OK, so far~

bonechickchris-Christy
ejmoore510-Joan
sunnyk-Donna
booberry-Becky
dirtdiggin-Toni

Yes Toni, we are very easy going in "veggie land"!
Don't worry. We do this for fun! And I am sure you will see that after you hang around us a bit! I know us "veggie guys" might seem a little crazier than the flower people, but that is what makes it so much fun! (And I mean crazy in a good way!) Christy

I've been mulling over it and wondering if I can pull it off. I have plans to put in a seed order because I do not plan ahead and need to order. I will add a few things and I think I will be good to go for this swap so SIGN ME UP Please!

Nancy

HI!
I am new to partner swaps, I would like to join this swap and give it a try.

Kamil

You are both added! Here is the latest tally,

bonechickchris-Christy
ejmoore510-Joan
sunnyk-Donna
booberry-Becky
dirtdiggin-Toni
luvgardening2-Nancy
kamiljablo-Kamil

Again, we decided that you do not need to have your seeds in early. That is only a choice for the people who wish to get things out of the way for the holidays.I will probably give partners out a few days earlier than normal, which everyone seems to like anyway, so you guys can shop earlier. If there are some people who do wish to send their stuff out early, I will try to partner you up with someone else who wishes to do the same.
Also Nancy and everyone else, as a suggestion and not a rule, I actually encourage people to take the time to put an order or two in for seeds online or catalog orders. The reason for this is that this is a bad time of year to find seeds anywhere in the stores, if any.
By ordering seeds, it gives you the best selection possible and the chance to get your partner a nice assortment of seeds. There are many places out there that sell seeds at really great prices, even cheaper than if you buy them for a store. Plus the best part is the vast variety of seeds to chose from.
If you need recomendations of great places to purchase seeds online at great prices, I am sure many of us can share the names of our favorite places to shop. Again, this is just a suggested option.
Christy

OK, I want to join BUT I have no named seeds in the catagory above. HOWEVER, I am willing to try to order some things IF someone can point me in the direction of a reasonably priced place to order from. I have been looking in the catalogs and online but some of their prices are terrible and then the shipping is just CRAZY.
Please email me suggestions and then if I can be partnered with someone who is NOT in a hurry to receive I am in!

Cheers, Ho! Ho! Ho! Yes, I KNOW it isn't even Thanksgiving yet BUT well, I am ready to have Christmas! HEHE

I will be awaiting email suggestions, anyone have a Favorite place to order from?

:) Fran

Fran,

I've been looking at catalogs too. I think for best price I'd try the following:

Pinetree Garden Seeds
Value Seeds
Seed Saver Exchange (variety & # of seeds is worth the price)
John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds (variety & # of seeds is worth the price)
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Richters Herb Seeds

Thanks Becky,
A few of these I haven't heard of before, I do like Value Seeds although they don't have a large selections. It is good prices on what they do carry!

:) Fran

I ordered seeds today. Yes, it was from one of the companies I mentioned above. This way my poor partner to be will get more than Roma Tomatoes. LOL! Hopefully, I picked some fun and unique things.

Becky, you're always so creative! I know whatever you send your partner they will absolutely love, so don't you worry. :)

Christy, I didn't get to send out a monthly newsletter yet. My anniversary is on the 1st and my birthday is on the 5th, so I've been busy regrouping with my hubby. *shuffles feet* yes it takes a week or so to do this. ROFL But anywho, it really doesn't look like it made a difference! Look at this turnout!!! Awesome. :D

I'm still debating if I can actually swing this swap, tap tap tap... lol I will let you know in a week or so. I'm so gonna have withdraws if I can't. :S

OK, update!
So far we have~

bonechickchris-Christy
ejmoore510-Joan
sunnyk-Donna
booberry-Becky
dirtdiggin-Toni
luvgardening2-Nancy
kamiljablo-Kamil
ncgardengirl-Fran

and a maybe southercharm Kathy!
No rush with the email!

