In this month's swap, we will keep it simple, yet meaningful.

Instead of sending a box, we will be sending CARDS.
Every lady will have the enjoyment of sending to 2 other ladies (this means every lady playing this month will send & receive 2 cards each). The cards can be homemade, store bought or a simple postcard....whatever you would like. The ONLY stipulation I will put on this swap is that they should be specifically chosen for the lady you are sending to. (if she likes cats, you could pick a card with a cat picture...that sort of thing) Let your imagination be your guide.

Sign ups until the 30th.

Here's the only catch....I will NOT post partners. This will be a secret swap. I will email you with WHO you are sending to. When you send out your cards, you may post that you have done so...but PLEASE DO NOT post who you have sent them to.
I'd like this to be a surprise for everyone.
You will have the entire month of October to send your cards out. I want this to be as non-stress as possible for everyone.

When you receive your cards, please post & let everyone know who sent to you & what they chose to send.

Remember- keep it simple, yet meaningful.

Melissa

Shirley

Melinday, I am so glad to see you posting. I think of you & yours often.

Have a wonderful week, all. Blessings, Margaret

Ladies playing this month:

Melissa/hazelnutbunny
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose
Margo/smitties
Frances/fcoffill
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007

Please let me know if I forget to include anyone in the list.

Ladies playing:

Melissa/hazelnutbunny
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose
Margo/smitties
Frances/fcoffill
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails

If I could, please, have everyone that has signed up EMAIL ME so that I have your current & correct email addy. This will make it easier to send you your partners' names. THANKS!
hazelnutbunny@hotmail.com

Ladies playing:

Melissa/hazelnutbunny
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose
Margo/smitties
Frances/fcoffill
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen

I hope everyone has a great weekend.
Melissa

Bunny, this is for you!!

Nice to see who all is in the swap. What a great idea Bunny has come up with. Blessings. Margaret

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUNNY...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR BUNNY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! :0)

vina

"Hallmark Moments"....count me in!!!

Annie

Hope it was a great one!

Frances

Annie, glad to have you join us this month!

Ladies playing:

Melissa/hazelnutbunny
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose
Margo/smitties
Frances/fcoffill
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen
Annie/canyonwind

Carol..... My big sis- of all people!- forgetting my birthday! *gasp*
That's OK...I forgive you. :O) Love ya too much not too!
Glad you can join us for this month!

Ladies playing:

Melissa/hazelnutbunny
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose
Margo/smitties
Frances/fcoffill
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen
Annie/canyonwind
Carol/veeja11

If there is someone in particular that you'd like to send a card to, please EMAIL ME PRIVATELY with that request. I know that we all have our moments where we have been thinking of someone and meaning to send them a card- or an email. This is the perfect time to do so.
Partners will be kept a secret- I will email you with the names of who you will be sending to on the 1st (THURSDAY), so if you have a special request, please email me by Wednesday.

Hi Laura! As a new OBF member myself, I would like to welcome you!! And let you know that if you would like to join I would be happy to be your first trade. This truly is a great group of ladies and this is such FUN!

Thanks all! Talk to you soon!
vina

Annie

Ladies Playing:

Melissa/hazelnutbunny
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose
Margo/smitties
Frances/fcoffill
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen
Annie/canyonwind
Carol/veeja11
Laura/lilangel181

hi everyone. hope you are all well.

i'm so behind, just completed august - need to address september, but i think i can handle a few cards, so please count me in melissa.

computer running funny, so this is short and sweet!

xoxox
maryanne

Today is the last day for sign-ups, so I'll be checking the thread tonight before assigning partners.
Anyone who hasn't joined in yet still has time!

Ladies Playing:

Melissa/hazelnutbunny
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose
Margo/smitties
Frances/fcoffill
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen
Annie/canyonwind
Carol/veeja11
Laura/lilangel181
Maryanne/earthlydelights

Laura,
Welcome to the group!
Remy

I will be emailing everyone with their partners today. If you haven't gotten your names by the end of the day, please email me.

Please remember to keep who you're sending to a SECRET!
Just post when you RECEIVE your cards, so that I can keep track & you can thank your sender. :O)

I am hoping to send Remy's August box out today or tomorrow. I'm so bad. Sorry, Remy.

