Fran, happy to be at your service. I have found this site to be most helpful since 2002. I always find the answers to anything. Isnt it wonderful? We are severl hours from each other, but I swear by the local plant swaps, Fall and Spring. Do you attend anything like this in your area? There's nothing like it! Also, I attend the Triad Seed Swap in January, in Greensboro. We meet at Panera Bread for lunch. Care to join us? Here's my swap list.

Here is a link that might be useful: swap list

I think I need to do A LITTLE BIT of explaining as to at least PART of why I became so scarce here for quite a while.

A large part of it was just a bit of GW burnout... I'd been VERY active both here, and on the Ponds forum (and a few others), for several years, and then got involved with other forums on other subjects (and still am), and doing other things (and still am), which is ALSO why I will NEVER be as active as I once was.

But another BIG PART was that when iVillage bought GW from Spike, they posted new Terms of Service, and they were, without a doubt, the most RIDICULOUS, most RESTRICTIVE, POMPOUS, PATERNAL AND GREEDY TOS I've EVER SEEN ON ANY WEBSITE BEFORE OR SINCE.

In fact, if those same TOS are still in effect, I can get banned for what I just said in the paragraph above, lol.

My biggest gripe was that they suddenly claimed ALL RIGHTS to EVERYTHING posted in any GW or related forum, either written or pictures, IN PERPETUITY, to reproduce whatever was posted in whatever medium they chose as many times and as many ways as they wished WITH or WITHOUT attribution to the author or photographer and without ANY recognition of either original copyright OR requirement to pay any compensation, regardless of what they used it for or how much money they made off of it.

In other words, IF I happen to post a picture in a forum, which turns out to be a picture of some new species, and I'm the first and only one to photograph it, suddenly THEY own ALL RIGHTS to MY PICTURE, which might be worth A LOT of money!

NOBODY -- I MEAN NOBODY else online (that I've seen -- and I've looked at A LOT of website TOSes) tries to pull that kind of BS.

That's why you haven't seen my post ANY pictures since, and likely won't... Also why you won't likely see me write anything that you could call "stunning," lol (not that I ever did, necessarily), but I'm DEFINITELY NOT going to post something HERE I think I might want to PUBLISH ELSEWHERE later.

So, by way of explanation, anyone who may have thought any of my abscence was because I didn't miss you all -- I did... I just was highly offended by the new TOS.

I LOVE all you folks... Just wanted to make that clear!
Jeff

Dang Jeff, I didn't know that either. Humm, makes you think twice about posting some stuff truly does!
I'm with you on not posting special things, I don't think that is fair and prolly not legal HOWEVER, once you post anything on the web you pretty much have lost rights to it, no matter what the claims may be.
We have missed you too, hey we need to talk, EMAIL ME SOMETIME PLEASE!

:) Fran

Well, I don't have anything proprietary to worry about and don't contribute much, but I do appreciate the cyber community here. I learn a lot (and forget more!) and very much enjoy the camaraderie. Thanks, folks!~

Fran, thanks and back at ya! I don't hang here as much lately as I have in the past, but the people here are still the best!

Robin are ya ready for the seed swap!! I haven't even started drooling over the catalogs yet, that's for after Christmas! :)

Even with working at BB's, I think I learn more here on this forum than anywhere else. I personally have missed your two cents Jeff and I am happy to see you back posting. Adele

Well, i am another who loves this place & y'all! It stays on in my browser a all times so i can check to see if there are new posts. I have learned so much and enjoyed all of these online friends! As well as some of you whose friendship has trailed offline.

As to the TOS, i'm very careful about what i post photo wise for that reason. Never really worried about my words so much... LOL! I do think it's an absolutely stinky policy. But getting together with y'all virtually makes it worth it.

Thanks ya'll, you know you all make this place fun.
I wish we were more active on the Carolina forum, we used to be. What happened to that?

Root, I just placed orders with a few seed companies, it is my Christmas present I guess since I went WAY WAY overboard and the total is like 160.00 dollars...OMG, but I got a TON of good stuff both flowers and veggies so it is good in the long run.

Thanks Tammy I am glad we are virtually worth it...LOL.

I too miss Jeff's jibber-jabber he made this place interesting to say the least...lol.

:) Fran

I know I don't post as much as I used to but I am thankful for all of my cyber friends here. This forum was my first and I'll always keep a check on it. I've learned so much here and I enjoy our plant swaps immensely.

A far as the TOS go- I may back off on the picture posting from here on out. I was aware of them of course but I've started playing around with marketing my photos now so until or unless I'm convinced they are worthless,lol, I'll hold back.

I don't post as often as I used to either. I spent a lot of time on the rose forum, and others. But like Jeff, I stayed away after they suddenly claimed rights to everything. I very rarely post pictures anymore and then only ones that have been posted before. Other than that, some of my best memories are from GW.

Fran, you know how I feel about you! LOL!