Thank You, Dear Friends!

Today marks another milestone in my life--no, not a birthday or wedding anniversary, although it is an anniversary of a sort. A year ago today I pondered the question, "To Blog or Not to Blog" and entered this wonderful world of cyberspace friendship.

Last January, my friend Beckie suggested I might enjoy reading her cousin Lisa's blog, which I did. For awhile I "lurked" around Greenbow and eventually got brave enough to sign up for a Blogger account and began to leave a few comments on Lisa's blog. When Beckie decided to begin her own blog at Dragonfly Corner, I became even more curious and eventually decided to take the plunge myself several weeks later.


That first post contained only one picture--my front yard (to the right), which ironically looks much the same today except for quite a few sticks and small broken branches. I think my intent was to show that I had lots of room for garden expansion, but truth be told, my eyes and ideas are bigger than my energy level:) Before publishing this first post, though, I began reading other blogs as well, particularly Carol, Jodi, and Mr. McGregor's Daughter, who unknowingly were my mentors in how to create and write an interesting post. My thanks to the three of you, as well as Beckie and Lisa, for your inspiration.



I received a total of 6 comments on that first post, which isn't bad for a first-timer. Of course, two of them were mine, one was from Beckie, one from Lisa (whom Beckie had told about my blog), one from Carol kindly encouraging a newbie, and the fourth from Cheryl (whom Beckie had also told). I had never visited Cheryl's blog before, but with this first exchange, we became regular visitors, and today I think of her as a dear friend--all because of blogging.


I joined the blogging community primarily as a garden blogger, hoping to get ideas for landscaping our property and tips on dealing with some gardening problems. As a novice gardener, I soaked up all the information I read. An early post of Lisa's inspired me to plant some zinnia seed for the first time in years. I've gushed over these zinnias since last summer, so needless to say, I was very happy with this idea. Other blogs have enticed me with photos and praise of other plants, so that I've developed a very long plant "wish list." For example, I've already planted a "Limelight" hydrangea and ordered some hellebores for this year after reading all of your glowing recommendations.


As time went on--and I discovered the macro setting on my camera--gardening became more than just a solitary pastime and a way to beautify my yard. I became eager to share with you some of my successes--as well as failures--and I began to read more and more blogs. I wish I could name everyone who has so kindly left a comment, encouraging me and offering advice, but I know if I started naming names, I would leave somebody out. If I read your blog on a regular basis, you know I enjoy reading what you have to say and that I value your friendship. It's amazing how many wonderful people I have met! While most of my blogging friends live in the States, Canada, or the UK, I have met so many different people all over the world from Sweden to India. I sometimes think that if our world leaders could share ideas as we do that this world would be a much better and more peaceful place.

You, my blogging friends--gardeners and non-gardeners alike--are the nicest people. You compliment my flowers, chuckle at my sometimes feeble attempts to be humorous, show true concern in scary situations such as my father's recent stroke, and are always supportive. You have indulged me in my showing off my grandchildren, both my true offspring and the adopted furry ones. I thank you for that. I have enjoyed being able to share your joyous moments, and when life hasn't gone so smoothly for you, I hope you view my concern and care as sincere.

I have learned so much from all of you, and it hasn't all been about just gardening. I've learned about photograpy, art, new books, and many things in between. Thanks to Cheryl, in particular, I have learned about the true "secret lives of bees." My appreciation of wildlife and nature in general has deepened over this past year. I have watched the birds more, and I now can identify some of them besides the common cardinals, robins, and sparrows. I've always loved butterflies, but for the first time I know the names of some of them beyond just the monarchs. I've learned to spend more time "in the moment."

Not all of the blogs I read are about gardening or nature. Two of my early visitors were from different parts of the UK, Suburbia and Liz. Suburbia was at first horrified by my treatment of rabbits, until she realized it was all an April Fool's joke. Liz, who writes about a variety of subjects, both serious and humorous, often writes about her adorable, if mischievous, dog George, who is in part responsible for my adopting Sophie. Through the two of them I have found other non-gardening blogs that have become part of my reading list as well.

I have indeed learned so much from bloggers, such as how to start seedlings indoors--these Black-eyed Susans to the right are looking good right now! (And no, the pots aren't purple; the grow light makes them look that way.) But most important have been the friendships I've made in this community.

Who else would share my excitement over these new tulips just emerging from the ground? Someone else would see only dirt and dried leaves, but I know you understand:)

While I am in thanking mode, I also need to thank a local blogger, Joyce, for this award she gave me recently. "This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values every day." That's quite an honor, Joyce; thank you! I am allowed to pass this on to up to 15 bloggers, but I know that many of you prefer not to accept awards, so I am going to pass this on to just one deserving person--Beckie. I think it's fitting that she receive this award since she started me on this journey, and because she helped me celebrate my blogaversary in a wonderful way yesterday.

