Ann, thanks for the thought. My mug is well over 40 and I believe should be shelved, but I think you are talking of different mug??? LA, yesterday was the day, now I'm aiming towards next year. Lori, you are a dear. I dream one day of seeing your garden, as I know from the pictures that it is beautiful. George, as you know the sibes are not spoiled by me, only guests that come for dinner and feed them under the table when I'm not looking. So they get no cake, chocolate or otherwise. Ingrid, thank you. And we are all looking forward to seeing your garden grow. Aisha, it is almost worth having a birthday, to have your good wishes. You have been missed and I hope that you will visit more often. Welcome back! Olga, I would so like to meet you and see your garden. Perhaps one day a visit to Maryland to see the famous gardens of The Elf and Olga. Andrea, you are a joy to know. Hope you can make it up for Dirt Day. File all the taxes on the 16th, no one cares. Thank you Judith. How did you know that I love Sharifa of the fabulous fragrance? Melissa, my friend John did this tongue in cheek. I was over the hill a long time ago. Thank you, Italy is on my list and I hope to see your garden sometime soon, when the dollar has some value. Carol

No fancy preparations here. Heat with wood...use a propane campstove when I have to. We did plan on this by having backup gas heat that does not require electricity. I keep a 20 qt. stock pot on the woodstove for "washing up." Oil lamps, candles, lanterns, and an Aladin lamp keep us in light. We are both Ham Radio operators, so we have communication until the batteries run down on the hand-helds.... after that we have the radios in the vehicles in case of emergency. Our phones used to go out about 2 hours after the power failed...phone company finally fixed that problem. Mainly, I watch for signs of wet snow or ice and fill large stockpots with clean water and the bathtub with water for flushing. I make huge pots of stew and hearty soups in the winter and always freeze a few quarts...just in case. Keep some milk in freezer and since I bake my own bread, I nearly always have extra in the freezer. Most often when we loose electricity it is not extremely cold...wet snow and ice come at temps that just barely make freezing and slightly below. We were out of power for 6 days once...when it came it was barely cold enough to freeze down here on the lake, but 12 inches of wet snow fell in the surrounding area. The power crews ended up working in their shirt sleeves before the week was over. Back then the problem was 11.5 miles of rocky, hilly roads. Three of us with 2 chainsaws spent 2 hours cutting and dragging to get half way out before meeting others trying to cut their way in to feed cattle. Now we have Air Ambulance service, so a little less concern for our older, less healthy neighbors. That was 20 years ago...now the County shows up with a snow blade and salt for the bad spots. Hard to believe how much change has come about. The down side is that it took developement, and more permanent residents to make it happen.

Hey girls, love all you nuts!:)) Nutbunny! I got my box today! I just went to the post office after checking the dc and it said it was delivered today! So after supper, here I go............... (I haven't opened it yet, just got back, so I's gonna open it with everyone! Whoo hooo! Drum Roll please!!!!! I love the writing on the outside of the box! lol, Fragile....Please do don't toss or play catch with me! Thank you! lol Fragile....This means it will break! Girl they don't pay us any attention! Ok, box is getting opened cause I'm about to bust something besides this box! 1st off is a beautiful note, thanks sweetie! Lol, I love it, a pack of Yogi Tea...Fasting...Weight Loss Support! God I need it, hope it works! And a cute note stating that its for 'after Thanksgiving' lol. Love it girlfriend! Thanks! (But I could use it now) A bottle of Avon Vanilla shower gel Wow! I love this homemade is it coasters, it their own little homemade basket? I love it anyways and can think of lots of ways to use it! Thanks sweetie, I really love it and the garden colors on it and the pretty ribbons, I don't know if I'll let anyone use it, lol. OMG! Please tell your kiddos thats the most beautiful ornament I've ever received from anyone! I swear, I teared, how awesome, I could never tell you how much I love it Melissa! Hugs to you and all your beautiful kiddos! Ok for those that can't see it yet, its a beautiful star with jellybeans , I'll post a pic, its just lovely! Thank you so much!!!! I really love it! Hugs and more hugssss! Oooooh, an Orange Poppy seed/Strawberry Blossom/Chocolate Chip candle, wow girl! Yummy! Can't help but be! Ok, this one has a note saying....This one's got Ms Sassy inside! Oh how cute! another ornament, Melissa, I don't know how to describe this so they will understand, but just know I adore it! So cute! Oh and Kenzie's is too cute! Thanks so much, I just love it! You're so sweet! Ooooh, I just love my fall scarecrow girl! Hers soooo cute! I'm smilin' back at her now:) Love the Apple Basket Candle Topper, so petty! An ear of Corn for my squirrels, they'll be thanking you also! I do feed my squirrels, lol. Avon vanilla body lotion Good lawdy girl...... I will take a pic of this! Oh, I love it Melissa! Its the front of a dress so cute! and the skirt part is a dishtowel with sunflowers!!!!! And the top has a cute little sunflower. I'm amazed! I love it!:)))) I love you crafty girls! Hershey's Kisses with caramel(Its too late, Jerry just saw them:( lol thats ok, he'll share! Avon Rasberry Lip Balm (thank so much, needed some so bad) Now I should be asking for the drum roll! Girl you gettin' hugged all over that couch tonight! No I don't have this Paula Dean Cookbook and I thank you so much for it! I can't wait to snuggle up with it! You'd think as much as I love her I'd have all of her cookbooks, but I don't. This is a treasure and I appreciate it so much! Wow, I've never seen the beat of how much can be put into a flatrate box! I am in awwe girl. You have really overdone yourself my friend, I can't say what I love the most, but I can tell you... this is by far one of the most special boxes I've ever received! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, you really put thought into it and I know it came from the heart, and a really big one! Hugs Hugs Hugs and so many Kisses! I've had so much fun going through it and I know its taken me forever! Sorry! But you packed it! lol And tight, I might add. Thanks sweetie, I really loved every single thing! Sassy

Hello ladies! After a long day at my craft show, I came home to a wonderful box from Anita! Wow, girl! I had no idea you could stuff so many fantastic things into one of these boxes!! Anita sent: Lots of lollipops - my kiddos love them! A bunch of daylily seeds 2 voodoo lily bulbs A Milk + Honey brug A Frosty Pink brug (OMG - I can't WAIT to grow these!!!) An agave - so cool - my first! A Commander In Cheif Asiatic Lily bulb An Easter Bonnet Lily bulb A Rhodos Asiatic Lily bulb A Kiss Me Kate Lily bulb (wow - I love all these lillies!!!) Rose Mallow seeds Crackerjack Marigold seeds Evening Primrose seeds Maltese Cross seeds 2 boxes of corn muffin mix and a recipe for Broccoli Cornbread (sounds yummy!) A garden trowel (I needed this - all my cheap ones have bent like crazy!) Pumpkin baking cups (always can use these!!) Lots of napkins A leaf sticker sheet A LOVELY flower plaque A Garden All - it looks fantastic! I'll bet this works great! A beautiful handcrafted dream catcher - wow, this is lovely! I will hang this in somewhere special! A beautiful rose flat - I'll need to put the flagpole back up on the porch! A dolphin windsock A Lucky Clover grow kit - awesome! A Sunflower Grow kit - very cool too! A wooden spoon (thanks - my Lily keeps taking off with mine!), wrapped in a beautiful fall colors towel! 2 Cappuccino lip balms - yummy!!! Wow - I hope I got it all! You packed an INCREDIBLE box, Anita! Thank you so very much! I feel like my box was so inferior now! Going now to hang up my beautiful dream catcher! Becki