WhooHoo! Whoohoo! Bonnie, I just returned your email!

Hello ,
This is just tooo weird not to bring it up ...there is no problem just had to let you know and to get it out and stop laughing!!
I have the same partner in two swaps...they were both posted today!! Look at the money I will save on postage...LOL just kidding!!
I am in the homegrown recipes swap and heirloom splendid salad swap. I know this wasn't intentional (SPELLING IS WRONG) so don't worry I am going to have fun with it.
Watch out Mary... okay enough drama for today..got to go shopping!!
Everyone have a nice day and happy gardening.
Polly

LOL this works out well, I have the same partner in both also. hehe I'm emailing my partner now. :)

Hmmmmm, I have the same partner in both too .... very suspicious, very suspcious indeed!

Polly, my swap partners were posted a day before Becky's, LOL.

Bonnie

LOL..somthing tells me there is a metho to this madness! Polly I am gonna have such fun with this..look out girl:)

Mary

Took the kids to the nearest "big town" (pop. ~ 10,000) to get their haircut, and was able to pick up some goodies for my partner today. That was so fun! Well, except that I bought a 6 1/2' trellis for my garden without thinking about whether or not it would fit in my car, LOL. You should have seen me and my oldest son trying to figure that one out with the winds howling, and snow flurries coming down! The boys had to ride leaning to the left all of the way home. The things we do for our gardening obsession!!!

Bonnie

ROFL! Bonnie I can see it now. People are going to be asking you how you managed to grow two boys on a trellis! LOL!

LOL Bonnie, that is so funny! I have tortured my children in similiar ways! What are you going to plant on the trellis?

I picked up some goodies for my partner this weekend. I love shopping for these swaps.

I have e-mailed my partner Nichol, please let me know if you did not get it, sometimes GWeb mail does not always go through for me.
Sharon

In my last swap, I received some Scarlet Runner beans from my parnter (Christy) and there is no room in the veggie garden without giving up some precious pepper or tomato space, so I'm going to stick a trellis in the perennial bed and grow them there. I hope it looks okay!

Bonnie

I am sure there is a method to the madness ....LOL
I have done the same thing with my kids ...the trellis thing. My kid always ask "now why are we going to the store and what are we buying, hopefully nothing I got to hold on the way home" ...ROFLMAO...
I have a Dodge Durango and that is why I bought it, I got tired of never being able to buy big things for yard and grand kids all fit in a once!! 8 seats me and four kids...perfect unless thier parents want to go then it gets tight.
okay off to store agian ot thingk of things to send.
Happy gardening all
Polly

How's the shopping/seed sorting going?

We are headed out of town in the morning, to a place called Black Canyon, so I won't be around until late Sunday, or maybe Monday morning. Of course, since it's Spring Break the forecast is calling for 1" - 3" of snow tomorrow, LOL. So much for the 60's we've had the last couple of weeks. One year, we got 30" of snow during Spring Break!

Just to give you guys something to talk about while I'm gone, and since I'm trying this for the first time this year, I'm wondering if any of you grow veggies in with your flower gardens? In addition to the runner beans on the trellis, I'm also going to try 'Burgundy' Okra and Hibiscus 'Thai Red Roselle' (which is used in herbal teas) in the perennial beds this year.

Bonnie

Ok, taking a peek over here.,,,,

I am glad you are planting them in your flower bed! I picked them out to match your color scheme! I think it will look awesome! They are so pretty! And the best part, you get to eat them too!

I am so happy you can plant them! Christy

Bonnie is out of town until tomorrow or Monday. So I thought I give this a friendly bump!

Well, it snowed on the way there, and when we woke up the next morning there was 5" on the ground. We got to see the canyon, but didn't have the kids snow gear with us, so we didn't get to do any hiking. We spent a lot of time eating while we were there, LOL. I'm kind of afraid to step on the scale now! Drove through 30 - 50 mph winds on the way back, so glad to be home safe.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Bonnie

I'm growing Strawberries in my flower beds. So far I have 5 teeny baby strawberries! LOL I was excited to find them as they snuck up on me and I was looking for bugs when I noticed them. So exciting!!! hehe

Bonnie, do you have sprouts for the Tai Red Roselle yet? The 2 that I planted are coming up nicely, that's a pretty good germination rate. lol :D I hope minus the wind and snow that you and your family had a nice little vacation. :) Glad to have you back.

