No apologies necessary... we're a very informal group here, and we talk about many things, including things that have nothing whatsoever to do with bulbs! We all have families, pets, and other interests besides bulbs, and several of us have rather twisted senses of humor! It gets interesting here, that's for sure! Anyway... I think tulle netting might just do the trick! I could buy several yards and make a nice large net to cover the area I'd place all the pots... that's a great idea! Finally, a use for my sewing machine! :-) On the subject of orchid pots... I recently ran into a case of smoky colored, opaque plastic pots and saucers, given to me by a friend who had no use for them. They're fairly clear, and with a few holes melted into the sides, they make great orchid pots! I also use them for smaller bulbs, so I can watch the root progress. Every orchid I have aborted their spikes, except for a young Phal... I think it's the very first spike on this one. It's Phal equestris. I prefer clay pots for all my bulbs, but the orchids are too fragile and sensitive to cold temperatures, so those go into plastic. I save deli containers and other plastic items to use for seed starting and seedlings. They make nice little covered greenhouses or terrariums for young plants and cuttings! Getting back to bulbs and pricing... I don't understand why some stores would rather throw away rotten bulbs than offer them at discounted pricing... I know there are quite a few people who don't, or can't afford, to buy them unless they're discounted. I'd buy more if they were cheaper, but our Walmart squeezes every penny out of them!

We too have State Farm and they won't cover much the costs of the damages at all. Actually, we are very unimpressed with them to say the least. Our local agent lived and grew up here, we have not heard a word from him or his office yet we called him as they have been our insurer for 10 years. We can't even put a claim in for the damages to this house. Our structural damage is "invisible" our electrical got messed up from the lightening and probably some magnetic fields in the storm. We have to cover that. We did have some structural damage, and trees fell on necessary structures and we have someone advising us on how to get things worded etc. However the estimated costs that the insurer came up with are not appropriate for Atlanta. $1,500 to fix the driveway will not even cover the cost of breaking it up and removing it here. $800 for a fence does not even cover the cost of materials, let alone labor. However, a person on another gardening forum has offered to help us. I don't even know this person and she and her husband have offered their backs to help us get things better. One of our biggest concerns now is flooding. State Farm isn't much concerned about the impact to the structural integrity of the property itself now that we have nothing: no grass, no trees, no landscaping anymore. They do not consider that "structural" even though it was all in place to save the structures from damage. The good thing is, I have 4 jobs. The bad thing is I will be leaving my volunteer job to max. one day a week now and having to reliniquish some of the other responsibilities I had at church. That is most important to me, but I have to get this stuff paid for. They offered me full-time at work recently. This afternoon I am going to tell them I'll take it. I was offered a job teaching gardening and environmental education classes at a local private school and I'll take it. My hours at the community garden can probably be increased. However that leaves little time for now to make things around here look decent, lol. But you gotta do what you gotta do, sometimes. GGG

Thanks, Jo, for the newbie shout out! I have been a GW member for a few years, but kind of fell off the scene a few years back. I'm back now & I have to say, I really missed this group of people on this board. They're amazingly knowledgeable & friendly! Folks on here helped me tremendously when I had a small veggie garden a few years ago. I can't wait until I have the proper fencing to make a new garden in our new yard! :) Thanks to everyone for being so friendly & accepting of all our newbie questions & sharing your skills with the rest of us poor unfortunate souls who are not so smart about gardening. :) I hope that maybe next year, I can come to the Spring Fling. It seems like ya'll always have such a blast & while I wouldn't have much to offer in the way of plant swapping, I could always collect my flower seeds to share. If anyone's brave enough to want morning glories or moonflowers, that is! Moving to southern Oklahoma & leaving all my friends & family behind to be a stay-at-home mom for the last 4 years has made for a lonely transition. I picked up gardening as a hobby to share with my son & pass the time & the people on this board made me feel like I belonged, even though I'm a newbie. Thanks a million to ya'll :)

I'm tired here as I was up too late again... but, I just noticed this thread and had to comment. Yes, it's a whole lot of work that totally was noticed by us. We appreciate all our valuable seeds from this big swap. This was my first "want list" swap ever, so I learned a lot, had a ball of fun, got to know better or for the first time a whole lot of wonderful participants and a wonderful HOST and co-host, AND got some treasured seeds as well along with some surprises I can't wait to grow out. I appreciate that you put every waking moment outside of working and family have to's into this swap. Thank you! Blessings, Angela