1st ANNUAL PNW ROUNDUP SUMMARY...

This is a summary of the PNW first annual roundup. I tried to cover all items so those who are planning on coming don’t have to hunt on several different threads for info. If I have missed anything, let me know and I will edit this section so it eliminates searching this thread too!

I know that we have gotten several RSVP’S in several different areas, but I will be annoying and ask one more time

PLEASE RSVP IN RESPONSE TO THIS THREAD
so that we know how much food to plan on Friday night, who is sleeping where, who plans to meet at Pixy’s so we don’t leave them behind, how many burgers/dogs to pick up for Saturday night, and how much food to make for Sunday morning. We won’t kick anyone out, but having a general idea of numbers makes it less stressful for the hostesses in any section of our fun!



PNW FIRST ANNUAL ROUNDUP SCHEDULE

DATE DETAILS:

Arrival time can be any time from Friday 8-28-09 (noonish or so) on.
Departure time from Lynn Weidman's can be as late as Monday afternoon 8-31-09.

LOCATION:

Lynn Weidman's home, Buckley (actually closer to South Prairie) Washington. Address, directions, and phone numbers for major stops will be provided…waiting on responses from all parties involved to see if they will be posted as a response to this thread, or d-mailed to those who RSVP.-----****decision has been unanimous to d-mail addys rather than post them. I will d-mail the info to everyone who has RSVP'd when we are back from fishing (around the 15th). You can also find them in the address exchange in the "extras" tab of you home page.****

ADMISSION CHARGE:

I am asking that each attendee brings a rock from their world personalized in some way (even as simple as your name with a sharpie!) to create a DG PNW rock collection for Lynn. It will be a wonderful way to thank her for volunteering to host our first roundup, and since it just so happens to be her Birthday on the 29th, our rock collection will make a very memorable birthday present as well!


ACCOMODATIONS:

Lynn has a few beds available that require contacting her ahead of time to reserve, and there is room for RV's and Trailers, and plenty of room for tents. She will provide use of bathroom facilities in her home for tenters and car campers.

THINGS TO REMEMBER TO BRING:
**Lawn Chairs
**Sun Screen
**Sun Glasses
**Snips, containers, and paper towels for cuttings
**Bug repellent
**Paper, pen, clipboard to take notes
**Shoes for wet grass
**CAMERA!!
**Potluck contributions
**Sharpie and Labeling material
**Your personal beverages/cooler
**Lunch money/Lakewold money for Saturday (small bills & change)
**Umbrella (to PREVENT rain of course!)
**Swimsuit for the hottub




FRIDAY 8-28-09 :

We are planning on having a simple arrival dinner on Friday for anyone who wants to come that early. It will consist of chili and bread, and will be available from 6:00 on, so if you get there Friday night, you will have a hot meal waiting. We will have a only a small quantity of vegetarian chili unless several people request it. It will be a simple friendly hang out and get to know each other evening.
.
SATURDAY 8-29-09:

Official events will start at Melissa's (Pixydish) home in Lakewood. We are planning to meet there between 10:00 and 10:30 am. At around 10:30, we will carpool to Lakewold gardens and take the garden tour there ($5/person). After the tour, we will go back to Melissa's and have a garden tour and picnic. The plan for the picnic is to order "to go" stuff from the local grub houses (like Subway) and everyone cover the expense of whatever they order. We can order as a group and have one or two gofers to pick food up.

When we are done at Pixy's, we will make our way back to Lynn's place either in groups or singles, as the fancy strikes you. I will have a list of several local nurseries that might interest everyone, with driving directions from both Pixy's home and Lynn's home. At least one group is going to visit Mt. Tahoma nursery (invitation only and we can only have 10 people at a time attend).

The list of people who have RSVP'd to me regarding Mt. Tahoma are:
1. RAREJEM......................................11.PATTY
2. PNWMOUNTAINGIRL ..................12.TILLYSRAT
3. LYNNWEIDMAN.............................13.Heidi Weidman
4. AZORINA..........................................14.Gretchen Price
5. PIXYDISH .........................................15.
6. KATIE59............................................16.
7. GWENDALOU..................................17.
8. SUMMERKID....................................18.
9.RACHIERABBIT.................................19.
10. KATYE............................................. 20.

