Hi Mnkitty! Sam Kedem is from Israel. I asked him one time and he made me guess. I grow Reine des Violettes and Tradescant, among others. I don't do the Minnesota tip on any of them. Professor Roush is right--whether you bother with it or not depends on how much of the rose you want to survive. Most of the once-bloomers are quite hardy and don't need tipping anyway in our zone. I dump some leaves around the base of each one in fall if I get around to it. Austin roses, Bucks, HTs and Floribundas need a little more mulching to protect as much cane as possible. Don't remove the mulch until late April or so, when the leaves start to come out. Using fall leaves to mulch is easier than the Minnesota Tip but your roses stay shorter. Purple roses--I grow the Gallica 'Ombree Parfaite' and the HP 'Reine des Violettes' and they both do fine. 'Ombree Parfaite' makes a really attractive leafy shrub. I got mine from Pickering in Canada. I used to have the Floribunda 'Ebb Tide' and liked it a lot. It needs a good blanket of mulch/leaves, though, to make it through the winter. I gave it to a friend who loves purple roses, and she didn't protect it, so it died. Of course the hardiest, most fragrant and easiest roses for Minnesotans are the Rugosas. I have a lot of them, but no purple ones; I have Roseraie de l'Hay, which is sort of a crimson-purple, and wonderfully fragrant. There is also one called Purple Pavement you might check out (I don't have that one). I also grow 'Ann Endt'--very hardy and healthy shrub, very purple single flower. Good luck!

Occasionally.... DD usually has to remind me it's on! At most....I've seen maybe 1/2 the shows. About 3 weeks and they're "close-by" in Walker, MN!!! Faron

WTG Brendan! Lori, is that the good news in his future you alluded to in Support #7 or is there something more? Lyra, it has been so hot here (Ellen how did everyone get through graduation!!!) that we still had the A/C on at 9:30 at night. More today and tomorrow. Yesterday I took DS #1 to the DMV to take his written provisional driver license test. He passed, dang. California requires six hours profe$$ional driver training, and that starts next Saturday! Clear the roads! Tonight I go to my High School 30th reiunion. I have't even been to one of them. I contacted someone I used to be freinds with and we're looking forward to hooking up again. I'm leaving DH at home - why do people take spouses, they will only be bored! I'm going with a synagogue member - someone connected the dots for us. We never knew each other in high school, but interact a lot now. Small world. Tomorrow I dump DS #2 off at computer camp. Heh heh. Buh-bye! Trying to stay cool. It will be record breaking HOT here this weekend, so hot I didn't make a challah yesterday, I didn't want to turn on the oven. Yikes! Clink with iced tea!

Thank you all for your heartwarming words about Ruffin and the enormous milestone he reached today. My two angels are in bed (I also have a 3.5 year-old) and as I think about today, a date I'll remember forever (or until my brain gives out!), I just feel incredible warm fuzzies about his standing unaided and that step. The marble slabs / house remodel? Don't care. Doesn't matter. My sweet little button standing? I'm on top of the world!!! And you all totally understand. Thank you!!! Thank you, louisianapurchase, for telling me about your children and the work you did with your older son to help him overcome his fine motor issues. I just love hearing stories like yours -- I love hearing that children can and do get better. And thank you for writing that St. John (my older son) reminds you of your younger son! That's a nice compliment. mnhockeymom, holy cow that is remarkable about your son! Honestly, these medical professionals can scare the living daylights out of you (at least they have me with their earlier [mis]diagnoses of Ruffin) and to have heard the word "fatal" about one of your babies must have been incredibly frightening. I am so grateful your son is fine, healthy and "normal" for his age. When it comes to the health and welfare of our children, the world is a small place for people who care about children. I feel like holding hands with all the involved parents and singing "Kumbaya." I know it sounds goofy, but I just feel so connected to the other loving, concerned caregivers out there. I'm excited your countertops still give you a thrill -- since I am following your lead that'll hopefully be me later this year! katmandu -- I just have to tell you how much I like you! I'm so glad you joined GW. You wrote exactly what I'm feeling -- that Ruffin's steps are really all which matter to me. The countertops will be nice and the way this all happened (the rude lady, the "switched" slabs) was wrong, but keeping it in perspective, doesn't matter! Thank you, too, for telling me about when your children started walking. It is really helpful to my psyche to know that "normal" children (without delays / special needs) can and do start walking throughout their second year of life. Now about the marble: do keep it in mind when it's your turn. If it hadn't been for GWers who'd written out what to do for slab countertops (taking photos of your slabs as you pick them, being there when the templates are made, insisting on being there for the templates to be applied to the slabs and taking more pictures) I wouldn't have had the "proof" to both show others I was right as well as assuage myself! If I had to do it again you can bet I'd say to the first guy (with whom Ruffin and I selected our slabs): "Are you absolutely sure THESE are the slabs I'm going to get? Because THESE are the only slabs I want!" and then I'd check the claim tickets and make sure the numbers there matched up with the slabs I want. vwhippiechick -- reading your note brought (more) tears to my eyes! Bless you for all the incredible good you've given people. You truly are a miracle worker. I love (and I really mean "love" with my heart, not just a throw-away euphemism) all of Ruffin's therapists (physical, occupational and speech): these women, on a weekly basis, are vastly improving the quality of all of our lives (Ruffin's, mine, my older son's and my husband). You really are a miracle worker! You are 100% right -- marble? My little boy is improving!!! Your families are lucky to have you. Mindi -- you are so sweet. Thank you for your supportive words and advice. I loved reading your note, and a fine man like your son is exactly what this world needs! Yours is a kitchen I am going to be closely following -- you have such a fabulous aesthetic and with that marble -- that marble! -- it is going to be stunning. From an earlier note of yours, I want to say I can totally relate to your wardrobe: I pretty much live in black (don't feel comfortable in white -- I am incredibly fair and feel white washes me out, like a walking block of tofu!) and love "architectural" clothes (my mainstays are BabetteSF and Yohji, although since living covered by snot and cracker crumbs I wear more Eileen Fisher because I can wash it at home!). I think I'd love poking through your closet .... Ah Robin -- my virtual hand-holder. You give so much to so many of us here on GW. How are you? I worry that you don't receive as much as you give, and I don't want you feeling depleted. You are too valuable. You're too important to me! You have seen me go through it all -- beating myself up for yelling at my children, losing our beloved kitten (since, gratefully, found), getting a puppy (she's great!), these silly slabs, and now something wonderful: Ruffin! I'm so happy I could share something positive with you, friend. And thank you for the encouraging words about our kitchen. Listen, if my kitchen looks 1/88th as good as your kitchen then we'll be one lucky family! Maybe by virtual osmosis your good taste will rub off on me .... Hopefully the next time I post about our kitchen it will be to share pictures of things falling into place (doors / drawer fronts on, countertop installed, backsplash installed, appliances in / panels applied, and maybe one day, the whole kitchen done!). To a one, Thank You. -Brooke