Miss Becky dear, I am not participating BECAUSE I went through my seeds already AND I have over 2000 packs. I think before I do anymore seeds I need to plant some of these first. Once my stash dwindles down some I will participate again.
I have gotten pretty selective as to what I need and I know this makes it hard to send to me so it is easier for me to just host at this point LOL.

I wasn't sure who had been partnered with whom so like I said I hope everyone is happy with the pair ups. Next time I will ask for the most recent partners list so I will make sure I do not pair up those who have had close swaps before.

All this recalling the past is making me miss my childhood. Man, growing up was fun. I would like to have all the toys kids get now, but you know what? Growing up playing outside was a lot more fun AND it did us all a world of good, kids today do not know HOW to play, all this electronic stuff doesn't force them to use their imaginations....

OH WELL, guess I will be headed for bed...

:) Fran

"Growing up playing outside was a lot more fun AND it did us all a world of good, kids today do not know HOW to play, all this electronic stuff doesn't force them to use their imaginations...."

I absolutely agree! I couldn't say it better!

Haven't had an answer from my email to Tracy yet. Maybe she'll get time today.

Joan

Tracy contacted me I'm going to email Nichol now. :)

Well, I wonder where Tracy is, I KNOW she is always busy maybe she forgot the posting of the partners date?

I didn't start another thread for the partners because I figured since this one wasn't that full we would just keep it here.

Ok well, lots to do today hope everyone is having fun!

:) Fran

I just got a chance to catch up. I've been out of service thanks to the dog for the most of the weekend. He chewed the plug on the cable modem! LOL Anyhow. I was gone most of the weekend too, Saturday we were out on the Gulf deep sea fishing on a Day trip with my DH's co-workers. It was so much fun!!! I got burnt bad even though I kept using sunblock, it felt so good out there in the cool breeze it never crossed my mind that I was frying. sigh...

Dang Fran you must have really made out like a bandit in the WOW swap!

I am having loads of fun with the garden too! I have already started getting beans, squash and cucumbers so I've also been busy freezing and storing things. Lots of work, but loads of fun!! :D

Nope Kathy this is the results of Trading all last year PLUS buying ones I really wanted and wasn't getting.
BUT as I was buying I wasn't realizing how many I already had so after the Wow swap and move a friend kept saying FRAN! YOU REALLY NEED to go through all your seeds AND STOP TRADING and START planting what you have! So I actually listened for a change and WELL Golly gee good thing I DID, I KNEW I had a LOT, BUT NEVER NEVER NEVER realized HOW many until I did inventory and decided really I better not do anymore seeds until some of this stash is down OR it is for something I REALLY REALLY REALLY want, like rarer/hard-to-find/harder-to-get seeds. Like the ones on my want list now those are REALLY wants I haven't been able to get yet so I would STILL trade for them IF I find someone who has then.
So I am being good and not adding just anything I would get like I have been. I have become VERY selective and WHO would have thunk it that it would only happen in a YEAR?
Plus I was in the other wants swap and a Christmas and Birthday Swap were you get things from you want list so that is how I got a lot!

Gosh, I hate your lost your cord, my son's puppy I was puppy sitting for the first part of the month because he went to the BEACH! (dog on it! I wanna go too!) got under my computer and I wasn't thinking about it at the time and when I realized she was under there I thought YOU BETTER NOT HAVE CHEWED MY CORDS! She had chewed on them I found the puncture marks but not chewed through any of them thank goodness! The cord she chewed on was a ethernet cord, it was not one of the cheap replaceable cord either! So it was great she didn't chew through! I would have been TICKED!

If you can stand the smell of mayo, smear some all over the sunburn, it will draw out the heat and it will help. I got red as a lobster when I was younger, I couldn't wear clothes at ALL. My mother got me down and coated and I mean COATED me in mayo, I went to bed and got up the next morning only pink! It was amazing how well it worked and I have used it everytime I get burned.
I am glad you enjoyed your weekend!

WOW I am SO jealous! I haven't even got the FIRST thing started to go in the garden yet! We did buy some mater plants that is all that is planted at the moment WOW OH WOW! Nice going! LOL...

