Okay, I've spent the last couple of hours "visiting" the Thompson & Morgan site, getting flowers, veggies, and some herbs. Got some input from Paula, and it looks like we're going to have a vegetable garden, not just some occasional spots where veggies happen to be growing like this year! LOL!!! We're gonna have to buy some land just so I can put all my seeds in the ground, and I haven't even made out my orders for Burpee or Jung's yet! Good thing I got rid of that darn lawn this past Spring!

-Dan

p.s. Anyone know when the November swap is going to be posted? Nikki's hosting it, which should be a lot of fun!

UPDATE:
poisondartfrog/Alana - rec'd
jaleeisa/Kathy -
dieg01991/Amy - rec'd
ejmoore510/Joan - rec'd
veeja11/Carol - rec'd
debbya/Deb -
Nikkineel - rec'd
Lindaruzicka - rec'd
Dan_the_mailman - rec'd
Sassybutterfly/Wendy - rec'd
hazelnutbunny/Melissa - rec'd
paradise_acres/Jay & Rhonda - rec'd

Dan, I seen those red rudbeckia too, it's on my list of seeds to order from them. I'm trying to stay under the $10 coupon they sent, but I don't know if it will happen!

Joan, that sounds like a great box Amy sent!

I'm glad everyone has enjoyed the swap so far! I am going to email J&R now and see if I can get in touch with them.

Thanks everyone for making this a pretty easy swap for being one of my first ones! Well, aside from all the snail slime and Dan's cat trying to shoot me! : )

Vic

Thanks so much Everyone for the well wishes for Mom (and me). She's going tomorrow for the biopsy. I've been keeping her positive, and we know that whatever we have to deal with, she'll be fine. OMG, I need strength. ;)

I received a WONDERFUL package today from a mystery person! No name is on the package. ;)

I received a yummy Pumpkin pie candle (I love candles) how did you know? LOL! A package of really cool halloween socks! Tin pumpkin spiral (for a tree), Orange kitchen towel & potholder (already in the kitchen), creepy gargole! Bag of seeds to wintersow (thanks for keeping me busy and focused), adorable witch (that's already sitting on one of my computer shelves), 2 creepy gummy candy packs,
bulbs-tulips, dutch iris, more tulips, lily! Also, a vinca vine plant, variegated (I love variegated stuff).

Thank you so much mystery person! :) I'm trying to figure out who you are and I'm stumped! I LOVE your box, and everything you sent! You know me well, and what I LOVE!

Hugs,
Deb

Our prayers are with you, Deb. You have the strength of all your "family" here with you *HUGS*

That's a really great box! I'm nosey, so I'm curious to know who sent it to you as well!

Come on, everyone, fess up! Who sent that box? *hands on hips, looking stern*

Kathy

Joan,
I am sooooo glad to hear you got your box. I checked the DC yesterday and it didn't show as delivered yet. I was so worried that it got stuck in the PO all weekend!!! What a relief to hear that you got it on Saturday! I'm so glad to hear that you like everything too. I hope it will all do really well in your garden. I made sure to pick some hardy ones that do very well in my garden and are beautiful. I sent it just in time too because we got our first hard frost last night. I think it was actually a freeze. I will assess the damage when I get home tonight. :-( I hate seeing everything die in the fall, but this is much later than usual so I'm glad I got to enjoy my gardens well into Oct.

Have a great day everyone!!
Amy

Ummm...maybe I'm missing something here, but if Kat hasn't received her box yet, and no one has heard from Jay&Rhonda...can I assume (hush, Dan....I KNOW what that makes me..) that Jay&Rhonda are supposed to send Kat's box?

And...if no one has heard from them, should we be sending Kat a make-up box?
I REALLY REALLY REALLY don't want her to go without in this swap! That's not fun!!

I'm not sure if Jay and Rhonda sent to me or to Deb. Linda would have sent to the other. I really had fun putting together Alana's box for this swap, getting a box in return is just a wonderful bonus :) I'm just concerned at this point about Jay and Rhonda and if they're alright. It's worrisome when someone just drops off without a word.

Kathy

You're right, Kat. I hope that Jay&Rhonda are OK. They haven't posted about receiving their box, either. Was Vic able to get in touch with them, I wonder?
I hope so......

