The PO used to have bigger boxes, BUT of course with the cost of everything rising and getting smaller (you know those 50 lbs bags of dog food? well they cost a LOT more now and you only get 40 lbs! sugar used to be in 5 lb bags a lot are going to 4 lbs now) they raised their shipping prices and decreased the size of the boxes you can get! SO NOT FAIR! I am about to head out to start working on my plants, it is my plan to get EVERYTHING done today, including repacking all the boxes and sending back tomorrow...WISH ME LOTS OF LUCK and hope NOTHING pops up today to slow me down dog it! Amy I DID get both boxes, but to tell you the truth, I got one opened and found the philo plant and the cuttings and thought that was all I was supposed to receive from you so I didn't look to see who the other packages were for LOL. I will look at them then hehe, I so sorry. Ahhh, Theresa, I wasn't expecting you to cover the box. Most people to not cover them anymore because the PO system seems to deliver them anyway. I used to, and it is actually easier to cover a box then you think LOL. I have, like last year, I mailed a box that wasn't brown, it had colored pics on it, IT was HUGE anyway, it had colored pics on it and I had to cover it because the whole box was like the slicky pic kind and it had to be covered. The trick is to place the brown wrapping paper down on a table, then place the box on it, bring the paper up and over the top to meet, tape it down, then fold a side, starting with one, side of the side until you have all four sides folded over, you know how you do wrapping anyway, do both sides and it is all done. EASY lol. Like I said though the trick is to put the paper down first then put the box on top. :). Amy, I have been swapping/trading a LONG time. The best way is to make sure the plastic isn't touching the stem. It CAN rot it, it doesn't always and if it is a tough plant it will usually be fine but more thinner type plants will not. Theresa, your plants looked ok. I don't recall seeing any plastic touching, BUT I have redone a lot of them without knowing which ones I was working with. It is just a habit I have gotten into, just redoing what needed it when it needed it. So, I don't really see whose plant it is LOL, UNLESS I have a whole box to do at one time THEN I know whose I am working on. I am not going to be able to send the Pink Ice Plant, it looks so bad and it would only be a VERY SMALL snippit. I would hate for it not to make it. So, I would rather not send it with a chance of it not making it. I want to let it grow and then when we do another one in the Spring if those of you who requested it join then I will send it to you then, cross your fingers it recovers, I have been checking it a lot and it looks REALLY REALLY bad. I am not sure what happened to it, the purple ice plant is right next door to it and nothing is wrong with it so I have no idea what happened to the pink one! I am so upset about that, I have wanted the pink forever and when I found it I was tickled so much NOW it is dying! ERRRRR!!! Ok, I think I have touched on all I was going to mention OH, I haven't taked pics of all the plants that comie in yesterday, I opened those boxes somewhere else, NOT in my livingroom where my camera was so I wasn't thinking until AFTER I had opened anyway, when I pack the boxes I am going to TRY to remember to take pics of them :)... Later ladies have a great day! :) Fran

Updates: Sue's seeds did not come as quickly as I anticipated. Surely they will be here today. ibartoo/Linda has had an accident and will be unable to resend her seeds. I know we all wish her a speedy recovery and that she is back in the garden soon. I am home today but have to be away tomorrow and Thursday. I will finish up the packaging as soon as I have Sue's seeds. If they come this afternoon I will work on it some tonight. Barring the unforseen, I will get the first wave of returns out on Saturday and I will start a new thread for acknowledgements so that I can be sure everyone receives. We have been in the 60's and 70's the last few days but are in for wind and storms tonight and tomorrow. It looks like a mega-snow event is impacting several of you. Be safe. Alana

Merry Christmas!!!! I got a wonderful package in the mail today from Patti! I was so excited to see that it came all the way across the country from Washington!! AND....she has been to Morehead, KY! Thank you, Patti! Thank you for all my goodies: the beautiful Holiday Tablerunner, Christmas Season FQ, stained glass electric votive, Bath & Body Works Sun-Ripened Raspberry Hand Soap, Gardenia Breeze Hand Therapy, and wonderful Christmas card! Thank you so much! I will post pics asap. I can't wait to show my husband my treats! He is totally intrigued by this whole adventure. I am going to look up your home town on the map, and see how close it is to where my daughter and son-in-law are going next week. They are going for a conference for the third year in a row. Sometimes they bring me back rocks from the seashore. I put them in my little fountain on the screened in porch. My Christmas goodies are extra special because you have been to Morehead, and they came from a very special person in a very special place! Thank you, again. Meima

I just had to send out a big thank you to phyllis_mn for the package I received on Tuesday. It was a nice thing to come home to after a long day at work - an adorable jack-o-lantern candle holder, a candle plate and candle, dish towels, wild rice from MN (which I am looking forward to adding to a nice fall soup), a funny book about MN, Halloween window clings, stickers, and a cute gift bag! Thank you, Phyllis!