Ok well, I gotta go check on more threads!

Later everyone,
:) Fran

Donna, I too am COOKED!!! I've been mowing grass and weed eating for my neighbors and myself all weekend and today.
Then digging out flower beds and planting tomatoes in between. The weather was just BEAUTIFUL! Nice breeze blowing, I didn't really even get hot. LOL Beautiful, but deadly is more like it! I look like a lobster. Guess I'm in good company with you, hm?
Fran, I'm like you, so jealous of those first fresh items out of the garden.... Nothing's ready yet here either. Even though it warmed up, it's rained sooooo much, that no one's been able to get their gardens in the ground till this last weekend. Heck, I bought tomatoe plants this weekend,(Early Girls) just so MAYBE I could have a few early tomatoes to eat.
Whew! Am I pooped!! I'm getting old.
Anyway, Tracy emailed me, and I'm on a mission ladies! To find her some seeds that she doesn't have and that hopefully she'll LOVE!
In the meantime, I'm gonna go fix myself some tacos. Quick, cheap, filling, and I don't have the energy for anything else. :)

Joan

I think I'll have to pass on the Mayo! LOL I like it on my samiches though! ROFL I've been using aloe gel that I keep in the Fridge, it's ice cold but well worth it. :D Taking a sponge bath in vinegar works wonders also, just mix it half water half vinegar and dab it on gently. This also works for any kind of burn and those horrid stinging nettle.

Joan that sounds like my kind of weekend! :D I love getting hot and sweaty, makes me feel like I've accomplished something and had a workout. hehe Sorry to hear about your burn too, I hope it heals quickly for you. Tacos, yum! I try(try being the key word! lol) to cook crock pot meals on days when I'm really busy that way I can have a hearty meal to recoup. Shoot it's breakfast time and I'm already craving Corn chowder. HAHA!

I honestly don't mean to rub my garden in and make anyone jealous or anything. I am just soooo freakin excited that I'm getting some stuff out of it this time. Last year my Spring and Fall gardens were a complete flop due to various circumstances, I'm just thrilled that I'm getting a decent turn out this Spring. :D

Oh, I sent Nichol an email but no response yet. :) I'll start gathering once I get a better idea of what she's growing and likes to eat.

~Kathy

No, Donna, please DO make us jealous! LOL
Really, though, I'm thrilled for your garden success and I know Fran is too. And I LOVE hearing who is harvesting what. So keeps those posts about your fresh ripe veggies coming! Heck, if you really wanna make us drool, POST PICTURES!!! :)
Yes, I'm worn out but it was worth it. And my burn is much better this morning.

Joan

Joan honey you keep calling Kathy DONNA, kind of reminds me when your mom keeps calling you by the wrong kid name! Yeap, I get it a lot! LOL.
I am glad your burn is getting better man it sucks to have a sunburn, those flu like symptoms that comes with it.

Kathy, I have done the vinegar/water too. Mama would make me soak it in then do the mayo. I am telling you it works! You should try it, Aloe is NOTHING compared to the mayo UNLESS you have a REAL ALOE plant and put it on THICK now that will make the burn go away in a few hours to days depending on HOW badly you are burned.
Don't feel bad about telling us about your garden, we KNOW how much you struggled last year to get stuff and all the things you had going wrong. Heck, it is MY fault I haven't started mine yet (well, HIS fault because he has tilled the plane, but that's beside the point) OHHH OHHH OHHH, I DID START A APPLE GOURD FRIDAY AND I HAVE A SPROUT.....YESSSSSSSSSSs, I am excited about that.
Kathy? Do you have fire ants in your area? If you do would you PLEASE shoot me an email telling me what you do to deter them? The stuff I have been doing IS NOT WORKING....GOSH I HATE THOSE THINGS!
But back to YOUR garden, you just brag all you want, I am proud of yah! Really, I just want a FRESH mater myself LOL. MMMM and squashes, and cucumbers and, and, and you know I didn't get any of squash last year either or CORN!

Here's to ALL of our gardens doing better this year!!!

Later all, have a wonderful day!

