Today is National Pie day!

We are a chilly 28, feels like 18 degrees this morning but no signs of ice. Maybe a little frost on the neighbors house. The water in the bowl outside isn't even frozen and I'm still waiting for my Frostweed to put on a show.

Today's bingo word

Frost

Check your bingo words ladies, I only have 2 words left to draw.

anyone get the correct answer for yesterday yet? Ill guess 'National hot sauce' for yesterday and for today 'National Handwriting Day' ...anyone getting any winter sowing accomplished? Ive got a few things done but not like I usually do. Learning I can direct sow more than I thought. Just direct sowed another (2) kinds of edible peas and sweat peas, lettuce, kale, and radish. My radish, beets, peas and kale that has been currently growing last few months are all doing well - holding up well beyond expectations. They dont seem to mind our weather a bit.

Yesterday was National Come in from the cold day and

today could be National Measure your feet day.

I'm still thinking about "Answer your cat's question day." My cat would have several: 1. Why is warm laundry so fun to sleep on? 2. If the dog doesn't want me to attack his tail, why does he tease me with it? 3. What do you mean I can't walk on the table? I'm the cat, the queen. 4. Why does the bathtub call to me, beg me to jump inside, steal the plug, play hockey with the scrunchie sponge and hope desperately for a drip of water?

No Bingo here. I likely need both of those words that haven't been picked!

Urooj, your package arrived and I love it - like a little trip to Japan! Urooj sent the book When the Emperor Was Divine, which I'm sure I will enjoy. She wrote a note in the most beautiful note card. The rest of the package goes along with her theme - a ceramic crane that can hold your chopsticks, cute paper envelopes from Japan, Calla Lily seeds, 2 very special tea bags, and a pack of origami paper. What a thoughtful package! Thank you so much. My camellia joined in for the picture, as you can see.

Faye, I hope your package arrived. As with the one from Urooj, the post office tracking says it's there.

Jeanne

I have posted twice that I got your package Jeanne. It is a great package. I hope this one will go thru. I don't know what happen to the other 2 post. I will try again later.

Thanks for the fabulous package.

Faye!

No correct answers on the 22nd 2019 Daily Holidays, National, Wacky, Oddball Days: .

Yesterday was National Pie day - Melinda 1 point.

Congratulations to Melinda for getting 8 points.

Today is the last day to post your contest pictures.

Bingo word drawn today

Wet snow

Updated Snow Day partners

Please post when you mail and when you receive.

Jeanne sends to Faye - sent and received

Faye sends to Beth - sent and received

Beth sends to Margo - sent and received

Margo sends to Ruth - sent and received

Ruth sends to Jayeanne - sent and received

Jayeanne sends to Shirley - sent and received

Shirley sends to Melinda - sent and received

Melinda sends to Urooj - sent and received

Urooj sends to Jeanne - sent and received

Please let me know if I missed someone posting.

BINGO

Today is National Compliment Day!

Today is National global belly laugh day! Congrats Shirley!

Congratulations on the Bingo win Shirley!!!

Another cruddy weather day. It hit 50 yesterday with lots of rain and that froze overnight and then we had a small amount of snow. The schools are closed now. Now that I have retired and not working, I am getting cabin fever. I did help a bit by ordering seeds and I am anxiously awaiting their arrival. I am also stopping occasionally at the dollar store to pick up their little fairy garden items. Only 55 more days til Spring.

Today is also National Peanut butter day

Congrats on the bingo shirley. and congrats melinda on getting most of the days!!! i think i finally understand how bingo works and am excited about playing next month. i will try to participate in all of the swaps this year. i am hooked.

glad you liked the package jeanne. i got the idea to ask you what you liked from Melinda because she had asked me what I liked. i hope you enjoy the book. it left me a bit confused about history, it was an interesting read.

i know the game is over but i will go ahead and say it - today is national green juice day! i love love love green juices. everyone should have them, they are so good for you!

btw is anyone doing the new years seed swap?? i have to send in my seeds for that swap soon.

Congratulations Shirley on Bingo.

Is anyone posting more contest pictures today?

Everyone can message me your vote for best weather picture.

If more pictures are posted today and you want to change your mind on the best one, that's fine. I'll post the winner when everyone has voted. I will only vote if it's to break a tie.

Good morning.

Please message me your vote for best weather picture so I can post the winner.

