Dear everyone;

Having a major allergy attack, so I'm benedryl-ed to the eyeballs. Let's hope I makes sense (for a change).

First, an enormous THANK YOU (NOT in any particular order - they're all terrific):

- Mita, who sent several live heirloom plants from Ontario. I can only imagine what it must have cost you (and not just in $$$), and I only hope I can some day return the favour. After an ungreat we-hate-travel period, they are doing beautifully. One was broken in two, but I've grafted tomato-stems often, and now it's very happy. Thank you for making my summer.

- Grungy, whose package of seeds just arrived yesterday (mis-addressed the first time). Did I say "package"? I meant "gold mine". There are about 30 varieties! Grungy's the one who hooked me into Heirloom Toms, and she's both a generous gardener and a wonderful help with my clueless questions. So now (in fall 2007) I can offer people a whole bunch of tomato seeds again. Giving/swapping seeds and plants: the very best part of gardening. :-)

- CCBear and her NIFTY "Pink Accordian" seeds (among others) which just arrived today. I don't know if I can wait until next spring to try the PA; it looks soooo cool. Maybe I can try growing the peppers hydroponically this winter? That would be a new thing for me. Hmmm....I sense a project coming up.....

- Cathie and Yvonne for: salmon-coloured poppies and heirloom beans and Caspinski Rosivije tomato seeds (and other plant seeds). I've never tried heirloom legumes before, and I'm practicaly leaning over my little bean patch and yelling "HURRY UP AND GROW!" And those poppies....WOW! I've never seen that colour flower, and I love it. Learning about the Caspinski Rosivije's history has started me on collecting "where did this come from" stories; I think there's a little book waiting to be written. You're now officially my Tomato Writing Muses. :-D

- Yvonne's

Oh boy, I KNOW I'm missing some people here, and I really beg your pardon. These antihistimines do the job but it's like trying to think in heavy fog. In short:

THANK YOU to everyone who sent a flower seed, tomato seed, or ANY seed. Your generosity reminds me of why I garden in the first place.

THANK YOU to EVERYONE at GW who has been encouraging, helpful, and just plain terrific. Every word is appreciated, every good thought cherished. I almost packed it in when DH killed my plants (I managed to save only 3...oh well), and probably would have if I hadn't received such an overwhelming response from people who have been-there-done-that. Thank you for reminding me I'm not alone.

THANK YOU for good intentions. Some people offered to send certain seeds, but it never came to pass. I know I've done that to (I think) 2 people....totally good intentions, but Major Life Things interfered (and I STILL feel lousy about doing that). Even if seeds were "meant-to-be-but-unsent", you still introduced me to new varieties and new histories...and that counts big-time!

So, where are we now? Not many plants, but the ones that are left are VERY great, and I can offer SOME seeds this fall. And, thanks to GW folks, next spring's plants are almost all lined up. The only seeds missing are some I was introduced to but never had the pleasure of meeting yet:

Big Rainbow

Sasha's Altai

Tigerella

I love the colours of the Rainbow tomato, and I've heard Sasha's is "the best-tasting heirloom in the world". I'll work on finding seeds for spring, so I can share them next fall.

To the GW Gardeners: MUCH gratitude, HUGE hugs, and promises of a nice little seedbank to share with you by next fall. And when I say "promise", I mean "I'll be the one tending them CONSTANTLY, so I can be sure this is one promise I can keep." ;-)

Love and 'maters,

Merri