Just wanted to let you know how the Spring Bazaar went (well the whole process). Thursday night Nathan promoted up to Blue Belt 2nd degree (with a white stripe). Now hes going to take the summer off and start up again in the fall. Friday at school Nathan got a certificate for perfect Attendance not only for the semester but for the entire year. He also go the Superintendents Honor Roll (a 4.0 GPA for the 3rd trimester AND it was the last day of school!!!! YIPPPPPPEEEEEEE! Then we had his Birthday party at the bowling alley and then 2 friends spent the night. Then I loaded up the car for early Saturday morning. Todd left out Saturday morning at a quarter to 6am and set up the crates, poles and sand (heÂs such a great man!). After he got back I went over and set up the rest. I shared a 2 car spot with my friend Mae who makes jewelry. WE had a great time even though WE ALL battled the wind. It was cool and windy. Later on it was still windy but warmed up a little to in the mid 70Âs. I got sunburned even though I doused the sun block everyday IÂm outside. Todd hadnÂt wanted to bring ALL the bags of sand (I had 8 for the crates and 1 to fill the water cooler that I put the Knick Knack Planty Tags in). I expressed how I needed all the bags I had bought so nothing would fall. Se he did and thankfully so! I had one person come up and ask if he could use one bag. I kindly said no because they were all for the display I had. It kept all I had there grounded--no casualties. (I had had 3 casualties the day befroe with 3 of them. They were the biggger items so I'm learning). WE had some strong gusts so at times I held the display (for my sanity) to keep it grounded. My friend Mae eyed my totems and I eyed her jewelry. At the end we did a swap. A big gust came through and she lost a glass candle holder that she had as part of her display) After all was said and done I only sold 3 items ($40) and I traded one. Some people got it and some did not. A lot would say "That is such a neat idea" which basically meant they liked but they werenÂt going to buy or just go home and make their own. I didnÂt sell any of the planty tags. I only was asking $2. But then again it wasnÂt a good turnout like I thought. A lot of people werenÂt buying. I think the wind kept a lot of people awayÂI have photos but they are taking forever to upload. AFter Todd came and helped me pack up we came home and unloaded the cars. He and Nathan went out target practice with some friends. I stayed home to recoupe! I'm burned on my scalp---that's the only one that really hurts (but tolerable)...So, we live and learn. Need lots of stability and make sure the venue you go to has really good advertizing and no WIND! :-)When people would ask if I made those totems I said yes....Then I would say, no, my garden junking community just encourage one another with our creations. I can honestly say that everyone who came by said they had never seen anything like what I had before! It's good to be unique!!! I'll post photos when I can get my computer to work a bit faster. It may need some innards dusting. TTYL and thank you for all your encouragement! Love, Jules

I started Lisianthas last year around the end of January. They bloomed late as well. I was planning on bringing a few in the house for the winter to see if I could keep them alive by my south facing window. But that never happened. I was going to start them myself again, but I have fungus gnats in the house that I can't seem to get rid of. I know how much they like these flowers, so I asked a employee of a local greenhouse if they start them. She says they do and in 6 packs, so I'm opting for that route this year. Good luck with yours and good luck on having earlier flowers. Shelley

Once I use up my peat pots, I don't think I'm going to buy any more. Last year, I started my tomato plants in small plugs. When they got big enough, I transplanted them into large peat pots. When they were ready to go outside, I transplanted the peat pots into their final containers. Fast forward to end of season. I was clearing out the dead tomato plants from the pots. I pulled one out and the peat pot came out INTACT. It had never broken down or fallen apart, and the poor tomato plant, even though it was in a large container, was pretty much potbound still inside that little peat pot. Very few of the roots had ever found their way out into the rest of the container. I used some peat pots this year because I still had some, but I made sure to tear them before I transplanted so the plant roots could find their way out.

Cute doggies! Mine is a Yorkie/Maltese mix and is cute as a button. Nice growing, Barb! Next to pups popping out of the soil, pups coming out of a drain hole are my favorite things to see. My problem is I never know how to repot with a pup diving out the bottom! Please let me know/see how you handled it.