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sandlapper_rose

NEW: New Group - Friends of the Earth - Information/Sign Up

sandlapper_rose
12 years ago

All right folks, it is bugging me that I have not posted the general details for this new group and it will bother me until I do, so here goes... I am so excited!!! I hope I can make everything clear and precise. If you have any questions just post them here or send them to me (Jeanne) or Shirley (sjc48). Shirley has agreed to be the coordinator for this group along with me. A big thank you to Shirley!

The group name is: Friends of the Earth: Simple Swaps (You will see the abbreviation FOTESS in some of the headings.)

This is a new swap group requiring membership. However, membership is pretty simple. We just want to see who you are and that you have been a responsible GardenWeb member. You must be an adult. If you are brand new (or sort of brand new) to GardenWeb and have no track record to speak of, you can still join as long as one of the other members is willing to be your sponsor. (More about that in another post.)

The purpose of the group is to allow for Simple Swaps - those that focus on Read, Seed, and Recycle --- sharing seeds, sharing lightly used reading materials, recycling (both ideas and using actual recycled items) and maybe some things relating to food (preserving, cooking, and things like that), garden related crafts, etc. We'll celebrate some holidays and special occasions... and here's the good part - we are going to do all that we can so the majority of the swaps will not cost much to participate in and will not be very costly to mail. Our goal is to make most swaps something you can mail in a padded envelope. (Yes, simple swaps!) Shirley and I will likely alternate months for hosting a swap. September will simply be to organize our membership and vote on the logo, but there will be a swap for October! Wendy (our wonderful Sassybutterfly) has also agreed to help and she will fill in as needed. I'm sure others will help, too. (I recognize so many of the names of those who have posted in response to this and all of you that I know are great GardenWeb members!)

As for rules, once you join you will be expected to participate in about 20-25% of the swaps. We hope you will be interested to that extent. The group will get no larger than 50 people. If someone has not been active for 12 months, their name will be removed from the list so there is room for newcomers. You must keep the swap hostess and swap partners advised if there is any delay in sending out your swap. Without extenuating circumstances, failure to send in a timely manner will delete you from the group and result in a report being shared on the Rate & Review section. We want to be totally fair about this, so just keep in touch if something unusual comes up.

In order to join, send the following by e-mail to either me or Shirley:

Real name

Mailing address

GardenWeb name

E-mail address

Month and date of your birthday (no, we don't need the year!)

Once the list of members is compiled, it will be shared with other group members by e-mail. The information is not to be used for any purpose other than communicating within this group. Please respect the privacy of others and do not post others' personal information on the forum or elsewhere. Proper etiquette is that when referring to other members you should do so by GardenWeb name and/or first name only.

Once your membership information has been received and confirmed by me or Shirley, you are asked to post the following information to the board in one sentence: This is our way of getting acquainted. Wow, that will be some sentence. I tend to be "wordy" so this will be hard for me!

1. Something about yourself

2. A favorite gardening tip or something about your garden (what you like to plant, etc.)

3. Your favorite kind of books

4. What and how you recycle, and

5. An idea for a future swap within our group --- We will compile a list of future swap ideas and we encourage you to keep sending them in as time goes on.

Also, once you are a member, you can vote in the contest for the logo for our new group. The selected logo will be at the beginning of each month's swap and give us an identity. I am posting the logo choices separately. (It will make it easier to count the votes! In fact, you can vote for a 1st choice and a 2nd choice. The first choice will get 2 points and the second choice will get 1 point and then hopefully there will be a clear winner.)

Our forum is intended to be a place where you can talk about recycling tips and ideas, how to save and store seeds, general planting information, winter sowing, harvesting, preserving and cooking food, things you enjoy reading, and garden related crafts, events, and related hobbies. We encourage you to post about web sites where you find useful information relating to all of those.

I can't end without saying thank you for your interest. It is always a bit uncertain starting a new swap group, but we think we have a winner here! We hope this group is active and lots of fun for everyone!

