George just emailed me a massive list of seeds he is sending. I hope they get here on time! Cross your fingers. Now, I don't know how you all would like to deal with this. I can list the seeds here and we can have members speak up for what they would like to have. OR, we can split the packets into a few door prizes. It's up to you all! Seeds George is Sending to GW Spring Fling 2013 Empereur Alexandre Cuke, Baker Creek Delicious 51, Baker Creek ��" cantaloupe Collective Farm Woman, Cantaloupe ��" Baker Creek Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin ��" 2009 seed Organic Multicolor Popcorn ��" probably Baker Creek Squash: Black Futsui ��" Baker Creek Crystal Apple Cucumber ��" Sustainable Seed Company Pipian from Tuxpan ��" c. argyrosperma grown for its seed. (Baker Creek) Angled Luffa ��" 2009 (one pkt) Evans Sweet Cantaloupe ��" green fleshed, developed in Oklahoma by Dr. John Wyche. Two packets. Black Jungle Butterbean ��" 2009 (1 pkt) http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/legumes/msg051013024705.html http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/legumes/msg0516190620005.html Kentucky Red Cowpea 2011 seed ��" 1 large pkt. Received at Gardenweb, Oklahoma forum spring fling in 2008, from Pauline Kincaid. Seed is brick red and flattened, much like a very small lima bean. Plants are vigorous, but not too inclined to climb. Pods are thick. White Cushaw 2012 seed ��" Rampant vines, very heat and drought resistant. Large, 20 lb. crook necked, fruit Moon & Stars Watermelon (white seeded) 2006 seed. ��" Should still grow. Extremely rare heirloom. Mesquakie Indian Corn ��" mix of 2007-2012 seed, Very colorful, hardy corn. Quite well adapted to our Oklahoma conditions. A dent corn, tending toward flint. Good for cornmeal. Woods Mountain Crazy Bean 2011 seed ��" Bush bean. Very well adapted to our hot conditions. Heirloom from the Fayetteville, AR area. Pods have strings, but are quite tender. High producer. There are NO commercial sources for this valuable seed. Georgia Long Cowpea 2007 seed ��" Yardlong. Heat resistant. Good for snaps. Needs poles as it has very long vines. I’ve had this seed germinate after over 10 years in an unrefrigerated jar. I received my seed in the 1980s from Virgil and Hazel Johnson of Liberty, MO; who in turn received their seed from Faxon Stinnet of Vian Oklahoma. Cooper’s Running Snap 2009 seed ��" pole bean. Heat resistant. Similar to Rattlesnake. Should be given 1’ space between plants. Heavy producer. Not a stringed bean. Similar to Kentucky Wonder in pod quality. Okra: Heavy Hitter 2012 seed (3 pkts) ��" New variety developed by Ron Cook of Moodys, OK. This is a branching okra, similar to Stewarts Zeebest, but with pods more like Clemson Spineless. Calico Willow leaf Pole Lima Jo

Hi all, Thanks for saying that Skybird (do you know in advance what your flying schedule is in May?). Please don't feel like you have to bring anything to participate! I've participated in two swaps so far and there is more than enough (and lots of extras!) to go around. It's fun just to meet other fellow garden geeks (speaking of myself, of course) :) I know it's early yet, but May is looking busy already for my family, so I thought I'd put a few Saturday dates out there and see what's best for most people and get it on the calendar. I can't do May 17th soooo how about...... May 3rd or May 10th (this is Mother's Day weekend) Probably early afternoon around 1pm. Potluck. Looking forward to it! Charlene

