As I mentioned above, the convection element failed to a shorted condition (that is an unusual failure mode - heating elements more commonly fail to a short). It got very hot very quickly. We were there in the kitchen, heard the load noise, saw sparks and the circuit breaker turned it off before I could react and move the few steps to the oven so it was seconds, not minutes. In that short time, it got so hot that it melted a hole in the metal cover over the convection element and fan and fused a deposition of something on to the part of the dutch oven that was facing that spot. Apparently, in dying, the bad element wiped out the power control board that is behind the oven cavity - either due to the heat or perhaps an electrical spike such as an inductive kick when current to the shorted element was turned off. That won't be confirmed until the tech comes back with parts and pulls the oven but it is based on the current symptoms - the remaining upper elements and the convection fan won't turn solidly on in test mode - they cycle on and off and that component is the likely culprit. The $1000 my guess based on the parts cost of the power board (rococogurl said that cost her $506 and the tech said it is around $600), the heating element (which I don't expect to cost much), tech labor (which will be upped considerably by the control board having gone as the oven needs to be pulled to replace it). I expect that the bill will at least total $800 (rococogurl listed charges that totaled over $700 for replacing just the power board). I don't know that a fuse or circuit breaker in the oven would have stopped it quickly enough to avoid the damage. The house oven breaker tripped pretty quickly and it didn't.

Dick - Scarecrow only has 10 to 11 buds per scape here. Jim Murphy told me he usually gets more than 10 on it and some southern growers have reported bud counts from 18 to the 20s from it. Scarecrow multiplies very rapidly, and I'm still growing it in a large pot. I hope to finally get it in the ground this fall. I expect it will have more buds in that situation. Sherry - Waves Become Wings is a beautiful, dependable Hanson late. I imagine it would grow even better in the north. The blooms have heavy substance and nice pink color that doesn't fade like others with temps in the high 90s. I'm planting Sunshine Bouquet this fall just to find out if it has those high bud counts. I will say on its first day to bloom it was a bad fader in this heat. It was hybridized in PA, so it probably didn't face the kind of July temps were have here on a regular basis. Debra

Steamboat Springs? That's such a beautiful area...then a beautiful fireworks display! Yeah...bet THAT was A M A Z I N G !

Thanks for the comments. Debra: I don't know what happened with the photo. The colors are way off, but it is BO KNOWS. I will have to get another picture of it and post it. The sun was out and I was trying to shade it, as it was difficult to get a good picture in full sun. As far as my hybridizing efforts, I do both dips and tets. I registered my first one this year and it was a tet. I h ave several other tets on the watch and see list and no dips at this time. The dips are two year old seedlings and probably won't bloom until next year. I am working with the Bennett line to keep his plants relevant, as I think he did great work with the pinks and polychromes. Maryl: Yes I do sell his plants and ship all over. You can send me an e-mail through HOUZZ or I usually have a Spring and Fall sale listed on the NGA site. I am always looking to add more of his plants to my collection. David