What a better way to usher in a new gardening season than to attend the magnificent Chicago Flower and Garden Show at Navy Pier! This gives you an inkling of what my next post will be about:)

Thank you again, dear blogging friends for everything. I hope to spend many more hours in the coming year with you and am looking forward to meeting a few of you in person this May in Chicago.

Puppy Love

"They call it puppy love

Oh, I guess they'll never know

How a young heart really feels

And that's why I love her so

And they call it puppy love . . ."

I think Paul Anka had something else in mind when he sang this song, but meet the newest member of our household . . .

Sophie !!

Miss Sophie arrived at our home last Friday and has captured the hearts of everyone in the family, including all of the grandchildren who have stopped in to meet her.


I have been wanting a dog for some time, especially since Youngest Daughter plans to take Coconut with her when she eventually moves out. I had planned to find a dog one day at the Humane Society where Oldest Granddaughter (above) and I volunteer a few times a month. But every time I would find a dog that seemed right for me, it had already been adopted. Last week through a friend of my daughter-in-law's, I found out about a family who wanted to give up their puppy because they simply didn't have the time or energy to take care of her. I went to see her, and it was love at first sight. She came home with me last Friday.

Despite some initial sibling rivalry, Coconut has accepted his new "sister" (or is it "aunt"? If Sophie is MY dog, and Coco is my granddog, then . . . never mind, this is too confusing.) When Coconut came to our house as a puppy, our big dog Roco was still alive, and Older Daughter's pug Odie was here as well. Coconut has been an "only child" for a year and a half now, but occasional canine visitors have ensured that he is a friendly, sociable dog. He has even been kind enough, albeit reluctantly, to share his toys with Sophie. (Please don't tell Daughter I used this picture--she would be appalled. But it was the only photo I could get of Sophie and Coconut together, even if it is a little blurry.)

Toby, on the other hand, was not so sure about this new arrival. Sophie has made very polite overtures, but Toby has remained wary of her. In the last few days, he's realized that his favorite perch on top of the couch or in a chair is a safe place from which to inspect this energetic pup and to let her know who's really the boss in this household.

Sophie is a Golden Retriever, which, according to my research, is a highly intelligent breed and one that is very good with children. That was number 1 on my list of dog characteristics--I wanted a dog I would feel safe with around the grandchildren. Number 2 was that she had to have brown eyes, because of my dear late Roco who transformed me from a cat person to a dog and cat person:)

When I met Sophie, her previous owner told me she was partially housebroken and crate-trained. Hmmm, well her new surroundings may have caused her to revert to old habits. We're working on both of them . . . I did expect that as a puppy, she would be a chewer and be a little destructive. Mary recently did a post about redecorating her bedroom and needing to replace her dog-worn bedding. Well, Mary, do you remember when Bella and Chloe were puppies??

Despite having a whole basket of toys, Sophie finds newspapers and bath net scrubbers much more fun to play with. My vacuum sweeper is getting quite a workout:) We needed to replace all the carpeting in the house anyway, especially that ugly green family room carpeting in the first photo and the crazy chartreuse in the office, both of which I've wanted to tear out since we moved here. Sophie is helping me convince my husband of this by gnawing at any loose threads and edges, but it would probably be a smart idea to wait a few months before spending the money.

Aw, gee, with a face like this, how can you get mad at her for a few spots or holes in the carpet??


Happiness is a warm puppy.--Charles M. Schulz

"I Heard It From Alice Zucchini"

Today I am foregoing my usual ABC Wednesday post to join another group for this week--a book review collection hosted by Barrie Summy each month. (Technically, I guess this might qualify for this week's ABC letter G since I'm writing about a gardening book, but that might get a little confusing.) When I posted a review last month about a delightful book I had just finished, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Sarah Lawrence commented that I might want to join Barrie for her new monthly "meeting" of book reviewers. Sarah frequently reviews books on her posts, reviews accompanied by gorgeous photos that always seem to illustrate the novel's plot and themes perfectly. A book club meeting each month--one that I don't have to dress up for or have to read a prescribed book--sounded like an ideal opportunity to me.


This past month has been extremely busy for me, with my grandchildren here for awhile, my father's hospitalization, and more than my usual days of substitute teaching. I'm currently reading Elizabeth George's Careless in Red, which I mentioned in the earlier review, but I can't very well review a book I haven't finished, can I? So my contribution this month is a book that doesn't take long to read at all, but one that can be read and enjoyed over and over again.


