Although hydroponic plants aren't supposed to do well transplanted into soil, last spring I tried anyway and plunked a batch of Aerogarden-grown French herbs in a bowl for the patio. I threw in a few spare cell-pack impatiens and a sweet potato vine for color. To my delight, the combo thrived. This is what it looked like right after planting:
As summer went on and the plants got taller and fuller, the bowl became a nice addition to the patio garden. It got only morning sun, and that was enough. It smelled wonderful, and looked pretty with the surrounding pots. The parsley, savory, chervil, thyme, and sweet potato vine trailed out and covered the cheap plastic bowl, and I harvested fresh herbs from it all summer. Hmmm. . . that worked out pretty well. . . I just might have to try it again this year.
An Award! Meems at Hoe and Shovel has honored me with this:
Thank you Meems! It means a lot coming from you, whose writing and photography I so enjoy and admire. Meems lives, gardens and blogs in central Florida. Her garden is a gorgeous tropical feast for the senses.
The rules for passing along the E award are simple and straightforward: By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, you agree to award it to 10 more people whose blogs you find Excellent Blog Award worthy.
Although I'm still a wet-behind-the-ears blogger and blog reader, it's easy to think of ten award-worthy blog writers:
Hinsley Ford of The Oxygen Chronicles: Hinsley is a gifted writer and poet dedicated to giving a voice to millions of chronic pain and illness sufferers whom our culture often turns away from. Her blog provides a compassionate, sobering, unblinking inside look at what it's like living with severe, life-threatening chronic illness and pain. Born prematurely, Hinsley has suffered a host of chronic illnesses since infancy. Her very survival is testament to the strength of her beautiful spirit. She shares her life with candor, wit, and self-deprecating humor. Currently she's working on a book form of her blog that encourages readers to persevere in the face of serious illness while not losing track of their lifelong dreams.
Esther Montgomery of Esther in the Garden: Esther is a new garden blogger living in England. A newlywed, married a Martian, she blogs about the twists and turns of interplanetary marriage, the challenges and surprises of interplantetary children, curious neighbors, and her passion for gardening in a most imaginative and wryly humorous way.
Abraham Lincoln of My Birds Blog: Mr. Lincoln, married for 52 years (he deserves an award just for that,) specializes in wildlife photography, and captures beautiful images of the wild things that visit his bird-friendly back yard.
The next seven, whether new to gardening or lifelong gardeners or somewhere in-between, are all garden bloggers I enjoy reading:
Crafty Gardener is one busy lady! I sometimes find keeping up my one measly blog challenging. Crafty has three, and they're all wonderful: The Gardener Side, Sow Then Grow, and The Crafty Side. Mr. McGregor's Garden - a garden blogging 'neighbor' who also hails from the Chicago area - excellent writing, great sense of humor, nice photos, what's not to love? Melanthia at Garden Muse blogs about the challenges of bringing up baby while gardening and trying to maintain sanity (ah, I remember those days so well!) Garden Fairie's Musings - I love her sense of humor and creativity!
Blue Fox Garden - she is one artistic, creative gardener whose resourcefulness I admire. Les's Garden - My yard is too shady for a vegetable garden, so I enjoy veggie gardening vicariously now! And last, but certainly not least, is Lady Greenthumb's Garden. Living and gardening in Croatia, this very cool young woman writes well, takes great photos, makes me laugh, and I love her travel blogs. She stirs up my wanderlust and makes me want to visit the wonderful places she writes about.
And now, just because, here's another photo from a recent trip to Chicago's Garfield Park Conservatory.
Linda - you must have been leaving a note on ESTHER IN THE GARDEN at the same time as I was reading this post.
ReplyDeleteI am really honoured to recieve your 'E' award - but I was also panicking about the 'passing it on to ten people' element.
(It was only earlier today that I managed to finish the 'ten things' list that you set me!)
So - I've just been back to my blog and found your note waiting there.
You are so kind! I do feel really proud to be 'Eed' but really don't feel I can choose ten blogs to 'pass it on' to.
If you like - you could chose ten more to make up for my 'missing' ones?
It may be no surprise to you if I say I am the kind of person who looks for every excuse to turn down a party invitation. And if ever I really can't avoid going - I take a book. And then I leave, when no-one is looking!
In other words - I am an anti-social, prim grump.
But I do, none the less, appreciate your approval - and your permission not to do the passing on bit!
Phew!
Thanks!
Esther
ESTHER IN THE GARDEN
Esther, my mom was never big on 'rules' when I was growing up, and I took the same approach with my girls, who turned out to be fine, upstanding young women. To me, most rules are dumb, and meant to be broken! (I always was a bit of a rebel. . . Thank you Mom!)
ReplyDeleteJust my opinion, and no offense intended, I think awards and honors should come with no strings attached.
