Rose-What a great idea....sign me up and I will send my story via e-mail.

Shirley

Great idea. I will sign up! It may be tomorrow before I get a story sent to you. (...and yes, by March I can receive plants. I will pot them up and move them into the garage at night if necessary.)
Jeanne

This sounds like a great idea! But, I'll have to pass this month. I'll be out of town for almost 2 weeks at the end of the month. :P Myrtle Beach...here we come!

Have a great time!
vina

This sounds like a fun idea, but I'll have to pass....not sure I could handle any commitments right now! It's going to be a BUSY month here! :o)
Y'all have fun!

I hope you don't mind a picture. Today is my triplet grandsons' 1st birthday. Not a gardening goddess, but they are pretty cute! (This is actually a blend of four individual pictures so that's why it looks the way it does.)

{{gwi:1250161}}

Can you believe they are one year old already?

Melissa, we'll be waiting to hear baby news from you sometime soon. Prayers that all goes well for you and the baby. You have such meaningful names - we'll be waiting to hear this one... and to see pictures, too!

Jeanne

Oh Jeanne, they are just so precious. Crazy to think a year has passed. Just darling! thanks for sharing an updated pic.

maryanne

wowa year old already! they are so cute!!

Oh! I'm so glad I'm checking in! A year already? They are SO cute!!!
vina

Jeanne-How proud you must be of those three....they will never lack for someone to play with.

Where's everyone at? The weather here has been awesome...in the high 60's today. Maybe everyone is in their gardens.

Take care

Shirley

Jeanne- they are adorable.
I am going to pass on this one. Homework is bogging me down!

Just got home after a kick-boxing workout followed by a volleyball game. So glad this week is almost over. I went to Lowe's at lunch time and found the best deal ever. Huge pots of calla lilies for $7.99. I lusted after them the first time I saw them but they were marked $24.95. Today I
decided to go back and buy one and found them clearanced so I bought three pots. I counted 17 callas in one of the pots. I love finding good deals.

Shirley

Hey everyone!

Shirley, what a great find. I love stuff like that. A few years back, Lowe's had their perennials for $1.00 a pot. needless to say, i was glutenous in my shopping. last year in home depot, i just happened to walk in the garden center when the dude was shrink wrapping an assortment of soil, mulch, stones and things ~~ 15 assorted bags, some 2 and three of the same, which worked for me, and got it all for $8.00. the miracle grow soil alone would have cost me that and just because it and all the others were ripped, i totally lucked out.

rose, i'm not certain that i can commit, but i am not discounting it yet, i'll be back before the deadline.

everything is starting to bud, i'm noticing the trees. lots of green poking up from the ground. still a chill in the air, but a pleasant one. i'll be happy to not run the heat anymore, although i do like the heated seats in my new car. i just went over 1000 miles!

it's late, i should be in bed, tomorrow comes early enough. be well everyone!

maryanne

I guess i'll pass on this months swap. Getting busy in greenhouses...

Passing this month...great theme!

Annie

It looks like we start to select partners on Saturday. I will not have computer access then so look for me towards the end of the day Sunday. (Rose, you have my permission to select someone for me if that is holding things up. Do we only have 3 or 4 of us participating? Your job may be easy, Rose, just don't match me with myself. LOL)
Jeanne

Jeanne it looks like this is our players so far.

rosemctier
brittneysgran
earthlydelights
sandlapper rose

Passing

vina
hazelnutbunny
jlee160
christine00
canyonwind

It looks like some members have not checked in and voiced what they will do. Maybe they will check in before Saturday.

Melissa - please keep us informed as to when the baby gets here and to make it quite interesting I will give a prize to the one who comes closest to getting the date right. Melissa has shared several hints so go back and read and pick your dates.

Shirley

I'll pick March 12th for the baby's arrival!
Jeanne

thank you shirley for that summary! sorry i have been even more mia than usual. my 82 yr old fiercely independent and rather antisocial and mysanthropic grandma said some things she shouldn't have to the wrong people. long story short, it took 3 cops to drag her out of her house, kicking, screaming, spitting, biting, cursing-- in handcuffs!! sigh. so i have spent the whole week trying to get my grandma out of the loonybin. and taking care of her pit bull. i have never seen my grandma cry, ever, but she was crying when she begged me to take care of her 95 lb pit bull baby. so in between calls to lawyers and psychiatrists, i have to cook gourmet meals for her finniky baby-- she eats better than we do! it has been one of the most surreal weeks of my life, and y'all know how weird my life is. i still can't believe this is happening.

