DC area - Spring Swap, May 24th

So, this will be the "official" swap thread - I have made sure hubby & friend will be gone, I'll make sure we can use the end of the street to "set up" - and any critters locked up so we can meander in and out of the house!

What I need to know is - who has chairs they can bring - anyone have a "pop-up" tent/awning in case of too much rain/sun so we can be outside - my backyard is tiny - the front even tinier - I will figure out the best place for us to "hang out" :-)

I'd like to do this as a "themed swap" - any suggestions?

I'll also start threads for foods and drinks and one "for haves and can't live withouts, please help"

I just contacted my HOA - got permission to set up at the end of the street - that means we have room to spread out - I live on a cul-de-sac and we have two parking spots there with plenty of room - so now we can utilize that space and the house/backyard

Since the "Disco theme" is out - how about a "Early Summer Flowers" theme?

UPDATE: I have secured a pop-up tent AND chairs - now all we need are a couple of tables and we IS good to go :-)

This message was edited Apr 11, 2008 12:27 PM

This message was edited Apr 11, 2008 2:27 PM

I can always bring more chairs from the office if needed...I'll check to see where the "lunch" table was put yearS ago...ISO....
I think we should do Gilligans Island....LOL
...on the shore...and started desert island...with Gilligan...the Skipper too....the millionaire and his wife...the MOV-ie star...the professor and MaryAnn here on Gilligan's Is"

Bec--I have a lot of lawn chairs--in case you need. I can also bring 2 card-table chairs--they fit OK in Sally's Van.......You ARE driving, Sally--NO? WHAT would i do without you?

How about a food theme too? Everyone bring a food from a different country. Maybe a country that is in their herritage?

I think if you keep it to hors'deurs, that is always the easiest. I know you were kidding about the Norwegian Independence Day--but that gave me the idea of ethnic foods.....

OH, goodie!!!! Another Swap!!!!!!.................:o)))))))

Gita

I will ask my girl friend Terri if she want to take a drive...LOL Terri is nice people.... Did I miss something or is there a date or even a month yet know???? Let me know please.
Hugs,

Susanj

LOL - Luv Ya, Susan....title of thread: "Spring Swap, May 24th " And if you can hold out...I'll just bring you your cactus then

Gita, I love your idea!! I can do German. Or Virginia country. The Mid Atlantic Gardening 1st Annual International Plant Festival. heh

Susan, I sure hope you can be there. I'm getting so excited about seeing everyone again.

A themed day would be fun!!! I'm glad you decided to nix the Disco theme, LOL!

I'm doing a "theme" at the VA swap too. I stopped at Big Lots a couple of weeks ago and they had all kinds of Island Lua stuff!!! Plates, napkins, plastic serving trays etc. (And of course I "stocked up") But it got me to thinking about my tiki bar that DH helped my build several years ago. Well that poor bar has been sitting empty and unused in MD for the last 3 years. I've convinced DH that he needs to get it down here for the swap. I'm pretty sure it needs a new roof and a "face lift" now and I don't have the tropical plant collection that I did then but I'll come up with something.

I won't require anyone to don a grass skirt though, LOL.

With all the folks on this forum, I'm sure one of us can come with a fun theme idea for you. What is your garden like? A woodland walk, a trip to a tropical paradise, a cottage garden or formal setting? That may help come up with a theme that you already have the "makings" of.

duh me...LOL I will try real hard and Chantell give these new baby yellow butterfly bushes a chance to start to grow some... They are tiny... but hey I figure everything grow.... Hart I can't wait to see everyone again also... I miss ya all...
Chantell I may mail you the bulbs... then you can get them in the ground and start them.... I have them pulled from the ground... Also I am proud to say my EE lived in the ground for the winter... yeahhhhhhhhhhhh....LOL
Ok I am going to look up the date and see if Kevin is off or working also see how long of a drive... Can someone dmail me an address so I can look it up on Mapquest please... Also the lady Terry is also a DG person and we have become very good friends as she only lives about 45 mins. away...yeahhhhhhh
Hugs,
Susan
PS... I have a very old screen house that is still very good condition the last time I looked.... Is this at a home or a park?