Ok Fran, I see that there have been some great places recommended. I would say my favorite new place to order from is Baker Creek (rareseeds.com) First off, they always over pack their packets. Usually I receive double or soemtimes even triple the number of seeds that you are suppose to get. Second, it is $3.00 shipping , and that stays the same, whether you buy 2 packs or 200 packs! I think that is awesome! And third, they give you a FREE pack of seeds (their choice) with every order! I look so foward to that! And of course, their selection is awesome too! Who can get any better than that?
John Sheepers is a goodie too!
Any other questions, just ask! Christy

I pushed Christy into the November swap. Guess I should be pushing Kathy too! Come on Kathy! Where's your Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice spirit! Join us! It'll be fun!

Just as a reminder,
I also said with this swap, besides the winter themed seeds for your partner, since it is Christmas time and the time of "gift giving", you and your partner can share your "Santa's Wish List".
This gives you the opurtunity to write down all those veggies/herbs that you have been hoping to grow this season coming up, maybe you want to try something new, or just had your eye on something for a while, etc. Again, these do not need to be themed named seeds, just whatever you wish you would like to have.
I think that will make this swap even more fun! And give everyone the chance to be festive and to really get back some seeds that you have been really looking forward to!
I hope this makes this swap a little more exciting to people who are wondering whether or not to join! And what is better than opening up a whole bunch of wrapped up goodies? (Especially since you know your spouse probably will not be giving you some of those seeds you want for Christmas, even though you wish he would!As for me, I will be getting those clothes he picks out that are not my size, or that I can never wear. Or those little doo-dads that I have no idea what to use them for. He means well though!)
Christy

Oh well Christy! That's better than the new dishwasher & vacum cleaner I've got from my DH the last 2 years. :)

Joan

Christy! ROFLMBO!!! Poor guys, they try so hard. I guess it goes without saying that they always think when we say *I want plants or seeds, etc. They are thinking, yeah right. If I don't get this... Ya, you know! ROFLMBO!!!

Christy, ROFL! My DH is heavily into electronics. I am not (I think I'm technologically regressing!). He got me an Ipod two Christmas's ago. It took me 6 months to figure out how to get music on it! LOL!

Another place to check for cheap seeds; Park Seeds has a "$1.00" sale. Some cost more than a dollar, but it might be worth checking out.

Hi everyone.

This sounds very fun. I wish I could participate but will have to sit this one out as I already signed up for two decs and don't want to overdo my ability to succeed...:-)

But I will be checking back to see how its going.

Tammy

Are you sure you do not want to join Tammy? It will be really fun.......
And Kathy, have you been talked into this yet?

Come one everyone! 'Tis the Season! there has to be more of you out there tempted to join! You know you want to!
Christy

I have purchased from Pinetree and Seed Savers Exchange. I really LOVE buying from SSE. Their cs is excellent. I have not purchased from Baker Creek yet so I cannot comment about them. I grow mostly tomatoes and I heard that they were having problems with their seeds growing true to type.

A couple you may want to look into. Sandhill Preservation is really good, not your typical Seed Company. They are not open year round.

Seeds From Italy

Renee's Garden~ they are local and the quality is top notch and their CS cannot be beat. They are having a sale right now, 50% off, input END08 when you checkout.

Nancy

Bump........
Come on, you know you want to join!

Christy you are pushing awful hard, if I hadn't already said yes I am sure you would have talked me into it by now :)!

I can't decide exactly what I want to get or send so I may end up sending just a little late, BUT it will still get there!

:) Fran

Christy,

I suspect there's been some bad little elves out there. They don't want join because they are afraid of getting coal instead of seeds! LOL! Kathy, where are you?!?

Becky! You're not supposed to tell everyone my little secret!!! ROFLMBO!!! I hope I get seeds...

Go ahead and put me down. :D

Yeah! Nothing like peer pressure! Glad you decided to join us.

