Today three Christmas cards were delivered from the seed swappers. I appreciate the Red Cherry tomatos and long slim cayenne peppers received from detroitgrl77, from my home state. Thanks so much for fulfilling my wishes and for the nice Christmas card. The family always appreciates the small tomatoes over the big ones. LeKennedy sent me a beautiful card and a package of garden bean velour (never planted these before!) single Italian parsley (Yum! I love parsley), and catnip seeds my cat will especially enjoy. Thanks very much for the time and effort.My third card came from another Michigander, SJC48. Shirley, thanks for the generous package of pink hollyhock,the rose yellow Four O'clocks, and the dill seeds. I will definitely find a great place to plant all of these. HO HO HO! I'm going to be a happy SalsaCanner gardener in 2013!

I just checked the mail and two cards were waiting for me.
From Audrey: some much appreciated Baptisia australis, Cosmos 'Antiquity', Lathyrus vernus alboroseus and JMG 'Akatsuki No Mai' seeds in a lovely creative card.
From Katie (kchd): a pretty blue & white snowflake card containing some Eryngium yuccifolium seeds that I really wanted.
Ladies~thank you both so much. Happy Holidays!
Janine

Holy smokes! My email inbox has *blown up* today with all the new posts on this thread! LOL it makes me giggle.

Today I received 2 cards in the mail -

A too cute card from Lisa (lysa39) with a snowman (one of my holiday favorites!) on the front and a ton of seeds! purple coneflower, yellow coneflower, Tennessee purple coneflower, Rudbeckia hirta, Rudbeckia sonora, bowl gourds, dipper gourds, and pawpaw tree!

And Heidi (xiangirl) sent some awesome seeds, too! gaillardia, holiday sunflower, and autumn beauty sunflower. But best of all was Heidi's homemade card she made with her cricut cutter and upcycled wrapping paper. It is awesome! Heidi, you are not doing me any favors in my efforts to resist getting a cricut! I've been eyeballing them since you described it on the fotess swap a few months ago.

Thank you both so very much!

Katie

I've been working on a quilt most of the afternoon, so I've been waiting until now to open the 3 cards which came in the mail today. I've hit a snag with the quilt, so I've put it away until tomorrow, and now I'm relaxing in front of the computer, being "helped" by my youngest cat/child Grumpy.
Redthreaddiy, I'm glad you enjoyed your box! Reading your post gave me a serious case of the chuckles!

And now, with the help of an extremely curious kitten...
Katie (kchd) sent 2 packets of white pow wow coneflowers. I'll be planting these on christmas day along with my other coneflower seeds!
Margo (smitties) sent some double click cosmos, one of my favorite annuals!
Lisa (lysa39) sent a plethora of seeds! Marigolds, parsley, candytuft, 2 types of pumpkins, 3 types of cosmos, 2 types of clematis, summer squash, morning glories, corn, onions, dianthus, basil, and coneflowers, wow!!!

Thank you Ladies, thank you very much!!!

Another package today! From sjc48 2 kinds of borage! And calendula! All are from my wish list, because I just can't get the right timing for collecting seeds from my own garden. Love the card, too, thank you.

deitroitgirl77
Audrey
vajeff
gardendad_2k10
zackey
redthreaddiy
poisondartfrog
nancyplants
dirtdaddy
clipclop
smitties
sjc48
dem_pa
kchd
chefconnie
canyonwind
foggy
L1oness
jlee160
barefootgardener12
dan_the_mailman
socalgardengal
jaynine

This is who I received cards from..anyone else want to join the BINGO game ?? Did I miss anyone ?

I received 2 cards today. They made me forget how tired I am and I actually smiled.
I received a beautiful card from xiangirl with a pack of Lemon Queen and evening Sun Sunflower zxseeds.
I also got one from smitties today also. She sent
paradoxa coneflower seeds.
Thank you so much ladies. You made my day.
Faye!