Maybe you being the LAST to receive was planned out...in a cruel, and terribly tricky way...to make you sweat a bit...
Hmmmmmmmmm........
LOL

LOL, that's probably it, Melissa! Torment and torture, I tell you! :P

Dunno if Vic has heard something from them or not. I hope everything's alright.

So.... isn't it time for Nikki to announce November's swap? Inquiring minds wanna know! How else can I start plotting my next box?

Kathy~ munching lunch and checking the boards before running back to work :P

I'm glad you liked your box Deb...I had a blast making it up...I found the vinca vine at the last minitue. I knew you liked varigated plants.."S"

Hello All!
I have sent them 2 emails (one just today) I have not heard back, I'm not very happy right now : (

I remember there being some problems with the last swap, they got busy and didn't respond, that's not fair to the others in the swap.

Kathy, you WILL get a box, one way or the other! I promise!
This is the first swap you have been able to do in a long, long time! I feel terrible that you haven't gotten one yet!

I will let you all know when I hear something!

Vic

{{gwi:1305874}}

***looking for Jay & Rhonda, hoping they're okay***

{{gwi:1305875}}

***looking for Nikki and the November swap***

LOL, aren't you all glad you taught me how to post pictures??? hehehe

-Dan

Vic, thanks for being on top of this one, but if I don't get a box, I've still had a blast doing this swap. Putting together Alana's box was the most fun I've had in some time. The kids weighed in on what we should do, so they enjoyed it too! And seeing what everyone else got was a lot of fun! We really have some wonderfully creative and very generous members and for that I'm thankful. Everyone anticipates seeing how their receiver reacts to their boxes and everyone is always there as a shoulder for each other in times of need and stress :) This groups is the best, without the problems that occur in some of the other groups. Sometimes we get someone who doesn't understand the trust that goes along with signing up to participate. That's sad and their loss, in my opinion. I've hosted before and had a similar situation. So I'm not stressing over getting a box :)

I hope everything is well with Jay and Rhonda and someone hears from them soon that they're alright. :)

Just got home from work, so I've gotta go cook dinner. But today was my "Friday" so I'm off the next two days. If it's not too rainy and cold (suppose to get rain and down to 39 degrees tonight) I'm hoping to plant some of my bulbs and take a few pictures to share with my new camera! I'm hoping to plant everything but my tulips and hyacinth. Consensus around here is it's not gonna get cold enough or wet enough to damage the bulbs, just not to water them after planting and let the rain do it. My only concern is that it's suppose to be a low of 39 for the next couple days. OHHHHHH! And my pink and white bleeding heart tubers came in today! I wanna plant them too... but I think I'm gonna hold off on the fern leaf bleeding hearts until we have a few warmer days since they're smaller bare roots.Suggestions, opinions on going ahead and planting the bulbs and the cigar sized old fashioned bleeding hearts?

HUGS to you all!

Kathy

I wish Jay and Rhonda had let us know there was a problem, so I could have sent my box to Kathy instead. hope they are ok but it also feels good to hear that your box was liked. Dan you look at bit green. hope you two are ok. I want the november swap to start, I'm ready. hugs carol

I agree, Carol. I think it's important to let someone know what you enjoyed about their box and that you appreciate the time and effort, not to mention money and the love that you give your garden, into it.

I'm sure you put an amazing box together!

I'm looking forward to the November swap too :)

Kathy

Hello All;
I just sent an e-mail to Vic but I thought I would post my thoughts about the missing swappers. They are new so I think the fair thing is to spell out the concerns. My concerns would be that a round robin is a social commitment, if you are looking for a swap there are the seed exchange and plant exchange. If you join a round robin you not only need to send your part in a timely fashion but you need to post when you receive your box and generally keep the lines of communication open. It does not require daily messages but at least weekly, "Hello". This failure to keep in touch makes everyone in the swap feel bad. Since the purpose of these swaps are to make people feel good, when this does not happen, changes need to be made.
I hope the missing people are fine but I personally think that without an apology as well as a good excuse, they have forfeited the right to be part of this group. My two cents.
diene

Now Kathy - you know we can't let you be left out in the cold. If we don't hear from anything soon from Jay and Rhonda, we will be able to pool our resources and send you some goodies. I already have something in mind... You all know that Kathy has a gothic garden, right?!?
Vic, I hope you hear something also. I look forward to hearing that my recipient enjoys their box almost as much as I enjoy receiving one.
On another note - I posted the new swap so yall hurry on over and sign up!!! Nik