OK, HEre we all are!

bonechickchris-Christy
ejmoore510-Joan
sunnyk-Donna
booberry-Becky
dirtdiggin-Toni
luvgardening2-Nancy
kamiljablo-Kamil
ncgardengirl-Fran
Southercharm1-Kathy

It is already November 17th! I cannot believe it! So, I would say anyone else has to Friday to join? And then I will go ahead and post partners on the weekend. SOund good?Christy

Last chance for Sign Ups! Deadline is Friday! SO be festive and join in on the fun! Christy

Sounds good for posting partners over the weekend. :)

Come on folks, we're odd, we need 1 more sign up. :D

Winter Wonderland! Bah Humbug! I just shoveled 6 inches of snow out of my driveway this morning. There's nothing green out there anymore.

Scrooge

Even with an odd number it can STILL work. We just don't have the same partners.
Exp:
Fran sends to Kathy
Kathy sends to SCROOGE(hehe)
Scrooge sends to Christy

See, it still works...

:) Fran/ Scrooge's cousin Scrunge

Well, if we stay odd, I will take on 2 partners. Not a bother for me. I have been collecting for this for a while so I have lots of surprises.
Who knows, there may be someone out there yet to join!
Christy

I'm so excited! I'm so excited! I'm so excited! My order just came in. I can't wait for the swap.

I just love getting packages in the mail.

Becky,
Can I ask you something???.........Are you excited? HEHEHE

How is everyone?
It is VERY cold here....yucky!!!
SC1, how is the weather there?

:) Fran

I AM excited. I had used an old catalog and miscalculated how much I owed them. They sent the order anyway with a little note saying next time I order to just send the remainder. How cool is that!

Speaking of cool, would you like me to try and blow some snow down your way, Fran? We have more coming. Unfortunately, the shoveling counts as my exercise plan for the winter.
:P

Oh NO Miss Boo DON"T YOU DARE!!! I hate SNOW!!! I hate it, hate it, hate it!!!

Yes, that was too cool that they will let you send it later....how nice of them!

I STILL haven't gotten an order together, goodness I am so behind!

:) Fran

I am both very excited and very cold..... but cold is good for next week,I hate cooking in a hot kitchen, and I have a ton of cooking to do every day next week :-)
(watch the temperature shoot up to 70 LOL)

Uhhh... Fran, IT"S FREEZING!!! UGH!!! *Secretly sobbing, and missing my warm weather* :*0) (--- sad face, LOL

I absolutely hate cold weather with a passion. I spent approximately 5 years in Michigan, and when we moved back down here we had the choice to stay a little longer or dig out the UHAUL truck from 6ft deep of snow. I couldn't even see over the mounds. You can just guess what my choice was! Oh my sunny home sweet home! ROFL I have to say though, when it's cold here it's really cold and it's a different type of cold as crazy as that sounds. It's a wet/damp cold. burrrrr!

Speakin of mail, I'm so irritated with the USPS. I still haven't gotten my other order for Christy. My hubby told me they laid off a load of employees. I said really, I wouldn't have noticed?!!! Today the mailman brought a tube to my door, I couldn't remember exactly what I had been waiting for cause that threw me off. My twins went barreling out the door to get the mail and he started thumping the tube on his hand like a baseball bat taunting them with which one gets to carry that darn tube. When I opened it I wanted to scream, it was 2 plants someone sent me! I'm surprised it still had the leaves on it. I told my DH that they were probably in the back room with someone elses box and my tube playing mailroom baseball.

Becky, roflmbo! Blow the snow north that way Canada can keep it! HAHA I think that is awesome that the company went ahead and sent your order, so nice!!!

Donna, I'll keep my fingers crossed for cool weather to stay for ya! A hot kitchen makes for a miserable time.

SC1 I am glad you understand about a different cold. I have been to a LOT of different states (used to drive a truck) and most of the northern state even their snow is a 'dry' snow. Fluffy even, where as when WE get snow, it is wet and sloshy.
The air is different too, it is a dry air. The first time I went to Ohio in Dec 1990 (I know was going to meet ex-hubbies family, just got married) it was cold, BUT the kind of cold that I could walk around with a short sleeved shirt on and no jacket. I was so amazed how different their weather was from ours, when we said 'COLD' it is cold, wet, jumped into Lake Erie cold, sliding nahkid down a mountain glacier cold, bone chilling cold!

