I also got one last fall from Palatine. Mine's in a big pot. It started out like gangbusters, but only did one good bloom flush. It might've been chowed by the deer later in the season. I don't remember if it was one of them that they got to or not. All I know is there was never a second batch later in the season. The blooms were lovely, and as I recall there were quite a few in the flush. Kind of unusual with a first-season rose for me, anyway. Hopefully it will do better in the coming season!

Thanks, "Holiday-ers" ... altho I am LOL! Cause part of the magic of the camera is framing what you want to share...so, SEE, you don't see any of my many, many WEEDS! Bee Balm this evening ....this area is part of the Door Arbor vignette: Closer side view: Beautiful Bee Balm getting ready to bloom ...close-up: Hydrangea & Red Sun (yup, I painted that cast iron sun 2 yrs ago): Maybe some of the Bee Balm will bloom for July 4th...it's RED! TFLookin'! Jeanne S.

When I was a kid it was so easy. Mom and dad were still married and came from the same hometown. So a visit to the grandparents meant a trip to only one place. We would stay a few days with one side, and a few days with the other. It was great. When my parents got divorced it got more complicated. My brother and I had four Christmases one year: I drove home from college in Missouri to Florida for Christmas with Mom/granny; flew to Maryland for Dad/stepmom/stepbrothers; drove to PA for cousins; then on to Ohio for Dad's dad, then drove back to Maryland, flew back to Fla. and drove back to Mo. It was exhausting. Now I am married to DH, whose parents are also divorced. The four parents live in: California, Arkansas, Alabama and Florida. Oh, and his mom and dad can't be together. And my mom and stepmom can't be together. Then there are DH's kids and their own in-laws . . . it's like that riddle with the farmer trying to cross the river with a fox, a chicken and a sack of grain. Our Christmas solution? DH sees his dad about twice a year when he comes from CA to Ark. to visit his brothers and have a fishing trip. We used to go to DH's sister's (his mom lives on the sister's property) for Thanksgiving, but there was a huge family meltdown back in '04 that put a stop to all that. So now DH sees his mom on those same spring and fall trips to Ark. and we go out (with my mom) for Thanksgiving. My mom always gets the actual holidays, because she is single and, frankly, the most pitiful (I know, I know -- but it's true) and lives here in town. Dad and stepmom fit in where they can, usually coming up before or after Christmas. DH's boys are usually with their Mom on Christmas. We have DH's daughter and family over usually the week before or after Christmas, or meet them halfway for dinner -- and invite the boys to this. My brother comes in from Tx. some time around Christmas, but also goes to his girlfriends' folks in Ky. Whew! I'm tired already! There is no way the kitchen will be done in time for Christmas this year, so there will be a lot of eating out. There will also be liberal use made of hotels for visiting relatives, as my mother informs me that the cute little pull-out sofa-chairs I got from IKEA for the spare-bedroom-turned-home-office are not beds at all, and should be donated to the CIA for interrogation purposes.

here is a recipe I have made for squares: Mincemeat Nut Squares - makes about 3 dozen BASE: 2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 c. sugar 1 c. butter TOPPING: 1 1/2 c. mincemeat 1 1/4 c. brown sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/3 c. all-purpose flour 3/4 c. sliced almonds 3/4 c. chopped walnuts (I use pecans because I don't like walnuts) 3/4 c. coconut For the base, combine flour, sugar and butter in a mixing bowl and work as if for pastry. If you have a food processor combine with repeated short bursts until a dough is formed. Gather dough into a ball then press into the base of a 10" x 15" cookie sheet, using floured knuckles. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 -15 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; REDUCE OVEN TEMP TO 325 degrees. When the base has cooled slight, spread with the mincemeat. Combine the brown sugar and eggs in food processor and run for one minutes until the mixture is fluffy -- use an electric mixer if you do not have food processor. Add cinnamon, flour and baking powder, process just to combine, then add nuts and coconut. Top the mincemeat withspoonsful of this mixture until the base is evenly covered. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes until the tipping is set to the touch. Cool 15 minutes , then cut into squares. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. These can be frozen or stored in a tin for up to two weeks.