I'm also happy that you moved the date back for this swap and would LOVE to participate!!

Sign me up please! :)

Karen

Karen-I'm happy you changed your mind!
Thanks for joining us.
Mariann

Yikes! Snow flurries this morning and a freeze warning for tonight, then back to near 70 tomorrow -what's that about??
Mother Nature is either being downright rude or she is seriously confused.
I am looking forward to this swap!
Alana

hello
I'm rilly looking forward to this swap too, I just potted up a tray of cuttings and started another one. my fushias have been rooting rilly well, and the angel wing bagonias. I just started a new try of drangon wing bagonias that I got from mariann in our cutting swap last year, from her 2 cuttings she sent I now have at least 6 potted plants and 5 more cuttings in the tray. big hug mariann>I'm also going to try layering my yellow bells I have not done well starting them from seed, and I rilly love these.

I planted my vegie garden on sunday, but only the cold loving stuff(onions, lettuce, kale, potatoes, and peas.
I'm going to start scattering annual seeds soon(I sure hope the weather straightens up) and my new daylilies seem to have handled the cold fine.
I got a dwarf Gala Apple tree at lowes the other day to go where we cut down the maples a few weels ago, we all love galas.

I got an early birthday gift this weekend, my inlaws gave me the money to buy a small utility trailer. it is 8ft x 5ft, and has 2ft side rails and tailgate. I hauled my first load right after I picked it up, a load of bricks and mulch to do a small landscape job for my mother in law.

on monday I will fill it with mulch and top soil for the farm, eventualy I want a riding mower for the farm so I can expand my butterfly garden to several acres, right now I'm keeping 1 acre mowed with the push mower, in july the sweat just runs off me trying to keep the prairie grass at bay.
well I'm off to water the house plants
happy gardening everyone
michelle
ps I do take requests for partners, just send me an e-mail

Michelle-Sounds like you've really been busy. So glad those Begonia cuttings did so well for you. I saved some for myself too. Great B'day gift!

I potted up my tomato plants yesterday they are looking very healthy. I'm only growing 4 different kinds this year. Just not enough room in my garden. Sun is very limited here and I have 2 beds in my garden filled with plants and cuttings from last year. I've also managed to clean out a couple of beds that were covered with leaves. Been checking my WS containers and they are starting to have some plant growth in them. Not as much as I would like though.
How is everyone else doing???? I was hoping to get a few more sign ups for this swap. We have until the last week in April before Michelle posts partners.
Have a great weekend everyone

its to late to sign up on this one ?

prayerrock-No it's not to late to sign up. We've extended the sign ups until the last week in April. Please read the rules and we'd love to have you.
Mariann

thank you I would love to be in ths with you all:) Actually that is perfect if this goes to may.

Have a Wonderful Easter everyone!

:O) Karen

I'd love to be a part of this swap. The last one I did was years ago whenh I was still in high school, and I am still enjoying plants from it!

Can't wait!
Andrea

Andrea-Welcome! Glad to have you.

Sorry this is late-

I just thought I'd check in and say Hi, and give this thread a bump! Everyone must be busy with Spring Cleaning and Yardwork! It has been nice here, and I would love to be out in the yard and get some work done, but I have to wait until the evening.

I finally have some wintersown sprouts!! I brought the jugs in (only 8) and taped them up, so hopefully I will still get more sprouts. So far there is maybe 5 of so varieties sprouting out of 32.

:0) Karen

Yes Karan we have been working in the yard. SOOOOO very much to do, I had to come in for a break I am not feeling too right at the moment so I came in to sit for a bit.
I can't wait until I start getting plants in the ground, I have so many new beds that need to go in I feel like I am never going to get it done. I feel like at the moment it is NEVER going to get started, it has rained a lot lately, can't complian about that, we need it.
Our tiller is broken and that annoys me, we really need it. It is time for us to start putting in a garden, I am SOOOO ready to do this!

Hope everyone else is having great weather, we as expecting a freeze tomorrow night and I HOPE this is the last one, I am ready to get some gourds in the ground and other stuff going too!

