Here's a little alba news from me.;) I have Chloris on order from Pickering for November delivery. They have sold out of her already, BUT they do 11 other albas still available: Alba Maxima, Blush Hip, Celestial, Felicite Parmentier, Great Maiden's Blush, Konigin von Danemark, Maiden's Blush, Mme Legras de St. Germain, Mme Plantier, Semi-Plena, and Suaveolens, http://www.pickeringnurseries.com/web_store_alba.cgi?&variety=alba Just received an order from High Country Roses in Colorado. Decided to take a chance on an alba found in Denver's Fairmount Cemetery called Jeremiah Pink. It was quite large for the pot (roughly equivalent in size to a band but with a wider and shallower container) and had an abundance of leaves. Arrived during one of our heat waves! but didn't seem to skip a beat. Now in a one gallon pot. See HCR's found rose page, http://highcountryroses.com/Qstore/Qstore.cgi?CMD=009&DEPT=1076372882&CAT=1110979713&BACK=A0007A1B01076372882B1 Heirloom now has one of the Rolf Sievers' albas in stock, Golden Blush. It's a cross of Maiden's Blush with the hybrid tea Golden Giant. The picture on Heirloom's site looks pretty, but HMF describes it as orange-pink, with photos that tend more to the orange side. I have an aversion to orange roses, so I don't know that I will try this one. If they decide to offer Crimson Blush or Summer Blush that will likely be another story. Imagine a RED alba! Heirloom's alba page, http://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html?limit=all Look how many are out of stock! It appears there are alba fans wanting to shop.;) Melissa

The 2nd day my pond was in existence I had 6 small bullfrogs show up. Now there are 4 of the original six. All are huge since it is 4 years later. Sometimes they would leave for months and then come back, but have never not been around in the fall before winter. Bullfrogs are partial to their homes and I think leave sometimes for food, and mating, and territory if too many, but otherwise are homebodies. Sad as it is, maybe something ate yours - is that possible you think? I have more snakes, a heron, and saw a raccoon once, and two of my neighbors cats hang out by my ponds now, so many of the smaller toads and frogs have disappeared, but so far this summer have kept my remaining original 4. My only named frog, called 'Droopy' was here in the spring but he has been missing in action for months now. I fear he is permanently gone:-( I had a big one-eyed frog run over by a car in front of my house once. He had strayed from the front yard pond to get insects I suppose and didn't see the car coming. There are lots of dangers out there for frogs like each other, cats, birds, little boys and girls with boxes, snakes, raccoons, and just old age. The widespread drought has not been good for amphibians either.

Actually, in our part of CT -- central to north central -- this was a banner year for milkweed!! Until now, that is... The patch in my meadow must have quadrupled this year, and it was in every bit of land along roads and even in shopping center parking lot strips. However, after Irene, I noticed my large stand in the meadow has shriveled and turned brown. Last year we had monarch caterpillars galore into early October. This year (though I have not yet waded into the remains of it) I can't see much green left, so there can't be much caterpillar activity. But YES! We can all plant milkweed, even if it's just in the back of a border or behind a barn. Massive quantities in the Midwest are gone because the farmers there now have corn that is Roundup resistant -- so they can spray their fields to get rid of the milkweed and not harm the corn. (Though why you want to feed anyone or anything corn that has been sprayed with Roundup is beyond me.) And they DO! NY Times had a great piece about it this summer ... Check out MonarchWatch.org and consider planting a few monarch-friendly plants, maybe even get your yard certified as a Monarch Waystation (there's no minimum size--and I can attest that milkweed will even grow in a pot on your patio, which makes watching those caterpillars work their magic so much easier!). It's a terrific project ... and the monarchs will thank you. I swear, they dip their wings as they head off in the fall ... pretty sure they're saying "thanks!!" Me, I just whisper "Godspeed" as I watch them bank to the southwest over my barn, beginning their amazing journey. Here is a link that might be useful: MonarchWatch.org

Hi Brendastarr, I may be doing mine a bit differently, but here is what works easiest for me. Go to Photobucket, click on any pics on the same page that you would like to post on a message here. Now go all the way to the bottom of that Photobucket page and click on the box that says"generate Img & Html code". This will take you to the next page where you will right click on the first selection and select "copy". Now exit out of Photobucket and come here and type your message. Right click in your message and select "paste". When you hit the preview message button, then all your selected pictures will appear in your message. Really makes it quick and easy to post multiple pictures. Give it a try and let me know if you have any other questions, okay? Luvs