Kathy, I only wintersowed two seeds of the Thai Red Roselle, in case I had to resow. One is up already, and the other started to germinate a few days ago, but can't seem to get it's leaves out of the seed. I'll give that one a few more days, and then resow. The temps while we were gone, got down as low as 14, but I had covered my containers up with a row cover before we left, so I was very pleased when I lifted one corner of the cover a little while ago, and saw that my sprouts seem fine under there.

We have lived in Colorado for almost 9 years now, but there is so much we still haven't seen, so it was nice to be able to go somewhere we haven't been before. I'll try and download the pictures off of my camera later, so I can post a picture.

Bonnie

You probably can't tell much from this picture, but the Black Canyon is very impressive, and you can see why we didn't get any hiking in. The road to the other end of the canyon was closed due to the snow, so I hope to go back again when we can really spend more time seeing the whole thing.

Becky, I posted the DC# on your swap thread, but your package went out this morning. Anyone else getting close to sending?

Bonnie

I am waiting on somthing I ordered to get here then I will be ending mine out:)

Mary

Bonnie, your package went out today too! I'll email you with the delivery confirmation.

I'm waiting on seeds. :) As soon as I get them I'll be ready to ship out to Nancy. :)

Nancy, hope you don't think I forgot about you. Hubby is on vacation this week so he's trying to keep me preoccupied with keeping the roads hot! ROFL

Oh Bonnie, that picture is wonderful! I am aspiring to become a full time beachbum but when I saw that pic, I felt my heart tug for the mountains! LOL!

My package should be going out in the morning!
Sharon

Bonnie spoiled me rotten! I came home from work today to find a big, fat box sitting on my front porch. I had an idea of what it was but was not expecting it so fast! I haven't even had time to check the tracking # yet!

Everything was beautifully wrapped and neatly organized (neat & organized are two things I am not!) For recipes Bonnie sent:
German Cucumber Salad
Herb Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing
Eat-Your Garden Salad
Tender Crisp Spring Braise

Mind you, I opened the package before I had dinner ready. I was ready to eat ALL of these simultaneously (I'm usually a starvin' Marvin when I come home from work!)

Also included were a salad dressing shaker with recipes on the side of the bottle, salad tongues, and a red salad bowl and a beautiful kitchen towel with olive oil and vinegar bottles on it.

Now for the seeds!
Thai Yellow Egg Eggplant (I love eggplant)
Yellow Star Hot Peppers (I love hot peppers)
Nasturtiums (Always on my wish list. I can't get enough of them.)
Cimmaron Lettuce (a deep red Romaine type. I love the red tinted ones!)
Forellenschluss lettuce (a red speckled romaine, another one I wanted!)
Black Hungarian Hot Peppers (on my want list!)
Omar Lebanese Tomatoes (On my want list!)
Ananas Noire Tomatoes (On my want list)
Chinese Yellow Cucumbers (On my want list!)
Boothby's Blonde Cucumbers (On my want list!)

Also on my want list Cappucino Rudbeckia! I think I had Christmas in April! Thank you so much, Bonnie!!!

You're welcome, Becky! The Eat Your Garden Recipe, which uses edible flowers, was in the April issue of Sunset magazine, and the Herb Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing (I can't wait to try this one) and the Tender Crisp Spring Braise recipes came from the April issue of Better Homes and Gardens, in case anyone else is interested in them.

We have had a TON of rain, which is very rare for us here, mixed with snow off and on, yesterday and today, but as soon as this storm passes and the garden dries out a bit, I'm going to plant out all of my wintersown lettuces, spinach, chard, and beets. Does anyone else have their salad stuff growing yet? The lettuce in a couple of my containers has gotten so big that they are about to grow through the spout, LOL.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Bonnie

Very Nice job Bonnie. Great loot Becky! Sounds like you both are gonna be eating some yummy meals. :)

Hi!
That sounds like a nice box Becky!

