Hi Sharon: Glad to hear from you ... I always enjoy your wisdom and delightful conversation. Agree that Chamblee's catalog is tempting ... the cover is awesome this year. Thank God I subscribe to "Verse of the Day" ...a Bible verse is sent to my e-mail daily. I received this uplifting verse today, for the New year, Jan. 1, 2015:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ��" 2 Corinthians 5:17"

The above verse helps me to resist the temptation to buy more new roses. I'm content with the abundant purple summer phlox in the garden for purple color. My two rootings in the garage are doing great (I stuck cuttings end of July). Thus the only roses I allow myself are cuttings which I root .. if they die over my zone 5a, no regrets.

I googled my sister house in CT and was in awe at how good her ;house looks on the home-sites. She converted her 1/4 acre front lawn into a wild-flower oasis, filled with purple & pink wild summer phlox, other perennials. I wish I can do the same with my front lawn, but we live inside a newly built housing complex, so I can't do "country-landscape".

So instead of buying roses & taking care of them ... I focus on taking care of my body & losing weight. I received my $32 worth of Penzey spices, free shipping. It so awesome to sniff them, plus my kid & husband appreciate the gourmet food I create with the spices.

Last night I marinade chicken with those spices ... the whole house smelled so good. I wish I had used Penzey spices earlier in my life ... would had saved hubby $$$ in getting take-out foods, plus home-cooked meals are much healthier than fast-foods. Below are the Penzey spices that I got last year ... I got new ones this year ... all the flavors are so fragrant & made my cooking into gourmet & low-salt and healthy.. This year I ordered another batch of spices since there's a coupon on-line for $7 off Penzeys' most popular spice: Northwoods seasoning, really good on salmon or sprinkle on popcorn. Their glass jars are so cute that I line them up on top of my oven-ledger ... no need for spice rack.

Below is my Pinterest of recipes using Penzeys spice. It makes cooking a breeze: throw spices on top of meat ... marinade over-nite (while defrosting), sauté meat on the stove, add tomato or fresh lemon juice. Penzeys spice are a class above store-bought, since they grind their spices fresh daily, and contain no salt, or very little salt. I threw away lots of Mrs.Dash spices in the past, since their flavors were weird. The picture below are the spices I got from The Spice House, a sister-branch of Penzeys.

Here is a link that might be useful: Straw's recipes using Penzeys spices

Happy New Year enchantedrose & Straw!
Great to hear from you enchantedrose...

Hi Jim: Happy New Year to you !!

Hi Sharon: Thank you for that awesome pic. of "Secret Romance" Echinacea. I love that cheerful pink. Your garden sounds great. My garage is too cold, can't put extra food there ...everything is frozen solid.

The lawn is a big pain. I spend 10 times more time with my lawn (digging up dandelions) than with my roses. Husband cut the lawn & trim the edges, it's plenty of work for both of us. I found this neat article about science-proven tips to weight. Yes, I swear by green tea to lose weight ... not sure about black tea though.

I came back to drinking green tea, after a long absence: I notice an uplift in mood after green tea: pure giddy happiness. Green tea is known for improving mood. My personal experience: That happens only after green tea, rather than black tea. The Organic Stash loose-leaf green tea, grown in Brazil, is 100% OK for my tummy ... unlike the cheap Chinese green tea that gave me horrendous stomachache.

I originally came back to drinking tea to LOSE WEIGHT, but I notice a huge uplift in mood .. so I checked on that, and found the below. Once I'm done with Stash Organic green tea, I'll buy American Classic green tea, grown in South Carolina without pesticides, it's cheap at $9 for a large tin sold on Amazon. It's grown in South Carolina in Charleston plantation.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgrocery&field-keywords=South%20Carolina%20grown%20green%20tea

WebMD listed improving cholesterol with green tea, but NOT with black tea. Here're the 2 studies on green tea improving mental health:

http://www.healthyfellow.com/387/green-tea-mood/

"Two new studies published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examine the role that frequent green tea consumption can have on mental health. The first examination followed 1,058 “community-dwelling” Japanese seniors. The authors of the trial determined green tea intake based on food frequency questionnaires.

