And here are tonight's Bingo words:

Mourning Cloak

Compound eyes

Faye, you get the other word!

Good Grief, we have 4 people with 9 words! This could get tricky!

Butterfly Bingo words drawn so far:

Pearl Crescent

Buckeye

Scales

Antenna

Red Spotted Purple

Abdomen

Nectar Plant

Cabbage White

Caterpillars

Swamp Metalmark

Habitat

Monarch

Migration

Zebra Swallowtail

Thorax

Great Spangled Frit

Mimicry

Viceroy

Proboscis

Malachite

Eggs

Summer/Spring Azure

Flight

Mourning Cloak

Compound Eyes

I'll post an update on who, what and where tomorrow!

Shirley!

Heidi, thank you for keeping us going through April. I am looking forward to seeing what you have planned for us.

Just got back from a buying trip with the owner of the store. We drive to Columbus which is two hours away. Just as we were heading back home, the snow began. We both had our own cars so we decided to meet about half way home for dinner. The roads were awful considering it was less than an inch. The break for eating helped us calm down. By the time we hit the road again, the roads were better. About 45 minutes from home, it got bad again and that 45 turned into an hour and a half. The roads were glare ice. Had to take a detour around one accident than got held up with a semi that slid right through a guardrail and was dangling over it. Awful. All the overpasses were icy underneath and several cars hit that and slid off the road. I was a shaky mess when I finally arrived home. I can't believe how bad a bit of snow made the roads.

Bought some wonderful garden items for the store and can't wait til they come in.

Margo

Evening Everyone!

Pretty day here today, but SO COLD!

Here's what's happening with the "BF package" assignment:

Dawn SENT to Alana Partial REC'D

Alana SENT to Dawn

Shirley (sjc48) SENT to Heidi

Heidi SENT to Shirley(sjc48) who REC'D

Peggy SENT to Faye

Faye to Peggy

Nicole SENT to Margo who REC'D

MARGO to Nicole who REC'D

Shirley (brittanysgram) SENT to Annie who REC'D

Annie SENT to Shirley(brittanysgram) Partial REC'D

Ruth and Jamie - Both SENT and REC'D

Katie SENT to Erica who REC'D

Erica SENT to Katie

Please let me know if I missed anyone.

And here are tonight's Bingo words:

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Pupa

And we have the 2nd Place Winner! Congratulations, Ruth!

I'll be mailing prizes out at the end of the swap.!

And the Butterfly Bingo is officially over! Thanks for playing, Students!

I have the day off tomorrow, planning on transplanting Petunias and other stuff!!

Have a great day,

Shirley!

Hello to everyone!

I've missed reading the thread and posting. So sorry I can't be hostess for April. Thank you to Heidi for doing that and I know it will be lots of fun.

All of you know that I have a bad back that I've been dealing with. It has been acting up all this month and my husband is having to go for medical tests, etc. and he'll be having surgery shortly after Easter so my month of April is going to be a busy one. They think he will only be in the hospital for 2 days so I hope it works out like that. We have no one around to help - so with him in the hospital and me going back and forth and taking care of the horses, dog, and cat, it will be plenty busy. This surgery is for one of three problems so I hope the other two can be taken care of through medication or an office procedure.

Anyway, I'm wishing everyone a Happy Easter and if you think of it, say a prayer that everything goes well with my husband and his surgery.

Jeanne

Ohhhh! (Scream!) A Butterfly Card-Making Kit came in the mail today from Shirley! I have my first stamp pad, a butterfly stamp (single) and a set of butterfly stamps-acrylic Martha Stewart, a pkg of 3-dimensional butterfly stickers, Fun with Butterflies Stencils and a set of 10 A2 blank cards to play with! The seeds that came are no less exciting--orange poppies, bronze and common fennel and Tithonia. I have not grown fennel. What I thought was fennel a few years ago was something else so it will be fun to watch these plants and see what they attract! Thank you so much! I can't wait to dive in! It's cool and rainy here. We got a light sprinkle. We'd take a lot more, but we'll take anything to settle the dirt and give the plants a bit to drink. I'm watering like crazy and it's only March. Thank you Shirley! I feel like I won the Lottery!

Heidi

P.S. Look for April's post soon!

Received my package from Erica yesterday evening. I'll be back later tonight with details, photos, and to get caught up on the thread!