Have fun all,

:)Fran

I'd like to join! Am I understanding this swap correctly . . . you will pair us up and then we send . . . a box of plants and a garden gift to our partner? I've been trading for years, just never done a group swap.
Dee

Karen-I finally have a few of my WS seeds popping up. I took them off the table they were on and put them in the sun yesterday. Now a few more popped up. I only have 9 containers that are divided in half.

Dee-You are most welcome to join us. Keep an eye out for the new thread where Michelle will post partners. Please pop in a chat whenever your feel like it.

Fran-You are a busy girl. It's suppose to be nice here for 2 more days. I hope to finally get up to my veggie garden and see what's what.
Have a great day everyone
Mariann

I can't wait til the swap! Our big herb/plant festival is tomorrow and I am going to LOAD UP!!! LOL! I kinda wish I knew who I was sending to so I could pick up a few things for them, too. I'll just have to risk it! ;)

I need a pick-me-up. I came home yesterday and found the neighbor's dog killing all my chickens. I have 9 chickens left out of 25. One of my favorites is missing, and presumed dead.

Sorry to ramble...just still upset about yesterday, but excited about the swap and the plant fair tomorrow. Chickens and gardening are my two favorite things!

Shelly

Shelly-How horrible.... I hope your neighbor is going to replace your chickens. How sad for you. I always go to our local Agway to look at the chicks when they have them. We're not allowed to touch them but just looking and listening to the peeps is enough. I'm glad you're looking forward to the swap next month. Just to let you know we will be doing a cutting swap in June. Hope you'll join in.
Hugs,
Mariann

Shelly, I am so sorry about your chickens! I have been a chicken mom for a couple of years. One night last week my favorite got out of her enclosure and I watched a huge owl carry her away as I was on my way to secure them for the night. Poor little Hanna. I will never wait until after dark to check on them again!
I hope your neighbor plans to ensure their dog won't be able to get to your flock in the future.

Have a good weekend and good gardening weather!
Alana

Shelly, I too hope your neighbor will make sure he/she replaces the chickens at least. It is not fair for other peoples animals to come on your land to destory your property!

Man, Alana that is awful! I am sure you just watched in disbelief and then maybe cried! I would have...

We just got some chickens a few weeks ago and we were letting them roam but they started coming up to the house chickens + Fran's Flower beds = Chickens put in the chicken house!
We were down there this evening taking down the sideboards that were on the chicken house and replaced them with chicken wire (fabric is what they call it now) anyhoo, we are going to take down a spot on the back wall for a doorway and make a large enclosure on the outside so they can roam freely outside the chickenhouse BUT still within confines, I hate keeping them in a pen but I have too many plants for them to scratch up. I have had chickens destory a WHOLE seedling bed and flowerbed all in the same day before, those little suckers can do some destruction!

I wanted him to make me some chicken tractors, but he will not. I think it would be a goodthing to do for the places I want to plant AND for the chickens to be able to scratch up whatever they can find in the spot!
Ok I RAMBLED BIG TIME...

Shelly, glad you joined us sorry about your chickens.

Alana I REALLY hate you lost a chicken that way, it is amazing they can be taken off like that. We have a Hawk here, he keeps calling it a Chicken Hawk, that is what it would be if it could get to our chickens. Not to mention the rabbits!

Ok, well guess I am going to go play with some more seeds then head to bed....

G'night everyone!

:) Fran

Shelly, that is terrible! The neighbors should replace those chickens! I live in a small community, and there is a leash law, for everyone but our neighbor across the street. His dog roams freely 24/7. He is a nice old dog, but he will NOT do his potty business in his own huge yard. He does that in all the neighbors' yards. Pees on my fencing for the daycare play area, goes in the fence when the gate is open and pees on things in there where the kids play, does his business everywhere.

Alana, my DH was just telling me that he saw an eagle with a pheasant in his talons flying away the other day. Of course that doesn't compare at ALL to watching a favorite hen get carried away!! :0

This morning I took my youngest son with me up to main street and watched our local National Guardsmen come through town. They are on there way to the airport a couple of hours away, and are going to Iraq. I couldn't help but to feel so sad. My DH was in the Navy for about 7yrs, and I just have a soft spot for all military people and their families. They of course were being escorted through all the towns with fire trucks, police officers, etc.

Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone! I will be out cleaning the leaves out of my 2 remaining flower beds. :)

Karen

Oh wow! That would be horrible, Alana! I almost had that happen when I lived in town. Luckily, my chicken (Cornish hen) outweighed the hawk and rolled IT! She came out on top and the hawk learned its lesson. LOL! I think it must have been a young one, because it happened about 10 feet away from me!

The thing that really hurt was that it only got my prize egglayers. Some were getting ready to lay this month. I think because the egglayers (Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks and Wellsummers) were so friendly. The "crazy" Andalusians it couldn't catch. Petunia (the Cornish) flew into the rafters of the barn, and the guineas and 2 other hens followed her. Why it didn't get the 3 Chinese geese babies that were on the ground, I don't know. They are big and clumsy. Maybe they were too big?

I went to the Herb Fair yesterday. I was pretty disappointed. I got a few heirloom tomatoes I had been wanting(Creole, Lime green salad, Royal Hillbilly, Green Zebra, Sioux), a few native butterfly plants (Chocolate Daisy and Blackfoot daisy), a large rosemary, a large citronella, and 2 batface cuphea. I was looking for some nice ornamentals, but they didn't have anything that I couldn't live without. There is a smaller one next weekend. I may go to it and see what there is. There were no daylilies or irises. Nothing unusual. It was pretty boring and overpriced. Then, when I got back to the van, I had a flat tire! I guess it hasn't been the best week. This week has GOT to be better! LOL!

Shelly

hi all
so sorry to hear about the chickens
we are replacing our flock this year, our old ones are all about 8 years old and out of 9 hens we only get 1 or 2 eggs a day, so we got 12 new baby chicks this spring.
my inlaws have a lot of property and said we can let the old hens go in their yard.

I got most of my WS pots planted(well the ones with sprouts) I have a 12 foot long and 2 foot wide planter for them till they get biger. I had a bad germination rate this year, only about a 3rd had sprouts, but that is why I planted over 200 pots, I know some would not grow.

I forgot what date we dicided for the partner list to be posted, mariann could you remind me.

I will have some good shade plants to send since the only shade tree in our yard was cut down, I hope someone needs some shade plants.

well hope you all had a nice weekend
michelle

I hesitated joining earlier because I did not think I would have anything that would be ready to dig up. Now that it has been extended, I have no problem joining so sign me up. :)

I am sorry to hear of news of the loss of chickens to Shelly and Alana. We built in the country two years ago because I have always wanted to be in the country so I could have some farm animals. Mostly goats and chickens. I will have to keep these stories in mind when I start raising the chickens. Dealing with the outside cat we have is stressful enough. I can't believe the messes that thing can get into and the expense it has brought us in vet care for him. Silly cat.

I will watch for the list of partners to be posted. Have a good week everyone.

Alana-OH how horrible about your chicken! I couldn't bear to watch something like that.

Shelly-An Herb Fair sounds like fun. I wish there were something like that where I live.

Margo-So glad you could join us again.

Michelle-You can post partner's any time now. I'm going to let the other thread about the change go on it's way. Also I'll send you an email.
Mariann

One more thing-please have your Exchange List up to date. It is so helpful to your partner. Especially Plants and Seeds you are looking for.
Mariann

Well...the geese got into my babies I was getting ready to put in the ground! LOL! They didn't eat so much as "waller" around in it! Crazy geese! I'm hoping I can salvage some of them. They pretty much destroyed the peas, though. They were begging to come into the backyard with us, and we weren't paying attention. UGH!

I'm off to update my list! I can't wait til we're partnered up!!!

Shelly

Where is everyone at?? It is H-O-T in Oklahoma today! 95!

Shelly

Hi there Shelly! I'm in California and we just came off of three record breaking hot days. Today it is back to our usual spring weather, perfect weeding weather today, in the seventies. My veges sure liked that hot spell though.

WOW! I heard about your weather all the way over here! I wonder if we are going to have unseasonably warm weather this summer?? I know it's in the 100's already in south Texas, too.

Shelly

It was chilly in my part of NC most of the day the wind blew REALLY hard and made going outside just terrible. (Wednesday) It was so cold here we ended up lighting the heater to heat up the house.
I hope it is warm TODAY it is posed to be in the high 70's I sure hope so, I have a lot that needs to be done.