I agree with you now, Diene, just as I did when I hosted my swap. It's very sad when people don't hold to their commitment. They seem to be very enthused about gardening, but there have been issues. I'm not trying to sound like sour grapes here, it's irrelevant that I was the one they were to have sent to. My feeling is that we're all gardeners here and this group is full of thoughtful, generous people who take a lot of time and effort planning these boxes. Everything from planning around the theme to checking their partner's list for wants and even dislikes. To me doing all of that is part of getting to know my new friend :) When I know that my offering has made their day brighter, it makes it all worth it to me! :) Honestly I feel more disappointed for Carol than I do for myself. Not having that glow of knowing that you've made your partner's day is awful.

But I do want to take a moment and thank Carol for joining this swap. I've enjoyed her comments and learning more about her through them :) So, though I can't express my appreciation on Jay and Rhonda's behalf for the box you took the time and thought to put together, I do want to express my appreciation for you sharing yourself and your time with all of us :)

Nikki, you guys are all sweethearts and knowing that everyone's willing to come together already makes me feel very special and cared about :) I will say again, this is the most wonderful group of gardeners :)

And I've already signed up for November! I've got several ideas for my next partner's box :)

OHHHH!! And speaking of my Gothic garden.. I now have seeds for a dark red Cuphea, so my Gargoyles will have "bats" for company! I received them today in a recent trade and am very excited about them. I need to do some more research about germination and care, but hopefully next year I'll have plenty of seeds to share next October swap!

Kathy

Hello, just checking....

I agree with diene, and also I would like to add that I think it is clearly stated at the start of each swap the send by date and to come back and post when and what you rec'd from your partner.

Kathy, you are not sounding like a sour grape! Yes it is fun to put a box together and see what the response is from your partner, but it's also fun to get a box! And there shouldn't be the need to wait and wonder if and when it's coming....

Vic

I agree with.. well everyone above! lol I've only been RR'ing since I guess, April? But there were 2 swaps I joined in I ended up getting set up w/ people that 'disappeared' and others ended up having to step up and send me a lil somethin'. That puts a strain both emotionally and financially on other swappers because of course we don't want to see one of our own get left out! Does anyone have any qualms with maybe in the future sending our addresses AND a contact ph# to the Host/Hostess? That way at least if a newer person joins they can at least get a call from the Host/Hostess if something goes amiss? Just my .02 since I'll be doing December's swap.. always looking for a way to make sure everyone's satisfied!

I'll be happy to send you some goodies Kathy.. let me just fig out where I packed up my Halloween stuff! LOL

The move is on track or at least pretty much. STILL not a set date but either the last wkend of October.. yes over Halloween..lol or during that following week. Gosh I really don't like moving! But I do feel good about cleaning out closets and drawers and getting rid of all my xtra junk!

Hugs all!
Wendy

The DC# 0307 1790 0005 7556 8458 for the 2nd box for Nikki (the stuff I forgot to add to the first box).

Hugs,
Deb

Morning!
I just tried to call them, no ans, and no ans. mach.
Will continue to keep everyone posted.......

Thanks for the update, Vic, but I really have a feeling we're not going to hear anything from them any time soon.

KAthy

I just received ANOTHER box from Deb today! As if the previous box was not a gracious plenty, Deb sent me more great stuff:
Bulbs:
"odd" tulips - hmmm, I'll have to wait and see what these look like:)
Allium
Ajuga
12 Orange Toronto Tulips - sooo pretty. I can't wait!
halloween treats:
A 3 Foot glow in the dark skeleton - Way cool!
Mr. Yummy Skeleton Pops - these are suckers shaped like a face on the top of plastic skeleton "sticks" Sarah Kate is going to love these!!!!
seeds:
Scabiosa Ochrolevca
Alcea Nigra
Mexican Hat - Been wanting to try this!
Daylily "Little Business"
WOW - Deb, I'm overwhelmed with your generosity. THANK YOU Now I'm off to google these seeds, I want to see pics! Nik

Well, might as well add my 2 cents and say that I think Wendy has a great idea! Sending the swap host our address and phone number seems like a smart thing to do. That way, the host(s) have our contact information should something go wrong, and can check up on us to see what's going on.

