Cha-CHING!

It has been a positively DELIGHTFUL day, this fine sunny Saturday.

We heartily ate cinnamon buns, straight from the oven , when we awoke and then MINUTES later, I left! :-) (But the absence of my family is NOT why it has been delightful!) This morning the gardeners of the church gathered together and exchanged perennials, wit and wisdom as they do, apparently, ever year in spring.

Matt stayed home with the children for the two hours I was gone and while he was working on his deerhide with children in tow, the empty Panda spaces in my arms were promptly filled with a plethora of flowers.

I didn't have perennials to share but I am not a 'come empty-handed' type of gal, so I headed to the greenhouse and bought two flats of Alyssum at .99cents a piece. I felt like I had even just a SMALL contribution and it made me feel better.

I got more than 15 different plants-for FREE. I don't even KNOW what some of them are (out comes my Garden Plants Encyclopedia!!!) but that doesn't lessen my excitement. Here is a list of some of the plants that I KNOW.

*Lily of the Valley
*Coral Bells
*Tiger Lilies
*Day Lilies
*Lemon Balm
*Bee Balm
*Miniature Lilac
*Rasberry bush
*Snapdragons
*Oregano
*Large Burgendy Iris
*Siberian Iris (small and purple)
*Rose
*Larkspur
*Bleeding hearts
*Gooseberry Longneck something or other :-)

There are about five more that I don't know about. Can you BELIEVE it? Is that not just a POT OF GOLD?!?!

A *little* bit of me is a tad bit sad at the whole ordeal. Instead of being able to do any landscaping with them (as I would have loved to do!) I will get to enjoy them in pots. I just don't want to permenantly plant them in the ground and then leave them when we move in the coming months... It makes me sad to not be established anywhere. Again. I do so LONG to put down roots.

I am trying to push that bit of grumbling down and instead focus on the great blessing of it all. I am just so thankful that their are women (and men) who willingly and happily share their time, expertise, and their means for the furtherance of others. I have seen it time and time again at this church.

I must say, this church has many gifts that I haven't witnessed in a church in years. They really are a FAMILY. They do SO much together, are so ACTIVELY a part of one anothers' lives. Definately NOT the 'Hi on Sunday' type crowd. If ever we can no longer be a part of this family, I will leave with them a piece of my heart.

Anyway. Just thought I would share my happy news. I just finished potting ALL of those plants! Phew-was THAT a job! But a GOOD one! ;-)

If you are interested in gardening or would like to BECOME interested in gardening; perhaps you're garden is bare but you can't afford anything more-or maybe the Oregano NEEDS to be thinned out for the sake of your other plants...I would encourage you to set up a perennial exchange in your church or community. I know of people who set something like this up on Freecycle and barter cycle too!

It really is a FANTASTIC thing.