Jeanne & Shirley

Comments (70)

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beth - boy, does that bring back memories! I used cloth diapers with both boys, hated every minute of it, even the pre-folded ones. By the time my daughter came along, they had invented Pampers, and I had to use them on her because she kept getting a viral (?) type diaper rash and we had to keep her as dry as possible-disposables are real good at that!
    And I thanked the Lord many, many times! I think I used mine as dust rags; I can remember wanting to start a bonfire with them!
    Hey, email either Jeanne or myself all of your info, so we can get you signed up! And don't forget to vote for the logo!
    Shirley!

  • smitties
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh my, I worked three days in a row and boy did a lot move on here. I recognize so many names here and I know it is going to be a successful group. I would certainly be willing to be a sponsor as well, just let me know when I am needed.

    I've been with GW for ten years now. I am a resident in Bowling Green, Ohio, (zone 5). I am a mother of five and the oldest is 28 and the youngest 17. A year from now we will be empty nesters. I am giving up on vegies as I have tried and tried with horrible yields. Flowers all the way!!! I am a lover of the new varieties of echinaceas and hope to collect as many as possible with the help of others here. We are a big recycling family and it only gets thrown away if is isn't useful for us, others, or isn't compostable.

    Vina, you have some wonderful recycling ideas and I hope you post more in the future.

    Congratulations to Jeanne and Shirley for a group that looks like it will not only be hugely successful but lots of fun. Let me know if I can help.

    Margo

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Margo, thanks for the offers of help - I know we will need more sponsors in the future. You can be sure we'll call on you!
    I hope everyone posts recycling tips; that's my weak spot. I recycle milk jugs, 2 litres, kitty litter containers and other plastic containers for winter sowing. I save the cardboard from cereal boxes and my printing supply boxes to do my "glue work" on, and I use newspapers, coffee grounds and cardboard for my lasagne bed. We had to recycle at work, and I try to use those ideas here at home, especially with scrap paper. There is probably a lot more I could do.
    Has everyone voted for the logo?
    Talk to ya all later!
    Shirley!

  • canyonwind
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good evening/morning from Southern California. I have been approved by Shirley, have voted for the logo, have gotten rid of my husband (in a nice way) for the evening and I have my vino (tonights selection Chianti)at my side. Tiz now time for me to write a one liner....sure!!

    My two German Shepherds and I are constantly frolicing and and digging and weeding and tilling and planting vegetables, flowers, fruit trees, brugs, self sowing annuals, herbs and so on and yes, this is where I love to read my favorite books ie bios, political, mysteries/murder, garden, cooking and of course, another fun favorite thing in my life is recycling, for example shredding paper (in the shredder) to use in my compost pile which has leaves, cut up vegetables, coffee grounds etc or using the shredded paper for storing reblooming iris which I am not sure is a great idea but I know Vina will tell me if that is OK because she is an expert when it comes to Iris or..... recycling all those little containers that I bought plants in the old days but I never dumped out because I am always planting seeds in them...oh my I have been using them for years and they do not seem to be falling apart and that makes me wonder if they were made in the USA and not China...and as far as a future swap, I love the idea of a cookbook!

    I am happy to sponsor a newbie as well.

    Thanks much Jeanne and Shirley for Friends Of The Earth! A wonderful fresh idea!

    Have a great weekend!

    Annie

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh, such a nice morning here today - now to get the stiffness out of my back so I can enjoy doing something outdoors! LOL

    Welcome to Carmen (gardencraze) who has joined our group. I think we are up to 12 members now. Shirley and I will coordinate the list over the weekend so we can let you know who is on our list (by GardenWeb name.) We will continue to take sign ups until we reach 50 people so I don't see us stopping any time soon. The list will help us, too, in case we forgot to open an e-mail or something. If so, you can steer us in the right direction.

    Annie, I save all those little plastic pots from year to year also and you are right - some are beginning to crack and fall apart. My milk jugs form winter sowing do that, too. Oh, well, I get several years of use out of them. I think the ones that stay in the sun do worse than those in the shade. That just shows what being out in the sun will do to you (well, not you in particular, Annie!!! Just joking.)

    Cloth diapers - we still have cloth diapers from when my "30 something year old" was a baby! She didn't wear them much, but they make wonderful dust rags and don't seem to wear out, that's for sure!

    Jeanne

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Another welcome - this time to Ellie (farmergirl2009.) We hope you will have fun here.

