I am getting things potted up for the swap. I am focusing on bringing a smaller number of larger trades this year. I stopped by a nursery to find some cheap pots and talked them into selling me some of their 6" square pots (probably about 1/2 gallon ones) for $.20 each. Last year Oakland Park had nice 4" ones for $.09 each, but they didn't carry them this year. So far I have rhubarb, chocolate mint, lemon balm, spiderwort, lamb's ear, evening primrose, Golden Tiara hosta, misc. var. hosta, and Michaelinsis daisy potted up into 1/2 gallon or larger pots. I also have quite a few small starts of Penny's Worth daylily, a nice little daylily with yellow flowers. It kind of looks like a miniature version of Happy Returns. I also have plenty of tomatoes. I have about 60 varieties started this year. Some I only have a few of, but many of them I will have extras of to bring to the swap. We will be potting up some other things to bring as well. We usually bring the dogs into Columbus with us when we visit. But I don't see how they will fit in the van with all of the plants. It looks like we will have to leave them with friends for the weekend. We are looking forward to seeing everyone on the 15th. James

Thanks Beverly for starting this post over again. I wouldn't know how to do it, so I'm glad you did. I am thinking about the spring swap too. My friend is finally envious about this swap and now I know she will come next year. Hopefully I can fit her into my van! She is a great gardener and loves the flowers in the woods so she and Shadowgardner/the Terrible will get into conversation, that I am sure of! Thanks Betty for the hostas, I do love them, hopefully I will have different ones for you next year! Char and Dave so nice to meet you face to face and enjoyed having lunch with you, I also had a great time conversing with Alison and her friends, also loved Alison's Blackberry Cheesecake, a favorite family secret!!. And Trish, well what can I say, your daylilies are wonderful, I hope someday I can bring you something you don't have. I wanted the Tangerine Horses, so maybe next spring I'll be lucky enough to get one of those, that is if you bring that one! Yes Dave the tomatoes were wonderful, I tried to get at least one of each so I could save seeds for next year. Sorry about Leigh Ann loosing her Blood Grass, I'm sure no one took it on purpose, If it will make her feel better, I have tried it down my way and lost it! I love my Black Mondo Grass, I hope it makes it through the winter! In fact I love all the plants I recieved! I hope I have some great ones for next spring! This is one of the best things to do, so a Big Thank You to Beverly and Mimi for starting this all, and to Tiffany and Kathy , hopefully they will take care of the fall swap. I got the rickity 'ole wagon that Mimi picked up from someones trash, I managed to sneek it past my husband, so now when he finally notices it, I'll just say 'OH, I've had that for a long time" hehe Also I was fortunate enough to get Mimi's window in the drawing, I was afraid I was going to be attacked while going to the car.... ha Also Alison, I got some starts off of your small leafed lilac, I hope so much that they develope some roots! Will let you know next year! Enough for now, Hostalavista Babee!! linda I know I have more to say but can't think of it right now....

This is a variation of a recipe posted at all recipes by Star Pooley. The changes are mostly in cooking the broth for 2+ hours instead of 30 minutes. Level 1 - Pro/Fat 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 onions chopped 2 cloves of garlic - minced - more if you like about 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley - originally called for an entire bunch of parsley 1 large can of diced tomatoes - originally called for stewed tomatoes * optional(if you like a thicker soup you can include a large can of tomato puree or 1 small can of tomato paste) 1/2 cups dry white wine 2 bottles of clam juice - origanally called for water instead of clam juice 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon of dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dired oregano *optional - 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes - if you like a little kick 1 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined shrimp 1 1/2 lbs bay scallops 2+ dozen clams 2+ dozen mussels - cleaned and debearded 1 1/2 cups of crabmeat - I used lump crabmeat 1 1/2 pounds of cod cubed - I used tilapia Over medium-low heat melt butter and add evoo in large stockpot, add onions, garlic and parsley. Stir and cook until onions are tender. Add tomatoes to the onions, then add chicken broth, wine, clam broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme and oregano. Mix well, cover and simmer at least 2 hours. Stir in shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, crabmeat and fish. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer about 7 minutes or until clams open. Serve in bowls and enjoy!

Good Morning All, Raeanne!! Nice painting. Very surreal. I like it alot. I can't paint my way out of paper bag either but the worse thing is that I wouldn't even try!! Patti, how was the block party? DeeMarie, it's good to hear from you sail along in the warmth!! Marci, thanks for posting Raeanne painting. That site is great. The Menu was Shrimp cocktail on a bed of baby greens dressed with lemon and olive oil. It was good Roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, broccoli & cauliflower, glazed carrots and wonderful gravy. Dessert was creme caramel with orange almond shortbread. It was very good. I made desert earlier in the week so that was a big help. The rest was pretty easy it was just timing, getting every thing out hot and the beef not overcooked which is was not. That was my big fear! It was delicious. Last night was a great success. DH was a very big help and the company was really nice, not stuffy. Two of the guest were jounalist, just back from Iraq. What tales they have. It's amazing. One of them is a woman who is a producer for the FOX network and she produces Oliver North's show War Stories each week. She is great, I have met her several times before. She travels the world while her DH stays at home and tendst to things there. Great couple. The other journalist is her friend and he had wild tales to tell too. Things I could never imagine. There was another couple there who live in DC. He manages a huge multi-million dollar pension fund for the government. He was the president of our local bank years ago! I'd say he's come a long way. I have to head back over there to make breakfast for DH and DFI and whoever else gets up! The two journalist couples stayed over last night. I am so tired I don't know if I am going to ride or have a nice long nap. Right now the nap is winning! Oh and just before I started to make dinner my temporary crown came off! I stuck it back in with some vaseline but it came out again. It's in right now but I can't eat!! It's uncomfortable though. Last night it didn't bother me much with all the wine!! NH Suzanne