Hi, I sent you the Maskacik pattypan squash which was from one of my international traders, Rob in Slovakia. It is dark green with some light spotting and will get fairly large if you don't watch it frequently. It must be very rugged since it was one of the few veggies that did well in our freaky weather last year. It was extremely wet, so the garden went in late. On the seed pack Rob had written Patison Maskacik. I surmised that Patison was Slovakian for pattypan, but maybe that isn't correct. I think that I posted a picture on my Dave's Garden page. Hope you enjoy it!

Oh thank you so very much Patricia for all the work of sorting. I figured it would come today so I sat in front of the window watching for the mailman and when I saw a "package" being put in the box, I ran out to the road as fast as I could and almost sliped in the snow. I was so excited and immediately started to go through it. This was better than a seed catalog and I didn't have to order them. Thank you to everyone who sent in seeds also because without all of you sending we wouldn't have the assortment that we received. All I can say, is a "BIG" thank you to all of you and especially to Patricia for sorting. May all our gardens be beautiful this year! Ellie

I'm getting ready to leave California finally, so I'm packing and will be out of touch while on the road and even when I get back as my daughter, Autumn, has a surgery. I just wanted to let everyone know that I certainly am glad we are speaking up rather than bottling it in. Everyone has been really kind in how they worded things and careful of others' feelings. I don't want anyone to leave or feel that we want them to! Diana, you know we want you here, right? I think we've handled this civilly and can move on to making this a GREAT swap again this year. I want to thank Diana, Patty, and Angie for clarifying their points on the running list. I'm not offended in the least and actually do agree seeing how some common names or how things are listed could cause a seed to be overlooked. I think we all care greatly to send in as much as we can to help fill wants, so let's all do our due diligence by looking up different names and checking through the lists the "old fashioned" way as well. I love you all so dearly and sure hope I haven't hurt anyone. My heart is truly in the right place just hoping to make this a good swap for all, and I know you guys want the same. Last year so many of you helped me get through one of the roughest times in my life, and I truly feel you were my friends when you didn't hardly even know me. I just appreciate you all SO much! The last thing I'd want is to have any hard feelings between our members.... Well, I'm off to running across the country now...... Blessings, Angela

I am all too familiar with clutter. So acquainted, in fact, that I think most of it has become permanent features to the house. We have so much stuff now, we are having to move & build a bigger house. All of this "clutter" is actually things that we need & use regularly. We are just running out of spaces to put things. My husband & I each have our own hobbies that require a room all to ourselves to store everything. My plants have taken over the only usable guest bedroom, our closest shelves are on the verge of falling off the walls, his computer room can barely contain what he has in there, my art room you have to be an expert rock climber to get around in. I have always been one of those people who has the compulsion to hide things. I have things stuffed away in all cabinets through out the house, on top of the cabinets & refrigerator, stuff is under the beds, in drawers with clothes-if it can fit in a spot, I will squirrel it away. It helps keep my house looking nice & tidy.