While searching for a gardening book online one day, I came across a children's book entitled I Heard it from Alice Zucchini. Now with a title like that, wouldn't you be intrigued? I certainly was and, after reading some reviews of it, decided to purchase it to share with my grandchildren.


I Heard it from Alice Zucchini is subtitled Poems about the Garden and is just that--a delightful collection of children's poems related to the garden. The poems range from the humorous, like "Garden Gossip," from which the title comes, to the fanciful fairy tale-like story of "Sweet Cicely and the Bee." There is even a "Garden Lullaby" with soothing images perfect for a bedtime reading. My favorite is probably "Blue Moon Over the Garden," which is full of appealing imagery:

". . . Sleeping vegetables wake and yawn.
It's June and the night of the second moon.
Crickets tune their violins in anticipation.
Tomatoes bounce down pole-bean twine.
Cucumbers tumble in green clown suits.
A choir of celery burst into song . . ."

When I ordered the book, I was expecting a collection of humorous poems, ala Shel Silverstein, but the poems are not all humorous, and the author, Juanita Havill, has her own unique style. There are no alien-looking kohlrabi (like those from my garden to the right), but there are chanting pea pods, dancing dill weeds, and a "Rhubarb Forest." Children will enjoy the rhyme and rhythm, especially the catchy tune of "Vegetable Stew."



The book is beautifully illustrated by Christine Davenier, and children will delight in finding the fairy who appears on every page. The author Juanita Havill has written more than thirty books for children and is decribed as "an avid gardener [who] readily confesses to talking with her plants--even with the weeds." I think all my gardening friends can relate to this!



I'm a firm believer in introducing children to poetry at a young age, and this book is an appealing way to develop an early appreciation of poetry. For my garden blogging friends, while this book may not fit on your reference shelf, it would make an excellent gift for a young grandchild, niece/nephew, or godchild. It might even encourage them to look in your garden for some "weedling seedlings" or "Princess Asparagus"!



And the best part is . . .

. . .This book has been kid-tested!

March Garden Muse Day

Dear March--Come in--
How glad I am--
I hoped for you before--
Put down your Hat--
You must have walked--
How out of Breath you are--
Dear March, how are you, and the Rest--
Did you leave Nature well--
Oh March, Come right up stairs with me--
I have so much to tell--

Emily Dickinson

Yes, March is here at last, and in twenty days it will be Spring! As glad as I am to tear the page of February off the calendar, I know that the month of March can be a tease. Although the calendar may say that March 20 is the Spring Equinox, we all know that Mother Nature doesn't always pay attention. We may have some warm sunny days perfect for getting a head start on the garden, or we could easily have the worst snowstorm of the winter. I have seen both extremes in weather in recent years. March likes to tease us with the promise of spring then quickly remind us here in the Midwest that winter can last until April. I do hope this year March decides to be nice . . . it's already been a long winter.

Garden Muse Day is brought to you the first of every month by Carolyn Gail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago, and I've enjoyed participating in this meme since I first found it last June. The poem I chose for this month is by one of my favorite poets, but it's one I had never read before, and I'd like to give you a little background to explain how I chose it.

Many times in the last year, I've seen the name Tasha Tudor mentioned on different blogs, especially at the time of her passing last June. Some of you may have even invited her to your special dinner sponsored by VP. I'm not afraid to admit when I am ignorant on a subject, so I will confess that I had no idea who she was, though the name sounded vaguely familiar. At first I thought she was some trendy designer--ha! was I wrong there! Eventually, I gathered she had illustrated Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, but I thought there must be more to this woman's career than that to make her so famous.

This winter I finally had some time to investigate her more thoroughly and ordered several books by and about Tasha Tudor from the library. One of the books was The Private World of Tasha Tudor, which gave me a good overview of her life and philosophy about nature and gardening as well as beautiful photos of her home and gardens. What a fascinating woman! Meeting her must have been like stepping back in time. As much as I admire her approach to gardening, her talent, and her tireless work ethic, I don't think I would like to garden in a long dress and apron, though:)



Two of the other books I received turned out to be books of poetry--one a book of poems written and illustrated by her, and the other a book of Emily Dickinson poems which she illustrated. This poem about March included the illustration above--perhaps if you click on it to enlarge it you can see her painting in more detail.



And to think I started reading blogs thinking I would just get ideas for planting flowers!

"Life isn't long enough to do all you could accomplish.