Well, I just calmly asked DS when he got home about the math project, he started crying and said that he was afraid that if he didn't do well it would bring down his grade. I told him we'd email the teacher and ask, but I thought that this was an opportunity for extra credit, and that it wouldn't hurt his grade if he didn't do well. He agreed that it sounded interesting, and even after she emailed back that it would be graded, wouldn't tell us how much weight towards final it would be, he still thought he'd try it. We have never put much emphasis on grades, I don't know where he gets his anxiety and perfectionism from but as I said it's been from a very young age, well before school. But it's like anything he's afraid to do - once he tries it, and does well, it'll give him confidence. I told him if he doesn't do well on this project, he doesn't have to do any more "challenges" this year. I think DS did well on the tests and in school b/c we do take time to explain things to him (again from a young age), read to him (and now he reads by himself) all the time, and take the kids to places like the science museum and the art museum, not just "children's museums". Really I don't want to push him to take tests and do more work, but this was an opportunity to do a research project, gather data, analyze it, and draw conclusions from it - much more challenging and "real-world" than rote arithmetic. The teacher said that it would take the place of up to 2 nights' HW per week for the next 5 weeks, so it was not "extra" work piled on. My kids love learning and are definitely opinionated, but DS tends to be a bit "lazy" (maybe b/c he hasn't found his passion - except Pokemon?) and I'm just trying to challenge him to go beyond the bare minimum he needs to do in school - not that he does just "passing" work but it could easily slip into that as the coursework gets harder, if he doesn't get excited about *something*. If he never learns to study and research, what's he going to do in HS and college when he finds that he can't pass a test just by having done his HW up to that point? "Good enough" is good enough in some things, but there should be something that he can get passionate about (like when he was little and devoured the whole "100 Things You Should Know About..." series on his own). Maybe by extensions and modifications to the easy (boring - he never talks about school) classes he's taking now, he can *find* something to get excited about. Maybe not this year, but maybe in Jr High or HS? Maybe in a summer program? I don't know. I'm just afraid he's already gone on academic autopilot. He asked us to stop reading him bedtime stories when he was about 6-7. I have to screen a lot of the books in the Teen section of the library for him, b/c the content is too mature. But when I find a good book or series (he loves fantasy series) I get them for him. As I said, he found The Hobbit on his own, he read Narnia years ago, he's read Twain and T.H. White (was really into Merlin about 2-3 years ago). Occasionally I'll hand him a nonfiction book - he read A. Lincoln and Why Evolution is True this summer. He's still very interested in paleontology, archaeology, and astronomy, whenever I find an article in the WSJ on a new discovery or theory I point it out to him and sometimes we'll do research online to find out more. But it's not like he'll just pick up a nonfiction book on his own anymore. So I'm hoping that by requiring more research of him for his science and social studies classes, he can be motivated to explore more and maybe rekindle those interests (or find new ones) without me having to "find" interesting stuff for him. The kid is a walking encyclopedia - I don't think he forgets a single fact about nature or science or history once he's read it. It's just that "commitment to exploration" that's missing. And it's been creeping up on him for the past few years - seems like the longer he spends in public schools, the less interest and effort he puts into anything. When he was a toddler, preschooler, kindergartner, even 1st-2nd grade I'd say, he was just interested in *everything* and always wanted to find out "more". Now he seems apathetic about learning most of the time, unless DH or I point out something about a new scientific discovery and then help him research it. Most of the time he just wants to read (or re-read) fantasy books and play Gameboy. I hate that thing! My mom got him a used one at a yard sale last summer, then he begged us to let him use his own $ to buy a DS (but we gave it to him for Xmas instead), and now he takes it *everywhere* (except school). He plays it in the car on a 15-minute drive to go out to dinner, to my parents' house, etc. and plays it all weekend and nights after dinner, except for when he's reading. Of course I don't mind him reading LOTR, but I think he can stop re-reading Redwall and Warriors and other series that he read years ago and find something *new* and maybe a bit more advanced? I mean, I have my favorites I used to like to read over and over again (anything by Michener!) but I'd go a year or more before rereading a book - there were so many *new* books to read!

Thanks Carol. I may not be as active posting on the group but I think about everyone very often. In fact, hubby said this week (while planting onions) "I hope we can get some more plants from Okiedawn this year". I told him she just might be able to spare an extra plant or two. He loves those Biker Billy's and yummy tomatoes. Lisa, I did the happy dance at the mere thought of your cornbread salad again this year. That just screams spring fling to me. Very happy dance! I also want to thank our gracious hosts. It just wouldn't be the same anywhere else! Please call on me to help with any extra needs before the shindig! Looking forward to seeing everyone again this year.