I just want to know!! Am I the only one that checks this thread every time someone post on it?? I am so curious to know who is sowing and how many!! Especially interested in zone 6!! Whooooooo hoooooooo, lol go Zone 6!!!

Hi Storygardner,Princess Mimi and Xarolent and Steph98. I was just reading the posts on the thread from the swap and when I was reading them I had started from the very last posting and scrolling upwards.I had felt like I missed out on the best part of my gardening life missing the swap this year because of my knee surgery.I was so excited to read what everyone did and what great plants were exchanged and just wanting to get the full experience of the fun and excitement I always take away with me after attending the swap through everone else who posts their delight at being there.I sure missed you all.Then as I got closer to the top I started to get confused and was wondering what was going on,Then as I read on I got real sad and felt so awfully bad for the girls I addressed this post to.And their children.How awful and hurtful for all involved.Chemicalrxm5,You should be so ashamed in all your beefing.You came to a swap with expectations of Grandure.It's a swap for peets sake.I have brought at different times 250,300 plants sometimes less.I never have gone with the expection of bringing home that many in return.Who would want that many plants?Oh right! You would. The first time I came to the swap was 5 years ago,I brought 273 plants and went home with 21 or maybe 25 plants.I thought I hit the Jackpot.I loved everything I took home and I met wonderful people and had Great food and I even got lucky and won a door prize.The people welcomed me and my friend Sue with open arms and I've been hooked ever since.You could take a lesson from the kids.This is a fun and learning process for them.They need the guidence from their parents to know the difference from one plant to the next, So if the parent says to them, thats a good plant in my opinion thats teaching them one plant from the other.They won't be children forever and this is a good way to educate them in something so wonderful.It's teaching them the value of the earth,Where our foods are grown and most inportantly,How to share.Something you are short on. You may have scarred these children with your petty bickering over a plant or a door prize.I think you owe these children an apology and ask for their forgiveness.Any time children are involved in plants and planting and gardening we all should be grateful for the teachings at home who have taken them down this road and kept them from drugs and such.I'm proud to know kids like them!!!So I say to you,God Bless You,Be Healthy and Apologize. Granny57x

Lars, I just re-read your post. I really like you & this statement didn't register at first... "...but I imagine that there were a lot of people from out of town there." Were you implying that, as the other team, there were many Bostonians & New Englanders there & that if THEY would have rioted you wouldn't have been surprised? I hope that's not what you meant...'cause while I wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise, New England has lost their reputation as "long-suffering losers" & have some experience nowadays with winning championship games without doing tens of millions of dollars in damage to Boston or somebody's else's town. New England Patriots: 2002, 2004, & 2005 (Super Bowl Champs) Boston Red Sox: 2004 & 2007 (World Series Champs) Boston Celtics: 2008 (NBA title champs) Boston Bruins: 2011 (Stanley Cup) We surely understand how Vancouver feels. The Red Sox, the Bruins and the Patriots delivered many calamities but zero championships for a LONG TIME. But this city has ridden an unprecedented wave of success over the past decade. The Bruins' victory in the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday night made Boston the first city to win championships in all four major sports within a 10 year span. Like the other trophies, the Stanley Cup will go on "tour" throughout New England so all the loyal fans can touch it & snap a picture. Yesterday, it was pushed through the streets of Boston in a baby carriage so fans could admire. :) It's been a LONG time since Boston's won the Stanley Cup & they were the last of our four teams to get their championship...they knew New England was counting on them to deliver. Fans were too happy to destroy anything. They were too busy kissing people they'd never met before! :) /tricia

Good Saturday afternoon from not-so-warm SE Texas. It's only 30 F. right now and the sun is shining brightly. It got down in the low 20's during the night. BRRR! I know it's nothing compared to what most of y'all are experiencing, but I admit it - I'm a weather wimp! ;) Maddie, congrats, girl, on being your skinniest! Now to modify your food to healthy! I know that you can do it because you've conquereed so many other things. Jan, that's quite a daily walk, and I'm so impressed. I'd also love that soup recipe. It's actually one I DON'T have. lol Suzanne, bless your heart - having walking pneumonia is no fun at all. I'm happy that your dh was home to take over though. What a blessing that was! Hope you're feeling much improved by now. Tikanis, about this time last year, my dh was told to give up caffeine because he was suffering from neuropathy. Well, he had us go cold turkey without telling me about it, and I had sick headaches for 3 days in a row and didn't know why. He had switched out our regular coffee for decaf which he makes every morning. On the 4th day, we had an early lunch where I ordered a Diet Coke, and after the first sip, I felt almost human again, and by the 2nd refill, I felt like a million bucks. Once I understood what was going on, I adjusted my coffee intake with half & half caf/decaf, and my headaches disappeared. I gradually cut out the caffeine slowly, and now I'm fine with decaf. I wish you well in weaning yourself from the cokes! Donna, I'm excited for you about your renovations. I'd love to see the photos, too. Congrats! Dee, how did the reviews go? It must be a nerve-wracking thing. Helen, I like it cooler than the temps we usually get around here - especially in the summer. And I agree that the Michelin man comment was hilarious! Raeanne, once long ago, my preacher gave an entire sermon on saying "NO". I only remember what I want to about it, but it stuck with me that the kindest thing you can do for yourself and for others sometimes is to turn things down if it can't be done with your whole heart involved. Now, when I try new things around here, I preface it to myself, and to the ones involved if it's necessary, that I want to make sure I'm the right person for the job or if I'd be good at whatever it is. I'm much improved now. I think it's been the huge change in the weather lately giving my sinuses fits. I don't have a headache today, TG! I'm going over to my friend's house this afternoon for a 'girls' day out' of movie-watching/knoshing/solving world problems. Susanne is hosting us and wants to fill her empty home with laughter and human warmth. It's a beautiful day to get together with all these great women friends I've been blessed with in the past 2 years. Wishing everyone a wonderful Saturday!