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You may notice a few things that are different...but you may not, either!

I've made several changes to Lavender Cove's HTML code.  I've previosly done these same things on my other blog, Thrifty and Frugal by Debbie, and figured I'd get around to doing it for LC too, and I finally have...not that I have all that much free time on my hands, lol, but what I've done was super easy and fast.  I want to share with you a few things...first, you can no longer right click on my pages.  This is basically just in case I forget to watermark some of my pics (like the rose pic below, ughh)...watermarking can take time, and sometimes I get too busy and I get too excited and just want to get my post up for you.  And, of course, there's obvious reasons, as well, such as poaching.  I don't mind sharing my information, I don't even mind you taking the instructions I give, however, it's when I troll the web and low-and-behold I see my EXACT words on someone else's website.  Use my info and instructions, by all means, that's why I share it, it's not patented, but by not allowing an obvious copy option, it makes the person actually think and put some of their own work into the words (sorry, not trying to be mean).

Another cool thing I added were cool numbering of comments inside cute little clouds, lol  aren't they cute?  this is super helpful, believe me.  I also, as you can see below, added a personal signature for my posts...in Lavender, of course  ;)   Let's see, what else did I do? hmmm...OH, one of the most important things of all!!!!  From now on, all links will open in a NEW window!  You no longer have to click 'back' or something of that nature...just click the link and a new window will open, when you're finished with that page, exit out of it and the Lavender Cove page you were on will STILL be there!  cool, and helpful, eh?  I thought ya'll'd like that one  ;)

While I'm in the updating mood, do any of you have any other ideas for me to consider?  Do you think I need a new banner?  I'm leaning towards one, but that one takes a bit more time.  What else ya got????  let me know in my new numbered comments box, lol

A new miniature rose bush for Valentine's Day

So many years past my hubs has always gotten me a floral arrangement for Valentine's Day...sometimes roses, sometimes a mix, sometimes lillies (I've had to explain to him that I LOATHE these flowers, lol, although our yellow tabby loves to eat the stamin in the middle and gives herself a red nose, lol).  But this year, our Valentine's Day was packed with dental appointments and errands.  So after dropping the kids back off at school after the dentist and being out all afternoon running around town doing errands, I returned home to a delivery from Fed-Ex...these guys, along with the brown box truck boys know my address well, lol thanks to my other blog.  But this box was different, it said 'Pro Flowers' hmmm, I KNEW I hadn't won a Pro Flowers arrangement, so I wondered.  When I opened it, I thought, 'awe, he sent me some sort of exotic flower,' nope, it was a miniature rose bush, very full and bushy.  This was so much better than getting a flower arrangement, because I grow roses, I love to grow my roses, and I grow them well, lol.  He took the time to realize a thoughtful gift that he KNEW I'd love and appreciate...a new rose bush!!!  you did good, hubs ;)

Isn't it just GORGE?!!!

I've ordered my Heirloom Tomato seeds!

I posted the other day about a new blogger I found, Mimi, and how she's starting some winter sowing for the first time.  She also (and I subsequently) shared a linke to WinterSown.org where, for a small donation of $5 and a SASE, you get to choose 6 plus 4 default tomato breed seeds (you'll receive at least 6 seeds, maybe a few more, depends on their stock) of 10 types of tomato seeds.  OH, I had such a hard time choosing!  I finally settled on these (hopefully they have them in stock...if not, they'll substitute with something to be a surprise!):

1. Green Zebra - 3 oz fruit ripen to light green with dark green streaks
2. Louisiana Pink - loads of round pink fruits, flavorful
3. Legend - up to 1 lb frutis, Developed by Oregan St. University to be resistent to Blight, sweet, red
4. Mister Stripey - 2-3 oz fruits ripen to red with yell stripes, tangy flavor
5. Sunray - 3" fruits ripen to a golden orange
6. Tomatilla Purple - ripens to purple, harvest with husks begin to break
7. Tiny Tim - abundant, red cherries on dwarf plants, good to grow in containers
8. Super Marmande - 6-7 oz fruits ripen to red, French heirloom seeds
9. Sausage - extra long, 6" tapered fruits, meaty and fast producer
10. Wild Card - this is left at their choice to be a surprise, will either be an heirloom or rare tomato seeds NOT listed for choice on their list

