it's so very easy to get to the park i wouldn't worry with it, john. or you could use tyndall's idea. "tj's shindig" may get a few lookers wantin' some pig, though! :) glad you'll be able to truely enjoy the food this go round. course there may not be much left for anyone else.... nan, i think it's an awesome idea to put our 'handles' on the back. i'm doing it with my stuff. i know i asked trina some ?'s about plants of hers i got last fall. just got the avocadoes today for the guac. they are really, really hard. cross your collective fingers they ripen to the point i can use them sat. i may have to do a chunky kind if they aren't soft enough.

Thanks, guys and gals. I'll try to stop fretting. You do all sound so nice, and yet I feel like I'm going to the school dance without a date! :-) Dawiff, I'd love the coneflowers, if they're not spoken for. Anyone with hostas to share, particularly if they are variegated, I will partake. Heuchera, too. (Trying to build my shady path garden along the side of my house). ALSO, I am in great need of sun-loving plants for the sunniest spot in my yard: Around the mailbox. I was thinking some spring bulbs and ... not sure what else, but if you bring sun-lovers, I'd love to know about it so I can consider them for this new garden. (It used to be all baby's breath, but I finally resigned myself to the fact that I HATE baby's breath and I ripped it all out. This was only last weekend and it may still be salvageable, if someone wants some.) I honestly don't know what a lot of the plants are that people are bringing. I do hope people will have pictures and info on where to plant (sun/shade) so newbies like me can know whether something would work for them. :-) I will be bringing pics of my plants in bloom, as well as pics of my property so everyone can see my projects. I'd love to see everyone else's, too. Hint hint!!! Happy digging, everyone!

OK, here is my list of what I am definitely bringing to the swap tomorrow. I did all this digging today, someone remind me next year that I really should dig over the course of a month and pot stuff up, trying to dig everything in one day was probably not the right way to go about this. I dug until my energy and my back gave out! Belinda's Dream rose (for Greening) This I did pot up Ferns (for Adam) Baby Heucheras (for Adam) Pink coreopsis 'American Dream' (one bunch for Greening, and four more up for grabs) Two mature coneflowers (for AlicePalace) A bunch of yellow threadleaf coreopsis (up for grabs) Fairy rose (up for grabs) I didn't get around to digging up my daff and crocus bulbs, but I AM going to dig them this fall, so if you are interested in getting some, please let me know at the swap. (I have already promised some to FGirl -- waving hi to FGirl, who is watching from the wings). I didn't find my allium bulbs either, but I have seed from it. I also didn't dig up my coreopsis grandiflora, but I have seeds from that too. I'm bringing my seedbox. I hope I'm not letting anyone down by not bringing everything I said I would. Anyway, I am going to go take a nice big dose of ibuprofen, and then maybe go eat an ice cream sundae for supper. Oh, I still have to cook a blackberry cobbler tonight. No worries, that I can do. Alison

Many, many hugs and smoochies to my Secret Pal. As always, she sent a box crammed full of goodies. I was out mowing our yard when I saw the mail lady pulling OUT of the driveway (how did she sneak in???) Wellll, put that puppy in overdrive and let's go see what she brought !!! CHOCOLATE,( yes, I am yelling) CHOCOLATE, and boy did I need a fix of that !!! A huge bar of smooth & creamy lip-smacking good stuff. A pair of hand pruners that are going to live in my truck 'cause one never knows when an 'occasion' will present itself. Too many times I have wished that I'd thought to put mine in while on a road trip. They will join the zip baggies that I do carry. A set of spouts to fit on a gallon jug. I used to have a set of these and wore them right out. Handy little items, as most directions say " mix X amount in a gallon." A pair of apple green and white candles, and of course they are apple scented. Very pretty. A damask patterned pillow cover in a luscious, creamy white. Very rich looking. Thank you. She also sent a set of green checkered kitchen towels. They will certainly freshen up my kitchen. And......... the clincher -drum roll...- a THIRD bird wind chime. This one is a Bluebird. Very nicely done and very much appreciated. Thank you Secret Pal for your generous gifts. Marsha