I completely understand your dislike of parties. I suspect many of us gardener-types have similar temperaments. I don't consider myself anti-social, but I'm quite reserved and definitely not 'the life of the party.' (Maybe it's my English blood?) When I do attend a party, if I'm not the very first, I'm usually among the first to leave, and my face hurts from all the smiling.
I hope you're feeling better.
Wow, thanks for the award "call-out" in your blog! :) Shucks. Blush! (Note to self: Remember to be funny.)
ReplyDelete~ Monica
P.S. I both am and am not a rule follower. I like the idea of passing on positive thoughts, though, and I will mention 10 blogs I enjoy in a future post (I'm hoping some can be non garden-related?). For housekeeping, may I copy the logo from your site or how does that work?
P.P.S. People don't believe me when I tell them, especially not those who have just heard me give a presentation, but I'm an introvert. I love gardening so I'm excited when I speak about it and I love an interactive talk. But parties? Oy. I have to psych myself up for them, and it's a bit of work, to be honest. I often do end up enjoying myself, but my energy wanes over time. I need time alone. With happy quiet things like flowers and cats and whatnot (especially whatnot). Yep, introvert (raises hand and waves). :)
In the immortal words of Sally Field, "You like me! You really like me!" I humbly thank you for your kind words. One of the most interesting things I discovered at Spring Fling is that many (most?) garden bloggers are introverts (including myself) - but you'd never have known it based on the noise level at the dinners - talking about gardening is such a great common ground.
ReplyDeleteMonica, you're so welcome.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, I'm sometimes a rule follower too.
After doing this post myself, I knew it would take some time, and everyone might not have the time to do the choosing, the linking, and the messaging in addition to their normal blogging and blog reading. Today I was able to, but next week. . . probably not.
It might be kind of fun to do a poll of garden bloggers, introvert? or extrovert? I'm sure there'd be a mix, but I suspect the introverts would be a substantially larger number.
MMD, you crack me up! And yep, I really do!
I'm so jealous :) that you got to go to Austin! It's been great reading all the reports from the shindig. It's exciting to think about a fling coming to Chicago. I'm there!
It's interesting how a shared passion like gardening can bring out the extrovert in even the most confirmed introvert!
Monica, p.s. You should be able to save the award as a picture, then add it to your post. It took me a moment to figure that out. Thanks for asking. Your question might help someone else too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for picking The Gardener Side for the award.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure Crafty!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the award, Garden Girl! I really am honored too, and my blog will proudly display the picture!
ReplyDeleteBlue Fox, you're quite welcome!
ReplyDeleteAn award of excellence coming from yourself is quite a treat. Having cracked my tooth yesterday and having this mental weather-related migraine today, I'd be a total, sharptooth bitch if it wasn't for your E making my day and thinking of other wonderful bloggers out there to pass it on to. So one big thanks for all of it, including your lovely comments.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Violet
Violet, you're welcome! Thank you for the lovely bloom.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your tooth, and I can definitely empathize about the migraine.
You certainly didn't dissapoint with your post in response to your E. Great job!
I've been thinking about what it is to be an 'Introvert' or an 'Extravert'.
ReplyDeleteI once read a definition by someone who is a famous 'therapist' in this country and who writes sensible but popular books on psychology (whose name eludes me for a moment).
She says the two kinds of people are not to be distinguished by how they behave in public but by how they 'restore' themselves.
The extravert is re-energised by being in company; the introvert by having time on their own.
Thus, someone may be the life and soul of a party (or give interesting presentations with confidence!) but still be an introvert.
Makes sense to me!
Esther
Esther, it makes sense to me too. I'm re-energized by time alone, especially after time in company, which can often feel draining.
ReplyDeleteOMG - This is so awesome! I bookmarked it once because I think I had to go somewhere, and I just am catching up on posts tonight. THANK YOU LINDA! Sooooooooo sweet! Do I just save the E and repost it, and then spread it on? Can I send it back to you? lol
ReplyDeleteWow. I so appreciate it.
- me
Hinsley, You're so welcome! You deserve an Excellence award! If you'd like to add the award to your blog, you can save it as a picture, then insert into your blogger sidebar using the "add a page element" feature.
ReplyDeleteI made up my own rules since I was giving the award. It's very time-consuming writing the post, creating all the links, and commenting on all the blogs to pass the award on ten times. It took me quite a long time to do it, more time than some people probably have, and it might be a bit much to do it with the way you've been feeling lately. I certainly don't want an award to become a burden!
So I decided it's up to each person I awarded whether or not to pass it on, and if they do, it doesn't have to be to ten other blogs. I'm of the opinion an award should be given with no strings attached.
p.s. I removed the blotanical blog roll, as it's too far over and was covering text in my posts. So now you can actually read what I wrote about you and your blog. I'm a little peaved that I already deleted my garden blog roll, as now I guess I'll have to re-do it. :(