House building continues!!

Alana- I received the package. I LOVE it! A 2ft by 2ft black metal butterfly, Hollyhock and butterfly flower perennial seeds. Now where to hang it?

Jeanne, keeping both of you in my prayers. Take care.

Heidi, glad you are pleased. I was totally pleased that day, 40% off, on sale and coupons - Hobby Lobby and Pat Cantans! Got Bingo prizes, stuff for me, stuff for some friends and a B-day gift for my sister-in-law! Good Day!

Katie, love the windows!

We had rain all day, which was a good thing, we really needed it. I had the day off and did some indoor seed starting. Tried to transplant the petunias, but ran out of room for all the flats it would have taken. Started 9 different kinds of Gaillardia, Cashmere Sage, two types of Phlox, Asparagus Fern, and Apple Gourds and Peanuts from the Theme Garden Swap! Another good day!

Here's what's happening with the "BF package" assignment:

Dawn SENT to Alana Partial REC'D

Alana SENT to Dawn who REC'D

Shirley (sjc48) SENT to Heidi who REC"D

Heidi SENT to Shirley(sjc48) who REC'D

Peggy SENT to Faye

Faye to Peggy

Nicole SENT to Margo who REC'D

MARGO to Nicole who REC'D

Shirley (brittanysgram) SENT to Annie who REC'D

Annie SENT to Shirley(brittanysgram) Partial REC'D

Ruth and Jamie - Both SENT and REC'D

Katie SENT to Erica who REC'D

Erica SENT to Katie who REC'D

Please let me know if I missed anyone.

Heidi has posted the April FOTESS Swap, it sounds like fun, check it out!

Shirley!

Shirley (brittneysgran) sent you an email yesterday. Part 2 of your butterfly swap will be sent out on Saturday or Monday, so you should receive by the end of next week.

Jeanne, thoughts and prayers for your husband and for you!!

I have enjoyed our butterfly fun this month. I have certainly learned alot........THANKS so much Shirley for another fantastic month of FOTESS. You are a very good teacher.........and a patient one!!

Happy Thursday!!

Annie

Hi ladies! Back to give a more detailed description of the wonderful seeds Erica sent to me. She initially sent a package with a seed assortment and some butterfly notecards, but sadly the postal service was rough enough on the package to rip the tape off and allow ALL of the contents to fall out. All that arrived was an empty package 0_o Erica was so kind that she sent a whole new package, even though I didn't think she needed to. The 2nd time around, she sent seeds that she ordered from Prairie Moon Nursery! She selected:
Asclepias viridiflora (Short Green Milkweed)
Monarda bradburiana (Bradbury's Monarda)
Delphinium carolinianum (Wild Blue Larkspur)
Pycnanthemum verticillatum var.pilosum (Hairy Mountain Mint)

all of which I am super excited to grow!! Thanks so much, Erica for being such a splendid and generous swap partner :)

Jeanne, here's hoping both you and your husband are feeling better and your health improves!

In the meantime, I've been staying quite busy with the house construction. We've been trying to settle on paint colors, including selecting a "Haint blue" for the porch ceiling. Next is the hard part of coordinating all of the colors inside (flooring, cabinets, countertops, and paint). I'll post a photo of the paint chip chaos on my kitchen table...

Paint chip chaos!

Glad you liked it Dawn. I'm off tomorrow so I'm ready to get the weekend started. Go Kentucky Wildcats!

Jeanne, thinking of you and your husband. Keep us updated.

Katie, I never understand what the post office workers do with these packages. It was wonderful of Erica to resend and what a great bunch of seeds. I don't envy you in your projects of coordinating colors and such. I did that 8 years ago and it wasn't easy. We ended up painting mostly egg shell white because we had to do it all in flat because of nail pops. Once they fixed all those after the first year was up, we painted the colors we really wanted and I always use semigloss so things wash off easier.

Update on Meow. We are back to our regular routine. He arrives at sundown and I feed him on the front porch. He hangs around until early morning and then takes off for the day. Still don't know where he goes. I thought since he was inside for a week, he would stick around 24/7 but not the past two days. His wounds were healing nicely but I haven't been able to check them tonight so hopefully he is still doing good.

Still cold here. Rain mixed with snow this morning. I am SICK of it. No temps out of the 40's until mid next week.