    Those who have joined, remember to write a long sentence for us so we can get to know you and vote for the logo. Voting for the logo will stop just before the October Swap gets posted. Shirley and I will stay coordinated about when that will be and I will total the votes and announce our winner.

    Jeanne

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Morning All! Just wanted to welcome lindazuricka aka Linda to the group! Hi and welcome to Carmen and Ellie, also!
    Don't forget to post your "one liners" here and vote for the logo.
    Having a strange morning here, not necessarily bad, more like really stupid. Better go finish dealing with it!
    Shirley!

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OOPS!! Spelled Linda's GW name wrong - sorry - it's "lindaruzicka"
    Sorry!
    Shirley!

  • lindaruzicka
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That okay Shirley, you ought to try to pronounce it! LOL!!

    Here's my one sentence..sorta...I am happily married with a one year old grand daughter named Alexa, (Lexi for short), I love butterfly and hummingbird gardening and had lots of both this year, my favorite reading type is horror, I like to recycle pop bottles for wintersowing, an idea could be colorful seed envies for seed swapping.

  • jaynine
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Okay...my turn.
    My name is Janine and I've been a GW member for almost 3 years. We live and garden in Northeast CT, zone 5-6, where we are fortunate to be able to participate in the single stream recycling of paper, cardboard, glass, cans & plastic. We also have the facilities to recycle tires, scrap metal, anti-freeze, oil and batteries and even have a 'Trading Shack', a temporary home to things we think are too good to throw away. I've rescued many good books from there. I love to read and do difficult crossword & sudoku puzzles and enjoy baking, but my obsession is gardening.

  • elliesfun
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My name is Ellie and I've been a GW member for 2 years this stretch but about 10 years ago I belonged for a few years then life got in the way. I will be retiring in 3 weeks so will be getting all my on-hold stuff out and ready to start. I love quilting, stamping and of course gardening. My favorite flower is Aquilegia's. I am a master composter for Spokane County. But lately my chickens are getting the vegetable trimmings, etc. I have been divorced for 30 years, raised 3 children. have two grandchildren and one great grand child. I do lots of canning / freezing / dehydrating. My sons built me a home so starting to do the landscaping now. The home on 1 1/2 acres. My favorite place is to be in my greenhouse/den. It has a kitchen, table, chairs, refer (for seeds that is. My grandaughter lived in it for a few months last year. I plant mostly perennials and vegetable garden

    Ellie

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Everyone! I want to "officially" welcome Beth-beth_b-kodiak, to FOTESS; thanks for emailing the info, Beth!

    Ten years - hard to believe. The memorials in NY are beautiful.

    Shirley!

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome to Beth...
    and also to Lisa (Lisam627)!
    Everyone in this group is so nice. Sure glad I don't have to pick a favorite!
    Jeanne

  • sassybutterfly_2008
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am loving seeing all our new members!! I'm really excited about this new swap group. I think it's going to be lots of fun! Jeanne and Shirley, I'll email you my info shortly to make it 'official'. Then I'll be back with my intro as well. :)

    Happy Gardening!
    ~Wendy / sassyb

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome, Wendy. I got your information. If you haven't already done it, vote for a logo (...and you are going to write a long rambling sentence for us; aren't you? LOL)
    Jeanne

  • beth_b_kodiak
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Huuuum, a long rambling sentence Well that is how my mind generally works anyway.
    I'm retired and we travel in the summer and live in AZ in the winter where I try to grow a small garden and find the only thing easy is IRIS because the cook books and garden books that I read don't tell me how to get ahead of the drought and the Javelinas. We recycle everything possible in our county and even save things while traveling and take them home to add to the stash.
    Bethb

  • sassybutterfly_2008
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Alright here goes... My name is Wendy and I have 3 amazing kids ages 21, 17, and 14... 2 boys and a girl. I don't currently work but am looking for another work at home job. I am homeschooling my youngest and this will be our 3rd year. I turned 40 this year! My middle child will be graduating in May. My oldest is going to be starting college soon. And my 'baby' will be starting high school next year. Quite a few changes!