Hmmmm, I wonder where everyone is too.

:) Fran

Send some of that Calif weather out to NJ Please!!! We've just had 3-4 days of chilly rainy weather. I have 2 swaps to dig plants for but I have to wait because of all the mud. This Fri and Sat are suppose to be in the 80's!!! Unfortunately I won't have much time to work outside with everything that is going on here.

Michelle should be starting a new thread with partners soon.

I did manage to plant 15 heads of lettuce, 2 rows of peas and some swiss chard last weekend. My tomato plants are looking good this year. I have them outside in an enclosed area for hardening. I still only have 2 leaves on my peppers though. They are slow.
Have a great day everyone

Shelly, I understand how you feel. We get chicks every year and every year my neighbor's dogs get out of their fence and kill a few of them. The neighbor argued with me that her dogs would not kill a chicken (golden retreivers) and that her dogs are so smart that there is no way to keep them fenced when they want out. (they did a hole to get back in the fence, too, I saw them). SO, I have taken to taking pic's of her dogs every time they are out and near the chickens. I will be putting the next dead one on her front porch as I request payment. If not, we are going to the sherriff. My husband found out that it is against the law. It is an old law, but chicken killing used to be a major deal. I had to put one down when her dogs were fnished "playng" with her. Awful. I have now threatened to put down her dogs. I would not but my husand keeps threatening to shoot them or worse. It can be very aggravating.

Nichol

I had no idea there were so many chicken people on this forum!
My baby chicks will be here next week and I am working on a new enclosure for when they are ready to go out on their own. I got fancy this year and ordered some "exotic" breeds along with my eggers. I did not time their arrival very well because I will be gone in three weeks and will have to rely on my husband to do peep duty-he is very not interested. City boy!
We have been unseasonably cool early in the week, but are supposed to hit 90 by tomorrow. We have had plenty of rain this year, at least so far, and the perennials look great. I will be doing the final bit of my planting out this weekend.
Can't wait for the names-I have some plants lined up already,
Alana

I think chickens and gardens just go together! LOL! All of my dark brown egglayers that I was building my foundation on were killed. They were Wellsummers. The worst one though, was my Buff Orpington, Violet. She had decided she was a pet. She'd jump in my lap and everything. I never found her body, but it's been a week today, so I think she is not coming back.

I am so excited! I found some mammoth and upright elephant ears at our local farm store, of all places! The mammoth bulbs were the size of a cantaloupe! I've planted them around the pool. I also go to the Asian market and get the taro bulbs from there. You don't know what you'll get, but I have never gotten plain green ones! LOL!

We just moved to this house, and I am trying to figure out what all is popping up. I've got some of the biggest yellow irises I've ever seen! They smell nice, too, but it's too much yellow! I'm more of a pink/purple/blue kind of girl.

I'm still moving plants from our old house. We are going to rent it out, so there is no point in trying to keep stuff there. It will just get torn up. I've been trying to hold off on moving too much, til we get partnered up and I see what my swap partner likes.

I've got to get my veggie plot going. On the upside, we harvested about a pound of asparagus from the area where the garden will be. I'm going to just build up a bed around it and mulch it in and leave it where it's at.

There is supposedly horseradish growing here, too. I dug up some of the roots, but it seemed pretty bland. I am wondering if it is another type of green? It looks like horseradish, though. Are there different types? Maybe this just isn't as pungent?

Shelly

Wow Shelly, you are so lucky. We don't have an Asian Market around here. Someone was posed to get me some Taro roots and send them to me but hasn't yet. Great find on the others at the Farm place too.

It still stinks about your chickens, we had one to wonder off at least we think that is what happened to her anyway she is missing and it has been a week now. We even went looking for her in the woods and never heard her, we went the day she didn't come back with the rest of the chickens that is, so she is just gone.

I wish I had a piece of horseradish too. I had one and it just didn't come back in spring after the first winter and I thought that was rather odd because everyone says you can't KILL it....WELL if it is possible I will!

I think it is funny you have all those yellow irises mine are purple, every one I seem to get are PURPLE now mind you I LIKE purple BUT I would like some other colors as well. A neighbor at the other place gave me a bag of them, they are purple, someone else brought me some, THEY are purple AND when we moved here the lady that USED to live here said ALL the irises here are PURPLE TOO LOL.

