Great projects you have done. Loved the Angels Trumpet, and what is a Walking Iris does it throw seed?? I live in Michigan, but I still have a few Angels Trumpets, I put in the basement over the winter and bring back up in the spring. Can't wait till warmer weather, although this weekend was a tease 80 degrees on Sunday.

Thanks everyone. I might adjust the windchime some and remove the beads that sit up on top of the star, not sure you can see that from the picture but they look kind of odd up there. Patti, I love the idea of using a teacup. Did you have any trouble drilling holes in it or did you just tie string to the handle? I think using a teacup as the top hanger part (where my star tealight is) would be awesome. But I'm kind of afraid to drill holes in one. Maybe a thick one like a Fiestaware cup, I have a ton of those we don't use (too small for coffee and we're not hot tea drinkers). This is at least the 2nd year that we've had birds in the propane tank. I don't see the birds though because it's under my deck and I can't see it from inside the house. My water spigot is right next to the tank and once I was under there turning on the water and the bird flew out right past my head. But it was so fast and I was so startled that I didn't see what kind of bird it was. I imagine it's something small though, although the eggs are about the same size as robin's eggs so I don't know. I'll have to research it. thanks again for all the nice comments on my chimes! Robin

I LOVE THE PICTURES OF YOUR BIRDHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAY TO GO! That is something to brag about!!!! But...I also love the pictures of your puppy dogs, being such a dog lover! Love the close-up of IZZY! Kirk

YEAH!!! "Houston,...the box has landed!" Ummm,...yesterday, actually. - Profuse apologies to all, particularly Sakura and Dan! Meant to get this posted at least by yesterday evening, but,...I fell asleep again. Been waaayyy busy, today, as well, but this is gettin' posted no matter what! Therefore,... What a *wonderful* thing, when most of the rest of our mail otherwise basically sucked-scissors (bills and junk)! From the fabulous Sakura_Komichi (aka Cheryl) I/we received a totally jam-packed box full of wonderful goodies galore! I Told Elly "Geez, it feels like there's a brick in here! If it *is*, I hope it's gold!" While there was no *brick*, of course, it was still *gold* all the same! :) Sakura,...Way big *WOW*! - Thanks so much for the deliciously scented "Dewberry Dreams" candle-in-a-tin! Scented candles are always wonderful and can even go a long way toward making a moderate power outage less stressful. The only scented candles Elly and I have purchased within the last year or so were given as gifts, making this one that you sent the only one of its kind in our home! The large and smaller size peat pellets will *absolutely* come in handy for Winter Sowing! The smaller ones we've always called "dirt cookies" LOL! Used to use `em all the time years ago, but then, I dunno why, we just sorta stopped. Perhaps, at the time, it was simply cheaper t'go with potting soil and good ol' yard dirt. The mini-blind plant-label stakes (bundled together with a *gold* twist tie) are sheer *genius*!! What a brilliant usage!! Beats the mahoogies out of popscicle sticks every which-a-way! Thanks majorly, also, for the blue paint-pen marker with which to label them puppies! Then, there's that big ol' stack o' *gummed*, manilla seed envelopes;...kewl-kewl-kewl! No glue stick required! :) And what a great, frameable card you scribed your communication into, with that water-color-wash beach scene! Super nice! Boy do we ever love the coast! September we *finally* made it back to the beach after not being able to do so for six frustrating years. First time there with our digital camera and you bet I took loads of pictures! Now,...for the seeds: -Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate' - "OOOooo! Pretty!" -Cypress Vine - Pretty as heck! Trellis time! -Japanese Morning Glory - Mt Fuji 'Pink' - Japanese Morning Glories always rock! Thanks loads! -Aster - novae-anglae - Alma Potschke' - *Really* pretty! -Conoclinum coelestinum - Mist Flower; hardy Ageratum - Again, *Really* pretty! -Asclepias tuberosa - Orange Butterfly Weed - Why is this called a "weed"? Lotsa purdy flowers! -Orange Cosmos - Never knew there were so many fab color variations of this! -Purple Coneflower - Allow its prettiness to grow for 2 years and ta-daa, the roots are a medicinal! Thank *you*! -Blackberry Lily - Been wanting this! Never had the temerity to actually suggest a trade for same. -Spaghetti Squash - Called "Silly Squash" by my MIL. Love it, particularly since I'm diabetic! Non-pasta *pasta*! -Swamp Milkweed - Quite pretty, with a pleasing scent. This has its own beetle species? -Shasta Daisy - Ahhh yes! The lovely backdrop! -Echinacea 'White Swan' - Wrongly never thought I would ever be fortunate enough to receive any of this in a trade, round robin or newbie offer, so, I caved and bought a packet of seeds at a local nursery. Forgive me for having so little faith! Be it known, however, what I purchased is what I *share*, whereas what I have been gifted with or otherwise received in trade is what I will actually sow. Same for "Rudbeckia - 'Cherry Brandy'! -Swamp Milkweed - Pretty and butterfly attractive! -Jackson Wonder Butter Bean - Wonderful, glorious Foooooood! Yeah!! -Rose of Sharon 'Purple' - Fantabulous! Really wanted! Thank you so much! :) Overall I just can't say "Thank you!" enough! This is a way kewl package/gift exchange that Elly & I totally appreciate and have had fun with every step of the way! - Rippin' rox! Definitely gotta do this again! :) - Thanks again, Cheryl, Dan and everyone else! - Cryptid (Darrin)