I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving week. Kids are back to school tomorrow, much work to be done, Christmas gifts to buy and plans to be made! We even have a CHANCE of snow on Tuesday (won't stick.. but still!) I received a couple more packages this weekend: Here's the updated list: Here's an update on swap members and packages received: 1. poisondartfrog /Alana ~ pkg rec'd 2. lois / Lois ~ pkg rec'd 3. onedaylily / Margie ~ pkg rec'd 4. farmergirl2009 / Ellie ~ pkg rec'd 5. roper2008 / Linda ~ pkg rec'd 6. texaspinkie / Rebecca ~ 7. apoppyfield / Ann ~ pkg rec'd 8. caroleapony / Donna ~ pkg rec'd 9. tlfox / Tiffany ~ 10. shemeows / Maria ~ pkg rec'd 11. hibiscusfan / Suzanne ~ pkg rec'd 12. tracyokc / Tracey ~ pkg rec'd 13. flowergirl34 / Vina ~ pkg rec'd 14. ktrout / Karrigan ~ 15. thatannagirl / Anna ~ pkg rec'd 16. Indiana.Matt / Matthew ~ 17. ibartoo / Linda ~ 18. pumkingal / Lisa ~ pkg rec'd 19. october17 / Ellie ~ pkg rec'd 20. xiangirl / Heidi ~ pkg rec'd 21. kellyk49 / Kelly ~ pkg rec'd 22. gardenunusual2 / Tanya ~ 23. tomerrol / Tom ~ 24. beautifulreddahlias / Nina ~ 25. puffie / Muffy ~ pkg rec'd 26. flower2 / Mitchell ~ pkg rec'd 27. cashclan / Sharon ~ pkg rec'd 28. shant (?) / Shanti ~ 29. vajeff / Jeff ~ 30. sinbadsmom / Kathy ~ pkg rec'd 31. lceh / Lynne ~ pkg rec'd 32. peaches0104 / Julie ~ pkg rec'd 33. lightning96 / Beth ~ 34. snapdragon36 / Debbie ~ pkg rec'd 35. Molanic / Morgan ~ pkg rec'd 36. docmom / Martha ~ pkg rec'd 37. nan-6161 / Nancy ~ pkg rec'd 38. sandysgardens / Sandy ~ 39. drippy / Kim ~ pkg rec'd 40. rane_grow / Iris ~ 41. Gretchensgarden / Gretchen ~ pkg rec'd 42. daisydawnny / Dawn ~ pkg rec'd That's the current update of received packages as of mail delivery to me on Saturday. I'm sure more will be arriving all this coming week! Now, don't forget about the game I posted last week! So far, only one person has turned words in and they did a GREAT job!! Here's the details for you again: The latest game challenge will be a simple one as this is a wild and crazy week for everyone that's busy cleaning and cooking or traveling for Thanksgiving. Before you know it we will be stringing the lights and shopping mad sales at all hours of the night and day... The dates for this challenge will run through Dec. 10th. The challenge is a simple word find game. A popular one that's been making the rounds on the round robin forum this year. Email me a list of as many words as you can come up with from the words "Winter Sowing Swap". All words must be at least 3 letters and up. For instance, "Winter" could be one word. "Sow" could be a word, "tan" and so on. (There! I just gave you 3 freebies! :) The winner will receive a bonus flower package of 10 packs tailored to items on their wish list. Have fun! ~Wendy

Got mine today too! Walked down the street to the mailbox in the snow and ice for it lol I saw carolinaflowerlover got seeds and i had to check!! SO many things, i really wanted from my list so thank you for the thoughtfulness put into this Sassy! And in my madness, i ripped alot of gifts open without putting names to them but thank you everyone for the gift ones too!! I started off with so little to try this year and I have so much to revitalize alot of the old gardens!! I can't wait to share pics with everyone later this year! Since I didn't really keep everything seperated to thank everyone individually for the gifts (i'm sorries :( ), here's some of my favorite things that I thought I wouldn't get or that I'm looking forward to trying the most: Lavender Hyssop....never really thought about it till i looked it up and it attracts bees and butterflies...well thats a keeper for sure! :) Docmom, i was looking at an old post about your malva and i was so impressed with the deep purple and i really wanted it so I saw you had it on your list and searched in vain yesterday, to find something to impress you lol well I guess someone heard my prayers on that one! Daylily! (poisondartfrog) - really didn't expect to get any daylily seeds to try this year and i can't wait. all i have is the wild orange ones and stella de orro lol Trumpet Lilies....love lilies! :) Zinnias! (yes i said zinnias!), again i was looking at old pics by people and i saw someone who had a bed of these and they looked so pretty! so i will attempt to make a bed of these, just as nice! lol so many more, in fact, i could probably keep listing all of them but really i am so happy with my seeds!! thank you and i hope this swap will take place again! :) Happy winter sowing everybody!! :) ~Michael

Hi Cooper, You don't have to winter sow anything. But we winter sowers become addicted because the method works beautifully! Winter sowing is great because your seeds don't wash away, blow away, get eaten by bugs and other critters, the seeds are easily identified and kept track of for the most part. Direct sowing still has its moments though. Personally, I think larkspur actually does better direct sown. I also direct sow bachelor buttons,and nigella (love in a mist). My seeds from these plants have already germinated and are thriving despite the snow and dips into the teens that we have had. If any of these seeds are on your list, I'd go ahead and get them out there. They will germinate in their own good time and will survive any weather. From my understanding the seeds I just mentioned like to be sown in the fall anyway. So feel free to get them out as soon as you see bare ground. Natvtxn has a great idea of looking up the seeds on the internet. Also a great idea to throw some out and maybe holding some back for winter sowing or regular under lights sowing or maybe try all 3 methods...whatever you want. Gardening is always a learning experience.

Sara, Much cooler-but I had forgotten just how humid it is out there. And green, it was a jungle! I always laugh when I hear folks here speak of the "humidity". Certainly it is alot more humid than Colorado, Arizon and the rest of the southwest. But it is actually much much drier here than the east coast. It was usually between 68-72 degrees F in the mornings during my trip, yet I was dripping with sweat from the humidity. Oh well, there are weather issues no matter where you are, just got to learn how to deal with it. My tomatos all died while I was gone, yet I was able to start a new crop of squash for the fall, certainly couldn't do that in the northeast. Oh,and I emphasize it was "usually" humid during my trip. The 1st day I was there it was 75, dry, with a slight breeze-of course that was on the coast while wading in the surf at Rye beach. Sigh...