    I love love love freecycle and have probably received much more than I've given away. I have grand ideas for many items but don't always seem to have the time to implement them.. therefore lately if I say, "so and so is offering such and such on freecycle.." all I get is eye-rolling from the family..lol. My latest score was about 25 kitty litter buckets which I'm turning into self watering containers to put in a new area of the back yard garden next summer. As far as my gardens go, they are a work in progress. I dream BIG. It's hard for me to be patient and know that a true garden is ever changing and adjusting. But I have a vision in my mind and one of these days I'll get there!

    I joined GW in 2008 because I needed something to help me find some peace as my mom was going thru chemo & radiation at the time.. it was a VERY rough time, obviously, and she passed in July 2008. We moved into her house in October 2008 and it was just this year that I felt 'ok' to change some things from how she had them in the yard. I put in a small pond I got on clearance and have been enjoying the dragonflies SO much!! Dragonflies were my mom's favorites so they always bring a smile to my face.

    In May this year I was on the back porch moving some tomato seedlings because it looked like it was going to rain. Suddenly a huge gust of wind came thru the back yard and knocked 2 trees down on the roof and the back porch right where I had stood... knocked me down and I've been slowly recovering ever since. I still have lots of dizzy spells and my knee and ankle are still having issues... but I was very VERY lucky it wasn't worse. Needless to say, not much got done in the garden THIS year.. not much at ALL..but I'm going to try to get some fall veggies in the ground soon as well as some lettuce and I'll start again with Winter sowing and then more veggies in the spring.

    This next year I hope to expand an iris bed, plant more butterfly and hummingbird attracting flowers, build some more raised beds for veggies and learn how to can and dehydrate my own food. The price of fresh produce is getting ridiculous here! At the local farmer's market they are charging a minimum of 50cents PER tomato! So it's time to dig in (ha. literally!) and really UP the veggie production for my family. My flower beds are based on 'sunset' colors, as well as a 'blues' bed, an iris bed and several beds of weeds (which I am apparently quite adept at growing!). I recently started trying to collect all the echinaceas and agastache varieties I can find. I would love to collect heucheras, hostas, lilies, daffodils and coleus as well. If only I had a neverending bank account! :) I love to sit on my porch and watch the butterflies visit the flowers!

    As far as my fave kind of books.. very hard to say! There's not much I WON'T read.. except perhaps techie books.. doubt that'd hold my attention! I love gardening books, cookbooks, fiction, non-fiction, how-to books are really great too. I could go in the local book store and be there for a few hours before I even realize it. :) I did start a blog last year to try to keep track of the garden endeavors but not much has been written lately..lol. I'm trying to test the creative waters and perhaps have some other sections in it to include recipes, crafty stuff.. helpful links I've found.. etc etc..

    I love all the swap ideas that have already been submitted. I would suggest perhaps pressed flowers cards or maybe grow bags. (Not that I know how to do either.. but that's part of the fun, right??) I've been looking that up just this week to find something that's a cheap alternative to buying some grow bags. Recipe swaps or canning swaps are fun.. seed bombs that we could use on an area that we think could use some color maybe..even somewhere OTHER than your yard? Making our own seed packet envelopes...perhaps a garden 'junk' swap where we make something out of 'junk' (love that forum on GW!, although I guess swapping mosaic bowling balls would be a bit extreme eh?).

    Well, how's that for a run-on sentence? I'm headed to bed now.

    G'nite everyone!
    ~Wendy

  • flowergirl34
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Had a few minutes and thought I'd pop in and say HI!

    WOW! We have some really great members and I am liking all the ideas too :) They all sound like something fun to do over the long winter months when I'm stuck in the house with 3-4 (hopefully not 7 this year!) feet of snow.

    I find so many books at 'recycled' book sales at our local libraries. This weekend is a huge one. There are 2 large tents set up with about 30 tables full of books. $2 fills a whole bag with books. I take the kids and they get a bag and I get a bag. So for $4, we make an afternoon of it. I find some of the neatest books that way. We'll be there for hours. And when we are done reading our books, and need to make room for new ones, we drop them off at the book drop at the mall and a local school has a Book Bonanza every July. People (mostly book dealers) come from as far away as Florida for this. They have over 100,000 books every year for sale, all donated. They raise money for extra activities for almost 6 months of the year on this one event.

