I have an embarrassing experience from the other side. There is a store here which has large tubs with the most beautiful flowers growing that I always admire. One day I parked near to take a walk in the neighborhood. I saw some seeds of Pink Salvia, I thot, I should ask - then I thot - oh no one collects seed. Even a woman was walking toward me, and I thot, oh she probably doesn't work there. So I took a couple of seed heads, and Yep, she said, "Please don't pick our flowers,", so I showed her I had seeds, not flowers, and she said, "We collect our seeds", so I apologized profusely and offered her back the seeds, which she said, "keep 'em". So my plan is - I'm going to send her seeds of my red salvia, my blue, and my white, and Yvonne's salvia, and tell her the story of Yvonne's salvia, and of course tell her about WS'ing. Hope this will make up somewhat for my rudeness! Always ask! I just haven't made up my mind if I should sign my name, or be anonymous - I'm still embarrassed. ellen

Lucy Thanks for posting your pics! My hubby took our camera to CA, & I might have to borrow my son's camera phone to show everyone the last few days of fall's color before the frost kills everything... sigh.. You're such a sweetie! Kasha77

Raven, What kind of mix are you using? When I get cuttings, I typically put them in a mix with equal parts coir and perlite, or 1/3 each coir, perlite and orchid bark. I keep them pretty moist until I'm sure they're rooted. Right now, I'm rooting a purpueo-fusca that's only node was where the only leaves were, with a stem below that that's about 8" long. I cut it back to about 5" and put it in a pot and I pulled it out today and see some roots forming at the very end of the stem. It's been 16 days since I put it in the medium (which did include the orchid bark this time...) The baggie method isn't very reliable for me. I seem to nearly always get mold before I get roots. Have you tried a "rooting pot", having several cuttings in one pot? Or rooting in with already established plants? You'll find something that works for you with time. Don't be too frustrated... You'll be an old pro at this in a few years! That's not to say it'll TAKE you a few years to figure it out - I just mean YOU will be the one giving advice before long! Denise in Omaha

Thanks everyone - It really was amazing!!! I walked into Jolane and there was Peppi exactly as she said she would be. She's pretty much told you everything but I want to add a bit. Peppi is the first cooking forum friend I've met in real life and she was raving about some of the other friends she's met through here. If y'all are half as nice as she claims, I can't wait to meet more of you. Next time anyone is in Chicago or passing through, drop me an email and we can get together for more of this addictive kind of fun. We talked so much and had such a great time they had to kick us out - very politely of course - but then we had already been there for THREE hours!! Where did that time go? Good thing Peppi wasn't working that day - that was a very long lunch hour. I had the best girlfriend lunch ever. Most of my girlfiends are salad nibblers and forget about dessert. Peppi and I shared a delicious lunch and between the two of us we finished most of it. When we were emailing back and forth to set it all up she said something to me that just struck a chord..."Never trust a skinny cook". I'm framing it for my kitchen - it just made me feel so warm and good. Of course I can't let that be an excuse not to get to a healthier weight but it is a lovely thought :) Next time, and i know there wil definitely be one, we will take pictures and maybe I'll get brave enough to put a picture of myself on the internet. I had to run, barely made it home before the bus, but I did. Peppi did you run into the Viking shop? Just wondering if that's where you picked up that cool (hot) pepper de-seeder?