:) Fran

howdee there

just checking in. Been pretty busy dealing with a health thing and just got a great call about results from a doctor so its a good day :)

The weather is a bit cool today or I would be out caring for my plants in the green house. I have a few tomatoes that did not come up that I replanted and need to transplant.

I have been in contact with both my partners woo hoo this is going to be a fun one.

Acres / Tracy

I apologize Kathy. I was talking on the phone with my aunt Donna and duhhhhh! I believe I really am getting senile. :) So sorry, forgive me please.

Joan

Fran I had to break down and use 7 dust. I didn't want to but I had to use it, I put it on the mounds they built overnight and nothing else. I tried Cornmeal and all they did was move. They decided they wanted to live by the corn and the Onion starts, I'm not sure my onions are going to recover as they went pretty deep under quite a few of them... My corn on the other hand is starting to get ears. :D

Tracy good results are the best results!!! :) So happy it was good for ya. :)

LOL JOAN! That's ok, I've definitely been called "other" names. No offense to Donna, she's a sweetheart! hehe

~Kathy :)

Tracy, glad you're not MIA anymore. Glad you received good news (or at least not bad news) from the doctor too.

bumpin it back up for us. :D

Hi all,

I'm going to try and mail out my package either tomorrow or the middle of next week. Hope everyone has been busy gardening!

Howdy All,
I have been busy, busy, busy...at least I can't say I am bored that's for sure! Goodness, there is always so much that needs to be done I feel like so little GETS done!

I went out and purchased me a new shovel today and that made me quite happy. I wanted the transplanting/trencher shovel BUT it was 22.00 + tax by itself and I decided that I am going to ask for one for Christmas! Yeap, want woman wouldn't want new gardening tools for Christmas? Gotta love getting a new garden tool! LOL.
I came out smiling carring my TWO new sholves, I can bet people were looking at me like I was an idoit with that big A grin smeared across my face but I was tickled purple to have them!
Someone borrowed our shovel and when it came back home the handle was broken in three, yes THREE different places, I was upset over that one! No one will be borrowing either one of these new ones I can tell yah that's for sure!
I got a standard size (reg. one) and a short handled one. The short handled will be mine and I decided I am going to leave it on the front porch in the corner so I will have it handy anytime I need it and it will be within easy reach! LOL.

So, what did you all do? How is everyone's weekend so far?

Has everyone gotten in touch with their partner? If not please do so as soon as possible.

Tracy glad you receive good news and not bad good news is ALWAYS the better road to travel.

Kathy, I was afraid that was going to be the solution but hey, if that's what it takes then thats what it takes. I WISH someone would come up with an organic methdod to completely wipe them out of the US! Gosh I hate those things. If it wasn't for the fact that I can't handle cold weather I would move north just so I wouldn't have to deal with them!

Becky, you sure are on the ball, you go girl! LOL.

Ok, well I just thought I would check in with everyone and see how it is going. Please come chat with us...we need more stories to share!

So WHOSE gonna share the next memory with us?

:) Fran

I will get my package out to my swap buddy by Friday. :)

I received from Tracy today! She sent me lots of wonderful seeds, one of her homemade Lavender Mint foot soaks with Tea Tree Oil (Smells fabulous!)a beautiful crocheted hand bag and a crocheted hair tie. :) I love everything Tracy! Thanks so much!!!

For seeds Tracy sent:
Maroon Butterfly Cowpea (Edible Flower)
Gold Nugget
Amazon Chocolate Toms
German Red Strawberry
Bush Bean Mix (so cool looking!)
Honey Boat Delicata Squash (Can't wait to try these!)
Black Spanish Radish (SO COOL!)
Calendula Triangle Flashback
Black Pearl Hot pepper
Sweet Spanish Onion
Peter Pepper
Royal Golden Watermelon
White Habanero
Yellow Perfection Tom
Indian Corn
Aunt Ginny's Purple Tom
Black Brandywine Tom
Broom Corn (I wanted these so bad!!!)
Lemon Ball Cucs
Tom - Yellow in and Red Out (Sounds pretty cool too!)
Cayenne Pepper

And a few packs of Flower seeds. :D Hope I didn't miss anything, there was quite a selection of wonderful seeds! :D

Just finished the paperwork for one big project at work and the grunt work for another! If I sleep tonight, I'll be in good shape tomorrow! Whew! I was stressing big time over that one big project. We were on a TIGHT schedule.