Thank you Katie! She sent me Splish Splash Larkspur! My grinch attitude is leaving and you are helping it out the door!
Heidi

I received two cards today....really how can you have a bad day when you open your mailbox to something like this ? It's been hard for me to hold onto my seeds, I am so anxious to send them, but I will follow the rules, and wait.
My cards today came from :

ishareflowers ( love that little santa skating)...she sent me Amaranth Intense Purple and Amaranth Autumn Palette for my Amaranth addiction. Thank you so much !

Ed ' Salsa Canner' spoiled me with Blue Lake Bush Beans, Sweet Basil, Sweet Banana Pepper, National Pickling Cucumber, and Black Cherry Tomato. Very very much appreciated. making me yearn for my garden.

Received my first card today from Audrey. She sent a beautiful card with roses on and a poem that she wrote "Roses in the Snow". Beautiful! Inside the card was 4 kinds of flowers, Japanese Anemone 'Whirlwind", Salvia "Navajo Rose", "Antirrhinum "Frosted Flames" and Japanese morning glory "Gray Fog". Thank you so very much Audrey. Love them all.

Also sending my bingo words to Kym.

Ellie

Got card from xiangirl - you must be into scrapbooking, very cool card, and the seed envelopes are hand made too, lots of effort went into this, and the grandkids keep asking me when we can plant the sunflowers, two different kinds of marigolds, gaillardia and mexican hat, thanks very, very much. My son lives in Sturgis, we probably have some common acquaintances/family even?

My second card is from salsacanner who ALSO went to the effort to make his own cute little seed envelopes, almost a shame to open them -- got common sage (excellent, I cook a lot of birds), long island mammoth dill (I'm quite a pickler too), Chantenay carrots, Simpson's black seeded lettuce and national picking cucumbers.

Sure brightens up these long winter days to get these wonderful surprises in the mail, I intend to join in EVERY year as long as it is available, many many thanks to all who put this on and participate, a GREAT idea!!!!!!!!!

I received two cards today.

Roper2008 sent a card that had a cute golden retriever on it - one of my favorite breeds. Inside were seeds of kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate (I've been curious about this plant for a while), marigolds, "Black Knight" pincushion flower, and "Red Rubin" basil (both from my wishlist!). Thank you, Linda!

The other was a whimsical santa card sent by ishareflowers. Included were heuchera seeds of "Mocha" and "Blackout". I love heuchera, and these will provide great contrast in our partially shaded spots. Thank you, Lisa!

It looks like I might have a dark foliage/bloom section in the garden this year!

Thank you!
Jeff

Received my first card today, from detroitgirl77 (Michelle). Before I even opened the card, the delightfully pungent aroma of licorice emanated from it; Anise seeds! In addition to that, she also sent me a worthy adversary to my 3 year-old Bhut Jolokia plant: The 'Butch T' strain of the Trinidad Scorpion pepper. I am going to have so much fun watching friends and people at the farmer's market next year eating these! Thanks Michelle!

--Jordan (WonderWeasel)

I received 2 cards in the mail yesterday. They brightened my day after having a long hard weekend at work! sjc48(Shirley) sent foxglove "foxy", cosmos "cosmic gold" and red texas hummingbird sage. ishare(Lisa) sent foxglove (white and sutton's apricot) and asclepias "ice ballet" and butterfly weed "cinderella". Thank you both very much! I can't wait to see these growing in my yard next summer!

Ginger (ggwrn)

I forgot one, Lisa also sent "hairy balls milkweed". Thank you again Lisa!

Ginger (ggwrn)

Received a nice card and seeds from Roper2008/Linda today -she sent Red Rubin basil, French Dwarf marigolds, and Yay, Yay, Tithonia! All from my wish list! Many thanks, Linda!
Shirley!

Lotsa thanks:

Let it snow, and birds, card from Ed Salsa Canner!
2 tomatoes I didnt have, chives, sage and Oregano, I got just the bed for them!
Pickeling cucs, Giant sunflowers and Cayenne peppers! Yummy! THANK-YOU!

Detroit girl sent a Rudolph and Santa card! Cute, and Golden Jubilee tomatoe, (I dont have) and long cayenne pepper. Awesome, THANKS!

