Posted late on 2/28 at the end of last month's thread......

Boy have I been a non-existent hostess this month! Work has been really crazy. Corporate keeps coming up with these extra team building type projects for everyone that are really cutting into actual work time! I'm not sure when they expect us to get our actual work done...

Thanks to everyone for the Birthday wishes! It was a good day. Went to the Orchid Show at the Botanical Garden, then out for pizza at a delicious brick oven pizza place.

Happy Belated Birthday and thank you to Dee/Faintheart! My B-day Sis sent me a cute little garden tile for my birthday. Hope you had a good day also. I was dreading my b-day a little this year also....I'm watching the years tick away and I'm not liking it too much!

Deb/Debbya thanks again for the wonderful box you sent this month! I love the windsock, it's going to look so cute blowing in the wind! And the Candy was of course a big hit, always is. Did you make the soaps? They smell divine! Thanks also for the birthday packets of seeds. I'm going to be busy, busy, busy planting them this weekend. It's a great selection.

Jeanne/Sandlapper, thank you for the birthday seeds also! It was really good to hear from you. I'm starting a lot from seed this year so that was perfect timing. :-)

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Now for Garden Circle news....

We've unfortunately had someone have to leave the circle this month due to personal reasons. The people affected should have an e-mail from me with the information for your new pal.

And as a reminder, if you did not hear from your pal in some way, shape, or form this month (February) please let me know as soon as possible!

Kelli and Dee - belated happy birthday wishes! Sounds like you both had a great day.

Can't believe it's March already, I still have wintersowing to do, and of course I have to figure out where all those little lovelies are gonna go! Rainy here today, after snow the weekend and early part of the week. Still plenty of snow on the ground though - no chance of seeing any bulbs peeking up in my beds.

Kelli,
Your package went out today, USPS #0306 1070 0001 7524 9393.

Kelli,

Still havent' heard from you?? Andrea was my 'send to' partner.

Marie

Sorry, Marie. I tried to send you an e-mail and it bounced back again. I put the information into the mail to you today. :-)

Debbya--I'll keep an eye out for a box. Thanks!

Glitter Text

Where is everyone???

I'm here, Mariann. We've had 16 inches of snow since Thursday and about 3/4 of an inch of ice came first. Today is the first day we've been able to get out and the roads are still not good. At least the wind has gone. I haven't seen drifts this high on the roadsides since a horrible storm in 1975. This time though our power stayed on throughout except for a few short gaps.

I am soooooooooo ready for Spring.

Dee

Mariann,

Have you got some photos from your Florida trip to help us all think Spring? I for one, would love to see some!!!

Oh and if anyone in this group would like...I have msn messenger and am always happy to chat with friends when I am surfing online. Just add dee_dla at hotmail dot com and let me know who you are. :)

Hugs,
Dee

Pics you requested Dee,

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This is where we stay in Fl. It's called Anna Maria Island Beach Resort. Old Florida charm.

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This is the view of the Gulf from our balcony.

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One of the small plantings. The manager cares for all the plants. Most of them are hers. I sent her some morning glory seeds.

Dee, I use to have Instant Messenger but I think I got rid of it. When are you usually on line? I go to bed early. I'll check and see if I still have it.

Hugs,
Mariann

Anna Maria Island? What a coincidence! I used to go there yearly to stay at a friend's condo, until they sold it a couple of years ago. Can't remember the name of the condo, but it was behind Turtle-something and sat right on the bay. We used to wade out waist deep into the bay to fish. And always had to eat at this little pizza place in Bradenton....wish I could remember the name.....but I wish they'd expand to this area! We'd eat there at least 3 times within the week we were there.

It's finally turning warm around here...Spring is on the way! I've been stalking the local nurseries and garden centers for pansies. I'm dying to get my hands dirty! Lowe's has some hanging baskets, but that's it so far in this area. I got some of my veggie seeds started last night so that gave me a little fix. And I've still got lots more seeds to go!

Hope everyone else is doing well. :-)

Hi All,
I've been a bit under the weather, but hopefully on the mend. Kelli..what a bad swap partner I am. You've been so good to me and I didn't get in my birthday wishes to you! Please accept my apologies and this pic as a belated gift. Dee same goes for you. Hope you both had a very nice day.
We are getting a sneak peak to spring this week. Not sunny, but in the 50s. I hope to get my package out this week.
Susan

Alicia, I had your March package ready to mail today and went to the post office and the machine said "No such zip code." I had put two of the numbers in the wrong place. Do you think maybe I was a little tired when I copied the address? Anyway, I will for sure get it out later this week. (Looking for pansies; huh? They are 75% off here now because we grow them from fall until spring. LOL)
It's a beautiful day here today. I was out checking on my plants earlier and more of the containners I winter sowed have sprouted. It's fun to go out and check them every few days.
Susan, those are beautiful flower pictures!
Have a good week everyone!

