Calling those of you in the immediate DC area

Sheesh. Hart, my apologies - I meant to thank you for the goodie bag idea!!! I didn't mean to leave you out. I'm a wee bit scatter brained lately.

LOL... I guess I've only seen photos of your new patio corner, where space is indeed limited!

I'm so sorry you lost your MIL... You and your DH are in my prayers, both for comfort and for having all the many details go smoothly in the next weeks. I'm glad you arrived in time for her to know you were there... nothing helps much at a time like this, but still that's something.

You might think about checking customs regulations and seeing about taking some cuttings from her garden to root at home, especially if she has plants that might root readily in water (saving you the effort of sticking cuttings in pots when you return with so much else to deal with).... maybe you can wrap up a bundle of cuttings with some newspaper for insulation and put them into your checked luggage. I don't mean to suggest a major project when you have everything else there to handle, but even a few cuttings could give you a plant to cherish in your garden. If there's another avid gardener around, maybe this is something they could do for you.

Critter, we think alike. I've been on the APHIS site and posted some other questions in the Int'l Trading forum related to taking back seeds to the US, but I've been too chicken to consider cuttings cuz I just assumed that it would be too much hassle. You're right though - I should check it out while I've got this opportunity.

Wrightie, you're allowed to be as scatterbrained as you like.

Wrightie: My mother died several years ago. She moved in with us maybe 14 years ago, and lived here until her death. When we moved her out of her old house, we too as many plants as we could, mostly old-standbyes -- hardy geranium, spiderwort, some azaleas, hardy begonia, etc. They are still doing well in my garden, and it makes me feel a current connection to her and to our old house where I grew up. I am very very pleased to have these plants, and wouldn't trade them (well, actually I do trade them, but you know what I mean!) for anything in the world. So if you can possibly swing it, by all means do. If you want, I can pick the cuttings up from you as soon as you walk in the door and try to root them for you. But I agree -- customs may make it impossible -- see http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing_goods/agri_prod_inus.xml.