Thanks again to Shirley for an awesome swap. Margo

Evening All!

Margo, I almost cried this morning when the rain all of a sudden turned to snow. It didn't stick but it was still heartrending!

Annie, glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for posting the update!

Alana - Go State! I usually cheer for the Illini, but not this year!

Great selection of seeds, Katie! Good Job, Erica!

Well, Students, as soon as we hear from Peggy and Faye, this class will pretty much be over. Everyone has posted their BF Reports, and there are no assignments left. I'll post some "study areas" for you before we close this; hopefully, your interest in Butterflies will continue long after this class is over.

I am so ready for the weekend. Somehow it's harder to be at work, after I've had a day off.

Happy Friday!

Shirley!

Shirley, this has certainly peaked my interest in butterflies. I find myself with more knowledge and of course, resources to help me out with making more of a butterfly garden experience in my garden. I have always enjoyed the butterflies especially the swallowtails on the fennel but now I will be be more observant. Maybe another swap could be a study of our state birds etc.

More snow is possible today. Nothing real big but maybe an inch here that will only stick to the ground and roofs and not the roads which is a blessing for travelers. I have a big houseful tomorrow for a bday party for my son in law. I am excited to have the kids around.

TGIF, Margo

Just wanted to say you gals have done a fantastic job with this swap. Excellent A+ reports here and beautiful photos too. I am sincerely impressed and know I will be returning to refresh my mind on some of the info.Butterfly gardening is dear to my heart.

Sorry to be "absent" for so long but life here has been enough of a challenge to keep me spinning my wheels the past 5 months. Looking foreward to better days and happy gardening starting next month. We should be back to MO and starting on some fun projects instead of running to Drs a couple times a week.
YES< Spring is just around the corner. Hope you all have a beautiful weekend.

Hi Beth!

Yes, this has been a very informative swap, above and beyond the norm.

Hi everyone,

Skyblue52 I am mailing out your package tomorrow Friday March - 27. Your confirmation number is 9405503699300022451292. I am so sorry in getting this out so late but I hope you enjoy it.

Faye!

Oops! So sorry. It is not skyblue52 but canfan I am mailing to. Amazon has me so tired I can not even think. Also canfan I received your package a couple of days ago and I loved it. Your confirmation number is 9405503699300022451285. Peggy sent me a lovely package of a butterfly microkite, peach lavendar lollipop, compost soil amenment (I can really use this), An easter card, butterfly tatoos, and a seed mix of eildflowers birds and butterfly mix. I love it.

I am sorry I am mailing late but I hope you enjoy it.

Faye!

Glad you caught that, Faye, I had just posted that you were supposed to mail to Peggy!

Faye, are you still working for Amazon?

I'll be back later

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Shirley!

I am glad you received you package, Faye. I was just thinking that I should be pulling out the tracking number to check on it. I'll be interested in hearing whether you like the sucker. It is made with hops, which is a locally grown plant. Our area is known to be one of the largest hop growing areas in the states. I hope your work at Amazon slows a bit so you will have some time to enjoy the new growth of spring.

We are expecting record warm temps and have planted peas, lettuce and radishes. The onions and potato's will go in this weekend. I'll post again when I receive the swap... unless something exciting occurs in the great outdoors. Happy Spring, Everyone!

I am really glad that you all enjoy this "class!" I know I learned a lot too.

Peggy and Faye, thanks for posting! Peggy, how great to be outside planting all ready!

Well, I think we can safely say that the "term" is ended. I came up with a small list of Independent Study subjects, things we didn't touch on in class. At your leisure, check some of these out. There is always something else to learn and experience.

Moths

Dragonflies

Raising Butterflies in your home

Butterfly Garden Planning

The National Butterfly Count

Finding Books/Magazines specifically about Butterflies

Butterfly Photography (they are much easier than birds to get pics of, especially on super hot, sunny days!)

Thank you all for participating, it was fun!

Shirley!

Oh, just forgot to say: Congrats, Alana, on Kentucky's win!

And, Annie, Nicole and Erica? GO GONZAGA!!

Just saying

Shirley!

• Shirley! Heidi and all my Fotess friends: Free seeds for bees/pollinators from Bayer Corp at feedabee.com. Read the post on the Exchanges/Seed Trades board and there is a link. Mary E.

OH, I love this MARCH MADNESS fun!!