    Annie, I use shredded newspaper with my iris too. :) And I'm no expert...I wing it at best. But, I am having a beautiful fall so far...my re-blooming iris have started there show. I've never had this many blooming all at once...it must be the love :)

    My marigolds, iris, black eyed susans, hibiscus are all doing fantastic this year. And I have one marigold that I received from a GW'er last year, that I started from seed in Feb., that is tiny and orangy-yellow?? I love this marigold! I planted it all around my fiesta daisies and boy how nice do they look together. I think that little marigold may be my favorite planting from this year :) I wish I knew what kind it was...or who I got if from??? I'll say it again...GW'er are some of the nicest people around!

    Wendy, love the bowling ball idea! I have always wanted to try to make one and if I HAD to make one it would give me an excuse to go get all the supplies, lol!... and to finish it! ah well! maybe this winter...but I still have to finish all my plant tags I started making last year.

    Another recycle project. Taking wooden window blinds, cutting them down to size and using a wood burning tool to make them into plant tags. I then used wire hanger (yup! wire hangers) as the stake. They were free! Glue the stake to the wood and varnish 3 coats. VOILA! a custom plant tag. I made almost 400 of them last winter...and I have about 400 more to go to be done. Every one of my plants has one of these cuties. And total for them cost me about $20 (mostly for the varnish). The blinds I got at a yard sale for $2 (for a box of them). I burned lady bugs, dragon flies, even spiders on them too. Each is custom in its own way.

    Off to get the kiddos up to start the day...

    Talk to you soon!
    vina

  • booberry85
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello Everyone,

    I'm getting to be an old timer here on the Gardenweb! I live in the Artic Tundra also known as upstate New York. I'm married, have two cute doggies and no kids but 17 nieces and nephews. I'm an environmental consultant. DH and I own our company.

    I grow primarily heirloom vegetables, but do not descriminate against hybrids. This past summer, I spent a little more time on the flower beds. So I got into liliies, irises, rudbeckia and echinacia a little more. This coming year for the vegetable garden I'll be working some pest problems and some disease problems. So I won't be planting tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons or squashes. I'm hoping to build up my soil and get some nutrients backinto it as well.

    My favorite books / magazines are cook books / magazines. I bake so much I consider it a sport! I also am into canning. I also love Mother Earth News. I also love reading about ancient Egypt & Mayan cultures. I really love archeology.

    I confess,I am a pack rat. However, I've been trying to beat this bad habit. The last year (yes year! It's also a bad habit to break) I've been cleaning out stashes of stuff. I either put it on Craig's List or bring it to the Rescue Mission.

    Idea for a swap? I'd love to swap some gently used cooking magazines along with some seeds to go along with the magazines.

  • sassybutterfly_2008
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Vina ~ I love your plant tag idea! Do you have any pictures anywhere to see them? and I LOVE that lampshade idea!! :) But the shredded paper w/ the Iris ... do you have to dig up your iris every year?? I never have..LOL! They seem to do just fine.. maybe because of the zone I'm in.

    Booberry! ~ I love Mother Earth News so much too! I purchased some really old ones off ebay and they are definitely one of my favorite magazines to go thru and just LEARN. Great stuff in there!

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good Morning! It looks like we're getting some great recycling ideas already-keep them coming-I need them!
    Booberry, if you haven't already emailed Jeanne, could you email Jeanne or I with your info, so we can "officially" welcome you as a member of FOTESS!?
    We need: your name and address, email, B-Day, Zone, and when you joined GW. Send to Jeanne or I. Thanks!
    I'm doing some garden cleanup and seed collecting today, and trying to get pics of the Goldfinches who are really attracted to the Zinnias!
    Have a great day!
    Shirley!

  • booberry85
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oops! I should have put in my post above,

    I did email Jeanne through GW. Hope their email system is working today.

  • booberry85
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oops! I should have put in my post above.

    I did email Jeanne through GW. Hope their email system is working today.