Thanks

Jan. 24 is OPPOSITE DAY! It's also Friday. It's also already above freezing and it's sunny! Doesn't take much these days to make me smile! At work I decorated with valentine's hearts and put couples' names in them: Lionel + Olga. I also printed, "Terry, where's the ring?" He's a manager with a pregnant girlfriend that also works here. The couples listed on the board have started strutting! They are so cute! Heidi

My vote for winter weather photo, I choose all of them.

All of them are get pics. I can't choose just one. So I pick all of them.

Faye!

Ruth, I got your message and have tried three times to answer.... keep getting "MESSAGE ERROR" after hitting send. Have you gotten any of these? OR the one I sent with my photo vote?

Beth, I did get your vote and your other message. Thank you.

I've heard from all but 2 people on the votes.

Today is

NATIONAL SEED SWAP DAY – Last Saturday in January

The seed swap is a fundamental part of human history. Seeds were one of the first commodities valued and traded. Today, modern gardeners collect and exchange seeds for many reasons ranging from cultivating rare, heirloom varieties to basic thrift. The exchange of seeds perpetuates biodiversity. It is an act of giving and the ultimate form of recycling.

HISTORY

The first annual Washington Gardener Magazine Seed Exchange was held in Washington, DC, on January 26, 2006. Kathy Jentz, the editor/publisher of the magazine had the last Saturday of January named an official holiday and National Seed Swap Day was born. After that event’s success, seed swaps in other cities across the nation have joined in celebrating National Seed Swap Day each year on (or around*) the last Saturday in January.

There are over 1,200 national days. Don’t miss a single one. Celebrate Every Day

Interesting, I did not know this.

Ruth, just checking to make sure you got my vote. I sent it yesterday. Margo

Jayeanne-The mail carrier delivered this today:

Book-The Kiowa Verdict - Can't wait to start this.

Seeds - Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, German Chamomile

Tea - 6 kinds of Tea - Yum

Thank you so much Jayeanne

Good Sunday afternoon.

I did get votes from Urooj, Beth, Shirley, Jeanne and Margo.

The winner is Jayeanne's rainy cardinal.

Thanks to everyone that sent in beautiful pictures and for voting on your favorite.

I know it was hard for some of us to get good weather pictures as we had nothing unusual in the weather this month.

We have had very little snow here but several nights a single digit temps have given the hoop house a good test. I opened to up today for the first time in about a week and it is doing surprisingly well. Several types of lettuce ready to pick and in the back left corner some beets just getting started

Gallons of water with black paint are the only source of supplemental heat ,so, I'm about ready to call this experiment a success. As you can see in the foreground, the weeds are happy too

Just wanted to stop by and thank Ruth for a wonderful swap.

My knee is acting up so I'm stuck on the couch. Decided to start one of the books Beth sent and read the whole thing!! It was a goid light read.

Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend. Margo

Jeanne,

You sent a fabulous package. I really liked the snowflakes. Of course I have already ate the snow caps and I have started reading the book "Beaglemania." I am in love with morning glories. Thank you for the morning glory split second, the formosa lily, canterbury bells and the foxgloves. That made me realize I don't have foxgloves growing. Very strange. Anyway thank you so much Jeanne. I really appreciate the package.

Faye!

It's Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day! That's one day I can really appreciate and has saved many of our little baby seeds! It was 50 degrees here yesterday. Back down to the 20s today and wind gusts up to 60 mph. We got a little break, a fix of sunshine and we're plunging back in.

Oh...we keep a spray bottle to water the plants and we're using it to keep the cat off the table. Now all you have to do is reach for it and she's down the hall! Success!

I looked up Split Second Morning Glory. I might have to get some of those! I love morning glories, too. Heidi

We're a beautiful sunny 58 degrees today and the wind is blowing just enough to have the wind chimes making pleasant sounds.

I finally got some winter sowing done.

I direct sowed some Crawford lettuce, Noble spinach and Sweet William seeds.

In pots I did Blue Spice basil, Christmas basil, Cinnamon basil, Siam Queen Thai basil , Amana Orange tomato, Black Hungarian pepper, Serrano Purple pepper and Aji Chinchi Amarillo Pepper.

I also planted some old seeds of Japanese Beauty Berry and Japanese Maple. Hope they aren't too old to geminate.

I've got to check some other seed boxes to find my Beaver Dam pepper and Faludi pepper seeds and get those sown. They are my favorites.

I'm not sure this will do any good as our new puppy Hannah is destroying the back yard since we've had her. Pulls up plants, digs holes everywhere and chews up plastic pots and other stuff. I suspect she'll eat any food that grows back there.

