I miss St. Nicholas! My mother let me let go of Santa Claus pretty easily, but she maintained St. Nicholas was for real to the end. I haven't put a stocking up since I was 17, my mother's--and St. Nick's last year--with us, but I could always count on oranges, imported chocolate (no wonder I still like the combination), assorted small gifts and one charcoal briquet (sp.?) to keep me humble. I sort of preferred it to Christmas. It was the holiday that felt like we celebrated because we wanted to, not because we had to. Our ritual wasn't as elaborate (or probably as traditional) as above, but thanks, Lilo, for the reminder!

Good selection Annececilia and I am so glad you managed to get them as I thought you had been too late. We too are having a bizarre springerized winter that I have not experienced in 10 years ... snow is about gone over Calgary and I been wearing my cool spring coat. I am really can not fathom why Pickering offered the Canadians for one and only one year and then says final season in the first year (WTH?????). I remember being really excited about Dr. F. L. Skinner and Red Dawn which I made sure I got in the fall along with eddie's crimson and suzanne (first time in 12 years I did a fall plant). In addition they discontinued due to poor demand a lot of roses I had good luck with with protection so I decided this year to essentially buy only the "last season ones" even though I had blasted out most of my "out of zone" roses. I could not turn down getting their last 2 Prince Napoleon's that I rate up there with Louise Odier, and Mrs Baker that has one of the most attractive colors (got 3 of them) and I continued to disbelieve it is an HP and I am still convinced it is a portland ... though because of this site I learned 8 years ago it is one of the "portland HP's". And a new one to Pickering of a couple of years called Agatha Incarnata ... good cane hardiness up here for a gallica, but not 100%, blooms sloppy but I do not care. Here what was confirmed ... Rosa paulii rosea Rosa sancta Soupert et Notting Williams Double Yellow Marguerite Hilling Eddies Crimson Agathe Incarnata (Blush Belgic) St. Nicholas Rose of Castile Pergolese Panach�e de Lyon Province Panach�e Prince Napol�on Pompon Blanc Parfait Raubritter Prairie Dawn Sharifa asma�� Queen Nefertiti� Red Dawn Mme Boll Mrs. Baker Juliet Victor Borge Bonita Renaissance Rosa forrestiana Suaveolens There are some still in the trade ones I also got but I do not include them.

Canadianrosesociety.org has both a picture of the flowers and a description of the shrub. Do a search for 'Explorer roses'. You will have to scroll down a bit but then a list of them appears. Nicolas is #6. Hope this helps. Marg

There’s a lot of traffic out there and a lot of cancelled flights And travelers waiting in lines at airports. The news says a fight broke out on a Delta flight. I’d like to think that Santa is “fully vaxxed,” “boosted,” and has his N95 nearby (will his beard fit inside it?). His trip has not been cancelled. Yay! Elsewhere