Hi all, I love everyones ideas. Keep them coming. I'm glad to hear there are a bunch of you in SW Florida. If it is okay, why don't we keep this link going from both coasts so we can still learn from each other. We are all on the same path. I was on craigslist or freecycle somewhere yesterday and a girl wrote in asking for seeds as she lost her job and has no idea who she is going to feed her family. I don't think we are so way out. Heather I love the blog. Incredible. I have a number of links I look at for ideas. Take a look at http://www.mysquarefootgarden.net/ don't think I say that one. Brute: you are right on. Take a look at http://www.abysmal.com/LDS/Preparedness/Preparedness.pdf. It is off the main topic of gardening but it is probably the most indepth "emergency preparedness manual" that is put out by the LDS or Mormon church. It is written with facts and humor but it covers everything up to and including growing your own garden. I am not LDS but I have many friends who are and I have learned a lot from them. When I was looking for the above link i came across this site which had a lot of info some of it very scary but staying on our topic I liked this link. http://www.shtfblog.com/how-to-build-a-concrete-block-raised-bed-garden/ I really like the concrete block raised bed idea. I have my veggie garden raised and a timer on a hose that has kept things simple. I need to redo my bed as I am down to basil and 0regano. I bought a lot of seeds last week but to be honest I have never grown anything from seed except for watermelon. This will be a great start. My email address for anyone who wants to contact me privately is: IBelieveKandC@yahoo.com. I am not as good as Heather on Blogging. If one of us gets a great meeting or speaker going this is a good place for us to see if we have an interest. We could always do a fieldtrip. Literally. Lets try and keep the ideas between east and west going together for now. It's all good. The more info the better. Claudia

The Invisible One is finally reporting in. After last SundayÂs gathering, The Bug got me down, eliminating my ability to say anything the least bit witty, not that I could have matched the others at that, anyway. DH and I enjoyed everyoneÂs company immensely. It was wonderful to dine among GW celebrities Igloochic (the delightful, devoted mother of adorable Jesse -- I hope he is doing much better), Buehl (who I later realized is the Kitchen Forum FAQ compiler/poster), and cooperbailey (with whom I had several things in common). It would be fun to meet more GW folks, whenever and wherever. We are in Towson, MD, so I expect weÂll be headed south when it happens. Some have pronounced our kitchen "finished." Now, we all know that "done" is a relative term. I hastily took some pictures of our kitchen before last weekÂs dinner meeting, and the only thing really missing is a window treatment. However, I need to straighten up the counters, find the best angles, and gather all the spec details before preserving our kitchen for posterity in the Finished Kitchens Blog. That new project is definitely on my Someday List  another relative term. :-) Alice

okay, I just checked and I can get Cottage Living, Southern Living, Traditional Home, Southern Accents, and Veranda. How will I ever decide now :) les - I know you're right, and I would probably come out ahead making a donation and buying him the prize, but I've decided that I would really like to get some decorating magazines. He wants the ipod speakers and he has to sell 7 subscriptions, so that's not too bad. I refuse to do every fundraiser they bring home (this is the 4th one so far this year, plus his boy scout one), but this is one I decided I would do. Laurie

Beagles you are so sweet to offer your place for a get together. At the moment all of those dates work for me. We will have a house warming and a christening to attend out of state - but my brother's new home is still under construction and the baby isn't due until June. I'd love to get to met my fellow SE PA GWers.