Don't these sound FUN????  my only problem?  I have NEVER had any luck beginning my plants indoors...I always forget the poor buggers,  :(   I'll will try  my best to treat them better this time around, lol

Lavender Cove has received it's FIRST blogger award!

I was super excited to read the comment down below from Misty, over at Misty's Thoughts Too, saying that she was passing the Stylish Blogger Award to Lavender Cove!!  OMG, super cool!  Thank you so much, Misty.  I hereby happily and enthusiastically ACCEPT, lol!!  She also gave the Stylish Blogger Award to my other blog, Thrift and Frugal by Debbie, and I want to thank her for that, as well.  Stay tuned to my full award acceptance post, along with the 15 blogs I'll pass it on to.  THANKS AGAIN, Misty!!

Lavender Cove has visited their FIRST blog hop! yays!

I've linked Lavender Cove up to a few blog hops, finally decided to build a following, YAYS!  and just in time to prepare for Spring and gardening, double YAYS! lol  followers, I ALWAYS follow back!! just make sure to leave a comment with your link-back so I can return the favor...thanks! and enjoy hopping!



A GREAT resource with a Cause!!

I want to thank my new friend, Mimi, over at Gardening in the Buroughs of NYC, for turning me onto this great new resource!  It's not NEW, per se, but it's new to me!  It's called Wintersown.Org!  This great organization shares their seeds, many variety if seeds, for a small donation and an SASE!  They are a non-profit organization, that is making growing your own veggies, herbs, and flowers more readily accessed and available to people, urban and rural.  Mimi had ordered oodles of seeds that she wanted to try her hand at sowing...she recently got her order in and WOW, for $5 she got aLOT of varieties of tomatoes, and a few other types of seeds.  This is a GREAT way to grow new varieties, either not readily available to you, or to use as a new online growing resource.  Thank you, Mimi!  Read Mimi's post where she shares her Wintersown.Org story and see the pics of all the great seeds she received!  I'm totally going to do this!! totally!  as in, gonna send my SASE and $5 within the day, lol. 

Another thing I'm gonna try is Wintersown's type of cataloging of their seeds.  Right now, I have a box w/dividers and such, and this is a good system, but I think I like this catalog type of system better.  Here's a pic of one of the catalog systems used by Witnersown:

Wintersown.Org also shows you various ways of growing seeds, shares ideas and such on how to do so by recycling and using the products that you have on-hand instead of purchasing expensive seed growing items and such.  They even share their treasured heirloom tomatoe seeds.  Larger orders can be requested.  Go here to see what varieties they carry, and how to place your order.  I sincerely suggest you do the $5 donation (or more) type of order...you're getting a LOT of seeds for just $5, and heirloom seeds, at that...they're TOtally worth that amount and more, even.  By dontating, you help them to continue to provide the seeds and help other gardeners, either old hands or newbies!
 

We sincerely appreciate your generous donation.

First six varieties ~ Free
-
$5 donation for
 a gift of 10 Varieties
(6 choices & 4 defaults)

(as stated on the Wintersown.Org site)

thanks again to Mimi for sharing this great resource in her home state, NY!!  Head over and check out her awesome gardening blog, 'Gardening in the Burroughs of NYC'!  I happened to stumble across it the other day and can't seem to pull myself away from it ever since!!  Especially if you're tired of this winter crap and in the mood for gardening, she'll definitely get your mind going and get you antsy for Spring!!

now, all I have to do is decide what seeds I want...ughh...gonna be a tough one!!