Gosh it sure sounded like I rambled there huh?

Mariann, it has been chilly here too. This is not the weather we usually have. I haven't been able to get out and do too much because of all the rainy days and cold when not raining. Today is posed to be a nice one so far it seems warmer so I will get out an finish planting the hostas I guess.

Alana, if I lived near you I would chick sit for you. I hope hubby does take care of them. Can you not call the place and schedule a different shipping date? You might have to wait for the next brood but it is better then taking a chance on losing them. Esp, sinces hubs is non to thrilled about doing it or to knowledgable about their care.

Nichol that is terrible, some people shouldn't be allowed to be pet owners! If they refuse to be responisable for them!!!
I would make sure I had pics of the dogs chasing the chickens and maybe with one in a mouth THEN you would have absolute proof it WAS her dogs and if you can catch them going back under the fence and get a pic that would help as well!

OK, well I have rambled....

going to check other threads :)

:) Fran

hello
I'm still here I have just been rilly buisy
I'm trying to finnish up a fabric swap on the quilting page
I will post partners next week, the fabric swap is taking longer than expected.
and with the nice weather this week I have been outside so much I now have a nice tan going.

our baby chicks are doing great, we just got them out side full time, jeremy has been finding worms when I'm out working, and feeding them to the chicks. I just love watching them chase each other for it.

well as always for Arbor day(well I was a little early) I did plant a tree, I got a beautifull Gala apple put in yesterday. I also got all the plants moved out of my "nursery" bed, this is where I put all my new plants from swap till I know where they should go.
and got most of my winter sow babies in their "playpen" where they will live till next year and I'm ready to put them in the garden.
I also built a raised bed at the inlaws for pumpkins, squash, gourds and corn, I don't want to grow these unruly wanderers at the community garden, they tend to cause trouble.

well I'll get the new post started next week with the partners

see ya
michelle

I think it's pretty amazing that so many of us have chickens . . . their aren't really that many people with chickens anymore, at least not where I live. We just renovated our coop and have 20 new chicks. They are so much fun to watch. I need to fence a larger area for them before they get full grown, the last 3 old chickens were eaten by a bob cat while free ranging. I'm weeding like crazy so I can be done before the weather gets hot . . . oh my aching back!
Dee (Domehome)

hello
Dee where in cali do you live?
I grew up in Brea and Chino, and have lived in Santa Barbara, and covina.
when we moved to chino in 1980 was when we first got chickens, and I just loved them, in highschool I joined FFA and showed them at the fairs and won a few shows.
well I got to get the boys ready for school
see ya
michelle

Oh, dear, I don't like chickens - sure wouldn't want to see anyone's pet chickens killed though. Are you going to boot me out of the group? LOL
When do we get out names for the swap?
Jeannne

Jeanne, I don't LIKE chickens either. I was/am scared of them. When I will little my grandmother had one that would hide and wait for you to come into the barn and flog yah.
I have been scared of them ever since!
Then when I was and adult we got some and we had a couple that would sneak up behind you and jump you, and a couple that would sneak up and start pecking at you....didn't like them either.

HOWEVER, the ones we have now are not like that at all they are so gentle they will just follow around like puppies if they are out in the yard. In the chickenhouse they just want to come up too you and look at you LOL. They are hoping you have food for them. At any rate I am not afraid of these, so that is a GOOD thing ;).

Michelle said she will do partners next week :).

Dee you made my back hurt just listening to all your weeding LOL.

:) Fran

Jeanne-We'll forgive ya! ;9 Michelle is going to post the partners next week! YAY!!!

The best way to tame a mean chicken is to grab it, hold it upside down by its legs (this calms them down and kind of hypnotizes them)then carry them around a while like a football. Do this til they quit charging you.

Mine are all big babies. :)

Fran-Maybe after the swap we can arrange a trade and I'll send you tons of yellow irises! :D

Shelly

With all this talk about chickens I just need to see some pictures. I wouldn't mind having a few chickens. They don't scare me of course haven't been around many live ones. I'm sure the wild animals we have would just love some chicken. Do foxes eat chickens??? We have a red fox that I see every once in a while.