Hope everyone can enjoy some sunshine. I'm going to ride in a 25 mile competitive trail horseback ride on Saturday.

Take care everyone. Love you all.

Treasa

Sent you an email. Did I make it? It isn't noon here. :)

Hoping, hoping, hoping.

Margo~ I did get your email, and you made it just in time. Thanks so much!

Everyone else~ I have emailed everyone with their partners' names. PLEASE PLEASE let me know if you didn't get it.

I surely hope that I got everything straight! This is the first time I've hosted a "secret" swap. :P

Frances

Also, dont I need to know the OBF rules *hint*hint*?
~Laura

Received and thanks!

Annie

Does anyone have a copy they can share?

WELCOME LAURA....You will love this wild and crazy group.

Melissa-I did not get the e-mail with whom I will be sending to. If I remember correctly I can't get e-mails from you. I think it is hot mails my computer won't let through. Anyway please send mine to my work e-mail Shirley.Speed@shawinc.com.

I saw on the news the guy who owns our Company is the second richest man in the world. Wish he would give us a raise.

Shirley

Hope I didn't leave anyone out.

Shirley

Shirley

Welcome Laura! Happy Birthday Melissa! I don't think I ever got rules, either, and if I have a big sister, I don't know who it is. . . I just bugged whoever was willing and handy when I first joined up (thanks Remy, Amy, etc!)

Feeling better today and DH just left for a trip, so maybe I can get in the garden a bit.

Have a good day, all,
Dottie

Shirley,
Wow about the company owner! You should ask for a raise, lol.

Here's a pic of me and Gary from the wedding.

It was a wonderful time, but I am still recovering from drinking all that wine!
Remy

Remy. I love your dress! It's beautiful!!
I did not receive Lauras completed bio~~ I asked her to mail it to you.

Hi Dottie...sent you an email about the iris. I hope you got it. Sorry to hear about you being under the weather.

Talk to you all soon!
vina

Dottie~ It is nice to see you post & I hope you're feeling better!

I hope everyone had a great weekend.
We've been doing more home deconstruction....that nasty stuff you've gotta do BEFORE you can fix anything. LOL We've got a missing outside wall -between the carport & the boys' bedroom. So they've got an indoor/outdoor room. The carport roof was caving in, and half of the closet in the boys' room was over the carport (they have an attic room), so we had to take that out entirely. UGH. So now, we're just waiting for the stuff to re-build the wall, so we can take the carport out entirely. Not the best time of year to do all this, since it's been in the 60's during the day, and 40's at night...but what can you do? When it needs done, it needs done NOW, it seems.
I'll be glad when it's over. So will the boys, I'm sure, because they've been camping out in the kitchen.
But we should have the materials this week, and *hopefully* have the wall built by the weekend. Then we'll just have to tear down the carport without ripping the roof off of the rest of the house.
Yay.

Thanks!
Dottie

Melissa-I got your e-mail on who I send to. I guess my work e-mail is the only way I can communicate via e-mail with you.

Shirley

I'm glad to see that some of you have cards on their way! :O) I have mine ready to go, and hope to get them out tomorrow.
It just depends on if I can get around to the PO.
Half of my kids have the flu, and I'm starting to get a migraine. I don't know if it's just stress, or if it's something more.

Anyway...I hope that everyone has a great weekend! I don't know if I'll be able to post much, since we are working on the electrical problems, but I will try.

Melissa

Melissa,
That has turned into quite project! Here's my little project of the week story. The light in the dining room has slowly been getting worse and worse with turning on. Gary notices this, but does nothing. Finally the other day I could not take it anymore since I was flipping the switch up and down trying to make the light stay on. So I go down in the basement to the breaker box and try to figure out which one turns off the dining room light. Well, I soon realize the idiot who lived there before didn't label correctly, so now I'm b*tching and trying to figure out what is what. I end up turning off half of the switches. Gary finally asks what I'm doing and I'm yelling about how I can't turn on the dang light etc. He then tells me, get this, "I used to work for an electrician." I had no idea he ever did and if that is true, then fix the thing!!! He did. I swear the house could fall down around him and he wouldn't notice.
The dress was built very well and it wasn't going anywhere. Gary questioned it too. So I did a bit of jumping up and down to prove it to him, lol.

