GardenHits-- I just sent my info to you again via this forum's e-mail link. Sometimes this CRANKY, old computer of mine (born 1999) doesn't send out my messages...instead, they just sit in my outbox and I often don't think to check and make sure they went out. Hopefully, you'll receive it this time. Would you please acknowledge either way whether or not you received my message, and if necessary, I'll send you a postcard with the info via snail mail. Best to all, tlr

Well, my tulips have just opened, finally!!! I live in a small town in central montana. Not even a stop light in town. I like it! I work for a steel manufacturer that makes steel cooking griddles. so I run the equipment, do sales, and the packaging. My husband and I just got married 4 years ago. I moved to the larger city where he lived, till my dad was diagnosed with cancer then we did the mad dash to fix and sell the house and move back to my old town. We got to spend a month with dad before he pased. We've been here 9 months now and have moved twice. When my rental came empty it was an absolute disaster! So.....from Nov on we did nothing but work on the house. Since we were doing so much work we decided to fix it nice and move into it-- about 1/2 acre of yard nice views but an ugly yard with nothing in it. I am in zone 4 and in on the plains so the biggest problem I have is the constant wind here in the winter, it seems to kill everything! OH, and the alkaline soil sucks too! I like Iris, peonies and daylilies they do well here as well as most clematis. Poppies are my favorite. At this time I think I have at least 20 varieties. I have been trading like crazy and I recognize a few people I have already traded with. Hello to poisondartfrog,seashellpcola, and amyinms!!! AMYINMS, ARE THOSE MY TOMATO PLANTS THAT HAVE TOMATOES ON THEM ALREADY??!! (GIGGLE)

I have had a shelf up in an effort to give some persistent barn swallows an alternative to my porch. A finch used it one year, but it mostly remains empty. I think it depends on the direction that it faces. I find that birds are particular about that. For example, barn swallows insist on trying to nest on my porch on little tiny window toppers about 1 1/2" wide. My s-i-l next door has a porch with huge beams and they never attempt to nest there. I thought maybe because their porch faced northwest. I have no reason to believe this, just this small sampling of info. All my bluebird boxes face northeast and they get used every year. I personally think birds like HOSP will nest anywhere.......which probably accounts for their numbers. If you are going to offer small boxes, it is always best to discourage HOSP from using them. No need to help them out. They do fine on their own and can nest with or without a box. By giving them a place to nest, it simply increases the competition on the natives.

Wow Mellen you out did your self today i got my package i got books and more books and i like them all,they are taste of home backyardliving boston terrior book and i love it. how to build bird houses living roses for dummies i need that i got bunch of roses light and tasty 3 quick cooking birds in bloom thank you so much i didnt have many book im new to tast of home from my mom i just subscribed to it,and i was looking at the birds in bloom im going to sub to it too.thank you so much great to have gw friends.daylilymom.I enjoyed this exchange didnt have time to send alot to mine was sick and grandkids sick.I hope she enjoys what i did send,god bless you all.