Ahhhh....that's what I needed to see! Palms, sandy beaches, beautiful flowers in bloom. Thank you, Mariann and Susan!

Off to get ready for work...have a great day all!!!

Dee

Alicia, your March package is now on its way. Hope you enjoy seeing some green!

Sandlapper

Dee, I mailed your box out today.
DC# 0306 1070 0005 0863 4728
Another freezing day here with snow. 15 degrees burrrrrrr

Mariann

Kelli - info recieved. Thanks!

Debbya - Deb, your package will go out next week.

Marie

Beautiful day here today, temps in the 50's, almost makes me want to go outside without a coat on! The snow is melting fast. If I was still in Texas, we'd be coming up on our average last freeze date and I'd be getting ready for planting - as it is here, I have two more months to wait! Jeanne, I remember having pansies all winter outside in Texas, they added a lovely touch of color and really handled the cold well. We have pansies in one of the commercial greenhouses here on the property because they're one of the edible flowers my sweetie's business sells. Nice to see their perky little faces.

Mariann, I dropped your March box in the mail yesterday, so you should see it by the middle of next week.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Alicia

Alicia,
Received your box today thank you so much for the wonderful gifts.

I received 2 magazines Horticulture (one of my very favorites) and Country Living Gardner. Garden gloves, which I really need, a magnetic pad (love those), seeds-Columbine 'Magpie' and Sunflower 'Red Sun'. Also a beautiful Hummingbird Twirly it's painted in many lovely colors. Purple being my favorite color. Can't wait to put it outside.

Alicia have a fantastic time in Italy. Post pictures when you get back.

Hugs,
Mariann

Dee, did you get your box?? The DC# states that it was delivered on Sat.

Mariann

Mariann,

You truly did send me SPRING!!!!! It's about 55* out and I just got home from work. THANK YOU so much for a wonderful package! Daughter had it waiting for me when I got home late yesterday. :)

I received a SUPER gardening apron that Mariann made for me with a froggie on it and wonderful pockets! I will cherish this special gift you made! :))) I LOVE IT!!! Also, some seeds for curly parsley, oregano and sweet basil (I use these herbs the most in my cooking!), and soooo soooo cute froggie plant ties, a froggie plant poke and a froggie pot hanger. I adore frog deco in the garden!!! :) Thank you so much, Mariann...I am absolutely thrilled!!!

hugsssss,
Dee

Received a box from Debi/Debbya! Thanks so much! It was full of green for St. Patrick's Day. An adorable green bird windsock (now which do I hang...the ladybug or the bird?....or both?), some green handsoap, a cute little green froggie for my garden, and more seeds! I'm going to be busy tending to seedlings this year....but that's the fun part. I love starting stuff from seed to see what I can (and sometimes can't) grow. Thanks again, I always love what you send! :-)

Susan/Nightnurse--I'm sorry to hear you've been sick. I hope you're feeling better now and have the strength to open the box I put in yesterday's mail for you. Keep an eye out for it.

We're having a little heat wave here. Mid to upper 70s the last couple of days. But we're supposed to be back to normal (50s) by this weekend. Well, it was good while it lasted....

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And now for some Garden Circle business.....

The question was posed to me yesterday..."do we have to use priority mail or is parcel post acceptable?". My response, use whatever you'd like, I just recommend that you use a service that has delivery confirmation. Hope this helps everyone save some $$$ for plants!

Alicia -
I hope to send plants in the next package I mail to you - for April - and just wanted to check on when you might be gone. (I see the post from Mariann about you going to Italy. When is that? Are you already gone?)
Let me know by e-mail please.
I hope your March package has arrived.
Thanks and happy travels!
Sandlapper

Maggie,

Your package will be going out in the morning. I had DH working on something special for you and he just finished it last night. Now I just need to put on the last detail and find an appropriate box. Are you curious? *giggles* I will post DC# tomorrow.