Note that these are not necessarily the way the groups have to be divided...just promised Rick I would keep track. He was VERY emphatic about the 10 at a time rule for some reason.

I don't want anyone to be left out, so if I missed you and you want to go to Mt. Tahoma, LET ME KNOW! Rick said we could easily break into two groups and visit one after another...he just likes to limit the number of visitors to a manageable group at any one time.




Evening events will start at around 5:00 with our "official" tour of our hostess's garden.

After the garden tour, we will have a seed and plant exchange for anyone who wants to participate. Contributions will NOT be required….it is the perfect way not only to add fun new things to established gardens, but it allows those of us with surplus items to share them with people who are just starting their gardens. There is nothing that makes a gardener happier than to share their babies with others. If you have missed the thread, there is a pre-roundup have/want list that can be found here:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/964425/

The have/want link is just the "preliminary" of the plant exchange, so that things can be potted/reserved ahead of time to try and make sure they are available. I know that some of the stuff that people had been saving for roundup (my own included) did not make it through the "cutting crisping, pot parching July from hell", so we will all understand if some "wants" just can't be filled!

I would encourage anyone who has excess plants, or plants that they feel that people would like to bring them to the exchange. In addition, If you have something that you think people would like and are willing to bring fresh cuttings in a jar, that would be a wonderful addition to the plant exchange. Don't worry about having to haul them home again...I know that there are several people who are just starting their yards, and like Lynn said in a previous post, her yard is huge and just in the beginnings of being, and PNWMountaingirl and I also have new woodland gardens that would be happy homes for any orphans. Also, we would make offerings to the people in South Prairie proper who went through a devastating flood this winter. Several yards and gardens that were just beautiful are nothing but silt now.

For the seed exchange, we plan on setting up a table and having people add to it as the day goes on. Then at exchange time, it will be a first come type of basis for what you want. I would suggest packaging at least a few of each variety of seeds that you are planning to bring to allow as many people to share as possible.
.

This exchange time will also be the time everyone can vote for the best entry in our "POT CONTEST". The rules for the contest are as follows:

The "pot" should be named on the display table.
The theme can be chosen by the participant.
The plants can be chosen by the participant, but limited to 10.
The container can be chosen by the participant. (Remember you will need room to haul the plants you acquire at the plant exchange as well as hauling your entry home again.)

Let your imaginations run wild! The prize for the winner of the "pot contest" will be first pick of the door prize table (see below).


Dinner will be a potluck bar-b-q. We will be providing salmon, hamburgers, and hot dogs....the rest is up to you guys! Between Lynn's place and ours, we should be able to accommodate things that need to be refrigerated, as well as things that need to be heated. We are also going to use Tilly’s wonderful suggestion of a donation jar for any who can afford a small donation to help the hostess cover the costs of things like plates, silverware, etc. As Lynn stressed before, NO MONETARY DONATION is required…she volunteered to host to make sure that EVERYONE could afford to join in.


There will be a door prize drawing after dinner. We will have another table set up to display the prizes during the day, so people get to see what is available. If anyone has anything that they would be willing to donate as door prizes, it would be fantastic! Plants that you have to share, but may not have enough to share with more than one person, garden ornaments, houseplants, anything fun that you can think of. We don't need to know ahead of time regarding door prize contributions, just bring them with you and we will add them to the table. We have raffle tickets, and plan to put everything provided as door prizes on one table and first ticket drawn gets first pick, and tickets are drawn until prizes are gone.

Next comes our "GARDEN GIFT EXCHANGE". This will be done in the Round Robin Gift Exchange method. Everyone who is interested in participating should bring a wrapped gift that they think that the people in the group would enjoy. Spending limit on the gifts is no more than $25. In the round-robin gift exchange, numbers are drawn. Then each person in numerical order chooses either a wrapped gift or swipes an unwrapped gift that was selected previously. A participant who has their gift “stolen” can then select another unwrapped gift from another participant or the wrapped gifts pile. Participation in this exchange is definitely not mandatory, and should be fun to watch even if you aren't participating.