•The seniors who drank between 2-3 cups of green tea demonstrated depression levels similar to those who hardly drank any tea at all.

•However, drinking more than 4 cups of tea daily reduced the incidence of depression by 44%.

An analysis of over 42,000 middle-aged Japanese men and women recently found similar results. About 7% of this study population was diagnosed with “psychological distress”. However, those drinking 5 or more cups of green tea daily had a 20% reduced risk of such psychological problems. (2)

•A component of green tea, epigallocatechan gallate (EGCG), was recently found to reduce inflammation in rats that were fed a heart disease inducing diet.

•According to a new trial, a combination of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), green tea extract and pomegranate extract may improve the health status of those with type 2 diabetes. Those using the antioxidant-rich supplement showed statistical declines in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and an increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol. In addition, antioxidant levels in the body were elevated.

Specifically, a black tea extract (rich in theaflavins) and a green tea extract (rich in catechins) helped to lower blood sugar, body weight, cholesterol levels and “impaired liver function” in a group of laboratory rats suffering from this condition. Both extracts were effective, however, green tea slightly outperformed the black tea. (5)

Here is a link that might be useful: 26-weight-loss tips based on science

Hey Strawberryhill! How is every one? I hope everyone is having a Happy New Year! I'm making a couple of rose ordersand one perennial order this year..not sure how I will work it, money wise, but it will be my last. If you would like to do an exchange strawberryhill, just email me...some of my roses still have alot of growing to do, and I have one exchange lined up, but if you would like some cuttings I would be happy to do so, just let me know. Early spring and early fall are best for me :) I enjoy reading all your past from you and Jim , though I don't comment much. Good luck on the weight loss and everything!

Hi Alana: Thank you & glad to hear from you. I'm shrinking my rose garden. My daughter doesn't like thorns, so I'm going to kill broad & wide Radio Times. It has great perfume, but nasty thorns. I'm leaning toward the slender & less thorns ones.

Firefighter was ideal, it's slender, very low thorn ... which never poke me, but died last winter. My favorite now is Duchess de Rohan (I have two). It's slender, almost thornless, BS-resistant, great scent. I have a friend nearby whom I can get cuttings from, and my purchases will be from local stores so I can see how much thorn it has, and the shape of the bush.

I hope my 12-year old daughter stays cold-free for the rest of her 6th-grade. She's in a gifted-program, which is very stressful, with tests & quizzes everyday ... worse than college. A mom of another gifted-student called me to inform that she gives her daughter a big multi-vitamin daily, and the girl has zero sick days for 2 years straight.

Multi-vitamin manufacturers use Brewer's yeast, since it's a cheap & safe ingredient, a by-product of the beer-industry. Thanks to Jim who kept me researching about Brewer's yeast, I find that it helps to prevent colds and flu. The last time I had a cold was 8 years ago, it was so bad that I did everything to prevent it: drink kefir, take vitamin D plus Brewer's yeast.

Brewer's Yeast is high in ALL B-complex vitamins, plus chromium, zinc, copper, selenium. From U. of Maryland Medical Center: "Brewer's yeast is often used as a source of B-complex vitamins, chromium, and selenium. The B-complex vitamins in brewer's yeast include B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), and H or B7 (biotin).

At least one study has found that brewer's yeast may improve acne. Another linked it to a reduced risk of a second skin cancer. And one large, preliminary study found that taking a specific kind brewer’s yeast product (EpiCor) may help prevent colds and flu."

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/brewers-yeast#ixzz3Nh9rBdiY

**** From Straw: Vitamin D is also needed to prevent cold & flu. I read over 500 reviews on Amazon and GLAD to find that the brand I take, NatureMade, is the most effective in raising D-levels. Other studies linked Vitamin D deficiency to more belly-fat, more vaginal infections in women & lower testosterone in men, diabetes, MS, fragile bones, more tooth-cavities and bleeding gum. Northern climate folks like me don't have much sunshine to get the vitamin D we need. The upper ceiling is 4,000 IU.

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20090223/low-vitamin-d-levels-linked-to-colds

"In this study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed information on vitamin D levels and respiratory infections from nearly 19,000 adults and adolescents who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) from October 1988 to October 1994.

