Paul, I sure hope you're okay and everything will be all right. We've missed you!

I'm so jealous you have sprouting Tdog milkweed! Much too cold here yet to plant. Although I am going to try to winter sow mine next month (late) to have an earlier start than I did last year.

Please keep us posted!

Susan

Hi Paul,
I wondered what was going on with you. I definitely miss you and all of your fab garden news. Hope things are okay...with you and your family. Hugs to you and lots of healing zens being sent your way...from me and Guardian Angel Tifanny!

Sherry

PS: If you need more Asclepias seeds, let me know...I have a few Ruta graveolens seeds as well... (Rue for the Giant Swallowtails!)

Congrats on the seeds sprouting, Paul, and I sure hope your health is okay! I've wondered why you haven't posted. Two of my PVSs and two of my GSTs emerged during the winter - I had to release them, but I don't know whether or not they survived. A PVS emerged today, and I released him - I sure hope the weather stays warm enough for him to thrive!
Speaking of seeds, about two weeks ago I planted 25 of the ptelea trifoliata seeds I saved from last year. I've been keeping them moist and taking them outside when the weather is warm, which has been most of the time lately. Today I saw the first little stem about to pop up! I have no idea what my germination percentage will be, but I sure hope I get plenty ptelea trifoliatas to plant as understory trees in my woods for the giant swallowtails!
MissSherry

Hi Paul. Sorry to hear about your need for tests. Tomorrow I have to take my Dad in for some more tests, I think waiting and worrying is the worst part. Good luck, I hope all turns out well.

Last year, I had a couple of BST emerge early also, I guess they can be fooled by premature warm spells.

I've had pain for years...digestive (biliary/pancreatic?). Been to as many Dr and hospitals as you can count. But I'm determined to find a name for the monster and deal with it.

I've missed you guys.

I was going to post regarding whether my false nettles in pots would come back, as the freeze really nailed them, but I saw sprouts....so good news. MissSherry, you gave me some thistle seeds last year, the ones I planted in summer never emerged, but I kept some in an evelope, and earlier this winter stuck the enveloe ion the side of an outdoor pot to chill the seeds, and opened it, and some are sprouting, so m any hopes there. The construction of the garden has been on hold, I'm really eager to finish, but I believe i'm probably 10k away from that day, and it will have to wait....but I'm certainly going to contuinue improving the plantings.

There is someone here I've promised some A humistrada seeds, and I'm about to FINALLY get them out, I feel bad, but have been so consumed with family and health issues....

I've got birds galore coming to the feeders, but looking to introduce more berry producing plants, I put a serviceberry in this winter, my first one died....hope this one makes it.

I put in a lot of my pipevines around the perimeter of the fence last fall, really hoping it will take over, and lots of P caerulea as well.....I recently read somewhere that p caerulea (sp?) is a south American passionflower, but it did very well for GF, my first VF and zebra longwings. I found some native passionflower in areas soon to be developed, and hope a couple of them survived the transplant.....

I'm going to be starting a lot earlier, and take my lesson to heart....you can never have enough host plants!

I have started a website, but haven't worked on it since last fall....hope to resume that as well.

Paul, I'm glad to see you back and hope that you're feeling better. I bet you'll be busy now getting ready for spring. Here's hoping that you have a great year!
Cathy

Paul,

I'll bet as you focus more on the serenity of your beautiful butterfly sanctuary( wing and a prayer???) and less on all the presssssssssures of fixing/selling other properties, work, etc. at least some of the digestive problems will abate. My stomach problems have lessened significantly since my retirement from university teaching. BTW, you owe me nothing, your insurance pays for all unsolicited medical advice from people who have never studied medicine!

mike

I had a guy friend at work who had lots of digestive/colon problems, too. While he talked about it freely, he was the type who kept everything bottled up inside. Never lost his temper or exhibited any frustration. I have a feeling that his digestive problems probably may have been an outlet for all the things he would have like to have said and done, but didn't. I worked in a large law firm in downtown OKC, and there was so much stress and pressure in that job. Although we had an office manager, she was pro-lawyer and NEVER pro-staff. We have a lot of turn-over, and while I managed to stay there for 10 years, I was so thankful when I finally was about to take disability. I always felt like I never was going to finish a project there because my office was busting at the sides with too many unfinisheds.

Now, I can do what I really enjoy doing - have a butterfly garden and raise butterflies and moths. It has been a real turn-around for me.

Susan

Thanks all...Mike....ROFL.....believe me, I could do a hundred things. I'd be delighted to hear them say "nothing wrong", just stres, but I really don't feel stressed...and gardening is QUITE relaxing.....I spent all day today potting small seedlings I negligently left outdoors all winter into larger pots....things are starting to emerge from the ground. We had a very warm January, and I saw a sulphur flit right across my backyard!

I must say, at 44, I'd love nothing more than to retire somehow, or take a low paying job teaching in a private school, where I could spread the enthusiasm about butterfly gardening......but that's a few years away.....

Hey, I'm 44, feel like 84 (arthritis and all that), look like 34, and work in a low-paying PUBLIC school where they are planning on trying to have the teachers pay $844 a month for our own medical insurance!!! EEK! hmmm...retirement DOES sound enticing although hubby, who IS retired keeps saying, "You haven't put in enough years, hon" (hey, I've put in 22 years already!) so I think I am going to go and get my nails done to ease some stress. :P tee-hee-hee!

Paul, hope all goes well with your tests. Your presence has been missed. Glad to see your posting again.