Oh Boy! LYSA sent a snowman card and, Marigolds and mint, bush beans and pole beans, gourds, hollyhocks and daisys. I enjoy watching all the flowers and herbs grow outside my window in the summer. THANKS- much. dd

Last a JOY card from Kimrose. She sends Oregano seed. I'll be waiting to see how this grows. Our Oregano bloomed purple, and I thought Oregano bloomed white. Anyhow, I dug most of that up this fall and am waiting to start some new.
THANKS, ALL, dd.

Posting Thank YOu's from yesterday! Boy it made my day!

Audrey sent me a beautiful card she made with a poem on it! Loved it! Also 4 packs of seeds that I am thrilled with from my wish list!

Ed-Salsacanner-sent me a beautiful dove card with 8 packs of seeds from my wish list all done up in Christmas seed envelopes! Very nice and thrilled with the seeds!

Shirley-SJC48-sent me a beautiful handmade card with calendula, cosmos, and foxglove! Thanks so much!

Kim Rose-Kimnkell- sent me the cutest Snowman card with parsley and dill in it! They will all definitely be used!

And last but not least-
Diana- sent me an adorable handmade snowman card with sweet meat squash, pattypan squash, blue hubbard, australian butter squash, lemon cucumber, jarrahdale squash, and dk. green zucchini! I am thrilled!

Thanks so much to each of you, I had a really bad day yesterday and hurt my foot (but not broken like I thought) and this certainly cheered me up!

I emailed my bingo card yesterday morning!!

Ooopppss! I just reread it and saw my name! I'm so used to being the last name on the lists. Sorry!!

HO...HO...HO, Yesterday, I received three more HAPPY and JOYFUL cards with WONDERFUL little packets inside.

**Katie aka kchd sent White Pow Wow Coneflower.

**Ed aka salsacanner sent Cilantro, Cosmos Bright Lights Mix and Sweet Basil.

**Michelle aka Detroitgirl77 sent Green Pole Beans and Long Slim Cayenne Pepper.

Katie, Ed and Michelle, thank you so much! Merry, Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Annie

Thank you's

Received my first two cards:

domesticdiana: a cute handmade card and 5 different types of lettuce, snow pea, cilantro,Minnesota Midget Melon.

lysa39: cumin,thyme,oregano,summer savory,anisa hyssop,fennel,galic chives,basil,parsley,dill and corn.

My cup runneth over ladies.

Thank you very much.

margarita10

Another card today! From xiangirl- 3 types of coreopsis and a gaillardia!! Going to love them all!
Thanks so much for them and the lovely handmade card!

Santa came to my mailbox yesterday and left two cards. From kchd, Heliopsis Summer Sundrops and from Xiangirl seven packets of seed in a cute homemade card. Thanks Katie and Heidi!

Today, from the Smitties I received three pks. of seed. Thanks Margo!

Today I received a beautiful handmade card from xiangirl containing seeds for gaillardia, autumn beauty sunflowers, french double marigolds, and purple coneflowers! Too kewl!!

THANK YOU!!!

I received a cute card with puppies on them from roper2008. She sent Azoychka tomato seeds! I've been wanting to grow these ever since I tried them at a farmers market a few years ago--the taste is nothing like I've had before or since. Also received snow white cherry tomato, alma paprika and chocolate scorpion peppers--I love super hot peppers.

Thanks so much!!

I received my first card from Lisa (ishareflowers). She was very generous sending white and butterfly blue scabiosa, snapdragon, R. Cherry Brandy, and three varieties of heuchera. Thank you! I mailed mine today.

Another card today! From Debbie (TheKens11) she sent the most adorable Santa card showing Santa on the beach. My grandsons are in Hawaii this year their daddy is in the Army. I hope they see a Santa on the beach.

Seeds are awesome, Cupani Sweet Pea, April in Paris Sweet Pea, Beets, Jewel tone beets, and carrots (long Imperator)

This is so much fun! Thanks Debbie

I received 2 cards today!