The results showed those with the lowest vitamin D levels (less than 10 nanograms per milliliter of blood) were 36% more likely to report having a recent upper respiratory tract infection than those with higher levels (30 ng/mL or higher).

Researchers say that although vitamin C has been used for the prevention of common colds and other respiratory infections for decades, there is little scientific evidence to support its effectiveness. However, several recent studies have suggested that vitamin D, better known for its role in building strong bones, may also play a critical role in immune system function."

Here is a link that might be useful: WebMD slideshow on vitamin D

Hey Strawberryhill,

Well good luck with your thornless roses. I pray your daughter doesn't get sick and everything works out for her. I'm sure that very stressful for the both of you what ya'll are doing and I wish you both the best! I have three girls and it would be very stressful if one was in a gifted program, although it will be better for them in the end. well I'll talk to you later! :)

Great info Straw!
Hi everyone!
I lost 2 pounds Straw... :)
I'm back on track...lol

Hope all is good!

Brutal Weather here... It hit o degrees with a minus 15 degree chill factor last night... Today will stay in the single digits... brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I suppose Chicago is mighty cold also Straw...

Hi Jim: I'm so happy that you lost 2 lb. We had fun last night watching the Biggest Loser current season. It's cold here, like -14 degree below zero yesterday. We have HULU & Netflix so we could watch the older episodes. It took contestants many years to balloon up to 300 lbs., yet the show tried to take fat off in such a short time.

I prefer losing weight SLOW and SURE. Like one bite LESS per day really add up. Cod-liver oil didn't work as I planned: Yes, it took away my appetite, but sometimes it interacts with my green-tea and give me awful tummy ache. I poked the gel-capsule with a knife to sniff the cod-liver-oil. IT WAS MIGHTY STINKY. One drop of that got on my hair. I rubbed alcohol on my hair, could not get the smell out, so I had to wash it with soap. So trashed the bottle, I refuse to take something that stinky.

Then I poked my NOW regular fish oil capsule: the liquid was pleasant, I could hardy smell fish. NOW fish oil is molecular distilled to remove mercury and pollutants. I got good results, such as great sleep with vivid dreams.

Green tea helps with weight loss. Gillian Michaels stirred up a controversy when she gave Biggest Loser contestants caffeine pills to speed up weight loss. I need my caffeine in the morning to be active, so I prefer either black or green tea. At night time, I drink my Lemon Balm tea, surprisingly delicious and helps with great sleep. Below excerpt is from U. of Michigan Health website ... Lemon Balm is antiviral, helps with sleep & dementia:

http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hn-2121004

3 Stars Cold Sores - Lemon balm, with its antiviral properties, appears to speed the healing of cold sores and reduce symptoms when applied topically as a cream.

2 Stars Alzheimer’s Disease - Supplementing with an herbal extract of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) has been shown to improve cognitive function and reduce agitation in people with Alzheimer's disease

2 Stars Colic (Chamomile, Fennel, Licorice, Vervain) 1/2 cup (118 ml) of tea up to three times daily. A soothing tea made from chamomile, vervain, licorice, fennel, and lemon balm has been shown to relieve colic more effectively than placebo.

2 Stars Genital Herpes - Apply a cream containing 1% of a standardized 70:1 extract four to five times per day. One study found that topical application of a cream containing a highly concentrated extract of lemon balm helped heal oral and genital herpes sores faster than a placebo.

1 Star Hyperthyroidism - Test tube studies have found that lemon balm blocks attachment of antibodies to the thyroid cells that cause Grave’s disease (hyperthyroidism), though clinical trials proving lemon balm’s effectiveness as a treatment are lacking.

1 Star Indigestion, Heartburn, and Low Stomach Acidity - Lemon balm is a gas-relieving herb that is used traditionally for indigestion. It is believed that carminative agents work, at least in part, by relieving spasms in the intestinal tract.

Lemon balm is a carminative herb used traditionally for indigestion.9 Lemon balm, usually taken as tea, is prepared by steeping 2��"3 teaspoons of leaves in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes in a covered container. Three or more cups per day are consumed immediately after meals.