It's starting to feel more like Spring...the snow is melting and the mud is growing! lol

Hugsss,

Dee, I love suprises! I have my first ever WS sprouts (lupines) AND I heard a red-winged blackbird today! That means spring!
Maggie

Jeanne, I finally got your box yesterday, don't know why the mail was so slow this time! I was afraid it might not come before we leave for Italy (which is tonight - yay!). Thank you as always for the great things you sent - an adorable little soft frog that sounds just like a frog, saint patty's day themed napkins, irish cream coffee (yum!), sticky notes that look like zinnia green envy - and seeds for zinnia green envy! I love those and can't wait to grow them. I'll be back in plenty of time for your April box as we're back on the 25th of the month. Then we can compare notes on our trips.

Everyone have a great couple of weeks, I'll miss checking in to see what's going on. Weather here has been lovely the past few days, 50's to 70's - I can hardly believe I'm in the Chicago area instead of Texas!

Mariann, glad you liked your box. I remembered you said no windchimes, so that little hummingbird twirly seemed just right.

Alicia

Maggie...your DC# is 0103 8555 7499 4819 0167

Isn't exciting to see those first WS babies sprout? Nothing here yet. This morning while getting ready for work, I could hear the ducks and geese flying over. I do believe Spring will come!

:)

Dee

Jeanne,
I mailed your package yesterday. Delivery Confirmation Number: 0304 1560 0004 6707 4375
Hope you like it and get it soon!
Hugs,
Stephanie

Norma just wanted to let you know your package goes out today. I am stopping at the post office on the way to the doctor's office. I think I might have pneumonia!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRR

Kelli I received your box! Wooohoooooo thank you so much for the box O'Green! I love it all. The birdhouse is bright and cheerful!!!! Thinmints...mmmmmm Love em. I think I have them half eaten. There was more good stuff..will have to return here after I get back to write more about it. Gotta run now. Thanks again Kelli.

Sorry for the delay in mailing my package Norma, but it will be flying on it's way today :-)

A big thank you to Stephanie!

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My package arrived today and I got those little Easter eggs that open up and each one had candy or seeds inside and I got jiffy pots for starting seeds, an Easter egg candle, additional seeds, gardening gloves and an nice note from Stephanie. She really found a lots of different tomato seeds for me - all kinds of colors and shapes and many that are heirloom. I will have lots of fun with these and hoepfully something good to eat later in the year.

Thanks so much. You made my day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

OMG! I love the dancing cows! I received my package yesterday. Thank you Dee for the wonderful bird house. Sorry to say it will probably never make it outside. It will be added to the rest of my collection!

Dee's is the one on the far right! I love the beaded hanger! Thank you Dee (& Craig)!
I also received a pair of St. Paddy's Day socks & a cute little shamrock pin, both of which I am wearing right now! Have'nt had the time to look through the magazine, but it looks like a good one.
Happy St. Patricks Day everyone!
Maggie

Deb

Marie,
Thanks for the St. Patrick's Day card and seeds- Amaryllis, Bells of Ireland. I already planted both of them today. I didn't check the mail yesterday, so when I went out today to get it, I was very surprised!

Looking forward to getting to know you better!

Deb

Glad you liked it, Susan. Watch for another small box this week, the items I mentioned in my note finally arrived so I put them in the mail to you last Friday 3/16.

Maggie--adorable collection! I especially like the rustic log-cabin looking one near the center.

My daffodils are finally blooming! We're going to be in the 60s/70s but rainy the rest of the week. I've got stuff popping up all over the place...daylilies, sedums, geum, alliums, and a few things that have left me scratching my head and wondering what I planted there. And I finally got those pansies I was looking for--the same weeks Lowe's put them on the shelves, they marked a bunch of 6-packs to $.25 because they were "out of bloom", so I picked up 6 of them, potted them, deadheaded them, and I should have blooms in a few days! Can't grow them year round like Jeanne....but I can enjoy them while they last. ;-)

A big thanks to my pal for March's package!! She sent me all sorts of goodies with an Irish/green theme (Bells of Ireland seeds), mint flavored chocolate (mmmnn...), postcards of Ireland, and many other goodies too!! As I was unpacking the box in front of my husband, with a delighted look at what I was given look/voice... I had to hide the chocolate. No way was I sharing mint flavored chocolate!!!

Take care everyone!
-Stephanie

Stephanie,

Thanks so much for the lovely Sweet Pea seeds! I have been wanting to try them - now I have 3 different kinds =)

I also recieved a neat seed catalog, directions on how to make old lamp shades into plant containers and a letter.

