Tips on setting up a swap if you don't have any in your area already. 1. Pick a date/time and a place. (find a partner or 2 to help you) The date: Your date should be sometime around the average last frost or later and not on a holiday weekend. This gives people time to do the spring bed clean up, and divide perennials that need dividing and pull out extras of what ever they want to pass on, and also get them potted up and labeled. When people take home starts of divided plants they'll want to get them in the ground as soon as they can and give them the best shot at getting established with the least amount of stress possible. The time: Some swaps start at 9am... some later. Its up to you. Try to gage travel time and set up time. Most of the swaps around here are on Saturday to give people time to get things planted on Sunday. But lots of people can't come due to work or children's sports activities. Carrie and I tried Sunday afternoons and it works out just fine. More people can make it then and plant out when they can. The place: Any place that has lots of parking, shelter in case of rain and restrooms close by. Parking is the most important, shelter is second in importance. Plants are messy.. so if you chose to a swap someplace indoors you'll need to be prepared to clean up. Outdoors is much easier, all you'll need is a broom. :) We tend to hold them at public parks, which means someone has to reserve the pavilion, and pay the fees. You can solicit donations if you want. Carrie and I just pay for it ourselves. It doesn't cost much for only 2 -3 hours. I have been to swaps at people's homes and its great. You get to see their gardens and it just feels more laid back. However if your swap has lots of people it doesn't work out so good with people trying to park and needing restrooms and traipsing all over your yard and house. :( 2. Rules... read the rules other swaps use, and take what you want. Just keep it simple. Too many rules will confuse and keep people from attending. Each gardener makes their own trades and now has to do a trade they are not happy with. 3. Promote! We use garden web for most of it. Post on the exchanges pages. We watch our State forum and contact any poster who is close by to invite them. You can also use other garden forums where you can find local gardeners. Encourage new gardeners. Even if they don't have plants to share, they can bring other stuff to trade. Eventually they will have plants to share. I chat up people I meet at garden centers and Walmart too. :) About a month before the swap I print up fliers and drive around locally. If I see a home that looks like someone _really_ gardens there I stop the car knock on the door and talk to them! Be sure to praise their hard work, tell them about yourself and your plant swap. Personally invite them to come. Hand them that flier with ALL the details and a way for them to contact you with questions. I put my email address on it and the link to the Texas Garden Web exchanges page so they can check out all the pre trading going on. If the gardener isn't home, leave the flyer for them. I also sent out info to everyone in our HOA via email. Just talk it up. Church, work, neighbors, PTA, what ever other groups you are involved with. If you live in a small town, perhaps contact the local newspaper about it? If they (or you) can write up an article about it ahead of time, that could get some people to show up. Supplies for your swap: I bring: extra tables, and a wagon for hauling plants. If possible have some teenagers to help haul plants to and from the parking lot. a clip board with extra paper and pens name tags and signs to put on various tables. We set up a check in table: name tags, and sign in sheet. On that sheet get names, phone numbers and emails. You'll want to be able to keep in touch with these people! We've established a little group on a yahoo list and have get togethers and garden tours of each other's yards and meals together a few times a year now. We do swaps in Spring and Fall. Munchies...if you want or not its up to you. Pot luck meal or snacks what ever you decide you want to mess with. We're about snacks and drinks.. frees us up for more plant talk. I usually bring coffee, cups, sugars, creamer and a cooler with bottled water. Door prizes... if you want. There are several ways to go about it. We set up an Orphan Table... this is where people put plants they do not want to take home and no one has traded for them. These are for anyone who wants them. If in the end there are still orphans you can take them home or pass them on to any group who can use them. Most of the gardeners I know are just happy to find someone to give their extras to and help someone get started. Have someone prepared to take photos! You won't have time to do that yourself. You'll be busy meeting everyone, introducing people and talking plant trades! Most of the people coming probably won't know each other or have never been to a swap, so its up to you (and your buddy) (s) as hosts to make everyone feel welcome and answer questions. Its all pretty laid back and informal. Natural leaders in the group will emerge. Just try to make sure everyone feels welcome and valuable. Grandbaby is calling... if you have more questions just ask..I'll be around.

You have to have a schedule and you have to adhere to it as best you're able. Sounds really draconian, but it isn't. It's the schedule that will keep an elderly person on course (esp. if they are losing mental capability), allow you to accomplish that which you must do, AND schedule help/respite. Help/respite. You must have this. Trust me on this. I have had Mum with me for nearly 3 years now. For fully 2 of them I did it alone. After her stroke I knew she was no longer able to bathe alone. I hired a woman to come in thrice weekly and assist her. Smartest thing I've done in a long time! I don't have to do it, it accords Mum some privacy, and she has another person with whom to interact. I calmly told my brother he had to step up to the plate and do some caregiving, too. It wasn't fair that I gave up my former life and he had to give up nothing. He now takes her for a month at a time; usually every 2-3 months. I'm OK with that arrangement; but know if he scheduled a "bath lady" it would be easier for him to take her more frequently. Try to incorporate them into your daily errands. I pack Mum into the car (along with the dog) and she "rides shotgun". She is perfectly happy to go for a ride, wait in the car in the sunshine while I dash into one place or another... sometimes she wants to go in, too... so I usually allot enough time. If I haven't, I simply say, "No" and explain why. I will grab her a "treat" if she must wait in the car. I make sure we get out to do something "fun" at the next opportunity. It takes practice to venture out with an elderly, infirm person. You will learn the places that easy to access, have comfortable bathrooms, have help that is willing to move slowly and patiently with the elderly. Mum goes every month for a shampoo/haircut/manicure. The woman is a delight; warm, patient, and gives Mum her undivided attention. We are "regulars" at several establishments BECAUSE they are willing to make time for a slow, old woman. It's hard work; not always fun. I miss my freedom terribly, if you want to know the truth. But I can do this and feel it is important for me to do it. She ain't gonna live forever, afterall. (Hi Connie!)

If you want an interesting pic - color wise...I tried this and I like the effect. I took a roll of black & white film (all of my 3 boys) and then had it developed on color paper. It turns out a sepia tone and looks really neat. (not all photo shops can do this, so ask first before you leave your film) Suggestions: get close, relax and practice practice practice. Also remember to check not just the subject but also the backgrounds. All too many pictures have been ruined by items or people that are in the background. Oh yeah and don't take just posed pictures, natural ones really capture the moment sometimes. Have fun.

I moved to Preston, Idaho 6 years ago. I saw so many beautiful Lilacs in the area, so decided that would be my first project. I planted two the first year (Miss Kim). They seemed to do well at first, but by year 6 they were struggling to stay alive. We have sandy soil and found out it was "dead soil" so we dug huge ( 5 ') holes, filled them with chicken manure, compost, and nitrogen and planted them. Is it possible that sandy soil is the problem. Each year they look worse. We also planted Idaho fescue for the lawn and what a mistake. The grass just lays down (like it is too heavy) and you can't mow it. It also "clumps" into mounds. Then the summer heat destroys it. But by October, it is looking pretty good. Is Idaho fescue a winter grass? I want to go back to Michigan where everything grows with no issues.