1 Star Infection - Lemon balm is an antiviral and antimicrobial herb. Herbs that directly attack microbes include the following: chaparral, eucalyptus, garlic, green tea, lemon balm (antiviral), lomatium, myrrh, olive leaf, onion, oregano, pau d’arco (antifungal), rosemary, sage, sandalwood, St. John’s wort, tea tree oil, thyme, and usnea.

1 Star Insomnia - Studies have found a combination of valerian and lemon balm to be effective at improving sleep. A combination of valerian and lemon balm has been tested for improving sleep. A small preliminary trial compared the effect of valerian root extract (320 mg at bedtime) and an extract of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) with that of the sleeping drug triazolam (Halcion).10 The effectiveness of the herbal combination was similar to that of Halcion, but only the Halcion group felt hung over and had trouble concentrating the next day. A double-blind trial found that a combination of valerian and lemon balm, taken over a two-week period, was effective in improving quality of sleep.11

1 Star Nerve Pain Traditionally, topical applications to the temples were sometimes used by herbalists for insomnia or nerve pain.

***** From Straw: I don't know why U of Michigan gave one star for lemon-balm effect on insomnia. It works EXTREMELY WELL for me ... I was dozing off while sipping the tea. For it to be effective, I use 1 heaping tablespoon soaked in boiling water, COVERED for at least 15 minutes. It tastes better that way. When I sleep well, I'm much more active, thus help with losing weight.

See below for Lemon Balm tea, only $8 for a large tin, sold on Amazon. Hundreds of Amazon customers swore that lemon balm works for great sleep & curing insomnia. It's grown in U.S.A. and is organic.

I used to have lemon balm growing in my garden, but I killed it. This spring I'll going to buy lemon balm and grow them ... the tea is SO DELICIOUS that it beats growing thorny roses that poke me. I'm shrinking my rose garden to grow herbs that nourish my body. My attention shifted from growing healthy roses to growing a healthy body & taking care of myself, so I can take care of my daughter.

Below is a picture of Calendula, an herb in my garden. Will have to make some tea with that this summer. So glad that I ordered fresh herb from Penzeys ... it makes my cooking gourmet, plus herbs are so healthy ... many of them have antibacterial properties. I made lasagna last night, the best-tasting in my 40 years of cooking (I'm 52 yrs. old) ... I put lots of Penzeys herbs (oregano, Tuscan, and Herbes de Province). Hubby & kid love my cooking with herbs ordered from Penzeys. $30 worth of herbs, free shipping, elevate my cooking to gourmet-status year-round.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lemon Balm tea for $8 large tin on Amazon

This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Thu, Jan 8, 15 at 13:57

That herb has really nice yellow flowers Straw!
Thanks for all the info Straw...

I've been struggling trying to lose weight since mid 2011...
For whatever reason my weight went from 220 pounds to 254 pounds. Quite a jump!

I had my weight down to approx 228 pounds right before this winter of 2014.
But it went back up to approx 236 pounds. :-/
Now I'm down to 234 pounds...
Winter is a real struggle for me...

9 degrees this morning and little snow cover...
Weather warms back up tomorrow to about 30 degrees...

{{gwi:2131334}}

{{gwi:2131335}}

Hi Jim: Thank you for those pics, it's still cold in my zone 5a ... has been -10 to -14 below zero all week. At least it's sunny outside, my beloved hubby shoved the driveway, but I have to shovel the side-walk ALL THE WAY to the bus-stop so my kid can walk easier. I couldn't do it yesterday since it was too cold.

I made bok-choy soup with pork tenderloin & lots of onion. That's my kid's favorite, to be eaten with rice. But I used Swanson ORGANIC chicken broth, rather than regular chicken broth. Costs 50 cents more, but HUGE DIFFERENCE in taste. It's so clean & delicious. The regular chicken broth has antibiotics.

Hi Sharon, and Alana & everyone else: Would love to hear from you too.

