When I returned from delivering the mail today, a package was waiting at my case for me, and what a package! Lorraine (paradisa) sent a wonderful package to me! So nice, that I had to take pictures so I could share them with you all! When I opened up my box, I found another box wrapped in blue tissue with a white bow. Once I had that open, there were a lot of smaller packages, all wrapped up in blue tissue with white ribbons. One of my co-workers watched while I opened up everything, and she kept saying how good of a time SHE was having, just watching me open up everything! Well, here are a couple of pictures of the box, which Lorraine sent for me to keep seeds in... and here's a picture of everything with the box opened up... And now, let me tell you what was inside this wonderful box! First, Lorraine sent a lot of stuff, including the see box, which had a wolf theme. I love wolves, consider them my totem, and love what she sent! Now, here's what was inside this box! a CD by Jim Gaffigan, a comedian, so I can relax and have a few laughs. I've already listened to some of this CD, and it really is funny! a peacock feather (don't know why, but very cool!) a wonderful card package of 25 plant labels dehydrated tomatoes (I'll use these in my cooking) homemade strawberry jam 2 packs of seed envelopes a small wolf notebook wolf-themed calendar/checkbook cover wolf bookmark medium-sized wolf-themed notebook 11 different types of tomato seeds nasturtium mix double-click cosmos white brown-eyed susan vine chinese lanterns yellow clasping coneflower cosmos - bright lights cosmos - orange fluted cosmos - tall yellow cosmos - picotee calendula toothache plant geum trifloreum morning glories nemophilia - penny black rose seeds (I've been wanting to try to grow roses from seeds!) gomphrena hardy pink hibiscus (from Lorraine's hibiscus) blue sweet peas fan fare gallardia this box was incredible! THANK YOU LORRAINE!!! (and to think that she was worried I wouldn't like what she sent. how could I NOT like it???) now, all you other e.g.s, aren't you just jealous? hehehe ***heading off to bed now*** -Dan

Amanda,, i never sent my partner any seeds yet, i never even heard from her when i sent an introduction of myself. sure, i'd love to do a trade with you. i'm glad you finally got your end of the trade back... i was still waiting patiently for a communicating partner...lol.. i only need flower seeds, i don't do herbs. if that's ok with you ? message me privately by email so we can exchange addresses, please. peggy

Funny...mine to Sylvia took just two days to get clear across the country. I did send Priority, but I still expected three days. Annie, is that counting the time it sat at my PO? I got the notice on Friday, but didn't pick it up until Monday. We have a large community mailbox for packages but think they were afraid to leave it with that gaping hole in the box, lol.

I wouldn't say I'm an over achiever, but I do like lots of detail so I'll go with Colleen and do both. Plus since I haven't participated before, the more info might make it easier on my partner. Please tell us a little about yourself and your eating and cooking style. Who lives with you, favorite colors, hobbies etc. I live with my DW in an old [circa 1825] house with our dog and 8 cats. We've been together 31 years. In one of my several incarnations I was a chef so our cooking depends mostly on how mobile I am. Sometimes I do quite a bit of the cooking and at times most is left to Christy. Luckily she's learned much during our 31 years together. I'm half Italian so I do cook lots of Italian, but love non hot Mexican, regional American, French, Chinese, etc. My favorite color is purple and the non color black. I'm also an artist and draw, sometimes paint watercolors or sculpt. I crochet in a very basic manner and know only basic knitting stitches. Love to garden but can't do too much anymore. Luckily I'm surrounded by the best of the Garden State for food needs and also lucky that I concentrated on perennials when I did garden more. Your favorite cookbook. Types of cookbooks you always look at. Do you like to write in your cookbooks when you find you need to alter a recipe to make it work or do you believe books should not be written in? My favorite all time cookbook is James Beard's American Cookery. Good recipes but I love the way he wrote. I have a extensive cookbook collection and love all types of cookbooks. Favorites are the old time pamphlet cookbooks, to the many incarnations of the Betty Crocker Cookbook. I too read cookbooks for pleasure. I do write in them and love used cookbooks that others have written in. Do you like jam? Love it. Do you like jelly? Very much so. Apple is a favorite. Do you like marmalade? Not so much. Do you like pickles? Not spicy but do love dills. Do you like spicy food? Well spiced, but not hot. I don't eat black pepper if I can help it, but can eat a bit of cayenne much easier. What are your favorite fruits? Any you do not like? Love fruit and can't think of any I don't like... ah.. except cantaloupe. Do you have a strong sweet tooth or you more of a savory person? I do have a sweet tooth. 1. Where do you live? I live in a tiny town in rural New Jersey, surrounded by farms of the horse, tree and food varieties. 2. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen? We grill fairly often in the summer but then eat indoors. 3. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area? Not really any particular color. 4. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy? Depends. I don't like using paper products too much but when I'm not getting around Christy likes to use paper plates so she doesn't have as much to wash up since we don't use a dishwasher. I do use cloth napkins though. 5. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal? Casual. 6. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets? I love gadgets and have lots. I like to collect old/antique gadgets too. 7. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks? I drink seltzer as my continual drink. Raspberry. Unsweetened only. I have a 2 gallon crock that I make iced tea for the summer in or lemonade. Neither of us really drink alcohol any more although we keep some around. I'll drink Asti or champagne but don't like other wines. Desserts we eat mostly fruit, but I do like to bake and we like most anything with lemon, chocolate or other fruits. We make ice cream fairly often in the summer. Snacks consist of dark pretzels or a hunk of very dark chocolate. I don't care for milk chocolate, plus the dark doesn't seem to affect my glucose levels. Smiles. 8. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.? We haven't been doing much the past couple years but we like to rent a cabin on a lake or down the shore when finances allow. Mostly we just love to lounge around and read, eat Jersey tomatoes and white corn and play with our animals. 9. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve? I love to garden but don't do much anymore. I do have several friends who have produce stands on their farms so it's easy and close to get great veggies and fruit. I like to can but have done more freezing lately. I plan to get out the big pressure canner this year though. 10. Barefoot or flip flops? Always barefoot whenever possible and sometimes when not advised. Smiles. I've been known to run outside in the snow barefoot for a few minutes. We always kid about how hard it is to get me in shoes. I like to say my feet are claustrophobic. Smiles. Hope this helps.