I've been out of sorts for the last few days. My body is just full of aches and pains. I think I have some nerve damage in my left shoulder. I know it's from the last injection I received. It hurt like the devil!!! I actually screamed when he stuck the needle in. When he finished and left the room I collapsed in my DH arms and cried my eyes out. This was about 2 months ago. My computer has been acting up so my DD is giving me her old one. She started downloading some of my programs and we had hers hooked up when she realized it didn't have a modem. I have dial up and she had cable. So she re-hooked my old back up and said she'd be back on Thursday to move the modem from m computer to hers. Thursday morning she called me and said that her DH's grandmother passed away. This was not unexpected. They left for Florida last night. We are having a Memorial service and a family get together this weekend for my aunt who passed away about a month and a half ago. My sister and her DH are staying at a hotel near us so we're going out to dinner tonight. Tomorrow is the service and then a get together. We have relatives coming from as far away as Calif. Needless to say after 2 nights with hardly any sleep, because of pain, I'm physically and emotionally drained. OK now that is out of my system! Thanks for listening ladies.

Jeanne-How are you and your family doing? You've been on my mind.

Dee-When you're finished weeding come on out here and weed for me.LOL
Have a great evening
Mariann

hello
ok here are some picks sorry if they are kinda big

we get to go to the stark bros nursery open house, they have the best fruit trees ,among other things. I don't need to buy much but they always give out free fruit trees with every $25 purchase, last year we got 2 fuji apples, and the year before that we got 3 georga white peaches.
last year I also got a weeping cherry and a weeping red peach for $19 for both, they both bloomed great this spring.
well I need to go , got a sunburn today, I know I should have put on sunscreen, I may never learn
see ya all next week
michelle

Michelle, I live in Arroyo Grande, outside of San Luis Obispo, CA. I moved here in 1976 and have lived here most of the years since. I bought 25 acres here 20 years ago and I'm dug in pretty deep!
Jeanne, I laughed pretty hard at "I don't like chickens!" My first experience with chickens was when I was living at my in-laws. My husband would have me collect the eggs every day, then one day I had my hands full and I asked him to get the eggs . . . he said no he was afraid of the rooster! And I said "I see where I stand, send the city girl in to get the eggs, nevermind that the rooster may attack her". He said no "you're just not afraid of the rooster!"
I ever have rooster problems I'm calling Shelly!
I want baby squirrels.
Dee

Dee that's funny. I guess I've never been close enough to a bunch of chickens to actually become afraid of them.

Michelle-Great pictures! You are such a naturalist! Saving B'fly cats and squirrels...what's next.LOL When I was little I use to bring home all kinds of animals. My mom pretty much drew the line at baby rats. She did try though, until one bit her. I thought only the rooster had all that red fleshy stuff on their faces, heads and necks. Does it have to do with the breed of chicken?? I don't know much about chickens-can you tell?

Do those squirrels let you pet them? I know you raised them but are they still friendly?

Have a great day everyone,
Mariann

Mariann, so sorry to hear you have been having pain. I think I over did it today too, it is not easy to sit on a crate bent over dividing plants! Man, my legs are aching! I still have a BUNCH to do too.
I know how painful that shot was, I honestly hate that for you. Did you ever mention it to your doc so they could look at it? Sounds like you need too! This is not right!
I hope the pain goes away soon.
Enjoy your family time, it is so nice to be able to get together but I am sorry it is for the reason that it is for, even though it is nice to celebrate the life someone had!

Michelle NICE PICS! I like colorful chickens ours are all just plain Rhodies, I want som Doms but we haven't found any yet. Those squirrels are too cute, my sister had one she rescued when it go big enough she let it go, it stayed around the house that season then left.

Wow Dee, I wish I had 25 acres of my own, the SO wouldn't be happy but I sure would it would be planted to my hearts content! LOL.

Well everyone enjoy your weekend, it is sunny and HOT here...much better the freezing and raining!

:) Fran

What great pics! Thanks for posting those! I've raised squirrels (among other things) myself. They are a lot of fun.

I have some Barred Rocks, too. I think they are beautiful chickens. I went to our local farm store yesterday and picked up 1 possible Buff Orpington (huge brown eggs!) 1 Buff Laced Polish (he was a freebie-deformed beak) and 4 (FOUR!!!) Easter Eggers with the beards that lay the blue and green eggs. I am really excited about them.

