Brandy--(my sisters name is Brandy btw!) I haven't yet heard back from the previous owner but I checked my aol email and it shows she hasn't yet read the email. I very well may have an old email that she does't check anymore. I could go to her new ranch, its just a ways up from me towards the next town but I didn't want to just show up on her porch uninvited :) I'll be able to get a hold of her eventually, and will make sure I do so before my husband needs to start moving things for the renovation/remodel of our farmhouse. Jeri (from this board) has been in touch with me and she is wanting to come out sometime in the next few months to check some of the rose bushes we have here. I sent her a TON of pictures on email, poor thing! She's been very friendly and helpful. I haven't been able to answer this post because I've been camping at the beach with my kiddos and although I had access to internet I tried very hard to just sit back and enjoy the quiet time with my kids :) Yes, I'm familiar with the Mojave desert, we camp there all the time during the cooler months (desert camping is usually from about Oct-April for us!) We take the dirtbikes out to California City in the winter and we spend the summers at the lakes or the beach. I'll keep everyone updated as I find out information. Jeri gave me some possible names of the other roses we have, I have no idea if they are anything special (my gut says they aren't but I dont know a THING about roses LOL) but she says she saw enough that she still thinks its worth a trip out to our ranch to check them out. So I'll be in contact with her about that. Thanks for everyones interest! Sammy--I wll have to check out the Dainty Bess, the Natalie Bloxham, Arcola Gardens and Seil roses to see their resemblance to mine. I'm still not sure anyone (or even Jeri?) is convinced its a Kathleen but she sent me a picture of the Rancho Camulous Kathleen out here near where I live and it does look eerily similar. So...we'll see! Tam

Below is a simple SEARCH within this forum for the key word 'SOURDOUGH'. It brings up a LOT of recipes and help for any sourdough your planning to make or use. True sourdough is a culture of WILD YEAST and is not mixed with sugar when making the inital sour dough culture. Store bough yeast isn't well suited for sourdough, but you would use regular yeast when making teh actual bread after you have expanded teh culture and save a portion I have a culture that is well over 100 years old now, and save some in the fridge fresh paste, and dried, and some in my freezer (dried). Mine can get quite sour withiun 24 hours and after just 2 days its really strong. KIng Arthur also offers sour dough cultures and one is US based while the other is from Europe. Whole wheat flour is OK to use, but it would be best to use a 50:50 of whole wheat to white flour. Once its going to be a bread, you can add the rye flour and any other flavored flour in the final dough making. I have seen bread made with grapes. The person soaked four and water with grapes for about 2 days and then strained out the grapes and used the liquid to make a sourdough starter. That is OBVIOUSLY a real WILD YEAST!

look up the recipe for making rose beads - that might work to keep them from turning brown...

I like the Jamesboro too. Here it is with Waterbury cream instead of the Powell. And here's a few other names that were tossed around Providence Olive/Waterbury Cream Old Salem Gray/Waterbury Cream Old Salem Gray/Shelburne Buff I can't stress enough though that you really MUST do samples on the walls because the virtuals are not usually accurate plus your lighting makes such a difference. Just looking at my fandeck, I'm worried that Jamesboro is too dark. From the chips, I like the Northampton Putty and Old Salem Gray the best. Both have lots of olive undertones.