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome, Becky (booberry85)! It's great to have you in our group. It won't be too much longer and our first swap will get posted!
    Jeanne

    P.S. I just want to let everyone know we have a very sick 12-year old dog at home so if I don't respond in a day or two after you send e-mail or post, I will watch for things and get back to them as soon as I can. Our dog spent all day at the vet's office Monday and Tuesday and we thought she was doing better, but she will hardly eat and is having trouble getting to her feet (needs a good bit of assistance getting up), so things don't look quite as good as we anticipated. We are hoping this is just from her being so sick and she is still weak from it. The vet's office did call today to check and see what is going on.

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Becky and welcome to FOTESS! I got your info from Jeanne, really glad you are joining us.
    You have to live in one of the most beautiful areas I've ever been to. A friend and I were in the Finger Lakes region this past June on a photo excursion. We went to Watkins Glen, Letchworth, Robert Treman and a couple of other NY state parks in that area. Wish I could say the jaunt thro Ithaca was good, but it wasn't - a combination of my driving skills and too many street signs covering up the street signs we needed! We got some great pictures, tho, and wished we had more time to go more places up there!
    Welcome to FOTESS!
    Shirley!
    No decent shots of the finches yet-am NOT giving up, if I have to sit out there all day!

  • flowergirl34
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey all!

    I use shredded newspaper in all my beds...along with cow pooh :) just mix it right in the plants love it. I dig and split my iris every other year, more than need be, but, I have so many that the foliage is a big part of my yard and when it starts to look all 'yucked up' so does everything else. :) I can try and put a pic on of the plant tags...try being the operative word. I'm not very good at pics, but I'll give it shot.

    Booberry, where in Upstate are you located? I'm in Upstate too. Fingerlakes region. :)

    Shirley,if you were in Ithaca, you were about 40 minutes from my house. I'm North of there. I agree with all the one way streets in that town...crazy!

    I have never heard of Mother Earth news...off to go look it up.

    Jeanne, I am so sorry your pup is sick. Sending you big hugs and happy thoughts. Its so awful when a pet gets sick, because they can't tell you what hurts or where or anything.

    Talk to ya'll soon :)
    vina

  • booberry85
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello Everyone,

    Thanks for the big welcome. I live in Skaneateles (on the cheap side of the road not on the lake side of the road :)) and I work in Syracuse. I really do love where I live. Its a great spot to be in (yes, you will hear me grunt and groan about the snow & cold in the winter though!) If you get the chance, definitely visit the wineries & the apple orchards in the Fingerlakes.

    Vina if you're 40 minutes north of Ithaca, you're really close to my house. Ithaca is just over an hour drive from my house.

    Shirley, I'm glad you mentioned Letchworth State Park. DH & I have never been there, but we've always wanted to go. I know they're open all year round. Maybe I'll have to start twisting the DH's arm again. He is Mr. Unmotivated on the weekends.

    Jeanne so sorry about your dog. We had one dog get terribly sick after a big BBQ we had (someone snuck her too many treats). We had to take her to the vets and have her put on antibiotics (after she spent a day or two at the vets). She was fine after that. Fingers crossed its something simple.

  • flowergirl34
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey Boo! Your my neighbor! I'm in Weedsport. My OB for my son was Dr. Jim :), in Skaneateles!
    :) H O W D Y!

    My husbands side of the family are rich in Skaneateles history people. The large monument at the cemetery (on Rt.5) when you are coming down the hill is dedicated to my husbands great, great grandfather and his family. They owned Skaneateles Lake and were the first settlers.

    What a small world!
    vina

  • booberry85
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Vina, you know its summer when their rockin in Weedsport! :)

    I know the cemeteryyou're talking about. I'll have to study my Skaneateles history now!

    It is a small world.

  • Michelle Reynolds
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hello
    Im not sure what post you are working on but I would like to sign up for this group.
    I think I have finished with plant swaps anyway, so many plants just arent packed right or are too stressed from shipping to make it.
    thanks
    michelle

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Michelle,
    I'll be sending you e-mail! I don't know how any plant swaps might have gone for me this summer because the conditions were so bad that I simply have not signed up for any. What a brutal summer --- and we are still not getting any rain. I have well-established roses bushes that have died and some of the shubbery around the house will not make it either.
    Jeanne

  • canyonwind
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a great group of FOTESSERS......