This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Sat, Jan 10, 15 at 12:54

Hi Strawberryhill and Jim

I can't wait until spring! It is cold and rainy here, although not as cold as where you are. The temperatures keep going from teens at night and 30-40 in the day to 30 at night and 50 during the day. My Gramma who lives in Minnesota says it colder down here then up there in the winter because ours is a wet cold and their's is a dry cold. I haven't been up there since I was a kid, so I can't remember. She comes down here in the summer and leaves after Christmas though, lol. They get alot more snow up there. My kids are praying for snow here again, although I could go without it. It is pretty when it first comes down though, but then it turns to ice and mush :( We had alot more snow last year than on regular. We actually had a few flakes come down a couple of nights ago, before the rain started, but at that time there wasn't enough moisture in the air. I told the girls to be patient and it would come. My oldest daughter and I actually got pneumonia this year. The doctor said mine was from the weather going hot, cold, hot, and cold, but I think it is from the Sarcoidosis that I got diagnosed with this year. Mine was alot worse than my daughter's, Willow, and I about got put in the hospital from it. I told my doctor that I didn't go back and see him, when he had wanted me to, because I was to busy to be put in the hospital at Christmas, LOL. I did get better, although it took over a month, and three weeks of antibiotic. I hope all is well with ya'll :) Keep up the great posts!

Hi Everyone,
Over the past year I mostly cruised the Antique forum for rose buying and care advice. Got a little too much and bought a few too many.
Lots of terrific information here on the organic forum that I didn't know. I must have had thousands of cups of bug spiced pesticide tea.
I'll gladly toast the new year to a cup of lemon balm.
What a beautiful echinachia secret romance is.
Stay warm and well.

Hi damask: Welcome to the Organic Rose. Thank you for a great pic. of hummingbird. I really enjoy that ... what type of red flower are those? Thanks for the info.

Hi Alana: It's so nice to hear from you. I'm so sorry that your daughter Willow and you got pneumonia this past Christmas. Three weeks of antibiotics !! 20 yrs. ago I had pneumonia and was on antibiotics. Afterwards I had to get Jarrow-Femdophillus (probiotics) to treat my yeast infection, plus NatureMade Acidophillus so I could drink cow milk again. Those 2 are the highest rated probiotics sold on Amazon. My 2 brothers are M.D.'s (an emergency room physician, and the other is a dermatologist). My sister is a retired family doctor.

About pesticides in tea (imported from China) ... I didn't know either and suffered years of prolonged tummy ache after drinking Jasmine green tea. Pesticides are also linked to rheumatoid arthritis. See an excerpt from link below:

"Now a new study from Georgetown University has shown that drinking tea raised the risk of RA in post-menopausal women. The study involved more than 76,000 women between the ages of 50 and 79 in the US and found significant association between tea consumption in any amount and a 40 percent rise in the risk of getting RA.

Women who took more than 4 cups of tea per day upped the risk by as much as 78 percent. Effects of black tea were assessed in this study and green and herbal teas were excluded. Coffee, filtered and otherwise and caffeinated and decaffeinated has no similar effect. The study was presented at the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2010 in Rome."

When it comes to health, I double-check ALL the info., such as a Mom nearby who told me her kid is on multivitamin, that's why she doesn't have a cold for 2 years. Then I spent HOURS checking on multivitamin, and found many Amazon customers report breaking out in pimples from vitamins (thanks to added excessive B12, plus B6). I had similar experience with joint pain, as reported by other Amazon customers, thanks to excessive level of copper and mobylleum added.

The truth is: that girl who didn't catch cold for 2 years was a skinny, athletic and competitive runner. Same with my husband, he went for 7 years without a cold since he was a competitive marathon runner, running at least 6 miles a day. Sweating out everyday is a cost-free way to boost the immune system.

I don't exercise much, except for shoveling the snow ... but I beat my husband's record: I went for 8 years without catching a cold, including this year. I didn't take any multivitamin, but I drink Kefir (high in vitamin D versus zero vitamin D in yogurt), plus 12 strains of beneficial bacteria. I also take Brewer's Yeast. Both Kefir and Brewer's yeast ARE DOCUMENTED to boost the immune system, see link below. Kefir has the 2 bacteria that help with cold: Bifidobacterium animalis subsp.lactis Bb12(Bb12) •Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG(LGG)

http://kefirandkombucha.blogspot.com/2013/07/probiotics-prevent-colds-and-flu.html

"A study published in the medical journal Pediatrics was conducted on 326 children in China. They were from the age of three to five years old. The children were given milk twice daily that contained the probiotics Lactobacillus acidophilus by itself, or combined with Bifidobacterium animalis. The children were followed for six months, from November 2005 to May 2006.

