Did some winter sowing of seeds, still have more to sow, but I've been lazy to get around to it this year. I've been doing some writing, that has occupied most of my time. I'm just now getting back into the gardening groove, cleaned out most of my beds the past few days. Searching the web for any new plants I may have to sneak around to buying (the boyfriend thinks plants are a waste of money). Looking forward to seeing increases on my daylilies, if ones that hadn't yet bloomed for me will this year, and see which of my baby hostas lived or died through the winter. Karen

lynnem, yea, there is something about the smell of a barn on a cold winter day, it's such a earthy smell, that is the only thing I can think of to discribe it, guess you have to do it to understand. I too never minded the cleaning up. Back when my barn was full, I would go out all covered up for the cold, but after a while, the body heat of the animals and the physical work would get me so warm, I started shedding clothes. I miss those days, clean a bit and then take a break and fuss with the critters. I'm afraid my two goats and few birds don't require much cleaning, a fast sweep with a push broom pretty much does it. Like, oh WOW on the mosiacs and jewelery, just beautiful, plain and simple, no other word for it. And Margo's birdbath is way too cute, such a nice garden accent. Now I am a cross stitcher, been doing it for years and am not happy unless I am doing an impossible pattern on the most difficult of fabrics, I get bored with anything less. I haven't done any in years because I have not had time, but I'm itching to get stitching again and decided to do something for myself for a change, I have never kept any of my work. I made a seperate post asking some opinions as to which picture to do. As soon as I decide, I'll make the pattern and get all the floss and fabric ready, I have every known dmc floss all organized and plenty of fabric, I'm all set to go as soon as I decide what to do.

Hey Anniebert-- To clarify, I do most of my gardening in PA (Adams County) zone 6, north of Frederick by 40+ miles. The rest I do in Westminster, MD. I've lived here in MD 5 years and have gone by the wisdom of the local plant nursery (Bowmans) more than by Victory Seeds' frost chart--which most of the links on Google guide one to. Here in Westminster, the common wisdom is to wait until May because the last frost of the season is fickle and can occur right up to mid-May. So we wait to put tomatoes in by that date. Now up in Adams County, also considered in the MidAtlantic zone 6, an examination of the actual last/first frost/freeze records from 1972 to current show that the last frost did not occur sooner than April 20th, but is mostlikely to occur the second week of May--even up to May 20! April is more of a freeze month and we have even had freezes up to May 28!(1994) So, in either place, I wouldn't dare go by the last frost dates you gave! I hope this explains my position and why I was wondering about your "sanity". Haha. :-) As for starting plants from seed--every year I tell myself I am going to get the cold loving flowers like Stock begun in time. I hope this year I can break the pattern of not getting to it in time!

loribee, I finally got a chance to snap and upload some living room photos. Here is the after, which I just love: In the second photo, the Pier One table has the small lamp and Jerusalem Pottery on it. That, and the sofa pillows and rug are the only purchase I made. (sorry I didn't straighten up the throw pillows before taking the picture,) I am not going to "stick" something on the wall over the table. I am going to look over the next year or 2 and try to find something, maybe on vacation next year. Good news is the old boiler thermostat was there. Last year we put in new AC, and they moved all the controls upstairs. So I finally got to yank off and patch the wall where that was. It drove me crazy trying to hide it with something. I couldn't find any good pictures of the before. But before the TV was where the Pier One table is now. So the sofa was between the 2 french doors (and it was too long to look good there). And the leather club chairs and ottomon were on the front window wall. Very awkward to watch TV, because you were not facing it, and had to turn your head. It was hard to see the fireplace, and the room was lined up like a bowling alley. And it had a very large very burgundy rug that just sucked up the light from the north-facing room with 1 window. I honestly can't believe that this looks and feels and functions so much better just by making these small changes. And in case anyones is wondering, the cabinet holding the TV is a sideboard. We removed the lower drawer, drilled a hole through the back for cords, and put the cable box and internet through there.