Vina,
Thanks. I did get Laura's questionnaire and I sent her the copy of everyone elses.

Shirley,
Oh I know all that work for 1 day! I remember by the time I got married, I just wanted it over and done with.

Jeanne,
Thanks. Nice to hear you are having good weather. It is very rainy here. I hope it clears up some. I've still got tons to do outside!
Talk to you all later,
Remy

Melissa-I also hate re-modeling..it puts everything in disarray. I have some projects coming up but it will be after Christmas before we tackle them.

When we built our home blue tubs, sinks and commodes were the in thing. Well it did not take long to get tired of blue. The sink and commode were easy to replace but the shower was actually put in before the roof was put on. Now the only choice we have is to cut that sucker into small pieces and take it out of the house. I'm planning on having the shower tiled this time. Sure glad I picked off white for the other bathroom. I'm in no way tired of it.

Jeanne-Our weather here is very nice too...that is when it is not raining. I love this time of year and the leaves are really turning beautiful colors. There are so many tourists here you can't move.

Shirley

thanks so much, vina.

what a total babe you are, remy!!!!!!! funny about gary;-)

melissa, same thing here. in order to get to the job at hand, there's two or three on top of those before the original can be done. do you and your hubs do all the work yourselves?

hope everyone is well. there's a real chill in the air, but i refuse to turn the heat on yet. i want to see how long i can go before i "have" to.

maryanne

Remy~ That is too funny about the light! I do think, though, that all husbands are wired that way (bad pun, sorry!). If it's something they don't WANT to do, they will wait until they have NO CHOICE than to do it. Like when we're throwing a holy fit about it, or when something comes crashing down on their heads. LOL But I've found the "fine, I'll do it myself" thing to work pretty effectively...nothing hurts a man's ego worse than to have his "little woman" doing manual labor...something HE should be doing in the first darn place! :O) That, and he's afraid I'll probably mess it up worse than it is already...which may not be too far from the truth! I've been known to mess up on purpose just to prove a point (shame on me!!!).

Maryanne~ Yes, we do everything ourselves, so this has been a learning experience. Hubby knows next to nothing about wiring a house, so he called in his step-dad, who used to dabble in that stuff. That didn't work, so he called in MY dad, who helped his dad re-wire houses when he was younger. Nobody knows much of anything except that this house was slapped together using whatever the heck the original owners had on hand or could borrow.
REALLY makes me feel safe. :P

I'm sorry to everyone for not posting much. I really hope to be around much more in the next week or so. There is a small game in the works, which I'll be letting everyone know the details of as soon as I can. :O)

Here's our list of who's done what (only a partial list, 'cuz I ain't Santa...! LOL)

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)
Margo/smitties
Frances/fcoffill
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen
Annie/canyonwind
Carol/veeja11
Laura/lilangel181
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)

And I have recieved one!!! Thank you so much Jeanne! I loved the SciFi theme! ha ha ha the treat will come in handy too (oerfect for these cold dreary days! Can't wait to see the MGs!

Frances

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)
Margo/smitties
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen
Annie/canyonwind
Carol/veeja11
Laura/lilangel181
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)
Margo/smitties
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen
Annie/canyonwind
Carol/veeja11
Laura/lilangel181
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)
Remy/Remy

My cards are all filled out and dropped into outgoing mail, and "not rain nor sleet nor dark of night..." will keep them from being picked up tomorrow. :)

Have a good evening everyone,
~Laura

Thank you Melissa, it made my day. Margo

Glad you like the seeds! I hope they will grow big and beautiful for you! Yep the photo is mine, glad you liked it!

I recieved a beautiful card from hazelnutbunny! gorgeous photo and thank you for the seeds and lovely note!

Frances

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)
Margo/smitties (REC'D)
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen
Annie/canyonwind
Carol/veeja11
Laura/lilangel181 (SENT)(REC"D)
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)
Remy/Remy

Annie

I'm already itching to put up a Christmas tree. Last year, I put it up at the beginning of November. LOL

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)
Margo/smitties (REC'D)
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen
Annie/canyonwind (SENT)
Carol/veeja11 (SENT)
Laura/lilangel181 (SENT)(REC"D)
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)
Remy/Remy

It will be a few days befor mine go out as my plans have slowed down some. Will try to get them out soon.