Beth, "Gallons of water with black paint" for heat??

I have what I call a makeshift greenhouse, but I keep a heater in there.

The bottles warm enough from the sun, through the day to keep them from freezing at night. Some mornings they are a bot slushy but so far never actually frozen. Tonight down to single digits and sub zero wind chill may be the breaking point, but, so far it has been working. I'll know in a few days

good news tammy - i got my package in the mail today!!! so as i'm checking out at 5:55 pm and he tells me how much the postage is, i realize the bad news - i forgot to include my return postage :( although I am hoping to win the grand prize, i want to prepare in case i lose, so I will send you my postage or postage money separately.

Hello ladies! Sorry not been on for few days! Been not down and just not been feeling like getting on! Lots of great packages! Congrats to all the winners! Have enjoyed the swap!

Woke up to 28 degrees this morning and my FrostWeed finally did some tiny ice sculptures. Usually it's a lot more but I'll take it.

This is from December2016

These are from January 2018

Ruth, what is this frost weed? Fascinating and now I'm wondering if it might survive here. It would be nice to have some reason to go out and explore a bit. My dog is feeling cheated as she still wants to go to the park for an hour of walking. Sorry Baby. Not today or tomorrow either

Frostweed (Verbesina virginica)

Beth you may already have it growing near you.

It grows in one of our small neighborhood parks near our house, and I've seen lots of it growing in some of the bigger parks. We look forward to watching for mine to do it's thing every year.

The large clusters of white flower blooms appear in August and September and are usually covered with bees and butterflies. The foliage is a larval host for the Summer Azure, Bordered Patch, and Silvery Checkerspot butterflies.

The plant gets its name from its unusual behavior in the winter. When a freeze occurs, the stems will burst and make beautiful ice formations at the base of the plants. You have to go out early to see it because the ice sculpture melts quickly.

• Frostweed is a perennial wildflower that reaches a height of about three to six feet.

• The white flowers appear in the fall and are a nectar source for butterflies and other insect pollinators.

• It grows in part shade and its moisture requirements range from dry to moist.

• Frostweed is native to the following states: AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV.

• It grows in zones 6a to 10a.

• This is a picture of the flower with a bee on from last summer.

Ruth I think you are correct. I just never heard the name frost weed. Thanks

AND< a great big thanks to Faye for my wonderful package! it arrived safely and packed full of goodies.Folfers one cup instant packs that I generally use in my Mocha smoothies an large packet of Java Chip drink mix( Hot or Cold). Nice!!!! I'l a major chocaholic so youreally hit my sweet spot. My book is "Stand into Danger" and it looks very good.

The seed packet was large, and diverse. All kinds of climbing vines (which I totally love). Petunias which I have never started from seed but I'm starting these tomorrow. Red white and purple mixture sounds about ideal to me. I generally buy that combo almost every year. If I could have picked just one, (tough choice) I would have asked for the Lemon Queen sunflower. It is on my next seed order and I'll take it off. Thanks so much Faye. You made my day and I really appreciate the extra time and effort to get this to me.

Beth I am so glad that you liked the package. I hope you enjoy the book.

I am also glad it arrived to you safely and in tact.

Enjoy it.

Faye!

Well I think that's A Wrap on this month's swap.

Everyone has received their packages and game prizes have been mailed out.

Thanks Ruth. Another good swap

thank you ruth. i had a great time. btw i love that frost weed.

Thanks Ruth! A great swap! I will post mine for February later today!

We have a new member joining us at FOTESS. Welcome to Ronnie (Luvsgrtdanes).

We are so happy to have you join this group.

Jeanne

welcome ronnie. you'll love it here at fotess.

Thanks for the welcome...it may take me a bit to get used to things!

Welcome to FOTESS, Ronnie. You'll enjoy this group.

Thanks ruthz for another great swap.

Thank you so much. I really enjoyed it.

Faye!

Ruth ... thank you for a FUN swap and thank you very much for the 'Old Farmers Almanac 2019' and the beautiful butterfly note card. Looking forward to reading this. Thank you =)

Ruth , Thank you so much for the gift of he Farmer's Almanac and the lovely butterfly card! Love them both! I usually always buy one, but hadn't this year! Thrilled to get it! Card is gorgeous! Thank you!

Ruth I to thank you for the Farmer's Almanac and beautiful notecard. DH grabbed it first thing.

Still no snow here but we do have ice.On the morning glory fence ( downed tree in background)

and on the cedars I use for screening