My package was delivered to Nichol this morning, I hope she likes what I sent.

Del Con # 0307 0020 0002 1642 6933

I hope everyone has a nice day!
Sharon

When I got home from the grocery store this morning, Becky's box was waiting for me on the porch.

Okay, first things first. There was chocolate in there! Hershey's, M & M's, and Snickers, which I'm nibbling on as I type. My 5 year old thought he was going to confiscate those, but I said, "No way!" He's getting an Easter basket this weekend, so don't feel too sorry for him, LOL.

She sent a postcard with pictures of New York state sunrises and sunsets.
Gardening themed napkins, very cute!
Easter cookie cutters (The kids immediately started using them on slices of cheese!)
Swivel vegetable peeler, very cool!

Recipes:
Chicken Salad
Cole Slaw
My Salad (Becky's favorite)

Seeds:
Radish, White Icicle (going to direct sow some this week!)
Radish, Salad Giant
Lettuce, Parris Island Cos (grew this last year, and loved it, so glad to have more of this one)
Lettuce, Select Salad Blend
Mesclun Spicy Mix
Cucumber, Bush Champion
Cucumber, Spacemaster (I've grown this for two years now, and was almost out of seeds, how did you know?)
Kohlrabi (okay, I have to admit, I have no idea what this tastes like, or how to prepare it, HELP!)
Tomato, Red Oxheart (I'm always looking for good sauce/canning tomatoes!)
Tomato, Black Krim (Black's are my favorite)
Nasturtium, Dwarf Jewel Mix
Stevia (on my wishlist!)

By the way, Becky, I think your box was every bit as "neat and organized" as mine! Thank you so much for everything! Very nice box!

Bonnie

I mailed out my box today. Will post dc # when hubby gives it to me later (is at work).

I rec'd my box and Sharon was way over the top generous. I had no idea that swaps were like this, as this is my first that was not just a round robin. She sent me nestle crunch which is my favorite and going to be hidden in my plant room for seed planting craves. LOL

She also sent a salad bowl, a nice kitchen towel with a salad motif, a padded shelf liner, dried cranberries for my salads, salad toppings, a recipe book with loads of recipes and fruit and vege keeper bags. She also enclosed a brochure and postcard from the botanical gardens near her. Very beautiful and such a large box.

I also rec'd my seeds of course and she sent many extra's. They are in the other room and I will post them in a bit, but I remember she included a couple tomatoes that I did not have, several lettuce/mesculun, passion fruit, eggplant, summer squash, and many more that I can't remember.

Thank you soooooo much for such a generous love filled box. I hope you are happy with what I sent, though I had no idea to do quite so much. I came home from school today exhausted (plus I did too much outside in the warm weather ALL weekend) and this really revived me and will get me through LOL.

Nichol

Bonnie, so glad you like the seeds! Initially I thought I had German Strawberry Oxheart, but could not find them in my stash of seeds. So I hope the Red Oxhearts will due.

I love kohlrabi. I usually peel it and eat it raw. It tastes like a mild radish although the bulb is about softball size and grows just above the soil line. I also love it in cole slaw in place of cabbage. Glad I could give you a new veggie to try!

Meant to get on last nightand post dc nuber but I was sick lst ight. Here it is: 03083390000172997573.

Hopefully you getit tomorrow.

Off to get ready for school.

Nichol

My salad garden is underway! In the past couple of days, I have planted out 5 kinds of lettuce, spinach, 3 kinds of snap peas, and broccoli. I also have wintersown sprouts of chard and golden beets that are just about ready to plant out. I wanted to direct sow some carrots, parsnips and radishes today, but it is just too cold and windy today. The lettuce is looking a bit beat up after the 45 mph winds we had yesterday, but I think it will recover.

I know it doesn't look like much yet, but it's amazing how fast everything fills in once it warms up a bit.

Oh, and Becky, I wintersowed some of the Cauliflower 'Purple of Sicily' this morning, and a couple of the seeds rolled out of my hand. You should have seen me and the kids on our hands and knees looking for them. You would have thought they were diamonds, or rubies, or something, LOL!

