Linda - The good news is that you live in the perfect climate to grow roses. You will not have to worry about "winter protection" from freezing temps! Do you know what kind of roses yours are? Are they stiff upright bushes 4 - 8 feet tall, with large blooms with pointed buds? If so, they are probably hybrid teas. It is important to know what kind of roses you have before you prune them, as different kinds respond best to different types of pruning. Re clippers, I love my Felco ones. They are "by-pass" ones, which mean they work like scissors. The other type is called "anvil", and tend to squash the roses. They make a version for smaller hands, which work great for me. They also make a version where one of the handles rotates, so that it is easier to use - this comes in the normal and the smaller size. You also might want to get a pair of long handled clippers - that way you can stay further away from the thorns, and they are good for larger canes. Obviously, you need good gloves made for roses, too. I am a bit confused about the aphids, as they usually come in the Spring, at least here. I would not worry about them. What I would do is what dollsandroses said - google the American Rose Society, and see if you can find the nearest local society, which can put you in touch with a Consulting Rosarian, who might be able to come and look at the roses for you, and tell you what general type they are, and then you can get specific pruning advice based on that. Good Luck! jackie

HEY HEY!!! now ya'll be have!!! LOL had to check on ya'll!! LOL **big grinn** BUTTTT i do have a boat that DOES run!!! LOL but alas hubs wouldn't let me run anyone over with it!! LOL so your lucky there!! only cuz it might get him in trouble, SHHHH pprobably only cuz he don't wanna get stuck with these rugrats!!! LOL **onry laugh** LOL Looking good on the food!! see ya did awesome!! now if ya just don't keel over from the poison ya put on the poor food!! LOL ya know i'm jsut kidding!! LOL :') although there is a wash i had read about its hmmmm......1 gal warm water, 1 bar of ivory soap, i think like 1//4 c oil, spray on after a rain, and reapply every time it rains. make sure to get under the leaves as well, but ya have to let the bar "melt" in the warm water over night. i tried it last year and works well. i just havent this year. the oil has the soap/water stick to the plant to keep the bugs away from your plant/food. my spreader thingi didn't work, and ya know how it is, everytime ya go to the store ya have moreimportant things on your mind than some little feeder/spreader thingi!! for your hose!! LOL ohhhh the best part, its safe!!! ~Medo

So sorry this happened.... Sometimes blues will try again in a box where there was a failure - depends on their choices. PLEASE use sparrow spookers as soon as a bluebird egg is laid - they are EXTREMELY effective (nothing is HOSP proof). HOSP euthanasia options can be found here: http://www.sialis.org/hospdispatch.htm. It MUST be done in the most humane manner possible. Van Ert's website is here: http://www.vanerttraps.com/. if you call him he will ship out a trap right away Here is a link that might be useful: sparrow spooker

Two days before Newtown, we had a shooter at one of our local malls. Everyone I talk to is nervous to go out to the malls right now. I work for the State, and I worry about nuts coming into our building and firing off shots. There is a young man who claims to have a CCW and he allegedly drew a bead on the mall shooter, claims to have made eye contact but he didn't shoot because there were other people near by. Then the story goes on to say that after that the shooter killed himself. I say this is 'allegedly' because law enforcement has given some conflicting reports. Regardless, if he did or didn't, the mall is posted as a Gun Free Zone...so that didn't stop a CCW carrier. I don't think these assassins chose gun free zones for that reason, they go where they KNOW they're going to be able to cause mass casualties. Another thing I try to point out is that very, very few people posess the absolute control that a tactically trained person has. All these shooters wear body armor, therefore it'd require a sniper kill shot to the head to take them out. Good luck getting some weekend paper target shooter to make a shot like that, much less someone who rarely, if ever draws a weapon. We all like to think we will be in command if an emergency crisis occurs, but it's just not in our nature! Having to kill someone is not something the majority of citizens has ever had to comprehend in real time. And to have the ability to identify a danger and act? Yeah right. My very first instinct would be to take cover and run, get to a safe place and then, and only then, take offensive measures. I think everyone who thinks they should walk around with a gun on their person try this experiment. Go into a public place with a friend, one that is well populated. Instead of your gun, have a rubber band shooter or some other non-lethal 'gun'. Have your friend shout out KITTY CAT! and turn to point to a 3rd person who is wearing a clown wig and has a similar 'gun'. That person is a shooter. Now, whip out your 'gun' and 'shoot' the shooter. Of course, it's going to be at a random point in time, you're in on this...but you don't know when or where it'll happen. Now, lets time your reaction and see if you actually hit the target and/or were YOU or someone else hit. A non-lethal exercise to gauge just what a Dirty Harry you are. I hate that people need to have a gun in the home for protection, but in some cases it is needed, if you live in a rural area where law enforcement is far away. In that case, I'd certainly hope you have a couple of big, loud dogs as an early warning system. But if you have a gun in the home, why does it have to be a weapon capable of shooting more than 6 bullets at a time? Really, if you're in a situation where an intruder has a semi-auto-chances are you're already going to kiss your hind end goodbye.