Here is my take on the MADNESS....

My money is on Kentucky to win it all.....

But let me be EMOTIONAL...... Yes, my Fighting Irish of NOTRE DAME. But I do not see that happening. Today, I am sorry to say that I believe Kentucky will beat the IRISH.

If not The Irish, I would be happy, very happy with Gonzaga winning it all.

I do like Arizona.....but I do not think this year is their time.

Sorry Shirley, I do not think your Spartans will make it to the finals. But I was pulling for them last night as I had them in a few pools. Yes, money for Annie.......LOL!

I think the big game will be Kentucky and Gonzaga.......we will see!

Thanks again Shirley for a wonderful March, FOTESS style!!

Happy Saturday!!

Annie

Annie, much as I would like to see State take it all, I have to agree with you about Kentucky and Gonzaga, with Kentucky taking it. Altho.....on any given day....so, until it's over, I'm still saying: GO SPARTANS!!

I had forgotten you liked Notre Dame.

The only time I watch college basketball is at this time of year. I was glad to see Tom Izzo still coaching State, but for how much longer, good grief, has he been there forever? Yes.

Beautiful day here, but still very cold. I've been busy with the seedlings, trying to find room for them all. There is NO room, and that makes it very challenging. If it weren't for the cats, I could have them at all the windows in the house. I will never forget the year, they ate my baby spider plants and my two lonely cumin seedlings!

Have a great day, All,

Shirley!

Oh, Shirley, that is my problem here this year, kittens galloping all over the sunporch windowsills! Last year the windowsills were full of pepper and tomato seedlings. Mary E.

Cats are great, but you do have to keep an eye on them, for sure. I recently took the dome off of some okra seedlings that I had started indoors. Next morning the ones on the outside edge were missing their leaves. Hmm... mysterious leaf eating goblins or snacking kitties?

Hey Faye! Package arrived and I am really excited about the flower seeds (Blood flower butterfly milkweed, butterfly weed orange, Cleome drunk Butterfly and Joe Pye Weed). I am going to do a bit of research to find out more about each variety and am hoping to get them planted shortly. Unfortunately the chocolate bunnies had a short life ;) and the hanging ornaments will be a colorful addition to my container gardens. THANK YOU for EVERYTHING! March is exiting with cool wind and cold temps BUT we know that this too will pass. Best wishes for kind and warming April Showers, Everyone. Regards Peggy/Canfan

Thanks for posting, Peggy and best wishes to you too, happy 2015 gardening!

Erica, there aren't too many mysterious leaf eating goblins left, so my guess is snacking kitties!

Shirley!

I've seen 2 butterflies! I'm so excited. They won't let me get close. I have a whole new appreciation.

That's great, Heidi! Keep an eye out, there will be lots more to come! Congrats on your first sighting!

"keep an eye out" Is that a Western PA colloquialism? I think so.

I set out my fruit/suet tray today, not getting much else done, what with looking out the kitchen window all day; so hoping for a Mourning Cloak!

Shirley!

My DVR recorded NOVA from pbs about monarchs. How ironic HUH that we were studying about butterflies and I'll get to watch it.

Sounds good, Nicole! Is that a new program? I know there was an older program about the Monarchs, ye gods, years ago now!

I saw my first bees yesterday, two different kinds, hey, it's a start! Can the Mourning Cloak be far behind?

I'll be sending the Bingo prizes out after the Easter holiday. Things have turned a little hectic, a little sooner than I thought!

Have a great day!

Shirley!

My bad. I forgot to mention that I received 2 packets of mixed flowers seeds from Dawn. That finishes our swap.

Like they say...coincidence is when God remains anonymous, bluee19.

Happy Easter, Fotess buddies!

I stopped by to wish everyone a Happy Easter, Happy Passover, or maybe just Happy Spring! Please excuse me for not posting more often. My husband is still waiting for his surgeries. They moved the date of the first one until near the end of the month because he had to have a tooth extracted and they want to be sure all of the infection is gone before they do more. He has healed so well from the dental surgery that hopefully that's a promising sign for how the rest will go.

I think of all of you when I'm in my garden. With my back problems, I can only do a little at a time, but with my husband's help we got some bulbs planted today and I moved some of my small winter sowing plants into larger containers. I'm not sure I'll be able to place much of anything in the ground. I did some digging in the ground about 10 days ago and really had issues with my back after that. Today is the first day I am moving around better.

