I am new to brugs (just got 4 in a plant exchange in September). Here in Minnesota, I know I am going to have to treat them much differently from the way most of you can handle them. Luckily, the man who brought them to the exchange has been devoted to them for years and I am probably going to drive him crazy with questions over this first year. I just clicked onto the brug forum for the first time. Imagine my surprise and delight at seeing the "Brug bouquets" posting. That is one of the things I had been wondering about, but assuming that it probably was not to be. So far, my 12 to 18" rooted brug cuttings are looking just great. I was told not to be surprised if I got white flies over winter (so far, not). If they start looking distressed in any way, I am going to be right on the horn to you folks. I am determined to give these gorgeous beauties a fair chance. Carmellia

Louisiana Gal...I read another one of your posts....a welcome back home post....and wanted to say hi. I'm from St. Bernard parish and live not too far from you in Olive Branch, MS. Starting my garden in my new home we bought up here after Katrina and these have done well for me. Blue girl- leggy but bloomed like crazy. I like her for cutting Marilyn Monroe- a mean thorny Heifer but the blooms were so creamy and beautiful .....I love her. Royal amethyst- it's a standard tree rose....does great. I bought a mississippi rainbow for $2.50 in a body bag from freds...LOL and it did very well....the color wasn't "rainbowed" like the pic but soft and blended....I like her anyway. My best producers are by far the inexpensive white "flower carpet" roses from HD.....I know crazy but they had no thrip problems and the heat didn't seem to bother them last year. Gourmet popcorn didn't do too bad either. Peach of course did great and so did my DH's fave double delight. i have a few more but these were my faves....

Well, my bachelor interlude is ending. This morning I'm flying to the Bay Area to join SWMBO and dear son who have been gallivanting around NorCal and SoCal, visiting friends, Universal Studios, museums, whatnot. I'll hang out in Berkeley for a couple days before driving home with them on Thursday. Hopefully I'll find a place to watch the Tour de France as it is about to move into the mountain stages. I'll also be working some - "have laptop will travel" you know. Maybe someone will loan me a bike to take a ride or two. When I get back, it's straight to Seattle for the Seattle-To-Portland ride next Saturday and Sunday. That should be fun, or painful, or both. I've neglected to make any lodging arrangements at the overnight stop in Centralia, but am figuring I can camp somewhere. I've alerted the office that I am play-it-by-ear as far as coming in on the following Monday goes. It has been a bit less than three weeks of a diet of minimal grains, lots of fruit and meat, and the occasional vegetable. Missed my usual bachelor fare of ramen and burritos, never had time to make myself a plate of boeuf hache, but I haven't starved. I've ridden about 200 miles, lost a couple of pounds, made two batches of beef jerky, and sent dear daughter several parcels and multiple letters. Hey, Eileen, I didn't get your email. If you're still coming through Portland, let me know. johnliu@earthlink.net. Cab's here. Gotta go!

"So do any of you keep a Book Journal to remember what books you have read? I'm trying to think of some format to write down all the ones I've read and maybe a list of ones that sound good (To Be Read). I get such great ideas from this thread." I don't have a system as elaborate as Maryann's, but since 1999, I've get a list by year in a Word document of every book I've read and the author. It's fun to go back and look at how many or how few books I read each year. Last year was a record high since I started keeping my list - I read 50 books. I'm sure to some that's not many but it was for me. I looooove to read. I have a friend who is a voracious reader - she's in her 50's and has arthritis pretty bad and doesn't work so reading is her favorite thing to do. We had dinner together a few months ago and she said she remembers as a kid taking her wagon to the library and carting books home. She said her parents were always fussing at her to get her nose out the book and go outside and play. Neither one of my kids read for pleasure - I wish they did - you're able to visit so many places that you might not ever get to see in person if you enjoy reading.