Boo glad you got it done! Congrats!!!

WOW Kathy! That IS a nice selection, one I would like too. I would REALLY be interested in Maroon Butterfly Cowpea I have NEVER heard of them NOW I MUST add it to my list, I must, I must, I must! I have to have it I am on a quest THANKS Kathy and Tracy! Like I NEED something else...lol but really that was a SUPER list and I am SOOOOOO jealouse! Darn it why didn't I go ahead and play this month....

(shaking head....)

Well time for supper catch you ladies later!

:) Fran

Yoo Hoo! Tracy, your package went out yesterday.
Conf# 0306 2400 0003 0183 3476
Hope you like everything!
sigh.. Now I've off to make a pot of coffee while I watch it rain, AGAIN...

Joan

Seeds are in the mail! Joan, I emailed you with the DC#.

OK no more stories folks? I guess everyone is busy with everything that tends to need to be done in the spring.

I will check back in later to see if anyone else has posted...

:) Fran

Just a quick fond memory which helped inspire the theme. When I was a little girl and I wanted a snack, my Mom would tell me to go out into the garden and pick something. MMMmmm, nothing like fresh peas or carrots or cherry tomatoes right out of the garden.

Ahhh Beacky isn't that the best? You can't beat homegrown snacks! NOW I will go to the garden get a tomato, cucumber, and IF I have any growing red onions, bring them in an slice them up and eat it for lunch OR an anytime snack.
Sometimes if I am eating that for lunch I will add Italian dressing just a touch, but mostly I like it just plain.
I lost weight eating that way last summer and I am HOPING I am do it again this supper, if I can lose as much this summer as I did last summer I will be REALLY happy.

I remember picking beans, corn, an digging the potatoes when I was growing up it was ALL hard jobs well I think with the exception of the corn which wasn't too bad but I HATED picking beans.
Mama would ALWAYS tell me I MISSED a bunch and I would go back an look and sure enough I had OR she would go get what I had missed and fuss at me the WHOLE time.
I think that is why I started buying purple and yellow podded beans now so I can SEE them LOL. They taste like regular green beans to me with the added benefit that I can see them when picking so I think it is a win-win LOL.
I thought gathering the potates would fun, I didn't mind rooting around in the dirt to find them, I would sit down and just get right down and dirty in the turned soil and rummage through it, I loved the feel of it in my hands. I always told mama I was looking for taters which I really in fact was but I got a thrill out of being able to "PLAY" in the dirt and get dirty without getting YELLED at because I was getting dirty BUT hey, I was LOOKING FOR TATERS....lol

:) Fran

"I think that is why I started buying purple and yellow podded beans now so I can SEE them LOL." ROFL!

I went away for a week a few years ago during the height of bean season. I asked my husband to pick the garden for me while I was away. He picked 6 tomatoes, total, from 45 plants. He picked 1 (yes one, 1, uno) bean. Mind you I had two tepees of pole beans and a 20 ft double row of beans!!!!! When I came back I was picking beans for an hour & a half!

Bump!

Becky I am sending your seeds for this swap with your Econ. Seed Stimulus Seeds. Just FYI.

Nichol

Hi Joan, I just check the tracking on your package. Did you receive it? I hope you've been busy with lots of Mother's day events & lots of garden adventures!

Just checking in with everyone thought I would see what progress was being made :)

Later everyone,
:) Fran

Yes, Becky,so sorry! I got your full to bursting envy Saturday!! It was wonderful!
Sorry I haven't had a chance to post. Will try to post later.

Joan

PS - Do we know if Tracy got her package from me??

howdee there

yup I just got a huge box it will take me days to type out all the stuff i recieved including sevearal live heirloom tomato plants. I just got home from a suprise trip to the coast. i have the best hubby ever. I have been having a lot of health issues so a vacation was needed. I will post all my wonderful goodies with in the next few days..