It's cold & damp here, raining off & on. I still have some things to plant & hope to get to them this weekend as it is to be in the middle 50's. Hope with me mulching good they will make ok. Has been an early fall here for sure.

Have a great weekend, Ladies. Blessings, Margaret

My card are all picked out and will be going out on Monday.
Melissa, this has been fun. Great idea!
Mary Ellen

Hope everyone has a great weekend...and try to stay dry!
Talk to you soon.
vina

Vina~ I know what you mean about this year being a washout. It has been one of the strangest years I can remember for a very long time. With the ice storm in January/February, then a REALLY wet & cool summer, rain every day except 2 this month, and no fall weather....it's just gone straight to winter! Highs today in the 40's, with that going on next week as well. Yuck.
I do have to say, though, that I"m glad we haven't gotten snow yet. Brrrrrrr...I"m cold enough as it is!! LOL The kids (and hubby!) are longing for snow, and can't wait. They've made me stock up on hot chocolate already. Good grief. :O)

I hope that everyone has a great weekend. Stay warm & safe!

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)
Margo/smitties (REC'D)
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007 (REC'D)
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen (REC'D)(REC'D)
Annie/canyonwind (SENT)
Carol/veeja11 (SENT)
Laura/lilangel181 (SENT)(REC"D)
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)
Remy/Remy

This was a nice idea. Even though we knew cards and letters were coming, it was fun waiting to find out when.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend & staying warm (and dry!).

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)(REC'D)
Margo/smitties (REC'D)(REC'D)
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)
Shirley/brittanysgran
Margaret/margaret_2007 (REC'D)
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen (REC'D)(REC'D)
Annie/canyonwind (SENT)
Carol/veeja11 (SENT)
Laura/lilangel181 (SENT)(REC"D)
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)
Remy/Remy

My cards will be going out tomorrow.

Shirley

I am having difficulty posting "The Wedding" pics of our son and new daughter-in-law. So if you want to get the website from me just e-mail me at jlpmep@heartofiowa.net and I will tell you where to go. Not literally, of course.

The past 2 days have finally been fall-like. Temps in the 60's and not much wind. Yesterday was gorgeous and sunny, but today is cloudy but still rather nice. Looking to getting more RAIN the next few days. ENOUGH already!

142 more days. I'm counting til retirement-even though I am having a GREAT and FUN time this year with the kids.

Melissa, I think this card exchange was GREAT!!! Thanks for arranging it. At least for me, it's something that I can do and get done ON TIME!

Blessings to all of you dear ladies.
Mary Ellen/Mellen

margaret, hoping you feel better soon. this bug is a total pain in so many ways.

maryellen, i would love to see the pix, i'll email ya. i hear ya about being on time with cards - i just got my september box together. so pathetic of late

so shirley, which "ms" did you decide on?

weather has been insane for this time of year and now tomorrow supposed to be in the mid 70's - it will feel like a heat wave!!!!!

be well everyone!
maryanne

Looks like you all are enjoying the Hallmark Moments activity of the month. I've lurked every once in a while, but haven't had much of interest to say :)

Love the weather lately. Raked and blew leaves today. Waiting for more bulbs to arrive so I can plant while it's this nice!

DH is traveling, I'm bringing in plants to the basement lights and shopping :O) Going to visit my son at his college tomorrow. We always have a great day shopping and eating and talking when I go to see him.

Do hope everyone who is fighting the flu is on the mend. I had it a couple of weeks ago and can sympathize.

Be well, all.
Dottie

Everyone is feeling better here....we got outside to enjoy some of the great weather yesterday. It was in the 70's, with a wind so strong the littlest ones couldn't stand up! Other than that, it was lovely. A nice change from the 40's we've been having. Brrr.

Great to see ladies pop in that haven't posted in awhile, too! Now that gardening is winding down, and we're all stuck inside for the rest of the year (most of us, anyway!), I hope we'll see more of our group pop out of the woodworks.

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Margo/smitties (REC'D)(REC'D)
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)
Shirley/brittanysgran (SENT)(REC'D)
Margaret/margaret_2007 (SENT)(REC'D)
April/dirt_under_my_nails
MaryEllen/mellen (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Annie/canyonwind (SENT)
Carol/veeja11 (SENT)
Laura/lilangel181 (SENT)(REC"D)
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)(REC'D)
Remy/Remy (SENT)(REC'D)

My cards are in the box as I type.I've started gathering up ideas for the November swap. Been awhile since I hosted one.