The study results were impressive and showed that the one probiotic was helpful but the benefit was enhanced in the group who took the two probiotics together. The group who took the Lactobacillus contracted had half the number of fevers of the placebo group (53%). They also had 41% less coughs and 28% less runny noses. When they became sick, their illnesses were one third shorter than the placebo group (32%) and they used 68% less antibiotics. They missed 38% less school than the placebo group as well.

The children who took both Lactobacillus acidophilus along with the Bifidobacterium animalis contracted over two thirds less fevers than the placebo group (72%). They had 62% less coughs, and 59% less runny noses. Their duration of illness was nearly HALF of that in the placebo group (48%). They missed slightly less school than the children taking only one probiotic (32% compared to the other group's 38%), but they used 84% less antibiotics compared to the placebo group, surpassing the other group's level of 68% less usage.

The study was double blind and placebo controlled, and it was conducted during the winter cold and flu season. Though the study was funded by a Danish company that makes probiotics, Danisco, similar results have been sited elsewhere."

Brewer's yeast is also effective in boosting the immune system, but NOT as well-documented as vitamin D. Thanks to another poster in Organic Rose who notified me that Lewis Lab is the best-tasting brewer's yeast, I'll going to buy that for my picky kid. I'm fine with the cheap NOW brewer's yeast, lots of people complain it's nasty in taste, but I made it better by mixing 1 Tbs. of that with 1 cup of soy milk, plus 1 heaping Tbs. of buckwheat honey. The buckwheat honey really help to make it tasty .. I tried other types of honey ... didn't taste as good. See below excerpt from U. of Maryland Medical Center:

"At least one study has found that brewer's yeast may improve acne. Another linked it to a reduced risk of a second skin cancer. And one large, preliminary study found that taking a specific kind brewer’s yeast product (EpiCor) may help prevent colds and flu.

Brewer's yeast is often used as a source of B-complex vitamins, chromium, and selenium. The B-complex vitamins in brewer's yeast include B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), and H or B7 (biotin). These vitamins help break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, which provide the body with energy. They also support the nervous system, help maintain the muscles used for digestion, and keep skin, hair, eyes, mouth, and liver healthy."

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/brewers-yeast#ixzz3MBHc8Nct

Here is a link that might be useful: Black tea raises rheumatoid arthritis risk

Strawberry-
Thank you for your kind welcome.
The flowers came in a hanging coconut basket my neighbor bought at Walmart, hopefully not full of lead.
i dont know the name of the plant, but it had mixed lavender, red and yellow blooms about the size of a dime, and was incredibly overpriced.
My son took the photo of the hummingbird that came like clockwork every day at 6:45 am, and again for dinner until the weather grew cold.
With access now to all the nutrition advice, I may never have to go to the doctor again, unless one of the rose thorns gets me in the eye. This year I must buy safety glasses.

Hi damask: Thanks for your info. on that flower basket. How did you get poked by a rose thorn? I appreciate any info.

I'm going to kill thorny Radio Times rose for sure. It poked me really bad last year. I never had to go to the doc. for rose's thorn, but my pneumonia 2 decades ago was caused by inhaling peat moss. I was mixing peat moss into my clay to make it acidic for my azaleas. It was a costly bronchoscopy, lots of X-rays, plus antibiotics.

HomeDepot has a vast selection of comfy safety glasses in the tools department. I bought two, and gave one to a teenager who volunteered at church. These teenagers were helping the poor, fixing up houses. One of them got nicked, barely missed the eye.

My 90-year old Mom plays it safe. She always have a huge garden, but killed roses ... she doesn't like to be poked by thorns. My hands get cracked, bleed, and blister from shoveling snow. The gloves made in China really destroy my hands ... my fingers are in pain while typing. I will have to search on Amazon for a pair of Thinsulate glove, made in America, with smooth lining inside. (I used to wear that decades ago). I can't buy such at Walmart, most stuff there are from China.

