Thanks! I love them too. And so far the maintenance has been a breeze. I haven't started major cooking yet but I think I'll get a huge cutting board to put right by the stove to throw hot pots and to cut on and things. I have spilled stuff already all over it (clearly I am not a marble person, although it's beautiful) and it doesn't show anything.

I'm starting a little late, but there's supposed to be a late (for our area) frost tomorrow, so it worked out! Just have to find some materials to make a nice bean trellis (don't want to bring anything trashy into their yard!) I'm hoping I can go to DH's old work and find some hand carved stuff to pretty up her yard as a thank you! She is offering tools, tomato cages, organic fertilizers etc etc etc! I'm jazzed! Nancy

Sandy- that's so sweet! I imagine that was a wonderful Christmas :) Mazerolm- that's fantastic, it's always good to have great neighbors! I know I've ended up sharing plants with some of my neighbors too and they're always thrilled. Gardenho and functionthenlook- those sound like great places to work! Part of me wants to ask my bosses if I can take tiny cuttings of some of our evergreen shrubs and try to root them haha. Somehow I don't think they'll agree to that one though Babs- no clue what kind they are but here's some photos (five pots in all -thats all I could carry at once hahaha) very fine, soft texture, dark, tall, bendy stems.slightly squished from the car ride Anyone know what kind these are? Or if they'll survive outside in zone 6a?

roxanna how wonderful! I hope others join in too, then you will be grinning ear to ear! Monarchs and butterflies in general make me smile. I normally have a few of them and have seen a couple this year. We had such a cold wet spring the Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (which I usually have droves of) hung in for a few days then it seems they left for a warmer drier area. I can't say as I blame them. I am seeing plenty of other species though. Nevermore I have not seen a single egg either.