We will end the evening relaxing around the bonfire.

SUNDAY:

PNWMountaingirl and I will be hosting a breakfast and garden tour on Sunday morning at 10:00. Our yards are about a mile and a half or so away from Lynn's. We plan on fresh fruit, biscuits and gravy, and egg soufflé (one without meat, a couple with), along with coffee of course. This is the last "official" roundup meal we are planning.

12:00 to 1:00ish...Head across the bridge to visit Dragonfly Nursery in Kingston. Heidi's nursery is wonderful, and it would be great to visit her as having her business open prevents her from joining us.

The rest of the day will be left to whatever activities you would like to pursue on your own or in groups. As mentioned above, accommodations will still be available at Lynn's through Monday afternoon, but we don't have plans for Sunday lunch or dinner at this point. There are plenty (well, OK, at least a few) restaurants within 5 miles of Lynn's house, so if you are staying over, you have many options.


Non garden interests:

BILL'S FISHIN HOLE-- Looking for a great place to enjoy great family fun while experiencing the excitement of catching beautiful Rainbow trout? Look no further than "Bill's Fishin' Hole" (formerly the Troutlodge U-Fish), located just off Hwy 162 between Orting and South Prairie, WA. Bill's Fishin' Hole is a family-friendly facility designed to give kids and adults alike the opportunity to catch the finest Rainbow trout in the Pacific Northwest. http://www.troutlodge.com/?pageID=422F2ECC-3048-7A03-3922237...

KC crusaders is having a 24 hour paintball game that weekend (you have to register with them ahead of time). http://www.kc-crusaders.com/

Foothills Trail --The foothills trail runs right through downtown South Prairie (a mile from Lynn's at most) and it is a wonderful walking or biking trail that runs along South Prairie Creek and later the Carbon river. There is also a park in town that is next to the creek and is a wonderful place to splash around.

Regal Tall Firs Cinema is a 10 theater movie house less than five miles away: http://www.fandango.com/regaltallfirs10_aaers/theaterpage

Skateboard Park located in the town of Buckley
Mud Mountain Dam in Enumclaw is about 10 miles away, and has a wonderful park with a fun wading pool for the kids. It is another very interesting historical area. http://www.experiencewa.com/attraction.aspx?id=7080

Enumclaw Golf Course is also about 10 miles away from Lynne’s. http://enumclawgolfcourse.com/

Foothills Historical Society & Museum is closed on Saturday, but open on Sunday, and is very interesting to visit. 5 or so miles from Lynne’s. http://www.buckleychamber.org/history.htm

Antiquing is very good in Sumner, and OK in Buckley as well.

The Pinch Plum is wonderful gift shop and is only about 3 miles from Lynne’s. It has all types of fun garden and non garden related items…lots that you won’t find anywhere else! http://www.ikarma.com/biz/Washington/Buckley/Pinch+Plum/(360)829-4365/

The "Taste of Orting" is being held from noon to 4:00 on Saturday the 29th. The perfect answer for lunch, etc. for the boys and others who won't be participating in the tours.



ROUNDUP AT A GLANCE............................................................................................

FRIDAY 8-28-09

12:00 noon: Attendees are welcome to start arriving.

6:00 pm: Chili dinner .... it will stay hot for several hours for those arriving later in the evening

SATURDAY 8-29-09

10:00am-10:30am: Gathering at Pixydish's (Melissa) house in preparation for the Lakewold Garden Tour

10:30 am: Lakewold Garden Tour

12 Noonish?: Pixy's garden tour and picnic lunch.

Afternoon: Making our way back to Lynn's with nursery stops along the way, including one at Mt Tahoma for the people who have signed up.

5:00pm: Lynn's garden tour.

then: Seed and Plant exchange and votes for pot contest.

Then: Dinner
Then: Door prize drawings
Then: Gift Exchange
Then: Bonfire

SUNDAY AUGUST 30TH

10:00 AM Breakfast and garden tour at PNWMountaingirl (Sharon)'s and Rarejem (Julie)'s Gardens

12:00-1:00ish...Head to Dragonfly Nursery to visit Heidi's place.