So, since the motion has been seconded, how about a roll call with everyone saying either "yay" or "nay", with the majority ruling?

My name is Dan the Mailman, and I say YAY.

Works for me :) We could actually compile a list with the addresses and phone numbers of our usual suspects and then add newer members when they sign up. Providing the phone number wouldn't be a requirement for joining a swap, but highly suggested so everyone has a way to contact each other. I'd be happy to put together that list and email it to everyone if you are all in favor and want to email me with both, that way I'll have addresses for those that I don't already (especially since my address book would NOT transfer when I changed my email in May) as well as the compiled phone numbers.

This will actually be a pleasure for me since I need to build both my address book as well as the email addresses for everyone. Not to mention I think right now that Melissa may possibly be the only one that has my phone number. Just do me a favor, everyone, if your email isn't very similar to your GW ID, please include that as well.

Kathy

I DO NOT want Dan to have my Ph#! I'm afraid the next swap I host I'll be getting middle of the night calls from his cat's threatening me for his partners name! LOL J/K

I have no problem with the ph#, but don't see that they will work that well, I've called them 3 times and no ans.
If someone doesn't want you to get a hold of them, they just won't ans the ph.

Kathy, I don't know that they won't send, but it seems to be a trend, One swap they didn't post the rec'd box till much later, I believe they were late sending last month, and now this month seems to be both, no post and late sending.

I was going to send everyone a private email, but honestly, I don't have the time for that right now, and if/when Jay & Rhonda see this, I have no problem with them knowing I'm upset with the way they have been in the group.

I personally feel that they have not kept up with the obligations of the group, I understand that we all get busy and life happens, but when we sign up for a swap it is a commitment to make time for it. I would not be so fast to judge had it not been for the last 2 swaps and the "been busy" it just seems to be a trend. (and yes, I will feel horrible if something terrible has happened to prevent them from finishing this swap) Remember, Trina was in a hurricane and still managed to get a msg to us, AND she got her boxes out for other swaps she was in.

I'm not trying to be too harsh, but it is frustrating, as a host/ess we want everyone to have fun, enjoy sending and enjoy receiving a box (along with the drinking, joking, and don't forget the brownies!)
As a sender, we want to also know that our box was rec'd and enjoyed, we all spend time, thought, and money on boxes and they should be acknowledged!

Well, enough b------g for now : )

Vic (your hostess with attitude)

I agree with you, Vic. This does seem to be a trend with them. I agree that we don't know that they won't send, but like you I'm upset that we've heard nothing from Jay and Rhonda, nor have they even acknowledged Carol's box. Like you, I have no problem with them knowing that I'm upset, and not just because they were to send to me.

You shouldn't have to email reminders to anyone. We're all suppose to be adults here and should be able to at least check the thread if we've committed and not withdrawn before the deadline. That's always an option and everyone understands. I would much rather see someone withdraw, even if it's after the deadline, but quickly enough to allow for other arrangements and reshuffling to be done. Even if their sender has sent to them, perhaps volunteering to mail the box sent to them on to whom ever they were suppose to have sent to. Was that confusing?

I've got Nikki's contact info (THANKS Nikki!) and I think I'm set up to just copy and paste it all over to a single list. So whomever wants to participate in this, my mailbox is waiting :)

Kathy

Oops! I forgot!
Wow Nikki! TWO great boxes!
You did a wonderful job Deb!

I vote yes on the name and address thingy. I'll be sending Kathy the info.

Last month when I was hostess on the swap, Jay and Rhonda sent me a very nice box. However, I did have to ask about it twice and they never did post the confirmation number. They do know they're supposed to do that, right?

