Hey Dawn its me, I just wanted to post and catch up! I went out of town for the holidays and everything was kind of like a blur!!I have received my last box from luvstogarden and I also received a wonderful box for december I believe from my new pal. In was:

Silver squill, a psalms calendar(love this!!), a contry living crafting wreaths book( I can't wait, wait, wait to make me a wreath!!), a pets coloring/activity book, a lovely card with a handwritten note, a cute little puppy and kitty puzzle, a glass bowl with tons of seeds in it, a jar of homemade crabapple jelly(I have never had any, I'll bet it tastes good!!), Finding nemo sidewalk chalk, a box of 64 crayons, a book "the tigers of como zoo", 2 flower bulb gardens one pink one purple with 25 bulbs each. the pink has 2 hyacinths, 5 tulips, 15 allium, and 3 pink daffs. The purple one has 2 hyacinths, 5 tulips, 10 allium and 8 crocus. Whew, that was a lot of stuff. That was a wonderful box and I thank you so much secret pal for all the work that you put into it! My children also loved the gifts that you sent to them!!!

Now, I must send my deepest heartfelt apologies to my pal for being so very far behind!! Tina, I hope you are not mad at me!!! I am mailing out your november and december boxes today. They are in separate boxes but you should receive them at the same time. ( I am also mailing your christmas box for the other swap too and I am sorry about being late with that!!) I will email the delivery confirmation numbers to you after I hit the PO. Again I am so sorry to be behind and I hope that now I am caught up and will stay that way! The holidays really threw me off! Well now I am away to send out my seed trades that I am wayyyy behind on too!!!

Carly

Happy New Year to everyone! Hope your holidays were enjoyable and that 2006 brings you all the best.

Dawn: Please send my best wishes along with your email to Tammy if you could.

Erica: I'll be out of town from Jan.24-Feb16, if I don't get to post you'll know why. Finally getting to go to Arizona for a winter break...my 50th B'day present! DH will hold down the fort and keep the home fires burning! Love that man.

Hey Tina and Dawn,

I have the confirmation numbers on the packages to Tina but I forgot to write down which two were for this swap so I will list them all. They are

0305 2710 0001 2289 9250
0305 2710 0001 2289 9267
0305 2710 0001 2289 9274

I hope you like them Tina!

Carly

Carly, you crazy thing, I cold NEVER EVER EVER be mad at you! I was not worried one bit. To be completely honest, I told my husband, that after all of the WONDEFUL boxes you have sent to me, that if you wasn't able to send these, that was fine. What you have previously sent me would more than make up for anything. NEVER NEVER NEVER would I EVER be mad at you!!!

Dawn, please also include my thougths and prayers in your e-mail to Tammy as well if you don't mind :-)

On a sad note, the 12 miners did not survive the blast. My heart goes out to their family and friends. May God be with them all and give them some sort of peace in this devastating time.

Julus, I want you to know that I have not forgotten you and your packages will be on their way to you shortly. Trying to get back on schedule now for the New Year. I look forward to sending to you friend.

Happy New Year my wonderful gardening friends. May 2006 hold joy, love, happiness, lot's of smiles, blooms and sprouts for us all.
Much Love,
Tina

I am sorry to hear about the miners too! I was working that night when they announced that they were all safely found only later that night to hear of the mistake. How horrible. I feel for the families of the miners and for the family of the lone surviving miner, he sounds like he is in really rough shape.
Tammy get well soon... Spring is comming and you need to get your strength back for all the fun to come.
Me, I can't wait till spring. I have two favorite times of year...spring when everything starts to grow and the daffodils bloom and end of june when all my daylilies bloom.I have 32 daylily seedlings growing in my basement hoping that they will flower this year as this is their second year of growth.
Dawn I haven't forgot that daylily I promised you. When the first green shoots pop up I will send you a chunk. I am sure you will love it.

All together now....HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLAUDIA!

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY CLAUDIA!

Thanks for the birthday wishes!! The years start to be too many, from now on I dont count no more. LOL
Claudia

I am starting to get worried about those boxes Carly. I check everyday, but nothing! Darn postoffice anyway. And they upped the charges, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
I will post immediately when they arrive.

Tina

USPS FINALLY shows that Des Moines Post Office received and sent on all 3 boxes. So!!! I do believe they will be here in the morning.
Now, I have 3 boxes that I sent out that are still MIA. Maybe they'll appear as well.

12:20 am (Zzzzzzzzzz's)
Tina

Well, I was wrong. They didn't show up today. Probably in the morning. I hope everything is ok that you sent. You always work SO HARD to make such wonderful boxes.
Will post again in the morning,
Tina

Hey there guys!

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY CLAUDIA!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Julus for remembering the daylily--I am glad you did!!!!! You know I wouldn't hold you to it!

Tina--maybe they are still catching up from the holiday mail. (YEAH, RIGHT!!!!) Hope everything works out and nothing goes MIA.

The weather here is so nice the past couple of days. Very spring like. I actually got to TOUCH DIRT!!!!! (gotta love that!)

We are 50 degrees here right now. Sure not the Iowa winter I know, but I am not complaining, LoL. Just hope it doesn't hurt my other children (plants), LoL.

I'm sure the boxes will arrive tomorrow.
Where is everyone?

Tina

lol. I don't know...... I think we are everyone! I know there is only about 12 of us now.