Tracy / Acres

Kathy sends to Nichol (will be sending soon)
Nichol sends to Becky (will be sending soon)
Becky sent to Joan received waiting on contest post
Joan sent to Tracy waiting for contents posting
Tracy sent to Kathy received and posted contents

Hey everyone, I thought I would post an update for us.

:) Fran

Tracy, sorry to read that you're having health issues. Sending well wishes your way.

Becky

My package to Nichol and Jeanne will be going out on Friday. I have had some unexpected financial issues come up with our Furbaby who was hit by a car last Monday. Not knowing the outcome of the situation I thought I would be able to send out on time. I am so very extremely sorry to have held up my partners Nichol and Jeanne.

Forrest (kitty) will be ok so the vet thinks. His pelvic bone is broken in two places (the tail bone was shattered and will not heal), and he will have to heal naturally over the next 4-6 weeks with the full recovery being anywhere from 6 months to a year. The vet told us that the surgery is out of the question because of his small size and the bill is not worth what the outcome would likely be. We finally got to bring him home yesterday after being hospitalized for 7 days. Poor little guy is stuck in a large kennel for the next 3 months or more depending on how this turns out. He also had a deep tear to the pupil of his left eye that healed in 4 days! Amazing to me that cats are such quick healers. Anyway, I'm sorry to have to pour out my personal life, but this vet bill has set us back and I honestly won't be able to ship out the package till Friday. Again, I am very sorry to the delay.

AHHH Kathy, I am sooo sorry for your furbaby. I can't believe he made it through the accident. Cats are such good little troopers. I think it is even WORSE he has to heal own his OWN! OMG, did he at least get pain med? Please say he did at least for a little while.
Are they going to leave the tail? Did they remove it? WHAT???? I wouldn't think they left it with crushed bone there....tells us. I am glad you got to bring him home, is he going to be an inside kitty from now on?

Tracy, I hope you get better quickly, wow an unexpected vacation what a nice thing to happen. Heck, I don't even get an EXCEPTED ONE!

Hey Becky!!! How are you?

Where is everyone else? We are missing a few people.

:) Fran

Hey! I'm still around. Today, I am taking a day off from work and working in the garden! We've had night time lows in the 30's with frost. So I've been pouting and crabby! I think after this morning we'll be out of the woods for frost! In the meantime, I had to bring in all my plants I was trying to harden off. So they are EVERYWHERE inside the house. I'm glad I can stick them back outside today.

Fran, The vet thinks and we believe that the car must have clipped him on his left hip and that's what kept it from being worse than it was. It's not actually his tail bone, it's his pubis bone I had to look it up to see for sure what it was called cause to me it looks like our tail bone/coccyx on the X ray they took. Which is why we had to wait a week to see if we could bring him home, they wanted to make sure he could still go potty on his own. He's doing ok with that right now, but we're not in the clear completely just yet. He didn't get pain meds for home except one dose to give him Monday night that was half of what he'd been getting. The only med that he's currently taking is Prednisone/Steroid and she gave me something for his eye just in case it started to bother him ever again. You can tell that he is in pain by the way he's so uncomfortable and keeps moving around. That is wearing him out too, he's so pitiful. I hope he heals fast and without any more problems. We have to take him back in 4-6 weeks to make sure all is healing properly. The plus is that he didn't have to have his leg amputated because he's still got feeling/circulation in it and he's trying to use it. Because of the break being in the pelvic bone it's hard to move him around to keep from jarring it out of place. He's still having a hard time going #2, which is causing me to have to move him in and out of the kennel alot to keep it sanitary. Then his poor little butt is raw from having to clean it all the time... Yes, he and his 2 buddies are going to be inside kitties from now on out, they do spend their nights inside and come in to eat or whenever they meow at the door. Those 2 boys are giving me a hard time about staying inside and keep darting out each time the door opens, it's just too boring in here I suppose. LOL But I'm determined to get the little buggers stay in permanently.

