Mostly, runts doen't get better. And Rose Mosaic Virus problems contribute to down hill slides. But there are a few instances: Vole damaged roots. If I can save even part of an own root plant, it will recover. Fungal infected canes: sometimes the canes are just unhealthy and if I cut them back totally, the spring new growth comes back healthy. Well, the exception was last spring when the new vigorous growth got killed by the Easter Freeze and there was no second coming. A found rose that I thought was a goner, only to find that it had hung on, surrounded by grass/hay until it mustered enough whatever it takes for it to grow well. But that was an old survivor with patience built into its genetic code.

And now for something a little different: This is the chicken salad that was served for years at the annual Antique Show in Salisbury, NC. I think it is the only recipe my dear MIL ever used. Cook two large hens (5-6 pounds each) until tender, cool, and cut white meat in large pieces, dark meat into smaller bits. Mix with the cooked dressing that has been cooled and let stand overnight. Cooked Dressing: 2 TB flour 2 TB sugar 2 t. salt 2 TB butter 2 eggs, beaten 2 t. dry mustard 1 cup water 1/2 cup vinegar Mix dry ingredients; make a paste with part of the water. Then add in the eggs and remaining liquids and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Cook the dressing before mixing with the cut up chicken. The next day, add to chicken/dressing mixture: 2 bunches of celery, chopped fine, juice of two lemons, mayonnaise to the right consistency, red cayenne pepper, and additional salt to taste. Mix well, chill and serve on crisp lettuce. Another good recipe, a contender for the mythical "tea room" is this Chicken and Apricot salad with Double Mustard Dressing: 3 lb. boneless chicken breasts, poached just until tender, cooled to room temp 1 cup dried apricots, cut into 1/4" strips 1/3 cup cream sherry 3 ribs celery, coarsely chopped 4 scallions, green and white parts, sliced on the diagonal 1/2 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted 3 TB chopped fresh rosemary, or less to taste Double Mustard Mayonnaise 2 egg yolks 2 TB fresh lemon juice 2 TB grainy Dijon mustard 3/4 cup vegetable oil 2/3 cup olive oil 1/4 cup honey mustard salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Cut up the poached chicken breasts into 2" x 3/4" strips and place in a large bowl. Place the apricots and sherry in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, add the apricots and liquid to the chicken. Add the celery, scallions, almonds, and rosemary to the chicken mixture in the bowl and toss to combine. Prepare mayonnaise: In a food processor with a tight lid and fitted with the steel blade, add the eggs, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard and process for 10 seconds. With the machine running, stream in the veg. oil and the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add in the honey mustard and process smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Blend the salad with the mayonnaise. Refrigerate in a covered bowl for at least 2 hours. Serve on lettuce leaves with a sprig of fresh rosemary for garnish. Source: Nantucket Open-House Cookbook, Sarah Leah Chase.

At lkeast twice as much oil as vinegar....or lemon. If you are using good EVOO I don't see how it could be too oily...perhaps not enough sour or herbs or sugar....but more oil is better. And be careful with your vinegar...never white vinegar....and I prefer rice vinegar, or champagne vinegar...or even cider vinegar. Here's my "rules", copied from my computer recipes. Once you know the basics of vinaigrette, you'll never again be at the mercy of bottled dressings. The basic recipe is oil and vinegar, salt and pepper and a little sweetener. More oil than vinegar....I use very little salt...and fresh ground pepper and just a touch of sugar and sometimes another ingredient or two for variety. Knowing that, how about a recipe? 1T dijon mustard 1clove of garlic, crushed (or chopped very fine) 1T honey 1/3 cup cider vinegar Mix together, I use a wire wisk 1/2 or more cups olive oil...whisk the oil in a slow stream, whisking all the while Then I like to add some dried or fresh herbs....most of the time I use oregano...I donÂt' add salt because of the salt in the mustard, and I pepper it on the plate or in the bowl....like they do in a restaurant!! Now, if you substitute catsup for the mustard and use brown sugar instead of the honey, add a bit of cayenne and basil instead of the oregano, you have something different. If you substitute mayonnaise for the mustard and white sugar for the honey and add some chopped chives or green onion tops...it's different still. Try doing the mayonnaise thing and using walnut oil instead of olive oil....or substituting raspberry vinegar for the cider vinegar...or balsamic vinegar....or lemon juice....try adding some poppy seed or celery seed...for a fruit salad, leave out the garlic. The variations are endless....once you know the basics! Linda C

LOL May! I don't really use a recipe... I eye up the amount of ham. If I had about a lb. of ham, I'd chop it in the FP, put it in a bowl, add a couple of Tbsp of sweet relish, a couple stalks of celery, chopped, season with some black pepper and add enough mayo to bind. I know some like to add hard boiled egg... If the ham is fresh, then you could figure the salad will be good for 5 days refrigerated but if the ham has already been sitting in the frig...for three days, then you would figure on the salad staying good for only 2 more. Five days is my limit when using any high perishable food and you need to figure the time left when using leftovers... Nancy