When my son was in 2nd grade he had a teacher that had created this "take care of your own behavior" kind of thing. She would team the kids up, count points etc. use yellow and red cards. At the end of the week if you had no red cards you were considered a "Mello Yellow" and she'd have all those kids up to the front and play the beatles song while they danced around. The joke of it was the team group who had emassed the most points on friday be allowed to bring in snacks (supposedly healthy) with drinks and eat them in front of the other kids all day long!!! Absolutely the wrong idea on many levels if you ask me. She'd hand out candy as they danced around to the mello yellow song! (So much for mello, sugar them up and send them home to us). So my son wanted to be on the winning team in the worst way. Every Thursday they'd find out if their team won. It was a sad Friday and frustrating when he didn't win. He had to sit there and watch the other kids eat all day and they were not allowed to share. Well, soon his team won. I sent baby carrots, apples etc. Some other kids parents sent garbage to eat. Many times my "good food" would come back home. Many times she supposedly sent the non allowed food home. The irony was when every Friday she handed out candy to the mellow yellow's. So much for do as I say... Anyway, near the end of the year, we were at a big nursery and I sent my son around to smell the roses and report back, since I won't buy a rose unless it smells good. He ran back a while later as I was 3 rows over and dragged me to what he had found. We left that day with a Mello Yellow rose for his teacher. She got a big kick out of it. Just a true rose story I thought you might like. Nicole, :)

Thanks to everyone for the responses and suggestions! I really appreciate it. Toolbelt: part Canadian is still good. :) I have asked at a few nurseries and everyone seems a little "meh" on the rose options here. One high-end, quite well-known nursery basically told me to choose from the Explorer series and that was all they could offer me. They only had about 3 selections and I left feeling a little blue. But I'll keep checking. ptwonline: I'll check into Campfire; thanks for suggesting it. I hadn't thought of growing in pots. Maybe once my deck is done...can you do DAs in pots in this zone? Slimy_Okra: I'm in the Edmonton area so no chinooks for me. I'll make sure to mulch like mad; I learned the value of mulch in my last garden, so I'm sold on that. But I didn't think much about exposure except for "full sun", so I appreciate the wisdom about the early budding. I wouldn't have thought of it myself. blackgavotte: Wow. Two of the most beautiful places in Canada, and you've lived in both! Though I can't imagine going from a garden in B.C. to one on the coast. My hat's off to you for soldiering through. Zaphod42 gave me some roses to try, and Campfire was suggested, so I'll keep trying. I just can't seem to get past the form and fullness of the DAs and I think now that what I am really asking is if anyone makes a rose like them that survives in my climate. Of course the answer is "no", but I keep asking as if someone will someday say "yes". "Hansa" has a lovely colour though, so that's a plus. Zaphod42: many thanks for that list! I've looked over it and I am going to give the three Canadians and Great Maiden's Blush a try. I had Henry Kelsey before, I think. Light pink? And Snowbeauty is a favorite out here if I'm not mistaken. But it only blooms once, right? That's one of my hold-backs; I'll just have to plant colour around it. We get tons of snow cover. Too much. :) But you're right, it's good protection. And since we have what appears to be an entire village of hares around here, perhaps the snow cover will keep them from eating the roses when food is scarce in winter. Thanks again everyone! Lots of interesting user names too. ;)

Bad News from Santa Claus To Whom it May Concern: Mrs. Claus and I regret to inform you that effective immediately, I will no longer be able to service the Southern United States on Christmas Eve. Due to overwhelming current population of the earth, my contract was renegotiated by North American Fairies and Elves Local 209. I now serve only certain areas of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. As part of the new and better contract I also get longer breaks for milk and cookies so keep that in mind. However, I'm certain that your children will be in good hands with your local replacement who happens to be my third cousin, Bubba Claus. His side of the family is from the South pole. He shares my goal of delivering toys to all the good boys and girls. However, there are a few differences between us, including: 1. There is no danger of a Grinch stealing your presents from Bubba Claus. He has a gun rack on his sleigh and a bumper sticker that reads: "These toys insured by Smith & Wesson." 2. Instead of milk and cookies, Bubba Claus prefers that children leave a RC Cola and peanut patty (or a Moon Pie) on the fireplace. And Bubba doesn't smoke a pipe. He dips a little snuff though, so please have an empty spit can handy. 3. Bubba Claus' sleigh is pulled by floppy-eared, flyin' coon dogs instead of reindeer. I made the mistake of loaning him a couple of my reindeer one time, and Blitzen's head now overlooks Bubba's fireplace. 4. You won't hear "On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen..." when Bubba Claus arrives. Instead you'll hear, "On Earnhardt, on Wallace, on Martin and LaBonte. On Rudd, on Jarrett, on Elliot and Petty." 5. "Ho, ho, ho!" has been replaced by "Yee Haw!" And you also are likely to hear Bubba's elves reply, "I her'd dat!" 6. As required by Southern highway laws, Bubba Claus' sleigh does have a Yosemite Sam safety triangle on the back with the words, "Back Off!" 7. Bubba Claus doesn't wear a belt. If I were you, I'd make sure you, the wife, and the kids turn the other way when he bends over to put presents under the tree. 8. Bubba Claus refuses to wear the standard issue Santa cap because he says it makes him look like a girly-boy. He has been granted permission to wear a white Stetson with a red band instead, as well as black cowboy boots. Sincerely Yours, Santa Claus (Member, North American Fairies and Elves Local 209)

Here's a perspective from someone who ran into the plate pretty regularly: "I pass his car on my way to work almost every day. As someone who has experienced sexual assault, it was jarring to me. My past experiences are my own, and I don't expect the world to accommodate me, but to be honest, seeing that plate, with no context, bothered me enough that if I saw his car in the lot at the Tim Hortons he frequents, I walked in a way that I didn't have to see his plate. I noticed in January that it had been changed, and frankly, was pleased with that. I'm sorry this guy is upset about this, but his name would be interpreted by 99% of the population as a phrase that is unacceptable in our society without the context of this article. My mornings are improved that I don't have to see his plate every morning. I want to make it clear I did not complain about his plate. I'm not sad that I don't have to look at it anymore either. He can say it never bothered anyone, but I'm sure I'm not the only person who saw it parked somewhere and didn't bother to track down the owner for an explanation."