Ok...I'm going to step in and answer for Becky since she'll be MIA for a bit. Becky lives in a Townhouse in Woodbridge - Susan - I've been to her house a million times but couldn't tell you an address to save my soul...LOL. She's about 15 mins from Potomac Mills Mall if that helps at all. From North Stafford to her house takes no more then 45 min's barring traffic. As for her personal "theme" - she's making her own little garden of Eden...with all kinds of tropicals, vines, and such with awesome fragrances (read: Gardenias, Jasmines and the like). If I hear from her again (she called yesterday but lost signal) I will ask about the "The Mid Atlantic Gardening 1st Annual International Plant Festival" Knowing Becky, I think she'll LOVE the idea. And note to all...I swear I was only kidding about the disco idea...you know to only take half of what I say seriously...LOL.
It sounds to me like we're going to have most of the "goings on" in the little culdesac that's to the right of her townhouse - please don't ask me size cuz I'm not real good with that...it's big enough to turn a normal size car around in...but big enough to serve our purpose between there and the house, I'm sure.

This message was edited Apr 13, 2008 11:20 AM

potomac mills helps me :-)
shopping mecca when i had to have business clothes.....a friend of mine lives close to there as well just across 95...forget what the area is called but it has grown in the last several years as if they used miracle gro for homes!

btw, chantell a friend of mine made me a lot of "best of" cds.....the disco one was blank :-(
i remember having to have dance lessons in gym class with the hustle & the bus stop....don't remember the steps, but i do remember the songs & the one piece zippered gym outfit :-)

OMG....what horrible memories...I'd forgotten about those oh so vogue (NOT) one piece zippered torture uniforms. What kind of sadist comes up with those patterns any who? Bad enough to be thrown in community showers at the age when "everythings" happening at once but then to force us to where those atrocities - - give ya a case of PTSD just thinkin' about it. On a "happy" note....The Hustle came on the other day and I had the DGD in my arms "bustin' a move" THOSE are the only steps I remember...thank you God!!!

Our gym uniforms in high school were kelly green, one piece jump-suit like ones, but the "shorts" part were puffy and short--with elastic at the leg openings.....They had buttons down the front and a belt around the middle. This was in the early-mid 50's........

AND--we all HAD TO take a shower afterwards.....Many of us just got our backs wet and then came out toweling off.....:o)

Sheesh. How did I miss this thread? I put down brie en brioche as the food that I would be making, but ... er ... I am not French. Does this mean that I have to make something else???

Ok Chantell or anyone else please step in and refresh my bad brain... is Bec_No_Va Becky I met at Harts? If so if I get to come I will have to add to her Garden of Eden with a beautiful Plumeria... If it is not that Becky I will still add to the garden :-)
Hugs,
Susan

Yes Susan it is THAT Becky...and as sweet as that would be re the plumies - she gave me all of her's last year...LOL. To my defense when she was telling me her plans for the back I offered to return her babies to her...she graciously declined .

repeat after me--wrigh-TEE. See thats french!

Could be my cold med's SallyBaby, but ya lost me! If we are supposed to be preparing the foods of our heritage, then I need to skip the brioche.

I guess this joke fell flat!! Il est tombe! Tried to make you be french so you could bring the brioche Say it like that, gutteral "R" and emphasis on second syl-LA-ble
wrigh-TEE, gay pah-REE
je SUIS une idiotte...

SNORT -- Oh, I'm sorry! I'm a moRON! I'm utterly clueless about French -- now if it were a Mandarin or Japanese play on words, well, I may have stood a foggy chance.

