I'll be digging up some plants in the spring when they're just starting to bud out, probably the end of March or beginning of April. These plants get 3-4 feet tall and Monarchs lay their eggs on them. I want to make room for another kind of milkweed that I'd like to plant and wondering if a few people would be interested in these SMW for the cost of a large flat rate postage box. I usually post about things on the butterfly forum but was afraid that I'd get inundated with replies there. I've received some positive comments on the reviews forum if you'd care to check it out: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/raterev/msg1114185629741.html Cost of a large flat rate postage box is $12.95, assuming it doesn't go up between now and then. If interested, click on My Page and my email link and drop me a line letting me know. I'll get back to you and put you on a list of people to send to. Cathy

Pam and Susan, You both are making me blush. ;-) Seriously, thanks for saying such nice things. It made my day. I've just always believed in helping people, and of course I'm trying my best to help the butterflies. Pam, I don't know what to tell you about the V. bonariensis. Have you tried wintersowing? I guess when I planted mine several years ago, I hadn't been aware about it being hard to germinate. Actually, when I sowed my seeds, that was before I found out about wintersowing and I guess I sowed the seeds just like I had been sowing all my other seeds. I think I merely sowed them in potting soil in late winter and the plants came up. Since they are small seeds, I wouldn't plant them very deep, maybe just press them into the soil. I'd try various ways and see which works. I sure hope that you can get some to germinate because the butterflies sure do love those plants. Susan, Thank you and I think we're lucky to have you too. I've been reading here lately more than I've been typing. I do really enjoy seeing what other people are doing in their gardens, and I keep up with what you're doing. I remember your generosity to me and if there's anything I can do for you, I'd do whatever I can to help you. :-) I just looked at my profile because I didn't know exactly how long it has been since I joined here. It was in August of 2006. I started my butterfly garden the previous summer and it included several swamp milkweed plants that I had bought at a local nursery. I didn't get Monarchs that first year, maybe because it was so late in the summer when I got the garden underway, but I was thrilled in 2006 when I found some cats on the milkweed plants. I don't remember exactly when I first found the forum (reading but not yet posting). I guess I read enough here to pique my curiosity and to become interested enough to start a butterfly garden but didn't post right away. I suppose I felt an urgent need to post when I didn't know what I was doing when I found the first Monarch cat but didn't know the details of raising one. So I guess you could say that when I first found the forum I probably read just enough to become dangerous. lol Thank goodness that there are such nice people here like you, MissSherry, CalSherry/aka tdogmom, and others who didn't discourage my questions or I really would have felt beside myself. I suspect I'm not the only one who starts into a project only to feel like she got in over her head. Well, I think when I first started planting for the butterflies I didn't really have any intentions of raising caterpillars; however, then once I found some I felt the need to protect them. All of a sudden it became urgent to me that I not let anything get to the cats. If I had been told by people that I should go read first, I probably wouldn't have been able to save those first cats because till I had read enough to feel like I knew what I was doing, I'm sure it would have been too late for them and they'd have perished. Because of the generosity of you and others I've learned a lot and raised many cats over the past 4 years and have been trying to pay it forward ever since. Thanks so much for opening up another world for me and enabling me to help another part of nature, which I love so much (I've been into birding for 20+ years and have online birding friends too). I think my butterflying and birding friends are some of the nicest people that I've ever met. I really did get to meet many birding friends in person about 5 yr. ago when we were at a get-together in TN, but that's a whole other story. Yes, that would be too cool to celebrate people's birthdays and join dates. I noticed that your birthday is just 4 days before my husband's. Cathy

Abnorm, are those the same banana spiders that were found in a box of bananas in England? Maybe you are joking? I really am not sure. Lekle, I will try to recreate what you mentioned, but I am not sure how. Crenda, that would be great to re-create that. I have seen that on "swamp people" many times. I have about 3 ft across X 2-1/2 long area, on top of this small side-table to make this habitat. As far as raccoons, oppossums, and dragonflies. The coonies, and possums show up here in Pa. I was trying to show the critters that were more prolific down south, we have dragonflies here also.

Hey, I can swear with the best of you, although I rarely do. Raising a bunch of boys after their father died taught me the value of 'holding my tongue', as it were. Once in a blue moon, when I'd had enough and really let loose, the effect was electrifying. Just as sherrmann described, my sons' friends still talk in hushed and awed tones about the time "Miz B told Jason to take his sorry azz and all his chit out of her house and never, ever bring his effing scumbag self back". They were in such a state of shock, they barely said a word for 2 days afterwards. rofl Okay, not exactly the language my mother taught me. But I caught Jason with dope, so Southern manners were the least of my concerns, right? I'm just fine with 'salty' language, as long as nobody is around who would be offended. For instance, I'd never insult my 90-year-old great aunt by using words that would upset her. (You may call that hypocrisy. I call it courtesy.) What I'm not okay with, under any circumstances, is crude language. And the word "snot" is painfully crude, particularly when used to describe food. Turns my stomach (and I don't have a weak one!) sm P.S. And I have to add that comparing Julia Child's voice to coarse language is THE most ridiculous 'strawman' evah!!!