Maybe I am just a southern belle who should be in the Virgin Islands....haha, don't I wish!

Umm, how many days is it until Spring again?

Donna, I understand exactly what you mean about the kitchen, I wouldn't doubt one bit it warms up over the holidays, I remember 2 years ago it was so warm in my kitchen while I was cooking I put on shorts and a short sleeved shirt AND opened the back door!!!

I don't think I will have that to worry about this year...did I mention it was cold?
I really can't feel my toes, I am so cold...we have 3 heaters going too!!!
BRRRR, my fingers even hurt!

:) Fran

Sc1, it does kind of make you wonder about the tube don't it?

You know what, it's supposed to be up to 76 by Sunday. I hope my kids don't get sick. It's so cold right now.

I don't miss the lake effect snow from Lake Michigan, The 30ft tall snow/ice mounds in the mall parking lot(usually there until June) Oh another thing I don't miss at all is having wet pants up to your knees every time you had to go somewhere. lol No, I didn't wear snow boots and didn't know they existed! HAHA And that my friends is what happens when you take a native Floridian to a snow state. giggles...

Oh yes, it definitely makes me wonder about the tube... lol

Oh man do I know about wet/damp/chill to the bone/cold....I may be north, but as far as north goes I am a Southern Northerner LOL....I live in the southern most part of New England. We are a hop skip and a jump from the Long Island Sound, so when my Mother who is inland only around 4-5 miles gets nice, dry,fluffy snow, here at the coast I get either ice cold rain /sleet or big, wet, give yourself a coronary shoveling it out ....snow.

But thanks for the wish for my cold Thanksgiving weather....I already see the forecast trying to creep back up....if it does, then I am voting we skip right to Tomato seed sowing time, forget about Winter.
(Can we do that?....we are the Incredible Edibles after all)

I live near a couple miles inland form the Jersey Shore. SO I get the same crappy wheather as you too Sunny!
I hate it. If it was real snow, then it would be really nice,my husband would get off of work (he is a school teacher) and we can all have a nice beautiful scene to look at.
Well not here anymore! I get icy gooshy wet yucky stuff. ANd it is not even good enough for a day off!
I hate watching the local wheather. Here you see them split up the Tri State area, Pennsylvania will get 4-8 inches, Most of NJ will get 8-10", Upstate NY is going to get 12+ inches,and so on and so on. ANd then there is this little sliver that you can hardly see, outlining the NJ coast, and in that area is says "up to one inch maybe is possible"!
Where is MY snow storm! How come I always get shafted out of my snow storm! So depressing! Christy

Donna, Oh yes we can do that!!! Passes out the Super Gardener capes! ROFLMBO

Christy, I'm gonna do a little dance for ya, just so you have a white out! ROFL Couple days off, snuggle with hubby and son and stay warm looking out the window at the beautiful scenery while sippin' on a hot chocolate with teeny tiny marshmallows. :D

Ok Christy, I will blow my snow down your way since Fran didn't want it! We're suppose to get another 4-8 inches tonight.

Christy I know your pain...if I have to be miserable and cold I at least deserve to have some snow!!!Right Christy?!?!!!!
What makes it worse is my mother lives across town and my sleety rain is her snow, then my sister lives the next town up and hers is 3-4 inches deeper than my Mom's. And because this is Connecticut , I am not talking about my Mom being 20 miles inland....she only lives 4 miles from me...but I still am in that famed sliver that Christy is talking about , the one where the rest of the state is predicted 6-8 inches of snow, but my sliver is "snow mixing with rain" for a slushy inch or 2.

Hmmph...I say if there is no snow, and it isnt Thanksgiving, Christmas , New Years Eve or Valentines Day... then it should be 70 degrees ...and that is final!!!

LAST CALL TO SIGN UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will be posting partners sometime between tomorrow night and Sunday night.
Thanks! Christy
PS~ Sunnyk! What is up with our little sliver? I get so mad when the channel 7 guy will build up a huge storm in our heads, and then us coastal people get nada!
It is fine if we don't, but don't get me all excited, only to be let down!
I have a 3 year old. And last year, I spent over $50 to buy him a snow suit and boots. Well, he never go to use them once! Still have the tags on! So I think I am not going to buy them this year. Oh well!

