A couple of notes because the rest is going to be rather long and involved: Lynda, I have the Vitex marked for you and in your baggie! And thank you for the marigolds! They will be very interesting with my others! Dessie I would be more than happy to receive your little helper's seed packets! I think it's great! Wendy Try some Chai Spice tea, it works wonders in helping clear up colds and flu. I always add a dollop of honey to help sooth the throat. It's a staple in our house and really does help. Alright, here is my take on this.. I can understand how many were hoping that the two swaps would not coincide, but, we all knew there was a fair chance of that happening. For myself, I know that I continued to update my list, even well after Patty's swap's mailing deadline. I did my updates using the same method we did for Patty's swap- using an updated date. Even had I not, I knew there was a good chance the two swaps would overlap. I joined this one knowing full well- according to the guidelines posted for it- that I may NOT receive as many as I sent in. That I would receive as many as were sent in FOR me, up to five packets of the SAME item. I recall there being some issue with this and a member who became very rude in their comments about this fact. Yes, my package from the What's Left swap is in the second batch to go out. No, I did not keep strict record of what I sent to those who were in the What's Left swap. I did keep better records of what I'm sending for this swap. I also know that a lot of people will be sending in baggies of seeds marked as extras- not dedicated for anyone, but to add in when it's seen those items are on someone's list. No, these may not be some of the rarer or more exclusively wanted items on someone's list. But if someone has some of those rarer or more specific items to share, I'm sure they would have put them into your baggie before they mailed. So, I don't see that anyone would be missing out on anything. The only way I could see having updated one's list further as complicating Patty's swap would be if someone had removed things from their list. Updating and adding items would not have conflicted. Because if there were any extras of what you were wanting, Patty would have included them. So, I guess I'm not really understanding how there is such a need to update the lists just because one is in both swaps. If I receive duplicates, wonderful! Because the things on my list are things I want! If I don't receive something on my list, then no one had it to share. If I receive so many of something that I can't plant it all, then I can bless someone else by offering it up for a trade. So, perhaps I'm being dense here, but how would one not receive something sent in specifically for them (up to FIVE packets of the same item!) that was on their wants list in this swap? Everyone has the chance to see your wants as posted and you have had the option to add to that list, as many including myself have this whole time. The only thing I could really see the two swaps happening almost simultaneously possibly affecting would be one's have's list. I'm sorry, I don't mean to upset or offend anyone. I'm just honestly trying to understand why this is such an issue. So please don't take this as meaning to offend or as pointed to anyone in particular. This is just me trying to understand why so many are upset about this. If you prefer to email me privately and help me understand it, I would be pleased with that and please do! Perhaps there are aspects and issues with this that I'm not readily seeing and should consider. I don't want to keep the thread off track by my question becoming a debate here. Perhaps there can be some adjustments of dates if this swap happens in the late summer or again next winter, but for this year it is as it is and personally, I'm really enjoying it! Nancy, I hope you don't decide to drop out, because I know that I should have at least a couple of things from your list, perhaps more. But I'll respect your choice and be your Garden Buddy either way :) Fran, you have a real job ahead of you and I don't know how those like you and Patty do it! Leave me hosting my "pair em up and let em go" or true RR type swaps! I think those of you that host this kind of swap are awesome! Angela, you have been a wonderful help to Fran and all of us in this swap! I know the time it can take to code pages like that, though updates are easier once the initial work is done, and I want to say THANK YOU for the time and work you are putting in on this swap for everyone's benefit! Kathy~ heading off to stuff more little baggies and envelopes.

Catching up with everyone here. If anyone has any Iris left would they throw a bulb or two my way please. For seeds I have: dirtdiggin offering hollyhocks a mix and sassybutterfly offering hollyhocks,jackmanii,datura and brugs,and red honeysuckle. Thank-you both very much Also looking for ornamental grasses and japanese morning glory's. These are the seeds offered too: Mark:cotton tree and loofah gardenmom:loofah dan: loofah plant-one-on-me:loofah sassybutterfly:yellow pea vine lots of loofah seed left. greenthumbgrow have you down for the cherry jubilee cuttings Dan.....I pick my loofah's when they are still green on the vine ,but the stem has turned brown. I peel them when they are green as well, much easier. I give them the squeeze test .....if they give some and you can hear the fibers in the skin breaking then I peel them by pulling off the end first, then running my thump up under the skin. I make a tear all the way to the stem end and then peel it off in one big piece, running my thump under the skin to loosen it as I go if needed. If it does'nt give easily then it's too soon.Give them another day or two. Don't lay them on their sides either,as the moisture can cause them to start rotting.Lean them up on their ends. Once peeled I then lay it in the greenhouse and let it dry, I sometimes have to turn it over the next day, depends on how hot it gets as my gh is not regulated temp wise. Once completely dried, I shake the seeds out into a bag. I find by doing it this way I end up with a very nice white sponge. Letting it dry out and turning brown before peeling makes for hard peeling and a darker sponge that has to be bleached. You can then cut them and use as you wish. I cut out the center membrane(grind that up)and use both in soaps all the time. That's just one of the many uses I get out of them. Not to mention the number of people that stop by wanting to know what those things are growing on the fence......real conversation starter! One other interesting thing about the plant. They have a male and female flower(yellow). Male flowers show up first, followed by the female, both look identical, but the female bears the fruit. I will leave it up to your imagination as to what that looks like. Ants also love the plant and may act as pollinators, so don't be alarmed by what appears to be a take over by ants. Thats my lesson on loofahs.....hope all that helped. Night everyone Regina

I emailed indyjoys partner and she was having a problem getting her package out right now. She asured me that she would send one though. Sorry I haven't been on lately as I am looking for a new job. Anyone need a Nurses Assistant in the Baraboo WI area? Sorry to the two gals who have not recieved a package. I will email Indyjoy's partner again. I understand that we all have things going on but we need to make sure we take care of trades as many people may not want to continue trading on here if they get stiffed too much. Carmen sorry that we had a name mix up I will take credit for that but it sounds like your package is on the way....and if it is even half as good as mine you will be very happy. Indyjoy if you do not get your package by next weekend let me know and I will send you one. I just found the best place to get plants and its been under my nose the entire time. A laddy near me sells plants from her house. She digs them up and puts them into plastic bags and sells them for next to nothing. I bought a hibiscus for a dollar! Who ho! I hope everyone that got their packages are happy with them! Indyjoy let me know by next Saturday ok? Just shoot me an e-mail.

Thank you Lisa for Sharing!!! Sheri ~ if u don't have enough, its okay if I don't get all of them. Sharing is caring :) Mammoth Yellow Sunflower Luna White Hibiscus zone 5-10 Balloon Flower Sentimental Blue Helenium "Helena Red Shades" Liatris spicata Purple Blazing Star Liatris floristan White Herb: Spilanthes oleracae HAVE A WONDERFU WEDNESDAY!!