Thank you all for the info. I see now that the purple velvet plant is definitely different than a wandering jew! Now I can learn more about my new plants. I had never heard of these plants before. Have a good night!

Box elder grows in zones 3A to 8B so it is possible that this might grow in your area. Check searches using Acer negrundo. Box elder is listed as susceptible to Verticillium wilt and sensitive to pests/diseases.

Yes, male House Finch. They vary a lot in the amount of red. I put this pic together to help distinguish House Finches from Purple Finches. Now, all you have to do is figure out which is which... :) This post was edited by birdguy on Mon, Sep 8, 14 at 18:07

Whatever they are, they are NOT chanterelles. Your mushroom looks like a basidiomycete of some sort. The gills don't look right (chanterelles have ridges, not gills), and the coloration isn't correct for chanterelles either. Also, you'll really want someone in the field with you for a positive ID. If you're just trying to ID for fun, this is fine, but please do not consider eating a mushroom you are not 100% sure about. And you should never be 100% sure about a mushroom ID'd over the internet.