I just got back from the herb fair. I got a really nice Cassie's Curls Brugmansia that is covered in buds for only $12!!! I got a nice Shasta Daisy "Becky" that is really big. A large catnip and lamb's ears, a pink Queen's Wreath vine, a couple of tropical milkweeds, and I think that's it.

This was much better than the one I went to last week in a different town. More unusual plants. The other was mostly herbs and veggies and common flowers.

I can't wait til our partners are posted!!!! I'm digging up a lot of blackberries if anyone is interested, just let me know.

Shelly

WOW Shelly, I am SOOOOO jealous! Really I am! You did well on those plants AND on those CHICKENS!!!! I want a Araucana/Americana so badly but the SO says NO! If I could figure out how to sneak one here I would!
Not only do I want it for the eggs BUT I think those chickens are cute! He is talking about getting some turkeys and well that will be my leverage for the Araucana! I willl get one some how lol.
I am going to have to tell him to get some Buff Orgs too for their eggs! I have never seen their eggs before but I will take your word for it that they are large! LOL, I want good egg layers, the chickens we have now are not doing so hot on their egg laying job. They are doing a terrific eating job though!
I can't wait for partners either, WOOOHOOOO!!! I like finding out who I get to send too....SOOOO much FUN FUN FUN!!!

Mariann, I WOULD post pics of our chickens but they look just like the RED on in Michelle's pic and I think if you have seen one red chicken you've seen them all LOL. They ALL pretty much look the same!
You feeling any better sweets? I hope so, I didn't get sore from all that bending I did yesterday THANK GOODNESS...did you soak in a long hot bath? That helps a little, maybe drink some herbal tea, ANYTHING to try to help you relax your muscles. WE tend to tense up when we are in pain and that makes it worse, so try to find something that relaxes you and can easy your mind into it instead of all the pain and it might just help it to start going away!

Michelle, how is your other swap going? A fabric swap you say? Sounds fun. I haven't ever done anything other then plant trading.

OK well, better get my hinny to doing something....
Later everyone,
:) Fran

Oh M GOodness. I am so glad I am not the only one who can't move today. I unloaded 2 truckloads of mulch by myself (dh was sleeping, works at night) and then dug a new flower bed. I divided several plants for other swaps (hi fran and annie LOL) and edged the landscaping around the house and the sidewalk. Today I am dividing more plants for myself and the swaps, getting severa boxes taped up to go in the mail in themorning, planting potatoes, peas, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, beets, onions, garlic, carrots and anything else I can find and planting more seeds and finishing the sides on the greenhouse.

I too got sunburned yesterday. Bad enough that my softest t shirt is killing me and that is after the aloe this morning. Oh well, I should know better than not to use sunscreen by now, too. Can't wait until partners are posted. Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Nichol

I will have to take a few pics of the chickens. My Buff Orp. is my favorite. She is like a great big baby. She is 3 and lays the biggest eggs. We have her, a black and white and a rhode island red and we get 3 eggs almost every day from them. This year, we included a couple black sex link and a few aracaunas forthe green/blue eggs.

I am so excited to see so many people who raise chickens. We moved just out of town two years ago and built on 5 acres so have lots of space for farm animals. I keep bugging hubby that I want chickens, (only for the eggs) and he has finally agreed that next year will be the year. I have no idea where to start so may have many, many questions for those of you who raise chickens. I can't wait.

We hit the 80's yesterday and today in Northwest Ohio and I love it. I have been weeding and surveying what returned after our rough winter. I am pleased to say I had a succesful growth rate. I dared nature and planted some seeds too. There is no real cold nights this week and the danger of frost is typically over by Mother's day which is in two weeks. I made sure I had more to plant should I not have success.

I have to run over to the recycling center and check out the area where they collect garden waste. Every year I find bulbs that people have thinned out and thrown in the pile. I simply grab them up and bring them home and plant them. I had several hundred at the old house. I was able to bring many with me here so am starting over. I got a bunch of grape hyacinths last year and they are in full bloom this week.

I hope everyone had a productive weekend in their gardens.