LOL ya'll are a trip. Wrightie...no one's holding anyone to making something specific to their gene pool. Make what you want...I think the idea here was to have diverse types of food...no worries.

hey w- the mandarin and japanese are much more likely to be useful these days!!
I figure my daughter who takes French will wind up working with Spanish speakers, and my son who took Spanish will fall in love with a girl from Quebec!!

I think my food heritage is along the lines of Jello salad

And MY family were probably the poster child for the term "melting pot" LOL

Chantell, does that mean you're bringing fondue? :)

hahahahaha

Hey got plenty of doo...not too sure about the fon...

Hey you're loads of fon too!

Puleeese!!!!!!
I smell the "blu" thread coming on! We had enough of that one! I think it was the longest rumming thread on DG until Dave ended it--it was using up too many resources.....

I have NO other ethnicity in me but 100% Latvian. Pure as the driven snow......ahem....
I will surely bring some kind of a treat from that neck of the woods.....
AND--in honor of Becky--maybe some spirits.....from Lithuania.....Just have to make sure there is a fire extinguisher nearby....It will cure what ails ya!

Gita

"And we'll have fon, fon, fon till her daddy takes the t-bird awayyyy" LOL Ohh Gita....sound delish...I might be able to get some chocolate moon shine...how's that for fun? LOL

Wonderful, wonderful....this will be a blast. I am excited now. Thank you Becky for host/hostessing the swap. I am not one hundred percent sure that we will make it, but will give it a try. Hopefully I will have seen some of you the weekend before at Longwood Gardens. But, I haven't heard Hart say she was going to Longwood, so I might just have to take a ride to her home at some point in order to visit with her.

As far as themes and foods go, I am open to anything. I am a good follower.

So glad that this has been planned.

Ruby

Hiya all-greetings from "the heartland" I am currently in the very southern part of Illinois, heading " north" tomorrow & I'll be back home beginning of next week... Still planning on the 24th as the date, and hope to see everyone!!! Once I actually have decent Internet connection & don't have to rely on my cellphone I'll be posting again...."see" y'all next week!

Be safe coming home Bec.

Ruby

I don't think that I'll be able to make the swap, but I have a lot of coreopsis available. If anyone is coming from DC or Maryland, and wants to swing by McLean, I will be happy to give them to you. I'm the first Virginia exit on 495 coming from Maryland.

I started dividing some of my coreopsis today, but I know that I have much more than I can use. Last year, I ended up just tossing some out because I had so much. It almost looks like I didn't even divide it.

I don't know the name of this coreopsis, but it is pretty sturdy. I would be happy to pot at least one flat of 18 pots, maybe more. This isn't a great picture, but it is the yellow flowers on the left. The blooms are smaller than Black Eye Susans, but the center is also black or dark brown.

I'm pretty sure that I can come up with a flat of assorted annuals that I started as well. No pressure, just let me know if you can do it.

This sounds like fun. Unfortunately I have to go to a wedding that afternoon. My DH's uncle -- 3rd time around -- they are both mid 70's . . . .

Hi Pennefeather - that looks like Echinacea in your photo, any chance that you grabbed the wrong file? I only wish that my coreopsis would spread enough that I could divide it! I love the stuff - Especially the pink coreopsis.

My pink coreopsis never does anything.

Oh, mine neither!!! Such a bummer. I think that it is utterly adorable, but I can't get it to e-x-p-a-n-d!!!

wrightie---I was going to say the same thing......That is NOT Coreopsis! Looks like some kind of daisy--maybe Jill would know.....

Gita

I don't see any coreopsis either. Looks like some variety of Rudbeckia, ie, Black Eyed Susan.

I never have any luck with pink varieties. I did plant Sweet Dreams last year and it is coming back nicely. Otherwise, only the yellow varieties have ever survived.

I think that Rudbeckia is in the background and white Echinacea is in foreground: http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/28506-product.html

Hi,
I am thinking we are coming... Terri from DG is willing to drive :-) I am not sure what I can bring as far as plants go but I will try to find something...
Hugs,
susan