2003 Florida swap is history

This is our second swap,and even though last years was great,this one was even better.We had a great time and Pam really did a wonderful job of hosting.The chili was excellent.
I came home with more plants than I took with me.I got some really nice ones and unloaded a bunch of junk er plants.Some unsuspecting soul even took the orange daylilies!
It was nice to meet the new folks and put faces to some of the screen names.
Oh,and I won a cornshuck doll.The highlight of my day!

Sounds wonderful, wish we could have been there. It is 40 degrees here and snow/sleet. Glad you won the doll, they are cute.

Sounds like it was a great time. Hope everyone gets home safe and tells us all their stories. Hope someone took some pictures too.

what a fabulous time!! and we got home in 4 1/2 hours! Thanks to all for being such wonderful people. I have a few pictures I'll post in a bit, but my batteries went dead, so others took more.
Pam, girl you outdid yourself, you sure know how to throw a party.
Three 'new' members there this year that didn't come last year, Sugar, Greenwood and Brugmania, and they are all wonderful folks.
Only bad thing is that it never lasts long enough:)

Am happy for you, it sounds that all of you had a great time.

So glad you all had a great time. Hope everyone came home with lots of new cool plants.

What a great time! And I win! I brought home more plants than anyone (Georgiaredclay couldn't take many so I took his too). Pam did a wonderful job with the food and prizes and laughed the whole time too. Thanks Pam and family for all you did.

Oh, and ask Gone2seed and Ann about the soap.....

Oh, how I wish I could have been there. Maybe next year. I did spend all day outside planting cannas and other things. I am beat...I thought my job was getting to me but my garden beat me worst!!! Can't wait to see some pictures of everyone.

some pictures here:
http://davesgarden.com/t/376967/
and the rest here:
http://davesgarden.com/t/376969/

Enjoyed the photos. It looks like you were all having a great time.

Brugmania camped at the lake all week and isn't leaving until tomorrow to head back home. He almost got something thrown at him when he asked what winter is! LOL!! So jealous of his growing season and he brought some wonderful plants.
Hey! even Earl from Valley Grow showed up! what a surprise. He was real nice, just like last year. But this time he came to us:)

Thanks for posting the pictures. Everyone looked so happy. Glad you got to go and meet the new ones in the group.

Someone has to tell Brugmania not to bring such nice looking plants.He even used new pots.This makes my junk look bad.My pots are recycled about 10 times after being pulled out of the landfill in the first place.
weeds,Tom was wrong about the lye soap.It only lasts
a couple of minutes.
I was glad to see Earl there.I wish he would join us on DG.

LOLOLOL, at least you gave it a try!

LOL!! JT you rascal! We'll have to try it tomorrow, Johnnie near bout passed out he was so tired.
I didn't even notice John's pots, I was so busy looking at the wonderful plants. Doesn't he know that new pots will stand out from all my old ones?? LOL!

I think I will put that soap in my purse, just in case I ever need it!!!

More pictures from the Florida swap.
http://davesgarden.com/t/376972/

What a treat to see everyone, esp the Davers I email with practically every day! Glad it was such a huge success!

We did have a super time...I got to see a all my Dave's friend and meet a few new ones. I also had a surprise when a girl we lived by in Korea showed up...she lives in Crestview FL.
I'm telling you there was plants everywhere....a lady passing by even tried to buy some from us. LOL
Pam did a super job on setting the swap up...Thanks so much Gingerlily!!!!
We had a visit from the mayor of Florala, FL....I guess they wanted to know if there was any thing they could do to make or next vist even better....Thanks Mr. Mayor...I have attached a picture of Mr.Mayor.

Roz and Marie were on their way to a flea market in Mobile the last time I saw them....let's hope they made it home last night. LOL

Boy, was it fun again this year! And lordy at the work to do with all these plants! It was great to see again those from last year and to meet new folks this year: Brugmania, hummer_nut, Greenwood, Sugar_FL, Georgiaredclay.

Don't let g2s fool you, he picked that doll for his prize, he had other choices. Well, maybe he didn't, he did have his sweet thang with him. How did she do at the antique stores? JT, Tom wouldn't lie to you, maybe you didn't rub enough soap on.

Thanks, Brugmania and tiG for coming early to help. I didn't know I was gonna have the two guys (DH and Frank) helping or I wouldn't have drug ya'll out so early.

You folks that have never been to a swap just don't know what you are missing. The comaraderie, fun, and generosity of gardeners is simply stunning.

I'm gonna try to post some pictures on the roundup pic forum.

I'm delighted to see such a big and growing American Brug Network of friends! I hope that one day I'll be part of something like that!

Best wishes always,

Bruno

Is anyone from the plant swap missing a package of Cottage Garden seeds? It's seems I pick the seeds up when I picked up one of the books that I had lying on the table. Who ever the seeds belong to let me know and I'll mail them back to you.