The first one was from smitties - she sent a holly card with some Hot Portugal Peppers (I have been looking for these! I am so happy I finally have them!) and Tennessee Spinner Gourds (I have never seen these! They are adorable!) Thank you so much smitties!

The second one was from zackey! She sent Cushaw Squash (love this!), blackberry lilies (somehow I killed mine, so I am very happy to have more seeds! They are so gorgeous. I love all kinds of lilies!), and Holy Basil (YAY! I got some holy basil last year and it turned out to NOT be holy basil, so I'm very excited to try holy basil out for real this year!) Thank you so much!

I can't wait to send out my cards. I went a little overboard, and it's taking me days of work to complete them, but I think it will be worth it when people receive them. I try to switch it up and send to different people every year, but I know there are duplicates sometimes ;) You should see my craziness for this swap. I have excel spreadsheets of who sent to me for the past 2 years, and I make sure I always send them something, and then I mark down everyone who sends me stuff this year so I make sure I send to them next year, and then I try to add in new people, and it's just madness! And I have pages and pages of handwritten notes in my notebook for this year. I've been writing up labels all day today. The seed stuffing hasn't even begun! And, I only got through 1 page of my 8 pages of labels that I need to make. I take this swap WAY too seriously, but it's the only round robin I do each year, so I want to make sure it counts!

Wow, the cards are flying.

I received a cute card from Lisa39 jammed packed with fun. She sent four colors of pincushion, hollyhocks mix, cotton, blue flax, and white pampas grass. This all can make a whole garden. Thanks Lisa

Margo

Received 2 more cards yesterday and 2 today. There has not been one thing that I've received that I don't need or want. Thank you. Kchd sent Pow Wow coneflowers. I'm going to do one whole flower bed in coneflowers. SJC48 sent Angles Choir Poppy, rocket larkspur and geum Mrs. Bradshaw, ( I love the color of this). Smitties sent 3 different echinacea's, Sombrero Salsa Red, Yellow Paradoxa, and Coconut Lime. Xiangirl sent Allium Mt. Everest, Allium sphaerocehalon, cosmos, and Autumn Beauty Sunflower. All of these were in a beautiful handmade card. Last but not least Lysa39 sent anise hyssop, squash, green and yellow, california poppie, cabbage, lupine mountain blue, summer savory, dianthus, dill, fancy poppies, turkish orange eggplant, lettuce leaf basil, garlic chives, marigold mix, parsley, turnips, zinnias, cosmos, larkspur, pink poppies, winter squash, bok choi. I'm truly amazed each year at the generosity and kindness of everyone that participates in this swap. Thank you.
Debby

Thank you Katie Marie kchd! Can't wait to see Splish Splash Larkspur come to life! I love the name. Thank you for the seeds.
Heidi

Yesterday I received five envelopes.

I received a beautiful holly card and two kinds of dianthus from smitties. Thank you Margo.

I received beautiful Mary and Jesus card from Ed/SalsaCanner. In it was a salad garden (lettuce, radishes, and carrots) Also a pack of cantalope, mammoth sunflowers, and cosmos. Thank you.

I received a snowflake card and two packs of poppies from kchd Katie. Thanks so much.

ishareflowers sent me a Santa on skis card. In it were the following seeds: Gold columbines, six kinds of dianthus,and cosmos. Love them all.

I received a reindeer ornament card from sjc48 and the following seeds: gold cosmos, lemon yellow columbine, penstemon prairie dusk, and white cloud poppies. Thanks for everything.

Today I received a Santa, sleigh, and reindeer card from grdngramma. In it were zinnia, ironweed, purple top turnips,and birdhouse gourds. Thank you so much.

Also I received a holly card from theKensII. In it were Kentucky wonder beans, carrot long imperator, poppies, and radish. Thanks so much.

I will mail mine in two days. They are ready.