    Jeanne, sending prayers for your dog!!!!!

    Vina, thanks for your response re: packing Iris in shredded paper. Hopefully, they stay happy until I get them back in the ground. And you use shredded paper mixed in with your plants in your beds...great idea!

    Happy Thursday!!

    Annie

  • sassybutterfly_2008
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jeanne ~ Hope your dog is feeling better!! *hugs*

  • smitties
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a great list of members and I recognize so many names. There is room for more too. :) I can't wait until things get going.

    Colder evenings and threats of frost up in Michigan which is too close for comfort. Not ready to lose my gardens. I still have harvesting to do.

    Hope everyone is happy to have Friday arrive and a good weekend to all.

    Margo

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good Morning Everyone!
    I agree, Margo, it seems like we had a short summer season this year, and I'm not ready for clean up either. Have cleaned out some pots/containers and stored them, but the bulk of my gardens are still going strong. I might be out there in November, doing clean up-not looking forward to that! If you can believe it, some of my flowers are just now starting to look good! And I want to get my iris planted but all the annuals in that bed still look pretty, so that project is still on hold!

    I never get frost in the back or on my side gardens, but I'll have to worry about it, this year, in the new bed out front-I'm going to mulch heavily and then pray!
    I'd like to spend the weekend getting started on my wintersowing, ie, preparing the milk jugs, etc. Bought some seeds from Diane's, Prairie Moon and Richters already, seeds I just had to have! I can hardly wait until some of my perennials start flowering so I can get the seeds for free! I'd like to get my soil this month, too.

    I'll be posting our inaugral swap for FOTESS on Sat. Sept. 24. It's going to be sweet and simple, I hope all of you will be able to join in! And yes, we would love to welcome some more new members!
    Off to deal with unemployment!
    Shirley!

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good Morning, Everyone! I hope everybody had a good weekend. I got some gardening/seed collecting done, and went to a Hawkfest on Saturday-pretty neat, got some half decent shots of an Osprey, out in the marsh!
    Faye, I noticed that you posted on the original thread for FOTESS. We are already over here on the info/signup thread and we'd love to have you join us! Just send Jeanne or I your info - name and address, email address, Birthday and Zone, also when you joined GW. Looking forward to having you join us!
    It's cold and rainy here today, might be a good day to clear the "plant" room and get it ready for winter!
    Later,
    Shirley!

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    After a bad fall on Saturday, I headed to the emergency room. Turns out I fractured my pelvis. Arg! I was so looking forward to the cooler weather that we have now so I could work in the garden, ride my horse, etc. Right now I am just hoping some of this is general soreness from the fall itself and maybe I will be walking better in a few days. They just let this kind of fracture heal on its own so there is not anything I can do about it. At least I am home. The last time I spent the night in a hospital I kept thinking never again. I hope they have improved, but I don't want to stay there to find out.
    So I am moving slowly, but I will definitely join in on our first swap!
    I hope everyone else had a better weekend.
    Jeanne

  • sassybutterfly_2008
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Goodness Jeanne! I'm glad you're home too.. I really have grown to dislike those hospital stays.. there's just no place like home to heal. PLEASE be careful and take care so you can heal properly. *hugs*
    ~Wendy

  • booberry85
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jeanne, I'm so sorry to hear it. I had a friend who did the same thing in the spring. Hopefully they'll give you some fun pain meds. :)

    Please take it slow and steady.

    Sending wishes for fast healing!

    Becky

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome to Dee (domehome)! We are happy to have you in the group. Please tell us a little about yourself (you know, that one sentence challenge!) and go to the heading to vote on our logo. The first swap will be posted soon!
    Jeanne

    P.S. If anyone sent information and did not hear back from either me or Shirley, please let us know. With my fall on Saturday, I am just hoping I did not miss an e-mail or two!

  • poisondartfrog
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh my, Jeanne!! I am sorry about your accident and I hope you mend quickly.
    Alana

  • lisam627_ohio_z6
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm so happy to be a part of this group! I'm sure it will be fun, and I especially like the simple part! I know I owe you one sentence about me...so I'll try to be brief. I'm married with 2 grown boys ages 20 and 24, work full time, enjoy being outside every chance I get and playing in my gardens where I have planted roses, lilies, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, veggies, berry bushes and lots of flowers, recycling newspaper and grass clippings in between my tomato rows and old mini-blinds as plant markers, enjoying a glass of wine on my swing in the shade while reading a gardening magazine or a book which could pertain to a variety of my interests.