We had a few nights of 30s! I had to cut back my brugmansia & cover a few that I couldn't bring myself to cut the buds off of!
Those with little ones at home~ what's everyone dressing up as for Halloween? Taylor is Tinker Belle, Brett is going as one of the Ninja Turtles & Brooke is going to be a princess.

later...April

Melissa, glad to hear everyone is feeling better! The weather has actually turned into Fall here too! The snow melted and its a wonderful day! I'm going out to dig for a local plant swap we are having at the library on Sat. (kinda late for a swap...but what are you gonna do? :0)

April, how fun! Taylor is going as a Rennaissance Princess. The dress is adorable. I have been making her mask all week. You know the ones that people wore on sticks with feathers and sparkley's all over. Billy is going to be a clown...if you could see some of the stuff that boy tries to pull off...the costume fits! :0) Tinker Belle and Princesses are really popular this year!! Last year Taylor was a witch, we went to a Halloween Party and there were like 20 witches there! It was so cute....they had their own coven! We all tried to keep track of who belonged to who! It was a blast!

Talk to you soon!
Out to dig more "extras" I go...
vina

Mellen-I'm so jealous...RETIRING SOON....Seriously way to go I'm happy for you. I will e-mail you on the wedding pictures.

Maryanne-I really think I am all four of the ladies but I will pick Ms. Sophisticated. LOL

April-I too had to cut down my brugs and it was sooooo hard this year. I think they were the prettiest this year than ever before. All the rain I'm sure. Will you have any cuttings for trade? I would love to have some different ones for next year. LMK

Dottie-I too had to bring in lots of plants this year. I had approx. 60 coleus to bring in this year. I have them all over the house and also work. I sure hope they all do well this winter. I have them in front of windows for the light.

Remy-I too received an unsigned card from Toledo, Ohio. It must be from Margo. I think I know where everyone else is from.

Margo-The card was beautiful..did you make it? Wow if you did. I look forward to knowing you better as well.

Dawson (GS) is going to be black spiderman for halloween.

Shirley

Yes, I figured you were all of them, but if you had to pick one......Ms. Sophisticated would be your call...LOL!

Melissa Bunny....again this was such a lovely idea!

Happy Thursday!

Annie

Hi April! Glad to see you posting! Looking forward to next month's swapping, can't wait to see what you come up with! :O)
We don't do the trick or treats here, I just take the kiddos to the store and let them pick out some candy. Boring, I know...but it's really not safe here for that. They do get to go to some fall carnivals that the area churches put on, though. That seems to be enough entertainment for them. LOL

Remy & Shirley~ I could tell you if you were right...but I won't. I don't want to spoil the surprise. :O)

Annie~ Glad you've enjoyed this swap!

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Margo/smitties (REC'D)(REC'D)
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)
Shirley/brittanysgran (SENT)(REC'D)
Margaret/margaret_2007 (SENT)(REC'D)
April/dirt_under_my_nails (SENT)
MaryEllen/mellen (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Annie/canyonwind (SENT)
Carol/veeja11 (SENT)
Laura/lilangel181 (SENT)(REC"D)
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)(REC'D)
Remy/Remy (SENT)(REC'D)

It's an October mystery for the Great Pumpkin :0)

Melissa, I know what you mean about Trick-or-treating. We only go to a couple of homes. The kids go to a Halloween party this weekend, and then one next Saturday afternoon. Halloween night we go and trick or treat at family homes. Things have changed so much since I was a kid. We used to go out just as it was getting dark...hit every house in the neighborhood and come back with a bag full of candy! We always went in a group and had so much fun....I guess those days are gone.

Talk to you soon! vina

It's raining here & supposed to for today & tomorrow. I have lots of yard work to do yet but only 2 plants that need put in the ground. The forcast says it is supposed to be mild the next few days so maybe I'll get to it all! The weekend is coming up so have a wonderful one. Blessings, Margaret

I hope everyone is feeling decent lately, despite widespread blurghs and weather.
*hugs*
~Laura

You could have planted them in the ground & they would've come back next spring in your zone(if you mulched real well).I'm thinking it might be too late now & your stuck putting them to sleep in a dark, above freezing area. Strip the leaves,but I wouldn't cut anything off of them if you don't have to.Like getting it to fit in the door! You've spent all summer growing it big ,why cut it all down. Some of the tips will shrivel, just cut that part off in the spring.