Thankyou for the kind words Kathy. I say yea !! as long as Dan dosen't have it. I don't trust his cat either!!!can't wait till next swap starts. what does one put in a gothic garden ?found this pic of Dan while surfing. hugs carol

Anything dark, or deep red, or just kinda weird looking. I recently got seeds for Cuphea plant :) I'm linking a picture below. So my gargoyles will have bats to keep them company :)

And you're welcome, Carol. Everyone here appreciates you :)

Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: Cuphea

Hello Kathy;
That is the most unusual flower I think I have ever seen. The colors are stunning but the overall affect is ominous.
Neat. Great boxes Deb, sorry to hear your Mom's diagnosis was not so great. We just have to hope and pray that they caught it early, that is what makes the difference.
My thoughts are with you.
diene

Linda, I believe it is posted in the rules at the begining of every swap. And the trying to track someone down to find out about a box being sent just takes all the fun out : (

Kathy, that is COOL!!! I've heard the name a lot, but never looked it up! Now I've got to add something else to my want list! LOL
Do they come in different colors??
OH, I forgot that you asked me about the plants, I'm going to hold off for now, I really don't need to be planting a bunch more till spring, but thank you very much for offering! : )

I agree with everyone else. I'll send my info to Kathy. Deb, that was an awesome 2 boxes & I'm praying for you and your Mom.
Kathy, that is one strange looking plant. Very different!
Dan - I saw AC/DC live 4 times in their (& my) day!

Joan

Deb, do we have an update yet? My thoughts and prayers are with you along with my meditations. You've been heavily on my heart the last few days. We're here for you, hon, and each of us are praying for a good outcome from the biopsy.

Vic, the Cuphea ignea - Cigar/Firecracker plant is another variety in this species, as is Cuphea hyssopifolia - Mexican/False heather, Cuphea cyanea - Black eyed or Tri Colored Cuphea, Cuphea micropetala - Giant Cigar plant, Cuphea lanceolata is another "Cigar plant" smaller, I believe.

The "Bat Faced" Cuphea is an odd little plant, and yes, Diene, it has an ominous appearance! That will make it perfect for my Gothic/Gargoyle garden! Cliff, my DH, is going to make me a faux gothic mansion front and the gargoyle will be around it. We're even going to keep out the smaller concrete tombstones that we decorated with for Halloween and make a graveyard in the bed complete with a few bones. I also have black mondo grass, black dragon coleus,Queen of Night tulips, Kingsblood tulips, Dwarf purple frittaria, Bowles Black violas, Superstition Iris, and black pansies to go in it. I'm still looking for ideas and suggestions for this bed. It's going to be part sun/shade, so I've got a lot of leeway. Perhaps some evening primroses and Night Phlox, particularly "Midnight Candy". Black Magic elephant ears, "Blackie" sweet potato vine, Chocolate cosmos,'Chocolate Veil', 'Obsidian' and 'Plum Pudding' coral bells ,'Burnished Bronze' heucherella. All of these are wants for this bed :)

I have several themed beds- Fairy, Gnome, Turtle/frog bog. I've been having a lot of fun putting these together! Hunting out plants that will work for each theme has been a blast! Next spring we're planning to put in a "stream" connecting each of them, since they run along the same fence. There will be a pool at each bed with the larger pool being in the turtle/frog bog where it will recirculate. For the fairy bed I have Red Rocks Penstemon and a couple of pansies. There are four o'clocks and morning glories along the fence. Then the gnome one is really bare. I'm trying to find things that would speak to mining or panning. The turtle/frog bog will have toad lilies, trout lilies and whatever else I can come up with.

Suggestions, anyone?

Kathy

Hi,
Mom's results came in yesterday and her Dr. wanted to talk with her personally, immediately. She has Infiltrating Ductual cancer and it needs to be removed ASAP. She's contacting a surgeon today, so I'm sure things will move fast. I have a ton of questions. Her regular Dr. said the word "Familial" this type of cancer runs in families.. There is no history of breast cancer in the family, ever.
Plus he said that this is usually a younger person's cancer (Mom's 70). He did mention that it's aggressive. The lumps 2 centermeters, and anything over 2 1/2 automatically requires chemo/radiation. So, once they take the lump out and measure it, they will then decide if chemo/radiation is needed. They need to see the lump before deciding. They are also going to inject her with dye and make sure that nothing went to the lymph nodes. She might lose her breast, but we really won't know until the surgery's over. It depends upon what they find. The Dr. said that this type of cancer can grow rapidly, so if one mammogram is clear, it could grow a mass before the next. How scary!

That's really it for now. I'm sure surgery will be with in the next week.

Thanks so much Everyone for all your well wishes, prayers, and kind thoughts!

