Sue, Watching the leaves grow is really exciting! I'm sure they will do well for you! I'll do this again in the spring! :) Maybe this time with 2 boxes. This Fall trading season taught me that leaves really don't last much at all if water is added, so many neat leaves were lost to rot. And if in the box too long- stuff should be dated. That way you can decide what to 'save.' Know what to replace. Smaller swaps (less people per box) would be better for the varieties- quicker turn around. George, Good point! I followed someone a couple of times in a swap that lived in an area colder than mine- and then sent the box to a warmer area! More than usual rotted. So, it made me wonder if chill to heat stresses the leaves out terribly! Maybe doing the box (in the same climate) makes a lot of sense! Brunhilda, Yes minis/semis rot first, that's really true! Also, variegated leaves go quickly! The variegation starts to rot! Always try to catch it with cinnamon. Use a sharp razor to cut it off. Scissors smash cells- What I've learned the most this year, is you can't please everyone- eventually someone's going to complain-and be unhappy with your box! Take it lightly- always do your best! Pack a box you would love to receive- that's really all you can do! :) Lastly, if you receive brown cold dead leaves- don't blame anyone, it's the weather! Or the leaves are just delicate, and bruised during shipment! Stuff dies, be willing to take a chance! Replace what you can in each box, and have fun! We all grow violets because we love them! You just never know what 'must have' leaf can be in that box! :) Deb

Hi everyone. IfIwasabutterfly emailed me directly just after Canada Day to say she mailed it out to me but I still haven't received the package. I agree Sunnybun, it's a bit dejecting not to have the RR finished by now and with it's going lost twice now it seems, I don't really feel like doing it again :( I'm hoping it will arrive this week though...fingers crossed. I was going through the list and I think it arrived at everyone's doorstep with the exception of myself, but let me know if anyone did not receive it yet that was supposed to. Heidi

OK folks, I think I DID manage to mess this up. I think I misunderstood how Round Robins work and am in the process of getting some feedback from the nice folks over in the Round Robins forum. When I get a better idea of where I went wrong I will post in here IMMEDIATELY. In addition, the Robin has NOT taken flight yet. I have had a LOT of unexpected company and things got delayed. So I started getting organized to send this Robin up in the wild blue yonder and then I started realizing someting wasn't making sense. I am expecting to get it resolved today and I PROMISE PROMISE PROMISE I will get it in the mail tomorrow - pending getting some answers from the emails I sent out of course! lol I sent my questions to 15 individuals on the Round Robin forum and have already gotten one reply. Unfortunately they were a Newbie as well! lol So I'm hoping more answers will be arriving shortly. I just wanted to keep you folks up-to-date with our fat little Robin... who is losing weight even as we speak! lol I hope we can get her flying SOON!! Hugs from your host, Buddyfly (aka Marly)

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...