How about some real heat! Frosty is nowhere to be seen!

[bmccasland]

My grandmother was a rose grower, and her aim was always to grow a perfect blue rose and a black rose. The black roses she grew were red based, but my cousin who also grows roses managed to grow some based on a plum/blue. These aren't my cousins roses but are very similar to. The black rose has sort of become a special symbol for my daughter and myself - she has a tattoo of a black rose on her back!

Hey Jaydee - my biggest disappointment about living in muggy New Orleans is not being able to grow roses without spending lots of time fighting black spot. (we do grow some lovely fungi) I had a beautiful Lavender Lace floribunda when I lived in Phoenix that I wished I could grow here. I know the quest to grow blue/black roses has been long and hard. I still fondly remember the lovely bouquet of Sterling Sliver roses I was given for my birthday one year.

[crazycanuck]

I know many of you love Koalas & have to share this with you. Australian wildlife is suffering in the varying heat waves round the country & have taken to pools, tubs etc.

I'm not a big koala fan but these pics are just too cute ...awwwww...

http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12327

Another scorcher forecast for Upper victoria..46C+ http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDV17001.shtml

39C for us next week...

[Trekhawk]

I know many of you love Koalas & have to share this with you. Australian wildlife is suffering in the varying heat waves round the country & have taken to pools, tubs etc.

I'm not a big koala fan but these pics are just too cute ...awwwww...

http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12327

Another scorcher forecast for Upper victoria..46C+ http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDV17001.shtml

39C for us next week...

Cute pics!!

Crazy weather for sure. You see pics of animals dying for water down south and up in far north Queensland the poor things are surrounded by water and are desperate for food.

After watching the news tonight I think I can safely say that Frosty is in England.

Keep safe TE girls in Britain.

[crazycanuck]

Can someone please send some good thoughts down to Victoria? The death toll is at 35 as of today but it's likely to rise. What really gets my goat is that many of the fires are work of arsonists

http://www.watoday.com.au/national/w...0208-80om.html

http://www.watoday.com.au/national/v...0208-80os.html

A good friend has family in Horsham and have heard good news that they've not lost any posessions. So far..

Rain please...!!!

[jaydee]

I am in a complete state of shock with the fires in Victoria. 66 dead and over 600 homes lost -but emergency services can't get into some townships to even see what the damage is.

We have a huge pall of smoke right across the sky to the south and while I know it is blowing up here with the southerly change and there are no fires around Canberra, it still makes you feel really nervous.

It is still awfully hot with erratic winds. A cool change is forecast but for many down south it is simply too late.

A horrendous day for people in the fire zones and their friends and families scattered all over the world. Our prayers and thoughts are with you. It really puts things into perspective and makes you appreciate all you have!

[crazycanuck]

I don't know how to describe how I felt last night when I watched the reports about the Vic bushfires. It's overwhelming to know that whole communities have been wiped out. The stories i'm reading today are both amazing & sad.

Aussies are normally well prepared for bushfire season but from what i've heard, the fires were just too ferocious for most to even try and contain.

Jaydee, Trekhawk & other aussie ladies-do you remember " Black friday http://www.abc.net.au/blackfriday/home/default.htm" and " ash wednesday http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday_fires"??

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/

*sigh*

[sundial]

CC, are you alright over there?? Your family and friends?? I am just sick at what's happening. The death toll is unbelievable!

[Trekhawk]

I don't know how to describe how I felt last night when I watched the reports about the Vic bushfires. It's overwhelming to know that whole communities have been wiped out. The stories i'm reading today are both amazing & sad.

Aussies are normally well prepared for bushfire season but from what i've heard, the fires were just too ferocious for most to even try and contain.

Jaydee, Trekhawk & other aussie ladies-do you remember " Black friday http://www.abc.net.au/blackfriday/home/default.htm" and " ash wednesday http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday_fires"??

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/

*sigh*

No words for this - just overwhelming sadness.