Our plow guy came early this morning. Yeah! He plowed 4 inches of new snow out of the driveway. Another 3 inches fell. I just finished shoveling that. Ok, I've had my fill of snow. When does winter start?!
Here's what we're in for tonight. I live in the southern part of Onondaga County.

I think I'm too late to pick that kohlrabi in the garden!

Issued by The National Weather Service
Binghamton, NY
10:42 am EST, Sat., Nov. 22, 2008

... LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST SUNDAY...

A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST SUNDAY.

BANDS OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT MUCH OF CAYUGA COUNTY... AND MAINLY THE SOUTHERN HALVES OF ONONDAGA AND MADISON COUNTIES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS TODAY. ALTHOUGH SNOWFALL WILL NOT BE CONTINUOUS IN NATURE IN ANY ONE AREA... OCCASIONAL SQUALLS COULD PRODUCE SNOWFALL RATES OF AS MUCH AS AN INCH PER HOUR. IN GENERAL... ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... WITH AS MUCH AS 5 OR 6 INCHES IN AREAS WHERE NARROW BANDS ARE MOST PERSISTENT. THIS WILL BRING WEEKEND STORM TOTALS TO OVER A FOOT IN SOME PLACES.

LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY... LAKE EFFECT SNOWS ARE EXPECTED TO SHIFT NORTHWARD. AS A RESULT... MORE CONCENTRATED BANDS SHOULD BEGIN TO IMPACT THE THRUWAY CORRIDOR ONCE AGAIN... INCLUDING BALDWINSVILLE... THE SYRACUSE METRO AREA... CHITTENANGO... AND THE TOWN OF ONEIDA. SEVERAL INCHES OF ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL ARE ANTICIPATED IN THESE LOCALES... WITH AGAIN WEEKEND STORM TOTALS APPROACHING A FOOT LOCALLY.

A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF LAKE- EFFECT SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. LAKE-EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS TYPICALLY ALIGN THEMSELVES IN BANDS AND WILL LIKELY BE INTENSE ENOUGH TO DROP 1 TO SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW PER HOUR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. VISIBILITIES VARY GREATLY AND CAN DROP TO ZERO WITHIN MINUTES. TRAVEL IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED. COMMERCE COULD BE SEVERELY IMPACTED. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL... KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT... FOOD... AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
More Information

... LAKE EFFECT SNOWS TO CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND...

VERY COLD AIR CROSSING THE GREAT LAKES WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE BANDS OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW INTO SUNDAY. THE HEAVIEST SNOWS ARE EXPECTED TO FALL FROM THE NORTHERN FINGER LAKES REGION... ACROSS ONONDAGA COUNTY... AND INTO MADISON COUNTY.

Ohh, I am jealous!
I guess I still feel like a kid when it snows since my husband is a school teacher, it is like looking forward to that school cancellation that we all did when we were little kids! And just the feeling of knowing that the world has to stop for a bit, and it MAKES you sit on your butt!
Christy

I found a box that fits my partner's treats!

Well, after that amazing warning, we only got an inch more of snow. I took the doggies out and played in the snow with them. One of them loved it. The other hates cold & wet.

Ohhh we should be getting our partners soon!!! woohooo...
Glad your not snowed in Miss Boo..hehe!

It is still cold here too...brrr, feels like winter out there!

:) Fran

Yes! I am lurking around now! I am checking out the old IE swaps, so I can try to give everyone a partner that they have not had before! DId not think it would take so long to find those posts!
Anyway, I will be posting within the next couple hours, so get ready! Christy

Christy, I'm new to it, so anyone who has patience with my mistakes will be wonderful :)

Wish we had some snow...heck we haven't even had a freeze yet. Just lots of rain and floating houses. It's been a strange season here on the West Coast. We're about a month late on our first frost...not quite sure when we'll actually get it. Last few days have been sunny and around 65 degrees.

Toni