RSVP'S THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN SO FAR...LET ME KNOW IF I HAVE MISSED YOU! I know that some are bringing family and friends too...have only listed the DG member rsvp.

FRIDAY:

Tillysrat
Gwendalou
Katie59
PNWMountaingirl
LynnWeidman
Azorina
Rachierabbit
Rarejem
Summerkid

SATURDAY:
Tillysrat
Gwendalou
Katie59
PNWMountaingirl
LynnWeidman
Azorina
Rachierabbit
The1pony
Thistledownfarm
Soferdig
Pixydish
Mauryhillfarm
Katye
Summerkid
Rarejem
Heidi Weidman


SUNDAY:

Tillysrat
Gwendalou
Katie59
PNWMountaingirl
LynnWeidman
Azorina
Rachierabbit
The1pony
Soferdig
Mauryhillfarm
Rarejem




This message was edited Aug 25, 2009 11:05 AM

I'll be joining up Saturday morning at Pixy's place. I'm hoping to talk hubby into camping at Lynn's Saturday night and taking part in Sunday morning's activities. If he refuses, I'll have to figure something else out. I really want to be there. Can't drive myself, my car has taken a turn for the worse and I'm not driving it at all now. :( So everybody send good hubby-convincing vibes my way, okay? ;)

Pony, If you can't convince your hubby, you can always hitch a ride to Lynn's with us from Lakewold, and I will make sure you get back home on Sunday.

Ammo for the hubby talk.... At least a few other guys will be there...Don and Joe both ride harleys, my hubby is a metal working fanatic, Joe and Carl are both firefighers/paramedics, interest in airplanes and personal flying contraptions (DH...powered parachute), car restoration, and collecting all sorts of important mechanical and shop type items for future use. He could just meet you at Lynn's in the evening around dinner if he didn't want to make a day of it. And if Soferdig makes it, he is going to need all of the male backup he can get!

Besides, you are going to need him to help you haul your plants from the plant exchange home with you! I, for one, have a purple phlox with your name on it!

Ooh- good ammo. Thanks! If he balks at all, I'm going to break out the big guns and tell him it's the least he can do after leaving me alone for 5 weeks! Guilt, baby!

Phlox? For me? *squee!* Thank you! :D

I can't come but I sure am looking forward to the recap and all the pictures.

I'm in for Saturday.

I'm in for Saturday at Lynn's. I work until 5pm in Bellevue so whenever I arrive I will be participating. I will bring my plant stuff then and will be able to camp in the car or where ever. I have sleeping bag and mattress. I probably won't bring my Masseuse so ........ Looking forward to the get together. Steve.

We have lots of places for you to sleep. I will try to post pictures this week. Sofer, would you like to camp out in the motorcycle trailer? Or would you prefer the motorhome? The loft in the shop has 2 full size beds, couch, room for mattresses ( we have 2 queen air mattresses). Or you can have the hideabed in the house.

Gwendalou, do you still want the upstairs guest room?
Mauryhillfarm - do you still want the recliner and couch in the family room?

I'll be going out to Lynn's for Saturday evening, but will not spend the night. I'll probably leave late, though., knowing me.

Julie, I have a friend who is expressing interest in joining DG and wants to come to the roundup on Saturday and also wants to go to Mt. Tahoma. Can you put her name on the list, please? Her name is Patty. She loves gardening and wants to get into it more. I've worked with her for 13 years so it's about time I rubbed off on her a little! And her husband HATES gardening and wishes they had only grass because it 'looks neater', so we need to give her a LOT of plants to take home! LOL!

I'm announcing here, so I can't back out, that I have moved my entire pot ghetto up by the house so it will be easier to take care of while I'm gone. And I'm going to leave it there so that when people come to my house, they can go 'shopping' in my pot ghetto. First come, first served. I have a LOT of pots. With plants in them. Live plants. These plants currently have no homes but have been well cared for. They represent seed starts that have done well, divisions of things in the garden, and plants I've received over the years but didn't put in the ground. I need to pare the ghetto down considerably. Depending on the weather (how hot it is) there may be plant removal from garden beds as well. Be prepared. For instance, I have a lot of nice bergenia that gets red in the winter. It has suffered under the drought, but will spring back to life well when the rains return. I'm clearing it out. Also, I'm clearing out the sweet woodruff. Great groundcover, wrong place. You want Snowberry? Bring your shovel. No kidding, be careful which plants you admire at my house, because you may go home with them.