Probably they are outside enjoying the weather! I have also thought about the plants--I don't know if it is a good or bad thing for them. This is such a "spring tease"! lol.

Dawn

Well, it was 82 here today and I am not even able to enjoy it cause I am fighting this old yucky bug. I had to emerge from my cocoon(sp?) a few minutes ago to cook supper and then I am going to take a hot bath and go back in hiding! LOL! We need some moisture so bad here it is not even funny. It hasn't really rained since the summer months I think. No precipitation of any kind! We have some in the forecast for monday and tuesday I think so we will see how that pans out! At least maybe it would slow down all the fires around here!
Well, hope you guys had a good week and have a good weekend!

Carly

just checking in.. hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather..even if it will not last..my package has not went out yet, i was called back from layoff so i've been a little busy..but i will have it out soon, i still have to add a few things.. see ya erica

I really want to post pictures!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to let you all know that I did email Tammy (outapatience) and she, nor her Dh, have gotten back to me yet. But if I hear anything about how she is doing I will let you all know.

Julus--just thought I would make sure that you knew what had happened and that her DH thanked you for her package and that it is waiting for her when she gets home from the Hosp.

GET WELL SOON TAMMY---WE ARE ROOTING FOR YOU. (Excuse the pun)--get it?

I received the boxes today. Thank you Carly for all of the wonderful gifts. I love the rooster tea pot set!
I love the books as well. I love it all.
Thank you again. Enjoy your weekend!

Tina

I wish we will hear from Tammy soon, and she's OK. I am very concerned. I've thought about having some flowers sent to her. I should do that. I pray she's going to be OK. Tammy, we love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Treasa

Any news from Tammy? I hope she is ok.
I received my January box today. A gift certificate for Seeds of Change - thank you Barb. I started 'drooling' over all the fabulous pictures.
Take care Claudia

OOOHhhh, a gift certificate. That's a good idea!

I haven't heard anything back about Tammy yet. I am wondering if I should wait it out or take her out of the swap. I also hope she is well. I think she would say that it would be best to take her out. What do you think Julus and Treasa since you guys are on her giving and receiving ends. It is a hard call for me to make. Thanks Dawn

Seeds of Change, that's a great catalog. I've ordered from them before. They have a lot of goodies. Claudia, you'll have lots of fun with that certificate!!!

I just hope Tammy is going to be OK. Don't really know what to say about the boxes. I wish we knew her condition. Julus, what do you think? Treasa

my box will go out on friday.PAYDAY.. 1ST CHECK SINCE I HAVE BEEN LAID OFF....HEHEHEHE i am very excited can't ya tell....

I emailed Tammy again to see how she is and tell her she is in thoughts and prayers. I also asked if she (or her dh) could give us an update as to how she is. And I mentioned if they thought it would be better to take her out of the swap for now, or if she wanted to stay in. No word yet though........

Have a good night all! Dawn

I could not belief it - yesterday I received another box! Icelandic wool, ready for the spinning wheel. What a beautiful color and so soft. A gardener's notebook and seeds from Barbs garden. The notebook is so nice I will use it as photo album to document the progress in the farm garden - BTW we bought the farm Jan. 4th !!. The small terra cotta bottle, do I use it for essential oils? Thanks so much Barb. Have a great trip down South and try to relax!!
Did my pal ever receive the Jan. box? Let me know Carly and I hope you feel better.
Stay warm everybody - up here it's freezing.
Claudia

Hi all. Hope everyone is doing well and "Winter Sowing".
We got 6" of snow last night. I knew when all the previous snow had melted and we could see the ground again, we'd get more snow. Luckily I fly to Arizona tomorrow and hope to be wearing a single layer of clothing by afternoon. Ah!!!! Stay warm everyone, see you in Feb.

Claudia: I think you'll like Seeds of Change. They're nice people doing good things for the planet. Did they enclose a B'day card? The bottle can be used for anything small enough to sqeeze in...genies, oils, charms or potions...dust collector? I have a lot of those! Take care,B.

hi, everyone.... i just wanting to post my package went out. i know my pal is out of town. so she'll have a nice surprise to come home to.

i received my box.. oh how i love the books and the cute snowman.. i have to get more cups so i can start the seeds.. hehhe first time winter sower here..lol the set of card are great i am always looking for something to send out my letters to my grandma in fla.loved the picture frame, we just got 2006 pictures of my daughter last week.. my pal sends wonderful packages and always brightens up my week.. thanks so much pal-- have a great week and happy garderning...erica

Hi everyone,

Sorry claudia that it took me so long to post I haven't had much computer time lately! I did receive the box and it was wonderful!!!! I receieved a set of vanilla ginger lotion, body wash and body spray that smells wonderful(my husband even likes it!! He is very picky about the scents I wear but he loves it!) and wonderful tote bag that now holds all my current knitting/crochet projects that were in a brown paper bag in my living room! and a bunch of seeds including some very neat fern spores! Thanks so much claudia for the great box I loved everything and I think it will be so neat to grow ferns from spores!! I hope I didn't forget anything claudia if I did please forgive me! I am behind sending out my pals box for this month again but I will get it out very soon probably the first part of next week! Thanks again claudia for the awesome box!

Carly

Just to let everyone know my January Package was mailed today sorry so late