Don

I received 2 more cards today. A pretty handmade card from Xiangirl (Heidi) with new england aster, woods aster, gaillardia & cosmos. The other card was from grgngramma she sent giants of california zinnia and chater's hollyhock seeds. Thank you both, the butterflies will love these flowers!
Ginger (ggwrn)

I received my first card today, a nice handmade card from Shirley sjc48. She sent dill, borage, fuller's teasel, and nigella. I love dill and can never have enough! I have never grown borage before but it looks very interesting. I am so happy to receive Nigella, because I have always wanted to try it! I have never heard of fuller's teasel, but I looked them up and the flowers look beautiful. Fullers teasel is used for all kinds of medicinal things and the flower is too cool! Thank you very much for the great variety of seeds - I can't wait to watch them grow!

Look at this teasel flower all dried up:

It is so fun to read what everyone is receiving

Loads of thanks goes out to ishareflowers and Kimmell. I thank you both for Basil, Irish eyes and Orange wallflower. My garden will be more beautiful because of you two ladies.

And OT, you both have wonderful penmanship. That's the kind of hand writing I would love to have.

BINGO WORDS

ANGEL
CANDLES
MISTLETOE

*just a note, I plan on doing words at different times, and maybe multiple times a day, so check in :)

I received three lovely cards today. sjc48/Shirley sent rocket larkspur, daylilies and foxy foxglove; roper2008/Linda shared KMOTGG, Calendula Touch of Red, and marvel of 4 seasons lettuce; and Debby-1 sent wood poppy and oat grass. I can't wait to grow these - thank you all for your generosity! The garden outside looks a bit dreary but the garden I'm planning in my head looks awesome with all these new plants :).

whoopee! I got two cards in the mail today! Thanks smitties/Margo. I love the coneflower and gaillardia and card they were in was beautiful. roper2008/Linda Cute Card and I am so excited to get 2 herbs that I have not tried basil finissimo and white borage. thanks for that and the bonfire salvia and benards zinnia. can't wait for spring.

1. Who was the first President to Decorate the White House Christmas tree ? Franklin Peirce

2.What song was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs ?
Jingle bells
3. The first state to recognize the Christmas holiday was ? Alabama

4.Which Christmas carol did Jimmy Boyd make famous when he was just 12 years old? I saw mommy kissing santa claus

5. Which popular Christmas food was an American discovery
eggnog

***Special Elf list is being passed around, as I get responses, I fix the list, then pass it on. So, if you signed up..check your email the few days, I will be in touch ****

Alrighty then,...my turn again! :)

Yesterday I received two more wonderful cards, with seeds and other delightful surprises!

From Ed (SalsaCanner): A totally kewl Audubon card, featuring a fanciful, carrot-nosed snowman peering at a bird feeder with a Cardinal and Black-capped Chickadees. We get Chickadees here all the time ("Chickadee-dee, chickadee-dee"), and also this time of year, Junkos, finches and the odd Scrub Jay. Once in a while, even a White Breasted Nuthatch or two. In the summer, we also get Northern Flickers, Robins (of course), various herons, Snowy Egrets, Osprey and, ocassionaly, a Red Tail Hawk. Seeds: Cutting Celery (aka Leaf Celery - rare in the U.S., except for Asian & farmer's markets. Very flavorful!) and Thai chili Pepper (Love them hots! And these puppies rank high on the Scoville scale 50,000 - 100,000! - Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Then, from Shirley (SJC48): A truly wonderful homemade card with gold-stamped "Season's Greetings" and the following seeds - Dill (always good stuff), Yellow Columbine (definitely one of my floral passions) and Borage (aka Star Flower - an excellect culinary and medicinal herb)! Thanks a whole big bunch, Shirley! - And, oh yeah,...there's more! Shirley also included a half-dozen delightfully, artfully created homemade flower-butterfly-themed note cards & envelopes as a gift to my wife, Elly, along with a glittery, Christmasy penguin magnet for our son, Roy! - This SSSS totally rocks, as usual!

Hi All,

Received one more card from:

domesticdiana: cumin and squash

I'm going to try and grow the cumin since I use it so much in my favorite chili recipe.

Thank you Diana

margarita10

Okay I have my elves mixed up.

I received the cumin and squash from smitties.

