Your box sounds perfectly wonderful Margo. I hope the little creatures are still in there waiting to greet your recipient.

Annie
Karen
Michelle
have all received their spooky surprises.

More will follow shortly,
Alana

Am I getting my swaps mixed up or what!?

The Zombies made me do it!

And folks, I have to tell you that I am unable to finish the story from the documents. They have completely disintegrated. Nothing but dust left.

So we will never know who won the The Last Great Battle Between the Plants and the Zombies. We'll never know if this was an isolated incident or if it was widespread, beyond Monroe. And we will never know who the Zombies really are.

But some things I do know. The Old Black Walnut Tree was destroyed right around the time these events took place. I have looked, on my way back and forth to work, for some sign of him, a stump or woodchips, but there is nothing, not even a depression in the ground where they dug him out. I'm glad I got all the pictures if him.

However, others were destroyed at the same time, and I found this picture of an old stump nearby. And it leads me to believe the Stash was saved.
The End

Morning!

That is one cool looking stump. Look at how the corners are curly! Terrific picture! And the stash was saved! Shirley, thank you so much for keeping us on the edge of our seats with your amazing deciphering skills of such old documents.

My package went out on Monday. Emailing you the DC...Enjoy whoever you are...MMMMMWWWWAAAAHHHAAAAAHHHAAAAAA

vina

Shirely, so enjoyed the suspense and intrigue.......you are one fine story teller!!

My ?????????????? will be headed out to ?????????????????? on ????????????????????.

Happy day!

Annie

My package arrived today. Our fearless leader was the sender. Alana included the following

A scary face door knocker which is hanging on the door right now. I have always decorated until we moved here to the country and found there was no one to decorate for. I love that I can put this on the door because I really miss decorating.

She also gave me a Halloween dish towel and matching oven mitt which I have never had these in Halloween motif and not really sure why so both are appreciated.

I also got a package of assorted seeds which are going in my 2013 stash and there was also a pack of Halloween candy.

Thanks Alana for the wonderful Halloween package. Margo

A package arrived today from Don. It included this adorable painted gourd, seeds for Blue Mini Indian Corn, 'Masquerade' Ornamental Pepper, 'Jack Be Little' Mini Pumpkin, purple Spider Flower, 'Golden Goblin' Gaillardia and some chocolate Halloween treats that have mysteriously dissapeared. Thanks so much Don. My silly pumpkin man in his ghost hat makes me smile every time I look at him!

Margo, I can't believe it traveled there in just 2 days! Wow!
Janine, the little painted gourd man is really cute! Don is a gourd artist, for true.
Have a good evening,
Alana

My surprise package is on the way! Sent the DC# to Alana.

Don, those gourds are really clever! Have you done others and do you feel like sharing some more?

Karen, Vina and everyone, I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures; I love (and spend a LOT of time)working with them. I'm shifting into Christmas card mode now, and trying to come up with something different than last year.

Have a great evening, All!
Shirley!

Yesterday I dropped off my buddy at the airport so he could go visit the family, so it's a little strange around here, being outnumbered by two cats. My days at the office have been a bit long, so I waited until tonight to pick up my mail. Lo and behold, there's a package from Margo, and yes, there were critters all over the box! I had some cold pizza for dinner, and am sitting here with it in front of me right now. Stella and Bump are swarming the box, trying to get into it, so I'm a bit nervous. Who knows what's in there???
Uh oh, this doesn't look good. The card says "Dan, search the contents of this box for halloween surprises but BEWARE!" Yep, I'm even more nervous now...
As I open the box, I see cobwebbing being pulled by the flaps, some spiders, and a note. Attached to the note are salsa red coneflower, gallo peach blanketflower, noxia blanketflower, black-eyed nemophilia, and baby bottle gourd seeds.
Digging further, I find out why the kids are going nuts! There's a huge bag of catnip! Margo, thanks for remembering the kids! (sprinkling some on them now, that's always fun!)
Digging thru the cobwebs more now, looks like a skull, yep, it's a solar dancing skeleton! And two Halloween solar lights for the yard! Yippee!!! And plenty of webbing to decorate with outdoors! Kewl!
Margo, we love this box! Thank you!
-Dan

I recived my box from Melissa today. Included was a anti bacterial hand sanitizer, candy and seeds: which includes: Cornflower, Henbane, Tongue mix, red corn, Tansy, and cauliflower. Thank you Melissa.