Sorry
Glory

Pam and JT, now i gotta tell you i LIKE my cornshuck doll! Someday i am gonna make one of these trades. i must say i am spoiled as for the last 2 1/2 years there have been trades with 5 to 15 miles of me at least twice a year. JT, if i'm still welcome some day i'm gonna make my own panhandle tour and will come to see you and Ann. I'm dying to see your brugs, i see awesome rows of seedlings and tons of blooms every where.

Glory,
Brugmania had given them to me cause he didn't think they would do well for him. It's not a problem, you can keep them. I don't think he would mind who has them.

Someone left a box of computer disks, I assume they were used in a camera. It was suggested it might have been Georgiaredclay? Let me know who owns them, and I'll send them to you.

Pam.
No problem...I'll return your seeds via post.

Thanks again for all you did getting the swap together yesterday. Is Florala, AL going to be an every year gathering for Dave's Gardeners? We'd love to have it here next year and I'm sure Ann (Mrs. Gonetoseed) would love for us to have it here...LOL... but the panhandle of FL works out great for those in GA, Al, MS, and FL.

We thought it was a fabulous place!!! if you have to stay the night, it's very reasonable too.

If it suits all of you, it definitely (sp?) suits me. I had wondered if ya'll would want to move it a little east next time, but I'm happy for it to be in Florala again. I'm sure we can get cooperation from the city for whatever our needs might be, don't ya'll? Ha! I mean, if the mayor and the public works director came to check on us and offer their services, what else could we want?

Hey, the panhandle and this place are all the same thing to me. After all the state line does divide the lake.

You know what tiG, if we could get enough people staying over to fill up the bed/breakfast, maybe we could get a deal on the prices. I might have to talk to her about that.

I'm happy you guys felt good about everything. Brugmania said he was coming back just to camp again, they really liked the campground.

Pam,
It was and is a very pretty place...I think later this spring Ron and I may take a ride over there just so he can see the area.
How much was it to stay in the B&B?...do you know?

Oh, We stopped at the Crestview Flea Market and walked around. They had a lot of Military type equipment for sale...I don't think my neighbor would appreciate a tank in my front yard. LOL

Glory, just what Ron needs, a tank. That would look great in your fron yard and no one would dare steal a brug. LOL.

Pam, thanks again for all you did. Everything and everyone was fantastic.

Larry

Arlene you will always be welcome!As for the awesome rows
of seedlings,it usually turns into awesome rows of weeds by midsummer.I am hoping for some nice ones this year.I have seed of my own as well as some of Eric's and Tigs specials
and some northern ones.Should produce something worth keeping.
20-20 hindsight tells me I should have named EG "Arlene" since she gave me the plant that produced the seed pod.

Larry,
that's a good idea a tank in the front yard to keep the plant thieves out. LOL

Roz and I had a wonderful time and, yes, we made it back from the flea market. But...we went back the next day! It was so much fun meeting everyone, both for the first time and again. I'll try to post some pics of plants and all, but Roz and I may have to get her grand-daughter, Haley's help.

Yea!!! Finally, a note from Marieee again. Was so embarrassed, that I didn't even realize she was a subscriber. Everyone last year and before the swap this year referred to her as Roz's friend, so I didn't even know she was a subscriber and didn't even make her a pretty name tag. I'm so sorry, Marieee.

Hi Marie! Glad to meet you! I have heard so much about how great you are from guess who? LOL. Hope I see you around here alot.

Pam, you did a great job. It was a total fun time.You also have the sweetest daughter, Alicia, in the world. Alicia is not only a beauty, but she is a sweetheart. Sydnie wants to write you a letter; she told her mom she had to write to Alicia cause she sure does miss her!

Ginger I do wish it was a week or 2 later. We seem to always get a cold spell about now.. went down to 31° last nite here...57° now. I covered everything with sheets & put some in the shed. I sure hope we don't lose anything.. I was out in the dark with a flashlite covering things as I didn't realize it was getting so cold earlier. I'll be better prepared tonite.
We sure enjoyed it & God willing we will be there next year.
Sugar in cold(to me at least) Florida panhandle.

After reading all the posts and looking at the pictures, I come to the conclusion, that it must have been a wonderful time you all spend together.

Monika,
It was...it was well worth the 3 plus hour ride to get there.

Glory,
Here's the B&B info. Across the street from the park(from where the restrooms were) is a shopping area(Piggly Wiggly and Dollar Store), on the other side of that is a Hardee's, and on the other side of that is the Lakehouse B&B (Victorian 2 story house). The other B&B is a couple of blocks off 85 on the side where we were.

The Lake House Bed & Breakfast-334-858-2070 www.gtcom.net/~lakehous

The McLean Room $72.15 queen/private bath
The Brabham Room $72.15 queen/private bath
The Gamble Room $77.70 king/private bath
Betty's Best $66.60 twin beds/shared bath/upstairs
Nez's Nest $66.60 full/shared bath/upstairs
Kathi's Suite $111.00 two room suite/king upstairs/
downstairs sitting room and bath/
private balcony overlooking lake/
private entrance (believe she has air
mattress for extra floor sleepers)

Magnolia Inn Bed & Breakfast
334-858-2143

Oriental room and European room $55 2 guests
$10 extra per person
King bed (both)/private bath