Ooh. Ghetto. Word up, yo! :D

I will be there on Friday, Trying to print this but printer is not being nice.
So I will get it together. Changing to the laptop. Give you the details tomorrow. Working the lates this week. But I will be there.

Now this really is bad, got the printer to work and ran out of ink, I suck LOL.
will get back to you.

Thanks all for taking the time to RSVP again!

Have a great trip Pixy! Sounds like shopping in your plant ghetto could be fun! Patty has been added to the Mt Tahoma list, and that puts us into a second group so anyone else interested jump in!

The decision was unanimous to d-mail addresses rather than post them, so I will be sending a d-mail out to everyone who RSVP-s with the info when I get back from fishing (around the 15th). If you want the info earlier, Pixy suggested looking it up in the address exchange under the "extras" tab on your DG home page.

Lynn I will fit in anywhere. So when I get there anything will do. If nothing I have the car. If warm I have the stars. If raining I have warmest dryest bed in your house. LOL

Tills, where do you want to sleep? Or do you just want to choose when you get here?
We have plenty of room, so there is no need for anyone to sleep in their car!!!!
Summerkid, what accomodations would you like?
Pony, same question?
Jim, same question.
Everyone else, same question. Of course, you can all just choose when you get here.
I just can't wait to meet and spend some time with everyone.

Is anyone interested in a trip to Heidi's (Dragonfly Nursery) on Sunday, after the breakfast at Julie's and Sharon's house? She can't make it to the RU because of the nursery, but we can come to her. I have been trying to make time to get there anyway. We can carpool. Her nursery is well worth the trip. Is Heronswood open that day or is it Saturday?

I started a new thread for the potluck dinner Saturday night. Please post what you would like to bring, so I can pick up what else is needed. That way we won't have 20 potato salads and no desserts! Of course, 20 desserts and no salad is OK for me!!!

Lynn, I have a good-sized tent, so I'm covered. :)

Does anybody here enjoy smoking a hookha? Hubby and I have a couple of them we could bring along. We can pick up a couple different flavors of shisha (tobacco cured in molasses with fruit flavors added) to share.

Uh, I hate to show my ignorance, but is that the thing hippies use to smoke dope? Or am I thinking of something else? I grew up in Iowa and Nebraska in the 60's and 70's, the Bible Belt of America. I am not saying I am innocent, though!!!!

LOL! People have been known to use them for that, but that isn't what they're made for. It's a water pipe with multiple hoses. Shisha is a treat to smoke, it just tastes like fruit, no tobacco taste at all. A lot of our friends who don't smoke otherwise enjoy smoking the hookha with us. It does contain nicotene though, so not good for someone who's a recovering cigarette addict, or anyone who has blood pressure problems, etc.

I'm snickering too, because tobacco is NOT the first thought that comes to mind when I think of hookha pipes! (Actually, the caterpillar in Alice and Wonderland is what comes to mind first!)

I actually received an e-bay purchase (vase) in a hookha box one time. I just laughed because I was imagining what the reaction would have been if that box was sent to someone uptight (ie. my Mom in law).... they might have had a cow!

So everyone is aware, I will be off line for a week starting Saturday morning, so I won't be making any additions/changes to this thread during that time. Please keep the RSVP's coming, and I will update the Mt Tahoma list if necessary when I return.

And, Rarejem, I am going fishing with you too, so will also be offline. Don't think we can get DG in Langara, BC.
I dread trying to catch up a week from now!

I'm planning to come Friday evening and staying thru Sunday. Lynn, yes, I would still like the upstairs guest room!

Gwendalou, the guest room is yours.

Well as I am a smoker I vest for my car, But will decide when I get there. I don't know if anyone else is.
Havent got to sleep in the new one yet LOL will bring what I need if I do.