Some of my newly rooted cuttings did not bloom this year either. I don't think we did anything wrong,it was just an odd year!
Come spring if you plant in ground or leave in pots, FEED your brug! WEEKLY!!! They are fertilizer lovers.

Hope this helps!
later...April

I also received some shocking (yet wonderful!) news from the DR today. When we miscarried in September, one of the babies actually made it through. So I am 14 weeks along, and everything looks healthy!
I wasn't sure what was going on, things were strange, so went to the DR, had an ultrasound, and there he/she was! I am still in shock, but the DR explained that it's actually fairly common- something called vanishing twin syndrome.
I didn't expect THAT diagnosis, so I am still in shock (did I say that already?) but we're all very excited. God works in mysterious ways, that is for sure!

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)(REC'D)(RED'D)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Margo/smitties (REC'D)(REC'D)
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac (SENT)(REC'D)
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)(REC'D)
Shirley/brittanysgran (SENT)(REC'D)
Margaret/margaret_2007 (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
April/dirt_under_my_nails (SENT)
MaryEllen/mellen (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Annie/canyonwind (SENT)
Carol/veeja11 (SENT)(REC'D)
Laura/lilangel181 (SENT)(REC"D)(REC'D)
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)(REC'D)
Remy/Remy (SENT)(REC'D)

~Laura

Melissa-Wonderful news and congratulations. Can't wait to see what it will be.

Shirley

Jeanne~ trimming your brug will NOT make it "Y".You would be cutting off the part where the Y would form. This is only my second year overwintering them so I'm still a newbie too!!!The leaves may fall off on their own or they may continue to put out more leaves since they have light.I really wish the brug forum would have been more helpful to you. They usually jump right in with the newbie questions instead of telling someone to do a search.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Think we are going to a friends house for a few games of Scrabble this evening. Think I'll bake something sweet(that has chocolate in it) to take.
later....April

later....April

I planted them in the ground last year and did the same with the two potted plants I added this year. They die back to the ground but grow back from the roots.

Waiting for the "Y" is the hardest part of growing Brugs. But once they start you will know it, flowers typically follow quickly! I don't know why you would not have gotten flowers unless your plants were very young (I was told green wood cuttings or Seedlings can take two years to flower. Or perhaps some other environmental factor was not quite right. They seem to be quite vigorous for me.

I grow them in morning sun only and feed weekly (they do not seem to be terribly picky on the type of food as long as they get fed. Plants in the ground can probably get by with feeding every two weeks.

3 of the new plants were grown from cuttings recieved in May, all flowered profusely starting in late July.

This will be my first year trying to keep some cuttings over the winter. I am doing exactly what Shirley said. My plants in the ground came back even after the cold winter (we had snow!!!) last year,

I really have my doubts about keeping these things in the house, they are already trying to root, will probably get gnats or mites, yuk!

Good luck with your Brugs, they are amazing plants!

I hope everyone is having a terrific weekend!

Frances

Jeanne-I received one called Naughty Nick in a trade and it was so late in the year I knew it would not bloom. Next year it should take off quickly from the roots in the ground and I have cuttings of it in the basement. I always strip all the leaves off when I cut them down.

April-Glad your card and dish towel arrived.

Shirley

Thank you for all the congrats! I am still in shock, and taking things VERY easily right now. I know the DR said everything is OK...but I'm still really nervous. I had the ultrasound on Friday, because they wanted to see what was going on....nobody expected a BABY to show up! LOL We (dr & everyone!) were thinking something bad, along the lines of a cyst or tumor. He just said...well, you've got 6 kids, right? I said...yes.. He says.."Well, how do you feel about 7?" My response was something like..."WHAT?!?" And then I don't remember much beyond seeing the little arms, legs & hands waving at me. He told me "you're in shock, and when you get home, you won't believe this...so I'm sending you some pictures for your proof". LOL
He did have to have 2 nurses help me out. Couldn't walk on my own! Golly, just imagine if it had been BAD news, huh? :O)
Anyway...sorry for rambling on about it, I'm just flabbergasted. Yes, I think that's the word for it.

