How could I forget Just Joey and Tamora? I am getting Just Joey [also Brandy and Medallion] next weekend when I make my yearly pilgrimage to Robertsons Nursery near Houston - he doesnt ship, has the biggest, healthiest potted roses I have ever seen. I always come home with more than I need.... Brandy....a lot of these roses on my list are ones I have ordered for spring and havent grown yet. One that is currently growing for me that has had not one instance of blackspot is Vesper. I dont hear it mentioned much, but its a great little rose, very healthy. Its own root, and think it would do well in a pot. I am in east Texas, and it definitely heats up in the summer here. But I water constantly and spray fairly consistently so dont have too many problems. I dont really seem to have too many blackspot problems with the apricots that I grow - perhaps because I spray. I dont spray the rugosa Vanguard because rugosas dont like it. Ceterum, I have Versigny on order from Roses Unlimited. They unfailingly send great plants! Photos look gorgeous on this one, cant wait to see it bloom! As for the ones being the most orange, I think Pat Austin and Lady Emma Hamilton [on order for spring], Orange Ruffles and Anne Harkness would be. Apricot can be so many different shades - from a light, pale color to one with a yellowish tint to just a shade off orange. One I didnt list that is between apricot and orange is Lillian, from Roses Unlimited. It has a ruffled bloom, very pretty color. Dont hear this one discussed, but I like it. I like my apricots to be pure, no yellow - like Fragrant Apricot, Just Joey. Oh, and I left Evelyn off the list.....she is still in a pot, I understand she is a bit of a diva, so am still contemplating the perfect spot for her. She has a divine scent and a beautiful bloom. Another apricot shaded one I adore is Tahitian Sunset. I didnt care for it from the photos when it first came out, but when I saw it blooming at Chamblees, I zeroed in on it, was surprised to find it was this rose. The photos dont begin to do it justice, its one of my favorites. I have a long bed in the backyard that I am going to fill with apricot and mauves.....and edge with white, lavender and apricot periwinkles for summer. And am planning a formal bed with 4 beds surrounding a Knockout tree rose and will do one section of that in apricot, purple and mauves. Cant get enough of this beautiful color!! Would love to hear comments on other apricots being grown. Judith

Okay we got our small fix of good news. MR. Blue has been with a female this evening! Thing is...maybe I was wrong. Could it be that he was just singing; a happy bird? It's too hard to tell because I didn't see anything happen yesterday...I even saw her in the early afternoon And also both birds have been in the box and have defended from the swallows. I will leave the nest either way. Hopw I see eggs soon! If they don't begin again soon there won't be an opportunity for a 2nd nesting.

I loved Ina's kitchen too, so I can't wait to see your finished kitchen! And I'm dong a 10' island with no upper cabs so we have similar taste :-) Here are my thoughts at first glance: - Ditto what Marcolo said about the range being butt to butt with cleanup, so moving the sink would be good. - It might just be me, but I feel like a 48" range (nix the speed oven) would have more visual balance with the island size. - Where will your dishes and silverware be stored? I know you said in drawers, but where will those drawers be? In the pantry? - Do you envision using the two DWs daily? Or one more when you're entertaining? We're doing two as well, but are putting the second one in our pantry and are going to use that as the "hide the mess" spot when we entertain. - Can you post your whole first floor? I searched for it but the references to it have been removed from your photobucket acct. - The current island seating looks like it might be hard to get in and out of because of the cabinet sides on the two end stools. Especially if two people are sitting in the middle seats. - I'd consider doing L-shaped seating and increase the seating amount to 6 or even 8. You said you have two kids but may have another one. I'd want to have a seat for at least everyone in the family, and ideally be able to accommodate each child having one friend over and all of them being able to sit at the island. - If you did do the L shaped seating, you could do cabs back to back on the other end and have more storage in one area. I drew your island at half inch scale so you can see what the L-shaped seating would give you and how much space you'll still have. You could also do backless chairs, like Ina, so they're hidden underneath when not in use. Since your den and nook is at that end, I imagine people will gravitate towards that end when you're entertaining.

This is one of the things I worried about most in our kitchen remodel. I had wanted a very specific French ceramic tile that I couldn't get for the price I wanted in the time that I needed it. This led me to a hasty decision, and I chose unfilled travertine. After pulling the trigger, I did some research (BIG mistake) that led me to the conclusion that I had made a horrible choice. I realized I would be stuck with my decision, so I figured that, if I really hated it, I could wait a few years and pull it all out and replace it. Well, the travertine has turned out to be one of the most enjoyable features of my new kitchen! We have rugs in front of our stove and sink, so it seldom gets anything on it other than normal dirt from foot traffic (and hair from three large dogs). I just vacuum at least once a week and spot clean spills. NOTHING sticks to it and nothing shows. Believe it or not, I haven't mopped it once since it was installed in January. Thinking it had to be gross by now, I wiped a few tiles in a high traffic area with a plain white damp paper towel, and there was almost no dirt whatsoever. We have 16x16 tiles and have had no issues with cracks. I do wish I had hired a professional tiler to install it, though. My contractor's crew was not very careful, so I have some unevenness. They also ignored my request to have tiles with more holes placed on the perimeter where they would be covered with cabinets.