Please put me down for Mt Tahome would like to go and take many pic to share with all that can not make it (Laurie thinking of you)

Also as I work at Big Lots get me a list of things that I can get, not only are we cheaper that most places I also get a discount. Like chips, mustard, ketchup things like that. and all paper products.

As far as Heidi's go's I love to go there when I get the chance as I only live 15 min from her. And she would be so thrilled to have us. I have pics from the last 2 tours of her place.

Sharon, catching up is hard, trust me ^_^

I'm a smoker too, Tilly. Never quite worked up the gumption to quit.

Ya at least I won't feel alone LOL off to bed.
Can't wait to meet everyone that I don't know and to see all that I do.
This is going to be fun. Hope your DH will come with you, mine would if I begged him but someone has to take care of the fur and feathered babies. This is my get away. LOL

I see, Rarejem, that you are updating the original schedule as things change. I see the last edit was 8-6-09. Hope all are aware of it.

Will edit the initial post with any updates (this one was adding Tilly to the Mt Tahoma) list, so people don't have to search this post for details.

If I add something important, I will add it as a reply AND edit the initial post.

One thing I did add that I didn't post as a reply was that we just discovered that they are holding the "Taste of Orting" on Saturday for the people who aren't planning on going on the garden tours. Details were added under the other things to do area.

My family is planning to meet at Pixy's house at 10:00 on Saturday morning. I'll be going on the Lakewold tour. The guys will find something to do in Tacoma. We'll be out at Lynn's for Saturday night potluck. We will all have salmon, and the guys also want burgers and hot dogs (so 2 of each needed for us). We will also participate in the Sunday morning breakfast and garden tour at PNWMountaingirl's house.

Yes, Lynn, We still want the family room with recliner and couch for Saturday night. Thanks!

MHF, I bought a queen sized Aerobed so you can be more comfortable, rather than sleeping on the couch. Are your boys coming along?
Tills, thanks for the offer. Every bit helps! Is Big Lots cheaper than Costco?

All this planning sounds so fun - I really wish I could be there but family obligations come first. I can just imagine the bonfire with the hookha going and the Alice in Wonderland caterpillar!

I am going to email Heidi at Dragonfly Nursery in Kingston to see if she is up to a group of us showing up Sunday afternoon. That is, if any of you are interested in going there. We can escort you home, Tills! Let me know before I contact her.
Portland, we are only 2.5 hours away..... we would love to see you. Bring your family. Could you make it Saturday night or Sunday am? If you came Sunday, you cold go to Dragonfly with us, spend the night, and go home Monday.

Lynn I wish I could but I will be in San Francisco with 4 grandchildren ages 8, 6, 4 and 2. My son and his wife are going away together for a much deserved vacation. They are amazing parents and work so very hard. Maybe next year!

Awesome picture of your family Judi!

I have six other kids and 3 more grandkids but these are the ones I will try to keep alive and happy for 10 days!

Have fun with your family. We'll have a drink for you!!! 10 days with 4 little grandkids, and I would need a drink or 2!!!!

The Aerobed sounds great, Lynn. There are just 3 in my family, DH, teenage son, and myself.

Have a great time Judi. Kids will definitely keep you young!

Yes Lynn, it would be cheaper, don't forget my discount that makes it even better LOL
Do you have one near you ? If so do some window shopping for supplies. then send me the list Think of....
Paper plates / styro too
Napkins
TP paper
ketchup
mustard
relish
olives
chips
popcorn ?
juice

We have right now ending sun. Coke 6 pak products $2.88
I can go on forever, Now I sound like a sales man.
I will Dmail you store # call me

And all patio and summer stuff is 50% off now

A escort home that would be cool, or will I be in the lead and escort you all there ^_^ He He




This message was edited Aug 9, 2009 12:11 AM

I think there is a Big Lots in Fed Way and Olympia. I don't know if there is one in Puyallup, I will have to check it out.
Do they still have Umbrellas for the picnic table?

Jim, Hope to see you at the Roundup. I need your advice.

Yes there is one in all 3 places. We have no more umbrellas. I have a small one if you you like I can bring it.

Join the Buzz club on line, you can find all loc. and get the add befor anyone else.
www BigLots .com