Meanwhile, we have so many pretty things in bloom right now: daffodils, azaleas, dogwood, petunias, geraniums and more. The local vocational tech high school had a plant sale a few days ago and I got some hanging bakets of petunias, a geranium, and some tomato plants from them. Either the tomato plants didn't do well for them or they sold out really early. I came home with 8 tomato plants though so we'll see how they do. The pollen is pretty bad at this time of the year, but the flowers are wonderful!

Jeanne

Jeanne, thinking of you and your Honey!!!

Alana, not pretty last night with Univ of Kentucky.....what a game!! And Shirley (sjc)....really not pretty with Michigan ST. My money is now on Duke......tiz a pick!

Shirley (brittneysgran).....you still have not received part 2 of your butterfly swap?? I better check on it tomorrow!! Sorry about the delay!!

Happy Easter!!!!!!

Annie

Evening, Everyone, and I hope you all had a nice Easter! Ours was great, the granddaughters were here; we had fun coloring eggs and of course, we had the annual Easter Egg Hunt. My son-in-law took the girls to Home Depot Saturday morning to build stuff, and my daughter and I had 3 whole hours to do "Heidi inspired" Card making! Such fun, we had lots of new ideas to try out, and time to do it in, that doesn't happen very often!

Annie, MSU was pathetic, no other word for it. I could have cried. I read somewhere that this is the worse they have ever done in March Madness. 20 points?

I went on to cheer for Kentucky, no luck there either. But at least UK put up a good, scrappy fight. The brouhaha afterwards was kind of sad, tho.

OH, OH, OH!! I have sprouts in 6 of my 8 WSed jugs!! How great is that? I was beginning to worry, but we're on a roll here!!

Also wanted to say that the Bingo prizes will be mailed out tomorrow. Even if it rains!

Well, off to finish up the kitchen and get ready for bed. Back to work tomorrow, have to be there at 8, bummer!

Shirley!

Saturday night was a roller coaster. The least Wisconsin can do for us Ky fans tonight is beat Duke! :)

Annie thank you so much for my wonderful butterfly package.

Annie sent:

Two king size Hershey bars (Yum)

These seeds: Petunia super cascade mix, Sunflowers evening sun, Coreopsis Sunburst, Petunia Nuvolari Harlequin Rose and Zinnias Bling Bling.

And two beautiful handmade beaded Butterfly picks. (I will treasure these forever)

Yes Annie Butterflies Are Free!

Shirley

Morning! Bingo prizes are on their way, please let me know when you get them!

Have a great day!

Shirley!

Shirley, i got the beautiful hand made butterfly cards yesterday. I love them. Thank you so much. Great swap.

I got an absolutely fabulous bingo prize. Thanks Shirley! I will elaborate tomorrow with photographs. Happy weekend.

Well, a photo will follow later. I am having trouble uploading so here is the rundown on this super duper butterfly prize.

First a Little Butterflies stained glass coloring book. When you color these transparent pages with whatever medium you choose they appear like stained glass when hung where sunlight reaches them. So pretty!

Glitter Butterflies stickers, really special ones.

Two very sophisticated coloring books: Butterfly Alphabet and Exotic Butterflies and Moths. These are wonderful. A few years ago I bought the first one for my mother and she loved it. There are so many things you could do with these. One of them I will share with Allie and Sophie. We will work on it together when they come for a visit.

Thanks Shirley. It was a fantastic prize. I don't often win "stuff" but in March I won a FBS gift certificate and then this cool prize. If I had known it was my month I would have bought a lottery ticket. ;>)

Shirley, thanks so much for the lovely butterfly card and the fennel seeds! Love your cards, and the butties will thank you for the host plant :)

Shirley, I received my card and bronze fennel, as well. Thank you so much. I loved the card. I already repurposed it!

Shirley (sjc), received mail from you yesterday. Thank you so much for the BEAUTIFUL blue butterfly card and Bronze Fennel seeds.....I love the scent!!!

Your cards are always so wonderful. I would guess the butterflies are stamped on????? I need to get in to card making......I keep saying that and I am going to do it!!!

Thanks again!!

Annie

Shirley, I want to thank you too for the beautiful handmade card and fennel seeds. My swallowtails will love you for these and I can't wait to plant them for them.

Margo