    An idea for a future swap...maybe a swap that could consist of small garden decorations which could be inexpensive if purchased or hand made...items like a garden rock, plant markers, garden flag, solar light, etc.

    Thanks again for coordinating this fun group! - Lisa

  • domehomedee
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello there! I live on the central coast of California. I live in the country in a live oak forest and my garden(s) are many and diverse. I just put up a 12' x 32' greenhouse and am starting a home nursery.
    I like garden books . . . books on different plants, books on techniques, books with pictures of gardens.
    I recylcle at the curb, I also give my cans to friends in need, I do garden art, often times using recycled materials as forms or as the base materials.
    And for a swap. How about a "New plants from Old swap" where we share seeds or cuttings from our most sharable plants. The best rooters and germinators in our gardens.
    Thanks for adding me to the group.
    Dee

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome, Dee, Becky and Lisa, glad you could join us!
    I spent the day dealing with my groundhog problem. He has cleared my back flower bed, and the hole he is digging is going to undermine my shed. Time for solutions!
    I called Animal Control and they gave me a list of people who will come to your home and trap the critter. Great. I called the first one and he wanted to charge me $100 to trap my groundhog. I'm serious. AND, I guess as an added bonus, he said they would also take it away.
    NO?! Really!? And I was thinking the critter would live in that trap in my backyard forever.
    Sorry for the sarcasm, but come on.
    In any event, a friend of a friend is, hopefully, coming over sometime this week to trap the groundhog AND take him away, free of charge. This guy has already trapped 13, yes, 13 groundhogs at his home/yard this year.
    This wasn't the most encouraging news I've had recently.
    Hey, on a more postive note:
    The first swap for FOTESS will be posted Saturday!
    Are ya ready!!?
    Shirley!

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We are welcoming another new member, Michelle (micyrey)!
    I know you will enjoy being part of this group.

    Hooray - first swap coming soon!!!!

    Jeanne

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I tried to compile the list of our members. If you don't see your name here, don't panic. I admit my weekend was not a good one for keeping up with my e-mail. (Yes, there were some pain pills involved...) If you heard from either me or Shirley that you are a member, we will be sure to get you on the list! Also, there is still time to join up before our first swap. Shirley will be posting that soon.

    beth_b_kodiak
    booberry85
    canyonwind
    domehome
    farmergirl2009
    flowergirl34
    gardencraze
    hazelnutbunny
    hibiscusfan
    jaynine
    kellyk49
    lindaruzicka
    lisam627
    micyrey
    poisondartfrog
    robin1962-2008
    sandlapper_rose
    sassybutterfly_2008
    sjc48
    smitties

    Can you believe it has been cloudy here for about 4 days now and not a drop of rain has fallen? We need it so badly! Anyone know a rain dance?

    Jeanne

  • smitties
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jeanne, wish I could send you some of our rain. The whole area has the largest toadstools growing everywhere from our extra moisture. I did see on the map that South Carolina is due some rain big time so hopefully you will get some of it.

    Good list of members. Looking forward to the swaps.

    Margo

  • sjc48
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey, heads up, everyone! I just emailed the address list for members of FOTESS. Please let me know if you received it, and if there are any corrections.
    Our first FOTESS SWAP "Sowing the Seeds" will be posted tomorrow! Jeanne and I are really excited to get this group going!
    One final WELCOME to all and hope to see ya on the inaugural swap!
    Shirley!

  • kami1113
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    i would love to join your group! i am new and would need a sponsor. i also need to know how to send you the information you need. please help. lol. you can email me if u want w instructions. thanks.

  • sandlapper_rose
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    kami1113, please send me a little information about yourself by e-mail and I will see if we can get a sponsor for you. Tell about what area you live in, what kind of gardening you do, if you recycle and anything else that you would like to share.
    We hope to welcome you to the group!
    Jeanne