I enjoy your letters so much. Thanks again, enjoy the warmer weather and hugs to Aaron.
Marie

Kelli I want to thank you so much for the Oxalis!!!! I LOVE them. I have a different variety in my garden and have always thought it added a lot with it's cheery little flowers. I am excited to add these new varieties!!!! You are so generous. I hope you wouldn't mind too much if I shared a couple of the little babies with my swap buddy? I think she might enjoy them too :-)

Norma I did send your package out on the 16th. Delivery Confirmation #03070020000349297783. Doesn't look like its been delivered yet though on the USPS site. Sometimes I wonder why I pay extra for Priority Mail if it's going to take that long. Let me know when it's delivered. If you don't get it by Monday I will contact the postal service.
GRRRRRRRRRRR. It's one thing for me to be late, but for them to be late..UNACCEPTABLE!! :-)

I was able to get outside for a few hours today. The weather has been very wet. Can't dig in the soil it's to muddy. I have crocus blooming what a welcome sight. Daff's are up and getting ready to bloom. Also my daylilies are popping up. Now if it would just stay sunny for a few days I'd be very happy.

How's everyone else's gardening going???

Wow! Everyone must be having great weather because there's certainly no one inside on their computers!!! Great! Glad to see it. :-) Still too muddy here to dig in the dirt, but that's not stopping me from planting containers and starting seeds indoors.

Susan, feel free to share the Oxalis bulbs. When the directions said to plant 1 per pot, I began to wonder if I'd ordered too many....I think I sent you 5 of each, plus I've got 5 of each for myself. Might be potting up a few of these for Mom.....

Jeanne, I did get your e-mail but my computer at home has been acting goofy so I haven't gotten to reply to much lately. You'll hear from me soon!

Alicia - I mailed your April package today... I know, a litte early, but I didn't want Easter to interfere with the delivery. There are some plants inside and I sent it 2-day Priority so we will see how long it takes. The plants are some "extras" that came up in my garden. They have been so hot and dry here that they will probably like having a new home!
Sorry you had computer trouble, Kelli. That's no fun! You are right, not many messages to read these days. Everyone is probably busy outdoors. I know I have been.
Happy Spring everyone. The pollen is covering everything in sight here in SC.

Looks like I get to be the first to wish Jeanne (Sandlapper) a Happy Birthday. Hope its a good one!

Jeanne - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Hope you're doing something special.

We returned from Italy on Sunday afternoon,I couldn't believe the temperature - it was sunny and 76! Not the case today, we're cloudy, gray and in the 40's. I took a peek around the yard, lots of spring bulbs peeking out. Only 1 daffodil and 1 crocus were blooming, don't know where the rest of them are. Hellebores are in bloom too. Can't wait until the rest start blooming.

Thanks for the birthday wishes. The picture with the tulips sure is pretty!

Jeanne - your April box arrived yesterday - thank you so much for all the wonderful stuff!!! A lovely card, a pretty journal, adorable lady bug candles, chocolate carrots and cocoa peeps. And plants - which I need to decide where to put. Silver Queen artimesia, bee balm, Stokes aster, Korean bellflower (I had to look this one up, it's a campanula), and my absolute favorite as I've been wanting this one a long time!!! - goldenrod 'Fireworks'. Thank you for a wonderful April box Jeanne, you're the best!

Alicia

Oh, I forgot one other thing in the package - a magazine called Small Gardens. It made me smile because our yard is HUGE, I have literally acres that I can garden in. But I love all gardening magazines, so I look forward to reading this one.

Thanks again Jeanne!

Glad the package arrived okay, Alicia. If the 'Fireworks' doesn't make it, let me know and I will send more. I started out with one plant and have more and more of it come up every year. As for the magazine, just pretend you have many, many small gardens... LOL! We have a little over 9 acres, but most of it is heavily woooded so I think I have many small gardens at the edges of the woods.
Sharing this picture from a few weeks ago. I will have to go outside later this weekend and take some more. Our dogwoods and azaleas are in bloom now - just gorgeous! I am trying to get out my "yard art" - just repainted my little gnomes who had really faded in the sun last year and I have a windmill to finish painting that goes in the garden you see below. I originally had it painted blue, then switched to yellow, and now it is going back to blue.
Have a good weekend everyone!

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im so sorry im so late i have been having problems, sent your pakage steph del confirmation 03063030000122151713...and susan i got your pakage, thanks everything was great, plants are potted, candy has been eaten, and its gettin warm so im done kitting, trying to work on the yard, got a turtle so im making a small pond for "pancho", done the tipsy pots, and totem poles, getting ready for spring..til next time norma