Ellie

You're welcome, Ellie....I hope you enjoy the seeds. I tried to include things with a spooky/halloween name. I think there was bloody butcher corn, witch's henbane, candy muncher's tongue. I can't remember the others. :)

Annie
Karen
Michelle
Margo
Janine
Dan
Ellie
have received to date.
If I miss one let me know.
Clever Bunny; I love the seed names-perfect for Halloween. What the heck is Candy Muncher's Tongue?

Morning all! my package went out yesterday! Kathie

I received my prize from Alana.....

She sent me a pair of ghouly Halloween socks that say "I (imagine a heart) YOU FOR YOUR BRAINS"......
These are darling....cute...cute....cute!

Thanks much Alana!

Annie

Hi all! Looks like amazing packages are arriving everywhere!

I rec'd my zombie package from Janine yesterday. In my zombie bag was the most appropriate CAUTION ZOMBIES Halloween Bag. Which was instantly grabbed up by Taylor. :) A bag of yummy candies...already GONE! And my terrific assortment of seeds. Helianthus: Magic Roundabout, Nigella: Midnight, Sea Holly: Silver Ghost, Dianthus: Fringed Pink: Spooky, Nemesia cheiranthus 'Masquerade' (I've been wanting to try this for a while now. THANK YOU!!)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU JANINE!! i just loved it all!!

Happy Thursday!!
vina

A perfect

It is always the perfect end to a day to get the mail after a grooling day of work and there is a Zombie Package. I received mine yesterday from Ellie. Thank you is was great. My package went in the mail this morning on its way to its Zombie recipient. This was great fun. Can't wait for the next one.

Kelli

Annie, I had to laugh when I sent you those Zombie socks. I hope you have a chance to wear them or share them, lol.

Nice surprises, Vina!!

I'm glad you received Kelli. What did you get?

Have a great day folks! I will get the thread and any outstanding housekeeping issues updated tomorrow. TGIF.
Alana

Home Depot has a zombie mulch game on facebook the more you play you can get free money off coupon of course I stink at it have to get like 1000 points to get the $5 off coupon. You have to drive your truck over the zombies to get points.

Diva! That sounds like fun! I could get into running over Zombies with trucks!
Home on an early lunch. TGIF Indeed!
Shirley!

Alana, my happy feet will certainly be wearing those brain socks...later today...as I go a pubbing and a grazing!!

Great Zombie package Vina!

And Zombie Kelli, what did Zombie Ellie send your way????

Zombies and Trucks....LOL!

Happy Friday!

Annie

I got my wonderful box from Kathie! Thank you so much! Everything was wrapped with Halloween colored tissue paper and beautifully labeled. I got a black columbine, THANK YOU! A Grey Witch Daylily, THANK YOU! A Black Beauty Lily, THANK YOU! A Landini Lily THANK YOU! And I Giant Chocolate decorated Candy Apple that my 18 year old daughter took and ate LOL. Thank you, Kathie your thoughtfulness is much appreciated!!

I received an envie from Vina today. She sent a great selection of seeds & a package of "werewolf" fur (cotton candy with pop rocks added in).
Thank you, Vina! :)

A few gourds that I have painted through the years.

Hannah Hen sitting on gourd eggs.

I made this for a close friend of mine. He loves Wonder Woman.

I made many red white and blue gourds. These were patchwork quilt patches.

{{gwi:61327}}

My huge snowman. My sister knitted him a hat and scarf.

Another red white and blue.

{{gwi:61325}}

Don

A few more.

I painted these 10 years ago. I made mini gourd snowmen. Other years I used the mini bottle gourds as teddy bears, angels, etc.

Santas. I used llama wool for the whiskers.

A rainstick I made for my nephew. I made several rainsticks after I made this, but the rain sounds were never as good.

Another red white and blue.

Granny goose.

Don

Don, those are beautiful! Then hen is my favorite as I kind of collect them, living and otherwise. You make me want to grow more gourds next year. I will!
So far
Annie
Karen
Michelle
Margo
Janine
Dan
Ellie
Bunny
Heather
Kelli
and Vina have received.
I think I have been in touch with everyone so the rest should be arriving in the next few days.