Do you guys want to extend the signup deadline for a week, see if more people decide to join?

i was going to do a bingo game, but i don't know if i am going to have time to keep up with one. i will post a contest of a shorter nature in a few days :)

and ANOTHER thank you to shirley for giving us contest to remind us of the beauty of birth and spring :) i guess march 13th, since that is my birthday :)

hi everyone. shirley, i was not sure i was going to play this month, this is a tough one -- way too much to do. i made it back in time for the deadline, so I will NOT be playing. i have just realized aside from everything else in life, i need to address taxes! dread!

rose, so sorry to read of your gran...handcuffs? that's a little much even for a kicking, screaming and biting old lady. there are other ways to subdue a person. shame on those police!

spring is definitely springing...trees are budding, i see daffodils bloomed in various places. i am so hoping we don't get that unexpected storm of the century in april.

hope eveyrone has a great weekend. remember to turn your clocks back!

maryanne

Maryanne-The clocks actually go forward. I always remember it as Spring forward 1 hour in the Spring and Fall back 1 hour in the Fall. LOL So sorry you can't join this month I do know lots going on.

rosemctier
brittneysgran
sandlapper rose

Passing

vina
hazelnutbunny
jlee160
christine00
canyonwind
earthlydelights

Rose it's your call as to what you want to do this month. What a terrible ordeal with your grandma. I agree with Maryanne there must have been other ways to handle that.

Guesses for Melissas baby::::::::::::::::::

Jeanne - March 12th
Rose - March 13th

Shirley

We need to get those guesses in before the baby gets here.

Hope everyone has a fabulous day.

Shirley

March 11th

Hi, Lovely Ladies-Please forgive this late notice of my not being able to join this month. I have been having computer problems with a program I am learning & spent lots of time trying to figure it out. Life gets in the way so many times for what I would really like to do. Have a wonderful week, all. Blessings, Margaret

Sorry everyone has been so busy. I just got back from visiting my younger daughter and son-in-law in NC and must sadly say that I need to withdraw from the swap this month. With the delay and another trip coming up, I just can't manage. Will be back to see when the sign up closes for April. Maybe I can manage that one.
I was amazed to see all the trees that were in bloom along the interstate - a long drive, but a pretty one! Hope everyone is enjoying spring!
Jeanne

hmmmmm with only two of us not much of a swap:( i guess we should cancel? i'll leave it open til friday to see if we can lure a few more people in

hope everyone is doing okay. any sign of baby?

Maryanne - March 11th
Jeanne - March 12th
Rose - March 13th

No sign of baby yet per Melissa (facebook update)

I'm sure she is ready to have this over with. Can't wait to see pictures of that little bundle of joy.

Shirley

thought I had passed, but can't find it so I am passing. I joined curves so have to go work out three days plus trying to get veggie garden in, so busy Melissa's baby will be here on the 19th 9:35 pm. the weather here is wild, snowed yesterday so don't wanna promise to dig yet.

Baby arrival guesses

Maryanne - March 11th
Jeanne - March 12th
Rose - March 13th
Carol - March 19th

Melissa - We are thinking about you Sweetie, I know you want that baby to make its arrival. The last month is always so hard.

Carol-Goodness I can't believe snow....it is in the 70's - 80's here and gorgeous.

I love Spring...................

Shirley

hello everyone
i have been out in the garden alot this week, everything is comming back great.
I signed up to host a swap but dont know if it is this group or fortess.
dose anyone have a list of hostess?
michelle
ps didnt see any FB posts from melissa today.

Good Morning Michelle, this is the 2012 swap hostess list.

