Dear Xuan, If we called you Swan, would you be offended..now when I see how your name is pronounced I think of the beautiful graceful swan and I'm sure that description fits you also :-) When I answered your other post, I hadn't seen that you had posted more pictures of your beautiful creamy orange with the lighter bottom segments..so you don't have to answer my question..I do love all your seedlings and can't wait until mine show some flowers..you look at them for a couple of years all leaves and than one day you see that precious bud..can't wait..I too have a few Exotica crosses that I made and now I'm really excited about them..thanks to your crosses..this one and also the ones you showed last year.. Donna

Well, I did finish cleaning my bulbs this afternoon. It was not as warm out so was sure glad when I finished...just can't work with water without getting soaked myself! Anyhow, I now have 7 nursery flats of drying bulbs, dusted with fungicide powder. They are in my mildly warm work room on the shelves for a couple of days to make sure they are thoroughly dry before putting them away in the garage for their rest period. Josie was still tired from our long hike in the park yesterday so she was not interested in the hose water today. She lay down just out of reach and took a nap in the sunshine. I was about ready to curl up with her on the grass by the time I finished! Sure was good to get out of the wet clothes though! And sure good to know that the bulbs are as safe as I can make them, and all back inside now. NExt comes finding the right soil component for the big potting up event!

Thank you for all the kind words! I've always liked making things myself, and sharing them... giving a handmade gift is much more personal than just buying something. Not that there's anything wrong with purchasing gifts... I just prefer creating them myself. And... I'm cheap (LOL), and sometimes broke! Making gifts can cost less than buying things, especially with the prices these days... I wish I could find my wedding photos, but they're packed away right now... I made all the bouquets, boutoneers, matching jewelry for all the bridesmaids, table decorations, decorated arch, gift envelope box, reception hall decorations, guest book, decorated cake knife... and I even bought a plain pair of white heels for myself and decorated them with pieces of Victorian lace... I saved a small fortune, and it was beautiful! Everything was in white and burgundy colors! I do all kinds of crafting... I love the creative process! I'm not that full of life, soultan... I have good days, and some bad days... I try to take advantage of the good ones, and do as much as I can... Lupus is a very painful disease, but the pain can be masked... so I get up every day, take my pills, and hope for the best... then, if I feel ok, I get busy doing whatever I can handle that day... today, I planted more things in the new bulb garden! I plan to plant more tomorrow, if everything goes well. All of us have our crosses to bear... but just when you think life can't be worse, something good happens. Today, while I was out in the garden, 2 little hummingbirds were flitting around my Pineapple sage bush, sipping nectar and softly peeping... and they were not 2 feet from me... and they would stop in front of me and look at me... then flit away to sip more nectar... it was amazing, a true gift... makes it all worth while... :-)

Oh thank you,, you guys. I should probably email this but here is a story my friend send me. The power of prayer is so strong and prayers DO work. Love to you all! God bless! >> GROCERY LIST Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven ch ildren and they needed food. John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once. Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.' John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store. Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, 'Do you have a grocery list?' Louise replied, 'Yes sir.' 'O.K' he said, 'put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries.' Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed. The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down. The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, 'I can't believe it.' The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more. The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said: 'Dear Lord , you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands.' The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store. The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said; 'It was worth every penny of it . Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs' THE POWER OF PRAYER: When you read this, say a prayer. That's all you have to do. Just stop right now, and say a prayer of thanks for your own good fortune So dear hearts, trust God to heal the sick, provide food for the hungry, clothes and shelter for those that don't have as much we do. Amen & Amen