Becky, I'd be pouting and crabby too! No doubt. lol Sending Warm vibes your way. :)

Ok, I want to post about the great package I got from Becky! It was PACKED FULL! Had to weigh AT LEAST 5 POUNDS!
She sent:
cute socks with anchors on them :)
smartie's candy necklace
sour nerds - one of my favorites
willy wonka fun dip - I felt like a kid again eating these!
beautiful pack of 10 note cards- can use these in my swaps with these
pack of 3 pretty floral pens
2 big bags of seeds!!
san marzano ind. red plum tomatoes
mortgage lifter tomato
black cherry tomato
aunt rubys german green tomato
kosovo tomato
italiano largo squash
mammoth grey sunflower
big moon pumpkin
early purple vienna kohlrabi - never eaten or grown this before, so something different
delicious tomato
little finger carrot
sumter cucumber
royal burgundy bean
peaches & cream corn
She also enclosed a note explaining which members of her family liked to grow each of these when she was young.
It was really sweet and I can't wait to try the seeds. If it ever stops RAINING! We have only had 2 days without rain in the last 2 weeks. :(
Thanks again Becky for the wonderful fat envy! Sorry it took me so long to post.

Joan

Kathy, its so sad to read about your kitty. Sending well wishes his way (and patience for you!)

Joan so glad you liked your seeds and sweet treats. I was hoping I could get you to feel like a kid again with the candy!

well I decided I had a few hours to kill and thought I should post the huge amount of wonderful goodies because its going to take me that long to post all that Joan sent me. haha! I get the best partners in these swaps and its so nice to meet such sweet people in the process as well.

For the goodies

4 live heirloom tomaotes. Rutgers and something else for the life of me I cant remember. They are in the green house and are soo far doing pretty good. It was good I recieved the varieties I did. My rutgers had a horible time germinating and the one other variety I have been looking for.

3 flower pouches - have not researched this thing but I told a local friend I got some of these and she about wet so I guess its pretty neat.

adorable towel and pot holder set

a few old seed catalogs NEAT Idea

pair of garden shoes

garden art sign

yummy body lotion

nail polish- love the color PURPLE

yummy lip balm

onion sets --- really needed these and I could not find the whites locally and I can only eat white onions go figure.

She also sent me yummies that seem to have disapeared. Hubby and his sweet tooth.

and then the seeds ohh the seeds piles of wonderful seeds. Lots and lots of basils and I really want to do a basil bed, tons of herbs and peppers and melons and egg plant and beans ohh my!!! then there was more herbs and more peppers oh wow!! cabbage and tomatoes and a few more herbs. Oh goodie!!

Needless to say I recieved a packed box full of lovely wonderful things all of that I love. Thanks much Joan

Acres/ Tracy

I forgot to post over here. I don't want to make Miss Fran upset by not posting! :) I received my seeds from Nichol on Wednesday.

Here's my list of loot!

Georgia Collards
Rutgers Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes
Large Red Cherry Tomato
Savoy Perfection Cabbage
Red Acre Cabbage
Black Beauty Eggplant
Grand Rapids Lettuce
Detroit Dark Red Beets
Early Scarlet Globe Radish
Parsley
Chinese Mung Beans
Pinto Beans
Golden Wax Beans
Top Notch Beans

Thanks so much Nichol!

Thank you Becaky, Tracy, and Joan for posting!!!

Kathy sends to Nichol (will be sending soon) after we get this this one will be finshed and we had another great swap!
Nichol sends to Becky received and posted contents
Becky sent to Joan received and posted contents
Joan sent to Tracy received and posted contents
Tracy sent to Kathy received and posted contents

:) Fran

OK Kathy did u get this sent? As soon as Nichol post what she received this swap will be completed....wooohooo.

How is everyone's long weekend if you got one? We have had rain all weekend. But we need it so I will not complain.

:) Fran

Hi Fran, I know Kathy is having computer problems. She emailed me last week from her inlaws computer.

Thanks Becky, well I wish I would hear something from Nichol, but her FIL isn't doing well so I am not sure if she has thought about posting here.

My hubby sent Nichols package out on May 20th via priority mail. I'm hoping she enjoyed all the goodies I sent. I tried to make up for my lateness in extras. Hope all is well. :)

Thanks Kathy I knew you would mail out but I was hoping Nichol would feel like posting about her contents but I understand about her family issues so can we call this one closed Kathy?

:) Fran

Yep, thanks for hosting this one for us Fran. :) Maybe she'll get a chance to post later. :)