Cool! Natasha Trethewey did a reading from her Pulitzer Prize winning book, Native Guard at the school last evening. It was very enjoyable. Natasha Trethewey. Native Guard. Make methinks I need to get started writing again. Been too busy lately. Maybe summer will prove to have enough time.

Everyone just laugh along with us. It's free & soooo good for you. I'm glad Shirley found a good use for the upcycled binder piece from a zippered binder from my son. It had frayed beyond repair again and was previous repaired by my daughter with duct tape, so two kids used it hauling a lot of places. Now it's a hanger for Shirley's things by her computer. Great idea by the way because there are lots of thin binders that get beat up here, too, but the rings weren't large enough for the garden tools like this one was. I didn't take any pics of what I made to send. Shirley, do you know how to upload pics to GWeb for Heidi to see? Description of how I made the book cover: I folded a brown paper sack to slide the ends of the front & back covers. I used hot glue to seal the sack to itself, but not to the book. I laid 2 scraps of upholstery samples side by side to cover the front. They already have pinked edges & I only cleaned up the side that was attached in the sample book. I placed another smaller piece overlapping both of the 1st pieces for the pocket or pouch gluing it in place on the sides & bottom. Next to it I attached another smaller rectangle for the pen & pencil. It's a bit tight, so hope it loosens up, but at least you won't lose the pen or pencil out of it. The denim blue & white color scheme looked nice on the brown paper, so that's how I picked them. I also selected one of the Sunset books that is the same size as the Ortho garden books, so if you have another thin volume you're using to carry around with you for reading in the garden or while waiting at dr's office you can slip that book inside the cover instead. Hope that helps, Corrine

Evening All! It was the same here, Tuesday, Margo, overcast and windy but the wind wasn't bitterly cold, which was a welcome change. My mini daffs are starting to bloom! The crocuses are still going strong. And I too am still tired. Bummer! I was reading back thro the posts on this thread and way back at the beginning of this swap, I promised to keep the Robin's flight plan posted. You may have noticed, I haven't done that! So here it is, a little late, and I'll try my best to keep it updated! I sent to Peggy in Washington; Peggy sent it on to Heidi in Nebraska; Heidi mailed it on to Annie in California; Annie mailed it to Ruth in Texas; Ruth sent it flying to Melinda in Arkansas; Melinda just sent it to Diane/Moonfire; Diane sends it to Jeanne/sandlapper_rose in South Carolina; Jeanne sends it to Alana/poisondartfrog in Kentucky; Alana sends it to Robin in Virginia; Robin sends it to Vina/flowergirl134 in New York; Vina sends it to Janine/Jaynine in Connecticut; Janine sends it to Suzanne/hibiscusfan in Ohio; Suzanne sends it to Margo/smitties in Ohio; and Margo will send it to Katie in Mississippi, who will send the completed poem back to me! Hope I didn't skip anyone! Have a great day tomorrow! Shirley!

Starting to feel a little overwhelmed. I have a shower for my daughter coming up May 6th and then the wedding 5 weeks later. My daughter who is away at college is suffering from an impacted tooth and is scheduled to have her wisdom teeth removed next Thursday. This will be where she is going to school which is 2 hours from here. I should be there with her but I can't get the day off at our little gift shop. Not enough people for coverage and it is a plant delivery day. My son is having some enemia issues and is 18. Now he needs an MRI on some lower abdominal swelling and then will have to see a GI doctor. My second son (have 5 kids) just got a job in Dallas, Texas and he and his wife will be moving there as soon as there house sells in South Carolina. The darn wet and cold weather isn't helping either. I have a plant swap I have to get done. The old "when it rains, it pours". I have enjoyed this swap immensely. Thank you Shirley for such a great time. Loved this idea and hope we do it again sometime. Margo