Bonnie

I'm glad it looks like you got out and were able to plant a few things. I can't imagine being on my hands & knees looking for tiny black cauliflower seeds though!

Last I checked there was no sign of lettuce in the garden, but I did plant some inside "just in case." The inside ones have sprouted!

Bump!

Here is a list of who has not checked in to say that they have received their package:

Scottrell/Sharon
Prayerrock/Mary
Southerncharm1/Kathy
Frenchfrylegs1/Polly
Luvgardening2/Nancy

Please be sure to post, so that your partner knows that it arrived okay. Plus, the rest of us Nosy Nellies want to know what you got! Also, if you have shipped your package out, and your partner hasn't posted that they received it, please either email them the DC#, or post it here.

Thanks,
Bonnie

I got a wonderful box from polly yesterday. Polly and i combined our boxes with both swaps we were partnered for so I will just list it on this thread.

For seeds I got:

heirloom brandywine toms
heirloom Sweet pepper chinese giant
lemon basil
cinnamon basi
mammoth sugar pea heirloom
thyme
Cabbage
spinach
simpson lettuce
black plum tom
great white tom heirloom
black beauty egg plant heirloom

I also got a nice big bag of yellow onion set
20 plant markers
and 2 very nice glass oil and vinagar jars!

Thank you so very very mch I love it all!

Mary

Bonnie,
Both Nancy and I are running later with our packages due to a few issues we both were experiencing with seed orders and life. lol I sent my package off on Sunday and hers will be coming this week too. Will post as soon as it arrives. :D I can't wait!!! Well I can, but you know what I mean. LOL!

DC number for Nancy - 04805401437082018281

Great, Kathy, thanks for the update! So that just leaves Scottrell/Sharon, and Frenchfrylegs1/Polly unaccounted for.

According to te DC # Sharon's pkg arrived Friday. I hope so.

Nichol

I posted on the other board and recieved a beautiful package from Mary she really did a nice job..We combined our packages here is the list I copied from other board.

I got my package from Mary, thank you Mary everything was wonderful...
I received a nice hand made pot holder,
hot pad and butterfly magnet
recipes are:
spinach salad
napa almond salad

seed were::
rhubarb victoria
Brandywine tomatoe
tomtang tomatoe
yellow pear tomatoe
mystery blend coffee
uganda coffee
gala apple
star fruit
yellow bell pepper
red globe onoin
chives
sweet basil
mixed morning glories
miriam sunflower
I can't wait to plantthese..thank you Mary
Polly

Hi, Since we had the same partner for both swaps this Month and it was combined, I copy and pasted from the Homegrown Swap.

Hi, I finally have a moment to post. Things have been crazy in my life but it is calming down.

Kathy sent me a wonderful box of goodies. I am thrilled w/ everything. Thank you so much for all your well thought out gifts.

For Recipes I received:

Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables
Garden Stuffed Peppers
Cherry Coke Salad Recipe (this sounds really interesting)
Pizza Salad Recipe
Ratatouille Recipe
Black Bean Salad Recipe
Sweet Corn, Mozzarella, and Tomato Salad

I hope I list everything but I was so excited to get a few that I took them out to plant already.

Stowell's Evergreen Corn
Country Gentleman Corn
Alibi Hybrid Cucumbers(on my wishlist and I wanted it SO BAD)
Black Pearl Soybean (another on my list that I wanted very badly)
Snowcap Pole Beans (these look interesting, I sowed them already)
Triomphe De Farcy Beans (on my wishlist)
Violet De Gourney Radish
Magenta Sunset (on my wishlist)
Dragon's Egg Cucumbers
Egg Tomatoes
Black Giant Totmato
Fairytale Pumpkin (on my wishlist)
Pizza Peppers (on my wishlist)
Black Pearl HOT Peppers
Diamond Sweet Peppers
Lungo Bianco Zucchini
Strawberry Spinach
Ching-Chiang Pak Choy
Lincoln Garden Peas (on my wishlist)
Sugar Daddy Peas

Now for the goodies:

A Serving Bowl and Platter w/ the most beautiful Sunflowers and Gardening Items like Wheelbarrel and watering can. I have no idea how Kathy knew I was using the container from my salad spinner to serve. Hmmmmmm............

