HH, I just spent the best ~20 minutes of my month so far with your gardens, kitties, and music. Yes, I watched it twice! Everything about your gardens is just wonderful. How much land do you have? I am so taken with all you have done and wishing I had such pretty cats too. Our dogs are much rougher on the yards, I am afraid. Thank you so much. I know I will watch your video over and over whenever I need a lift! Oh, and the music includes some of my favorite pieces, but I am not familiar with the piano arrangements you chose. Could you please tell me who that is playing? I think I need to add to my iPod classical playlist that I play in my classroom!

January 14-28. A link to the information won't be available until after the first. If you have something to donate or otherwise want to be on a mailing list contact dedean@q.com. That's all I know for now. I will be shopping for seed this year. When I know more I will start a thread.

Actually, I like what they did. Slavish adoration of Victorians is not my style. Those old houses are borderline unlivable by today's standards. The kitchens were for servants, the bathrooms archaic and the lack of closet space is maddening. And jeez, they are dark inside. Almost always poorly oriented to take advantage of views and light. I think its current state reflects a better balance of modern living in an old mansion better than the previous owners managed. And outside, a shiny red Tesla S, please! LOL!

Brandon, I'm so glad that you took the time and effort to do this. I like to compare my own roses to those grown in other places and your photos are so helpful. The two in common are Old Blush and Mirabilis. Yours are terrific and look healthy and beautiful. Old Blush was a mess in its original spot. I wondered why this rose was so popular for so long because it was never healthy. It lost its leaves from blackspot during first flush and stayed that way through the growing year. I moved it to a bed on the protected east side of our house and, except for watering it when I watered the other roses, that was all I did. It doesn't look as good as yours yet, but it is growing and blooming. It's now rarely affected by blackspot and I can't remember the last time it lost leaves. I wonder what your garden provides that mine couldn't; Lower humidity? More fertile soil? Higher Ph? Or...? Mirabilis is a new rose this year, a baby band this spring. It has been a steady grower and very healthy in a difficult year. I hope it can bloom as well as yours someday because yours is lovely. This rose seems untroubled by the differences in our climates and soil and seems to do well for both places.