This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Wed, Jan 14, 15 at 10:16

Thanks for all the information Strawberryhill! I did get a light yeast infection after finishing them, but bought an over-the-counter thing from walmart and it was gone in 2 days. I drink alot of black tea, it's a southern thing, so I may have to be careful! I did quit drinking tea altogether at one time, guess I shouldn't have started back. I don't like coffee, love the smell, hate the taste!

Oh Strawberry, that sounds like a terrible ordeal you had with the peat moss. I can relate to inhaling gardening dusts. Hope your lungs have fully recovered now. Maybe I better add a few painters masks to my Home Depot shopping list, alojng with some US of A made gloves.
It's funny how we can try to do everything right that we know about to safeguard our health, and then get attacked by the surroundings of our own making. I was trying to safely hold back some Madame Hardy Branches last summer and got whipped across the face. Fortunately Madame Hardy thorns stay in the branch better that David Austin's Evelyn, those thorns and prickles immediately stick in.
Now I securely tie twine around branches I am working with, or wrap layers of newspaper around them to make a barrier while I am in close proximity.
Your mom is wise to minimize the risk of getting clawed; I forget what famous rose breeder almost died of a raging infection that began as a thorn scratch. The guilty rose was in a high traffic area where he suspected other people and animals had also been raked by it.
Mons Tillier is probably one of the last thorny roses I will buy because of it's potential danger . I don't know if Munstead wood has thorns, from what I have read it stays fairly low to the ground. i would really like to try it for the perfume and deep velvety red color.
I can't blame the dear Antique rose forum people for enticing me with their photos of magnificent roses, but I know that it helps to see other more innocent plants like that incredible echinacea to lure me back toward bedding plants. Some of the single stalk fluffy double poppies are so beautiful, that is the direction I want to go for big color effect until I find more truly thornless roses.
Reine des Violettes is coming in my Spring order and I am beside myself in anticipation of a more people friendly rose.
Photo is of evil Evelyn

Strawberry-
Your raw hands need a good rest.
I quit using chemical hand soaps, and melt a little straight coconut oil in my hand as hand cream before bed. Seems to have helped dramatically . it tastes and smells wonderful.
"Oh that I had wings...I would fly away and be at rest"
For now i think I'll make muffins.

Great posts Alana7bSC, damask55linen, & Straw!
Love the pics!

We have not had much snow here this winter... Maybe a total of only 4-5 inches this entire winter so far....

I can not wait until Spring....lol

My son is home from Seattle Washington visiting for a week so excited about that... I will hate to see him leave again...

I'm enjoying reading these posts and looking at the pics!

Hi Jim: Glad to hear from you ... time with one's child is most precious. We have lots of snow, I hope they melt, since we'll get above 32 degree this Sat.

Hi Alana: Agree: I like the smell of fresh roast coffee, but can't stand the taste. Coffee isn't good unless one put tons of cream or sugar, which defeats my trying to lose weight. Tea can be enjoyed plain, zero calories. I love the taste of Lemon Balm tea, zero bitterness, plus I love the effect it has on my sleep. I wake up refresh, rather than groggy & tired like with melatonin.

Hi Damask: Thank you for blessing this forum with your wise words and delightful conversation. Thank you for the excellent tips, such as using coconut oil for my hand. A friend gave me Nutiva Extra-Virgin coconut oil .. that was wonderful in baking. Then hubby bought this HUGE bottle of cheap coconut oil from Sam's club ... the flavor is meh & a bit rancid ... so I'll use for my hands as you suggested.

Damask, thanks for the tips. I repost what you wrote: "Now I securely tie twine around branches I am working with, or wrap layers of newspaper around them to make a barrier while I am in close proximity." That's a great idea, I'll do that to protect the bunnies from munching the lower canes.

Enchanted rose: I miss your posts, great pics. Hope to see your postings again.

Alana: I miss hearing from your, how are your three daughters doing?

Damask: I love your testimony of your faith in Christ, please let me know how you are doing.