I am going to check out the Zombie Mulch game-sounds fun.

Thanks Shirley for the spooky distraction and great photos.
Have a great Saturday,
Alana

Don does wonderful work. I was the recipient of Hannah many years ago when I won a contest at another garden site.

Alana, thanks for the wonderful swap. I had great fun and I just love the knocker on my door. Margo

I am going to try to make one next year, Margo. Don, what kind of gourd is Hannah?

I am going to try to make one next year, Margo. Don, what kind of gourd is Hannah?

I received my great package from Annie/canyonwind today.

I received a nice card and Almond Joy, Hershey chocolate bars, and Reeses's Peanut Butter Cups. Yum.

Double Daylily, "Painted Lady" rooted brugmansia, will plant tomorrow. (I try to plant by the Farmers Almanac and tomorrow is a planting day).

Seven packs of seeds vegetable and flower seeds. I love them all. And a beautiful silver shovel ornament.

I love everything and thanks to Annie for being so generous.

Thanks also for a great hostess.

To answer the question as to what kind of gourd I made Hannah from, it whas probably a mix, because gourds readily cross polinate. The comb, beak, and waddles were shaped from clay and put into the oven and baked.

Don

Ack!! Just now realizing that today is the 20th. I think my brain must have been scavenged from this week. Good thing it still works at least partly! I am prepping my package today and will have it in the mail first thing Monday am since now the post office is closed for the weekend. :(.. Ugh! There will lots of goodies to make up for the tardiness. Please forgive me and don't send the zombies to get me-- I actually do need the remainder of my brain.

I think I will grow the Martin House kind and try it. And maybe some little baby bottle or Tennessee spinners to make her some baby chicks.
Don, you are a goldmine of cool ideas.
LOL, Laura.

Apparently they have these newfangled machines that allow you to ship a priority mail package with delivery confirmation anytime day or night!! So-- I will be in fact sending on time.. off to the post office before it gets dark and the zombies come out!! Wish me luck. woot woot! for once I will be on time.
Don thanks for sharing your pics.. what cool things you make!

Don, Thank You! What a creative person you are! I have so many questions, don't know where to start - is that a little chess set? With gourds? And what is a rain stick? And what is it supposed to sound like? What kind of paints do you use? Are gourds hard to grow? Do the birds actually nest in them?
That's enough for now, thanks for sharing, Don!

Groceries and laundry today, I'm beat and irritated!
Shirley!

Don, those are all rather kewl gourds! I didn't know gourds will cross-pollinate though, that's interesting to find out. What kind of gourd did you use for your rain sticks? In college (and afterwards) I had a friend who was a drummer/percussionist, and he had a rainstick. I loved the sound of it, but always wished he had one that could thunder too...lol. Can you imagine?

Margo, my little skeleton dude is dancing away here at my computer desk. I've been putting a sun lamp on him to power him up, and now he's a dancing fool! He keeps me chuckling with those big black eyes and toothless grin as he dances the night away! Thanks again! You always come up with the greatest boxes!
Dan

Shirley,
Thanks for the White Plains Penstemon, Salvia "Blue Spires" and Heuchera "Sashay" you sent -these are all new to my garden and I know will enjoy them. Thanks also for the generous treats.

Susan

Susan

Those gourds are so awesome!

I did not pick up yesterday's mail until today and I was glad I got to it before the Albino Bats in it tore the mailbox apart!
Kelli sent me a special box of Albino Bats. They were accompanied on their journey by some shiny pumpkins and black bats and all will go on my Halloween table. Thanks Kelli! I love spooky stuff!
She also sent some candy corn which I am munching right now as I take a break from bringing in some of my tropicals. The weather looks good for a while yet but I don't want to get caught with my plants down.
She included six packs of seeds, including California Poppy, Copper Pot. Perfect for a witch, I say.
Thank you very much Kelli!
Loved it!
Alana

Susan, I hope the plants do well for you. Checked your trade page and found those; good thing, because I didn't have any plants that fit the theme!

There are some really nice packages going out!

Have a great week, everybody!
Shirley!