Hugs,
Deb

Deb,
I'm so sorry! She's going to need you SO MUCH right now and I know you'll be there for her! I'm going to keep she and you both in my prayers. If you need to talk, just PM me any time. My Dad had cancer off and on for 4 years and it's beyond comprehension until you experience it. I know you already know that because of your Dad.
Take care.

Joan

Deb ~ BIG BIG BIG hugs to you and your family hon.. I'm just so glad they caught it and seem to be moving quickly! My mom knew something was wrong but waited over a year before she really decided to DO something about it... I wish I would have known more early on and I woulda thrown her in the car and taken her to the dr!!!!! I hope and pray for guidance in the doctor's decisions and know that we're all here for you!

Kathy I might have some of that 'Midnight Candy' phlox left... I HAVE to go thru my seeds this weekend in order to get my seeds mailed out for the 'Theme Garden Swap'.. so I will see if I can find any for you :) And my one and only black elephant ear is over at mom's so whenever I go over there again (often w/ all these loads of boxes!) I'll see if there's any 'offspring'. :-) Anyone know if you can do cuttings of those? I know the sap inside the stalks is VERY dangerous if you get it into your mouth or nose.. but I dunno if they root! *puttin on full safety gear to find out! LOL

Hugs all,
Wendy

Deb, were all with you. I'm sorry it wasn't better news. We'll keep you in payer and you just let us know if there's anything we can do. And by the way, those were fabulous boxes!

That would be great, Wendy! I would really enjoying having the phlox. If you'd like, just mark it for me for the Theme Swap. I need to mail out to Jeanne this afternoon. I finally got all mine together!

Kathy

Deb,
I'm sorry that your Mom didn't get better news. I'll keep you both in my prayers..((HUG)))

Again, Thanks so much Everyone for all the support! What would I do without all of you? ;)

I have a lot of yard cleanup to do, my yards filled with leaves. We didn't have a major frost yet, but it's been close. I still haven't taken cuttings of everything that I want to save (overwinterize). I have a huge lemon geranium that DIDN'T bloom this year! I was looking so forward to seeing it bloom. I purchased it from a garage sale for a $1, came home with it and found out that the woman sold me a cutting, not rooted (it fell over in the pot by the time I came home). I took a chance and planted it in the ground and it really grew! It's up to my knees!
I also have a few coleus that I want to try and save. I'm so behind, I still have some seeds to collect! I'll have more time tomorrow to look around the yard!

Mom's appt with the surgeon is on Monday. I wanted her to make it for today, but that was impossible. He's only in 3 days a week.

Deb

Deb, As a fellow gardener, I know that getting in the yard will do you some good. Nothing makes me feel better and I'm sure you could use the distraction. I know the wait is hard but Monday will come. Is your mom close by? Keep us posted. Let us be a distraction and an encouragement. Nik

Deb, I'm so sorry about your Mom's diagnosis. I sent you an email....

Hey, after all those wonderful boxes I just wanted to remind everyone to leave a Review in the Rate and Review forum for your partner!

Hope I'm not stepping on toes in doing this, but I'm thinking the usual reminder got lost along with Jay & Rhonda :P

Kathy

Thanks for reminding us, Kat! :O)
I left a review for Miss Wendy. She certainly deserved one, with all the hard work she put into that box! The kiddos are STILL gorging on candy! They look like this:
LOL

Deb,

My thoughts and prayers for your Mom!

Annie

Thanks so much for all the well wishes & Prayers. I really appreciate it so much! It's raining today, or I would of worked in the yard for a few hours. I have to clean the house today anyway so that will keep me really busy all day! I'm trying to keep it extra clean, because I have no idea how busy I'll be next week. Better get going, I have several hours worth of work! I started the crockpot earlier, so I don't have to worry about dinner. We had a really yummy garlic herb pork roast last night. So all I had to do today was add some boiled egg noodles to the cubed meat, fresh sliced mushrooms, silvered carrots, herbs and a couple of cans of cream of mushroom soup. An instant, quick casserole! I had it on high for couple of hours and already turned it to 'keep warm' so it stops cooking and keeps the veggies crisp.

Deb

Deb, that sounds good!

Kathy, thanks, I did forget to put that friendly reminder in, and as the hostess, I will be leaving a review ; )

This swap is just about over : )
I think we should continue our "chatting" over on Nikki's thread, it will be easier to keep up with just one : )

Thanks to everyone that made this a fun swap!