Mar. rosemctier
Apr. micyrey
May mellen
June brittneysgran
July veeja11
Aug. smitties
Sept. sandlapper rose
Oct. flowergirl34
Nov. nottougly
Dec. margaret_2007

Shirley

well, i guess i'm going to declare this swap canceled. kinda bummed, i really liked the theme lol. i call march next year, and i'll resurrect it and see what happens?

any sign of baby yet?

gma rose is still in the psych ward. it's all very horrible. she will need 24 hour care, they say. i cannot believe she deteriorated so quickly. very scary. we are still trying to figure out how all of this is going to work out, where she will live, if she will have to go into a home without her dog, that kind of thing. thank god for spring flowers. they are the only thing adding hope and color to my world right now. that and my gardening friends, who never cease to amaze me in with their generous and beautiful hearts and spirits.

Checking in to see if there is a "bunny baby" in the news.....not yet! Thinking of you Melissa.

Rose, prayers for your Grandmother, for you and the family. So many decisions have to be made. You hope that they are the right ones.

Happy St. Patrick's Day. Enjoy!

Annie

hello
thanks shirley, I will post next week sometime and see if any one can play next month, I'm thinking something super easy like a small flat rate box with a few early perennials and a card. my daylilys, hostas, bee balm, and many others are starting to show their faces. a small box will fit several DL fans or small div of other perennials.
michelle

Michelle - Hopefully next month will work out better for a swap. Super easy sounds good to me.

My yard is coming alive, shrubs and trees are in full bloom. We have 17 bradford pear trees in full bloom and they are gorgeous.

Rose - Those kind of decisions about your grandmother can be heartbreaking. Thoughts and prayers are coming your way.

Shirley

who's the hostess? i'd love to join a swap.. are you doing the round robin style? i was inhere years ago but not much into least two... i see things have changes a bit.

Hi dreamingofmygardens - The March monthly swap has been canceled but watch for Aprils coming soon. We usually do 12 monthly swaps per year and different members of the Our Blooming Friends group serves as hostess. Have you traded with any of the members of this group?

Active Members of OBF
Annnie/canyonwind
Carol/veega11
Faye/nottougly
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose
Jen/jlee160
Margaret/margaret-2007
Margo/smitties
Mary Ellen/mellen
Maryanne/earthlydelights
Melissa/hazelnutbunny
Michelle/micyrey
Shirley/brittneysgran
Vina/flowergirl34
Rose/rosemetier

Shirley

Shirley- thanks for the information-I traded for six years on a few sites but none of those names seems familiar. I took some time off, [ still planting of course] but didn't do any trades, except with family and friends locally. I really miss trading with online friends as I learned so much and received varieties I had never even heard of. It was a great experience and much fun. I don't post all day everyday as I work a lot of hours and now I have a grand baby that I try to spend my extra time with. I will watch for the April exchange. We have unseasonable warm weather so I have the itch early. I didn't do any winter sowing, now I regret it. I was organizing my seeds al day yesterday...it sure was fun. I am looking forward to getting to know and share seeds/plants with you~

Sorry to be MIA, ladies! It's been a busy month, as you can imagine. Lots of false alarms concerning the baby's arrival, but she finally made it!
Kindi Evlin was born this morning, weighing 8lbs 9oz. Kindi means "one who is dearly loved" and Evlin means "radiant & beautiful".
We're both doing well. Labor was only 2.5 hours, but it only took that long because my contractions would never get closer than 10 minutes apart! If they'd just gotten closer, it would've been over much sooner. :)

I'll try to check in more on my 2 weeks of bed rest.
Hugs to everyone!

congrats and what a beautiful name!!

I agree such a beautiful name....I bet a beautiful little girl to go with that name as well. Pictures as soon as you can please.

Carol - You came closest to the arrival date so I will be sending your prize in the next day or so. Congratulations!!!!

Shirley

Shirley send my prize to bunny please, hope I caught you in time hugs carol

Kindi Evlin, absoloutley beautiful name. Melissa, I am so happy for you, Mr. Bunny and all of your little bunnies.

Annie

gma rose is out of hospital!!! and feisty as ever; i think she is palming her meds lol she is with my aunt for not-- i suspect not for long as they are already butting heads. but she and the dog are reunited and happy to be together. i have never heard a dog make such a noise before-- she was almost yodeling! thank you everyone for all the well wishes-- much appreciated :)

Is there anyone who would be willing to take over the month of May? I can already see that I will not have the time that is needed to oversee it. Rose, you want to try May?

Melissa, LOVE the name and congrats! Pics sometime?
Mellen/ME