Melinda~ No rush on sending your cards!! I just misread your post. Whenever you get to sending them will be fine. :O)

I have a brug confession to make....I killed mine. I didn't mean to, but they got left out last week, during the 30 degree temps. They LOOK dead, anyway...we had several severe frosts last week, so I think they probably are. I hate that, too, because they were my first ones. But I was leery of bringing them in the house with the baby crawling around. She likes to chew on the plants. Certainly don't want her chewing on one of those!

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)(REC'D)(RED'D)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Margo/smitties (REC'D)(REC'D)
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac (SENT)(REC'D)
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)(REC'D)
Shirley/brittanysgran (SENT)(REC'D)
Margaret/margaret_2007 (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
April/dirt_under_my_nails (SENT)(REC'D)
MaryEllen/mellen (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Annie/canyonwind (SENT)
Carol/veeja11 (SENT)(REC'D)
Laura/lilangel181 (SENT)(REC"D)(REC'D)
Maryanne/earthlydelights (REC'D)(REC'D)
Remy/Remy (SENT)(REC'D)

All this talk about brugs makes me wonder what I'm missing. I've never grown them. However, I absolutely CANNOT bring one more plant into the house!! So don't tempt me! Between all the avocados and jasmine, palms and spider plants, and now a hibiscus (which I totally don't understand - it's losing leaves like crazy, but just started blooming again!), I am maxxed out!

Just came in from planting a hundred daffodil bulbs and raking up leaves in the front yard. What a beautiful day it is here today. I have muscari and bluebells to plant, still, but had to come in to figure out whether the bluebells need sun or shade, so here I am. I know I had an idea what I wanted to do with them when I ordered them, but I sure don't remember now.

DH left on another trip this morning, so it's me and Dog in the yard. Not a bad way to spend the day. Better get back out there while it's daylight.

Enjoy the day, all.
Dottie

Dottie
C'mon, you know you want one! They are really quite irresistable!

And there is no reason to keep a live one in your house all winter! Many people keep cuttings in a dormant state (like tender bulbs)

Frances~ I am really brug ignorant! I had no idea you could keep cuttings that long! I have never had success with cuttings- I kill everything I try to root. I think I have the worst brown thumb ever, honestly. Cuttings & seeds do NOT like me. Plants with an established root system & bulbs seem to be the only things I can grow well. Oh well, doesn't stop me from trying! LOL!

Later....April

Melisaa Bunny...I am so happy for you. God does work in mysterious ways. He certainly does give us wonderful surprises! Be well!

Happy Monday!

Annie

later....April

AND I received a wonderful card today from Melinda (ilovefarac)all pink and whispy flowers. Very pretty! And in the envelope were:
Mammoth Sunflower Seeds
Malva: Mystic Merlin
Zinnia: California Giant
Zinnia: Envy
Sunflower: Chocolate

Melinda thank you so much!!!!!! They were all on my 'want' list! It's just like Christmas ;0) What a wonderful package. I can't thank you enough! I get two wonderful surprises from you in one week (FallSwap)! Your awesome!!!

Well the clouds parted back outside I go :0)
Talk to you soon!
vina

Aw Frances, I'm such a sucker for a beautiful plant! They are very nice. Maybe I'll read about them for a bit . . . .

Gotta go to a closing (Yea!) There is great drama in the family buying this property and I am not to let the son know anything and he's calling me and OMG what a fiasco. Must go deal.

Have a good day everyone.
Dottie

melissa, what strength and determination this little miracle has. absolutely astounding before he/she even comes out into the world. i can't wait to know what your choice will be in his/her name and what it means. i read up on VTS - i hope your scales are balanced in this. i must say, in all my years, i never heard of it before. you are a very strong and amazing woman - and certainly blessed. congratulations!!!!!!!!!! ((((hugs))))

naturally, today being a work day, it was beautiful weather. our weekends, for the last month, have rained, rained and rained some more and then on top of that, rained again.

very interesting reading about brugs. i have no experience with them, but what a delight to hear the enthusiasm about them. beautiful flowers.