Thank you Margo

margarita10

I got 3 wonderful cards yesterday.
1st one was a wonderful homemade card from heidi (xiangirl) with 3packs of Gaillardia off my wish list. My next card is from shirley sjs48 and she gave me 4 o'clocks, salvia, and colunbine. All off my wish list.
Last card was from grdngrannie who sent me luffa seeds and salvia all off my wish list.
Thank you all for the wonderful cards and seeds
i really love this.
Lisa lysa39

Yesterday I recieved lovely cards and mixture of many veggie and flower seeds from these awesome ladies!!
SJC48- Shirley
roper208-Linda
Lisa831-Lisa
ishareflowers-Lisa
lixiegurl-Dawn
You gals made this a very special year for me I was very surprised. Thank you all so much :) :)

Cindy
alwaysagarden

I received a beautiful, handmade card from Heidi/xiangirl today! Heidi, how creative is that card! Good Job! And where did you get the stencil for "Secret Santa Shop?"
She also sent Autumn Joy sedum, yarrow, joe pye weed, rudbeckia hirta and sunflower seeds! Many, many thanks!
Shirley!

Yeah, 3 more cards today!
Smittie/Margo-sent me 3 gaillardias and red coreopsis! I love all these! Also a beautiful card with American Holly on front.

Margie/onedaylily-sent me poppy, columbine, and digitalis!
I love them all! Beautiful card with amaryllis on the front!

Debby/debby-1 sent me coreopsis, digitalis, and chocolate
cherry tomato! Love all! Card has an adorable kittlen in Santa Hat!

Thanks so much to you ladies for brightening my day!

I recieved 2 more cards today

debby-1 sent a very nice christmas scene card with beefsteak tomatos and some red salvia. yeah can't wait to grow them.

roper2008-linda she sent the cutiest polar bear card. I love polar bears. She sent me some granny cantrell's and some brads black heart tomatos and some salvia.

I can not wait to try some of these seeds I have recieved. It is going to be a long winter waiting for the tomatos to germinate.

And my cards went out today. thanks

Paula

I am so excited! I received 3 cards today! HECK YEAH! I spent another full day preparing my cards and seeds for others and am still going! :)

Thank you to debby_1 for the cute santa cat card and the seeds! I got Oat Grass (never have tried that before! looking forward to sowing them!), red canna (I am starting a bulb farm this spring, so I am very excited to have new varieties!), and California Wonder Pepper (so happy you send these because I didn't get seeds from the ones I grew last year.) Thanks so much! I'm planting everything you sent this spring - love it all!

Xiangirl sent an amazing handmade card loaded with seeds! She sent gaillardia Punchella (I only have one variety of blanket flower so I am super excited to try this new one!), Reed Grass (a grass I haven't tried or have heard of, and am very excited about!), Goldenrod (have never grown them but I've been wanting to try this!), Autumn Joy Sedum (I don't have this sedum yet! It looks gorgeous!), Milkweed (I LOVE this!) and Butterfly Weed (I have never grown this before but it looks gorgeous!). Thank you SO MUCH Heidi! You sent varieties that I didn't have but wanted to try and I am super excited to plant them all this spring!

Last but certainly not least, I received a cute snowman/winter scene card from Ruby_dog! She included Ruby Star Echinacea (I only have purple and white, so I am EXTREMELY excited about this one!), Scabiosa 'Summer Berries Mix' (I LOVE LOVE LOVE these flowers. Can't wait to see what colors I get from the mix!), Jalapeno M Peppers (I love jalapenos - I pickle them, dry them, use them in endless recipes!), Watermelon 'Blacktail Mountain (have never grown these or have heard of them - extremely excited!), Butternut Squash 'Waltham' (I have so many uses for these as well!), and Okra 'Bowling Red' (I didn't even realize there was more than 2 varieties of okra. This is so cool!) Thank you so so so much ruby_dog! I love everything and you are so generous!

Here is a link that might be useful: Secret Santa Swap 2012 continuation thread

This post was edited by redthreaddiy on Wed, Dec 12, 12 at 16:44