Botanical Garden in Largo, also cross over the foot bridge to Heritage Village (a link on the FBG website or http://www.pinellascounty.org/heritage/ ). They are both awesome. And free! "Come visit this 21-acre living history museum located in the heart of Pinellas County. The natural pine and palmetto landscape is home to some of Pinellas County's most historic buildings. More than 28 historic structures and features, some dating back to the 19th century, include a school, church, sponge warehouse, railroad depot and store as well as a variety of historic homes and farm structures." These is not far from the 30-mile-long chain of off shore islands "the beaches", nearest being Indian Rocks Beach which is perhaps the least over-developed... no high highrises, nice little eating places, cotteges... also there, and free: the world's largest seabird sanctuary http://www.seabirdsanctuary.com An hour or so away in downtown St. Petersburg, in the waterfront park system, is the "largest outdoor collection of palm trees in the world" as I think I have heard it advertised: the Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum. (free) http://www.stpete.org/parks/palm.asp Have fun! Irma

The best burger's in the world are at Miller's on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn. No menu. Just burger's (with or without cheese), fries and onion rings.9and of course a full bar) When you cash out, you go to the bar and tell them what you had. Careful, there's often a line for week-day lunch. I also strongly recommend one of the Arabic restaurants. (In Dearborn this mostly means Lebanese) El Ameer is considered one of the best. I also like Cedarland. Cedarland has a drive through, so it used to get my business for Schwarma and Falafel on the way home from work or my voice lessons. East Dearborn has the largest North American arabic population outside of the middle east. Head to Warren and Schaefer. There are lots of good bakeries and coffee shops, too! La Shish is well known - a local chain. The original is La Shish / Talal on Michigan Avenue. Still.. make the trip, go to El Ameer. Greek Town or Mexican Village in Detroit also have good examples of the food of the ethnic neighborhoods. If they are interested in either, let me know. Also, there are some good Polish restaurants in Hamtramck, but I know less about those. If they are looking for Michelin star eating the Lark is supposed to be wonderful. It's on my list, but I've never been. I agree about the Whitney, by the way. At the other end of the scale, they should definitely go to a Coney Island. Lafayette and American are the original, but Senate, Kerby's, any would be good. Coney Dogs are a must-get for my husband when we are in town. I get greek salad and coney fries. We're headed back to Detroit during Memorial Day week... and we're definitely hitting a coney island. Another must-go for us is The Earle in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor has lots of culinary choices. if it's on their route let me know!