Annie
Karen
Michelle
Margo
Janine
Dan
Ellie
Bunny
Heather
Kelli
Vina
Don
Alana
have received.
4 to go by my count. The deadline for mailing was Saturday. If for some reason you have not mailed your box or have not acknowledged receipt yet, please let us know. It's almost Halloween.

Dan used to take his dates to the cemetery:
"It was a graveyard romance. Boy meets ghoul."

Alana

Susan received hers!
Have a great day, everybody!
Shirley!

Sorry Shirley, I saw that and then left if off.
Annie
Karen
Michelle
Margo
Janine
Dan
Ellie
Bunny
Heather
Kelli
Vina
Don
Alana
Susan
Three outstanding. I think all but one have definitely been sent. I will check on the other in the morning. I may have missed an email.

Good news on the stray cat front-the black and white cat has been rehomed, and just in time. Her new mom called me this evening and said Solar is making herself comfortable in a box under the stairs.
That leaves little tail free Doc, whose tummy is now very round indeed, who needs a permanent home.

It's been in the 80's for a few days and will be for a few more, then it looks like things will get really scary around Halloween. The F word has entered the forecast. I can only hope they are as accurate as usual.
Alana

Good morning all!! Got my package yesterday from Garden Fever Girl, she sent a great little metal halloween candle holder with cutouts different one on each side, love it, it will be lit and sitting with my other halloween candles tonight!! She sent some grape hyacinth bulbs these will be great next spring and a lily and some purple iris. Best of all I got some crocosomia bulbs!!!!!!!!! Yes! Yes! Yes! I also see some candy sitting in that box! Thanks so much going to try and get it all in the ground today! Kathie

Just wanted to let Michelle know her surprise package arrived today and I am VERY pleased!
Here's what she sent:
1. Surprise Lilies - are these the ones that bloom after the foilage dies away? If so, I've been wanting to try them. If not, I want them anyway-love lilies!
2. What turned out to be a large bowl of Halloween candy-foil wrapped chocolate pumpkins and an old fashioned kind of candy with a great orange taste!
And last but certainly not least, this beautiful little box, for trinkets or just small stuff, filled with more candy! Michelle, are those stickers?
This was a really nice surprise, Michelle, Thank You!
Shirley!

Annie
Karen
Michelle
Margo
Janine
Dan
Ellie
Bunny
Heather
Kelli
Vina
Don
Alana
Susan
Kathie
Shirley
have received.
I missed where Michelle sent somehow. What a beautiful little box!
1 to go!
Alana

I almost forgot. 5 kittens, 3 black with white chests and boots, 1 all black except the tip of it's tail, and a gray one. Reports are that mother and kits are all doing well.
I am running down the remaining box and will report back once I hear back.
Thanks everyone!
Alana

Just a belated Thank you for my box. Browneyedsusan sent me some yummy candy and some super plants. I managed to get them all planted before the snow hit this week! I recieved a blackeyed stella daylilly- perfect in my yellow pink part of my perennial bed! Also some orange crocsomia bulbs! -(so exciting as I love the red ones that I allready have)Also an Aconitum or monks hood, and spiderwort! I'm so thrilled- thanks so much Susan and I apoligize for the delay in letting you all know I got my box!

Thank you for posting! Susan was about to put out an APB with the Post Office.
That's a wrap folks! Thank you to everyone that played and made this a fun and successful swap!
Be careful out there.
Alana

Alana, I don't know if it was a "romance", but we enjoyed ourselves! Thank you for hosting my Halloween! Normally I go all out and decorate the yard so that even the parents are spooked/creeped out with the displays, fog, spiders eating babies, etc, but this year I took a break from it all, and still haven't quite decided if I'm going to hand out candy. Last year we had over 300 ghouls and goblins visit, and a lot of people were taking pics of the yard. This year they're gonna be disappointed, but with the hours I've been working at the post office, that's the way it goes. So, again, thank you for hosting my Halloween! You did great hosting, and Margo did an excellent job with my box!
Dan & Co.

Alana, thanks for hosting this swap, it was a lot of fun!
Shirley!

Alana, Plants vs Zombies, great fun! And did I get an education on Zombies....LOL!

Thanks much!

Annie