A Glass Cutting Board w/ a Bold picture of BELL Peppers

Serving Tongs

Kitchen Towel

A Sharpie-Cannot have enough of those, I am always searching for them in the garden

The cutest KITTY bookmark w/ a kitten sleeping.

Thanks again Kathy! It has been a pleasure swapping with you.

Nancy

Nancy, I'm so glad that you liked everything and I'm thrilled that I picked things that you didn't have already like the serving bowl. hehe I had so much fun picking out the seeds and extras. :D You are so very welcome. Enjoy!!! :D

The Cherry Coke Salad recipe stuck out the most when I was searching, I can't wait to try it. My first thought was that it would be a wonderful lite desert when you've had a heavy meal or for when you wanted something sweet on a hot day. :D

Well, Kathy, it looks like you've outdone yourself again! I am VERY curious about that Cherry Coke Salad!

Great job everyone!

:) I'll post the Cherry Coke Salad recipe when I get home tomorrow.

Thank you Bonnie, I had so much fun with this one! :) Thank you for doing a great job hosting. :D

I received my goodies from Nancy for this swap and the Homegrown Recipes swap. :) Wow!!!

For Recipes Nancy sent these from her own collection:
Grilled Shrimp with Feta and Tomatoes (I love SHRIMP on the grill!)
Zuppa di Scarola e Fagioli (Shcarole and Beans soup, YUMM!)
Chicken Posole (Can't wait to try this. :D
Whole Wheat Pastry Flower Waffles and Carrot Cake (YUMM)
White Out Mexican chicken recipe
Feather Rolls (Who told her I was a carb-aholic?!?! lol)
Penne with Zucchini and Ricotta (Divine!)
Sweet Orange Salmon (I could eat it like this for sure!)
Pumpkin Bread
Fried Green Tomatoes(Another of my favorites but different recipe. Can't wait to try this one too)
Straciacella Alla Romano (AKA Torn to Rags) This one sounds excellent too!

For Extras Nancy sent:
A Salad spinner! I was looking at these the other day! LOL
It also has a bonus Knife and Veggie Peeler.
Celestial Seasonings Raspberry Zinger tea (One of my favs!)
Chocolate Chip cake (OMG, this will not make it till tomorrow here! hehehe)
Raspberry Vinaigrette (YUMM!)
Caramel Apple Butter (Someone was spying one me! :D)
Cooking Christmas Lima Beans with a Yummy recipe on the back for Creamy Christmas Lima Beans.
She also sent me plants for Teddy Bear Sunflower and Ambrosia Cantelope! (Both from my wishlist) :) These are going straight into the garden when it cools down this evening.
Dove milk chocolates. These are being savored as I type! LOL (They didn't melt. :D

For seeds Nancy sent:
Marconi Red Peppers (From my list)
Strawberry Popcorn (From my list)
Golden Bantam Improved Corn(From my list)
Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato Squash (From my list)
Winter Savory (From my list)
Purple De Milpa Tomatillo
Dr. Wyche's Yellow Tomatillo
Tiger's Eye Bean (From my list)
Brockton Bean
Sunberry (Last berry on my list! LOL)
Cherokee Trail of Tears Bean (From my list)
Cream of Saskatchewan Watermelon (Thought this was on my list?! lol)
Golden Hubbard Winter Squash
Lazy Housewife Bean (From my list)
Missouri Love Apple (I wanted this one soooo BAD!)
Fish Pepper (From my list)
Blue Podded Peas (I thought my chances for this one was over cause everyone I've checked is out of them already.)
Golden Treasure Pepper (from my list)
Blacktail Mountain Watermelon
Mexican Sour Gherkin (thought this was on my list too?!)
Crystal Apple Cukes (from my list)
Limon Hot Pepper (from my list)
Joe's Round Pepper (from my list)

WOW! I can't believe how many you found from my list, and how you knew just what to get. I'm so very happy with everything Nancy, you have truly outdone yourself. :D
I can't wait to use the salad spinner, what a neat kitchen gadget this is. :)