my grandbabe is going to be a princess for halloween. she's so looking forward to it. me too --- love the candy!

my dog has had more baths in the last few weeks. she is rolling in "something" because the scent is atrocious. we can't even figure out what animal it belongs to. (TMI?)going to have to call an expert to name that poo!!!!!!

i'm having lasik surgery on friday. anyone have it done? this week i have to be using a prescription eye drop and it's irritating. there's a little sting/burn and then it feels like something is in my eyes. and this is supposed to keep them from drying out....go figure.

remy, the event sounds interesting, to say the least. proof positive that you can't judge a book by its cover, right?

hope everyone is doing well. i can't believe it's the end of yet another month already. very fast year....very strange weather year.

be well
maryanne

GAME TIME
Okie Dokie, everyone! I just received word from my "Secret Agent" that they have sent out cards to some random gals, who should be receiving them sometime this week.
Now, here's the game....
IF you receive a card from this "Secret Agent", please post that you have. The game will be in trying to guess WHO has sent out these cards.
That being said....I need to ask some help from those that RECEIVE these cards. You may be able to guess from the post mark who sent it, but please DO NOT give out that information immediately. Just tell everyone that you have received the card...and then the guessing can begin. You may guess as many times as you'd like, and if no one is getting closer....the receivers of the cards may give hints (city mailed from, identifying handwriting, etc)

Ok, is that clear as mud? :O)

I will mail out a prize to the first person to correctly guess the sender of the cards. Remember, no guessing until the first gal has received her card & posts about it.

SECRET CARDS SENT!!

Maryanne-Congratulations on getting the lasik surgery. I had it done years ago and am so glad I did. I was blind as a bat and could actually see the clock in the room minutes after the surgery. The Dr. did tell me my age would eventually catch up with my new eyesight and I may have to wear reading glasses one day. I am now doing that but I still love not wearing contacts. I had toric contacts so they were very expensive.

Shirley

Maryanne,
Please post a pic of your grandbaby as a princess! I know she's going to look adorable. I'm going to be part of the Golden Girls. I'm in charge of the demo team now. The girls wanted to dress up to win the contest. One demo girl is really tall so she's going to be Dorothy. One girl is Polish and looks northern European so she is going to be Rose. One girl is very short under 5' so she is going to be Sophia. So that leaves me as Blanche. I have to remember to bring my camera to work.
Talk to you all later,
Remy

I've had a Brugmansia that I've kept alive for maybe 4 years now. I started it from a cutting received in a trade. It's 5 feet high, potted, and I take it in the basement each fall. I have to laugh. It's downstairs now with probably 50 blooms on it. It's "Frosty Pink". Fran, I sure love that orange one of yours.

Maryanne, has any livestock given birth near you recently? We use to have a dog that would roll in rotten afterbirth placenta. You can imagine the smell was not pretty. LOL

I'm lucky that I don't have reading glasses, and I'm getting close to 54. I do need glasses for driving, however. I've always needed those.

Happy fall, everyone.
Treasa

Ok, is my list correct? I have 3 ladies still expecting cards....April, Annie & Carol. Did I miss someone posting that they'd received their card?
Hmmm.

Melissa/hazelnutbunny (SENT)(REC'D)(RED'D)
Jeanne/sandlapper_rose (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Margo/smitties (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Frances/fcoffill (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Melinda/ilovefarac (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Vina/flowergirl34 (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Shirley/brittanysgran (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Margaret/margaret_2007 (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
April/dirt_under_my_nails (SENT)(REC'D)
MaryEllen/mellen (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Annie/canyonwind (SENT)(REC'D)
Carol/veeja11 (SENT)(REC'D)
Laura/lilangel181 (SENT)(REC"D)(REC'D)
Maryanne/earthlydelights (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)
Remy/Remy (SENT)(REC'D)(REC'D)

SECRET CARDS SENT!!

Happy Fall to you......

Annie

Melissa, am I suppose to guess who it is or is everyone else suppose to guess. Because I think I know....

vina

LET THE GUESSING BEGIN!
Only one guess at a time, please! The correct guesser of the secret agent will receive a prize (a surprise prize, of course!). Have fun!

Annie

My secret agent guess is~~ Laura

later....April

vina

I will say that the sender has posted on this thread. (BIG help, I know!) LOL!