And what a privilege even to be alive. "

--Tasha Tudor

Update

Thank you to everyone for your concern and encouraging comments on my last post. Dad came home from the hospital yesterday (Wednesday) and is understandably tired, but fortunately he suffered no serious effects from the stroke. The other good news is that the doctors believe medication rather than surgery is the best treatment for him. He is still concerned about the future, because several members of his family suffered strokes, but he is determined to follow the doctor's recommendations and live as healthy a lifestyle as he can (which he did anyway!). We thank God for his recovery. The experience has been a good reminder that family is precious and that time spent with them is just as precious.

ABC Wednesday: The Ties that Bind

This week's letter for ABC Wednesday is the letter F, which stands for . . .

. . .Fields lying in wait for the warmth of spring. Just as we gardeners are looking for any sign of spring in our gardens--the bloom of a snowdrop or even the tiniest hint of a green shoot thrusting through the soil--farmers are also anticipating spring. In the heart of soybean and corn country, where I live, it is much too early to begin working in the fields, but preparations are being made for a new growing season. Seeds were ordered long ago, and now is the time to check over machinery to ensure it is in good repair and to finish any other necessary preparations so that once the weather is suitable, planting can begin without interruption.

By late March farmers will be getting restless, checking the temperature and moisture of the soil, hoping that they can soon begin working up the ground so that planting begins on time. Like gardeners, farmers are at the whim of the weather gods. Last year heavy rains at the end of May postponed much of the planting, causing a great deal of concern for farmers who feared that a late harvest would mean lower yields or none at all. Fortunately, though, the warm, dry fall we had offset many of the problems caused by the late start.

Unlike gardeners, though, who usually work in the garden for the sheer enjoyment of it, farmers are focused on trying to earn a livelihood. Due to many factors, farming has become more of a business, in many cases a big business. In the last 50 years in the state of Illinois the number of farms has been cut in half, while the size of the average farm--the number of acres--has doubled. What is particularly sad to me is the demise of the small family farm. While the majority of Illinois farms are still family-owned and operated, there are fewer of them.

For example, while my husband and I live on land farmed by several generations of his family, my husband no longer does the actual farming. After quite a few years of working his "day" job and then doing the farmwork on weekends and evenings, he decided it just wasn't worth it anymore. It is more cost-productive to rent out the land. Sadly, my own family's farm is in much the same situation. When my father finally decided to retire as he approached his 80th birthday, there was no one in our immediate family to take over. Virgin prairie land purchased by my great-great-grandfather and farmed by four generations of the same family is now worked by someone else, albeit a distant relative.

Larger and more expensive equipment and a narrow profit margin have forced farmers to either increase the size of their farms or to give up farming altogether. Some find the higher prices of real estate development more enticing than the constant struggle to stay solvent. I don't think there's any kind of conspiracy afoot against small farmers; it's simply economic reality. The small family farms are going the way of "mom and pop" retail businesses.

F is also for Family, which is a very important part of my life. Those of you who read my last post know that two of my grandchildren stayed with us for the better part of last week while their parents took a short vacation trip. We had a wonderful time: Granddaughter asked if she could stay 10 days instead of 5 (!), and little Grandson was perfectly content the whole time, but was absolutely thrilled to see Mom and Dad on their return! You wonder what must have been going through his mind since he was too little to understand the concept of a vacation.

The day after they went home, my father was rushed to the hospital after suffering a mild stroke. He seems to be doing well and hopefully will be coming home tonight. But he is 83, and we don't know yet what the near future will bring. I have been spending as much time as possible at the hospital the past few days in between working almost full-time this week. And so, dear blogging Friends, I think you will understand if I haven't had much time to read or post lately; Family is my first priority right now.

ABC Wednesday: E is for . . .

Today's Wednesday show is brought to you by the letter E.

(Sorry about that--I've watched a little too much Sesame Street this week.)

E is for Exhausted!

Tarzan is not the exhausted one--he at least gets to take frequent cat naps during the day. No, I am the one who is exhausted. Two of my grandchildren are staying with us for the week while their parents are taking a much-needed vacation. Granddaughter is 5 1/2, very precocious, and full of energy. Grandson is 20 months and, though much quieter, needs a watchful eye at all times. I've been enjoying having them here for an extended stay, but I just wish I had gotten in better shape and taken more vitamins before they came! Time to myself is very limited, so I hope you'll understand if I have not been visiting your blogs as often as I usually do. I'm trying to remember how in the world I ever raised four children while teaching full-time. There's a reason you should have children while you're young:)

ABC Wednesday is brought to you by Mrs. Nesbitt; for more ABC posts, you can click here.

Have a good week!