Introduce Yourself! (Even if you've been here for awhile)

[becke_davis]

At one time, we had an introductory thread but somewhere along the way it's gotten lost. I thought I'd start this up so all of you can tell us something about yourselves. It doesn't have to be about gardening - just tell us who you are, something interesting about yourself (or whatever you feel like sharing) and maybe why you decide to vist with us.

[Sunltcloud]

Hello everybody!

My name is Gisela; I'm 70 years old, live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I've been in the USA over 40 years. Born in Germany. I travel whenever I can afford it and have been to China, Morocco, Egypt, England, France, Germany (of course) Canada, Jamaica, Italy. My next bigger trip will be to the Czech Republic (retracing footsteps of Kafka - born in Prague, and Rilke)  and I hope to go to South Africa (visit Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent so many years in prison) before I'm too "stiff" to travel.

I usually have specific ideas in mind when I travel; many times books I've read are involved or authors/painters I adore. (Vincent van Gogh, Franz Marc, Hermann Hesse, Georgia O'Keeffe, Bob Marley, to name a few.) The last trip I took was to Guernsey in the Channel Islands after I read the "Guernsey Literature and Potato Peel Pie Society. Then I found "The Book of Ebenezer Le Page" which made me walk the island every day for a whole week. Whenever I stopped at a place Ebenezer had been, I reflected and noted it down. It was a great experience.

In my ordinary life I write a lot, belong to a memoir writing group, read a lot, belong to a local book group, knit a lot, mostly charitable knitting. Last year I knitted 100 teddy bears for the Mother Bear Project and blogged until I had to go to the hospital for a stent procedure. I'm just reviving the blog now, but will not post on a daily basis.

I have a travel companion, Tyana J LittleString, a teddy bear who has a large portfolio of 8x10s. She once accompanied me on a solitary walk across England (Hadrian's Wall Path) tied to my backpack. I often write about or to Dr. Carl Steinfeld, my imaginary shrink, who has been with me for almost 30 years. He is not only a good literary device; he is a faithful friend in times of need. 

I'm a sporadic poster and lurk more than I post, mainly because time is of the essence. Since I live in a Mobile Home I concentrate on small planting areas now. Mainly I use large pots and planters, since I had to cut down my apple tree when it intruded into my neighbor's property, and since the racoons ate most of my grapes, and the squirrels spit a lot of apricots into my driveway after just taking one bit. My new hobby is tomatoes and herbs; I keep a journal and don't mind if friends laugh because I harvest one cherry tomato a day.

I live alone but have two adult children and a family-in-law who support me in my "quaint" pursuits. Yes, I'm a happy soul.

[KathyS]

G- you most always come across as a 'happy soul'...that's what I love about 'listening' to you talk.  Your adventures are always full and lovely.  I feel like I'm reading a short story, every time you tell us about one of your "characters", and you, trekking around the world, or just in your back yard.

I was wondering, and I know you've been asked this before, but you mention your memoir writing group....are you giving any serious thought to writing your memoir, and publishing it?  I can only imagine how much you've compiled over the years, with all of your journalizing, pictures, and note taking everywhere you go.  You do know that you would have a lot of readers, don't you?

Thank you for sharing yourself with all us!

K.

[Sunltcloud]

Yes Kathy, I am asked all the time "why don't you publish?" The short answer is that I'd rather write something new than gather all that I have written and form it into something cohesive. I bound most of my 120 memoir pieces for my children one Christmas; another time I gave them all my poems.  I have one print-out of my thoughts in the "Knitting Bears" blog and tons of stuff in an old travel blog. A few short stories and poems were published online and eventually disappeared somewhere along the superhighway. Years ago I actually sold an essay on cycling with photographs. There just isn't enough time. But if I ever finish one of the novels I have started, I will consider publishing. In the meantime I keep up a dialogue with the people in my head. One is preparing for a date at a rooftop garden; another one would like to travel from odd to odder hotel; a third one just conquered his demons by carving a mask. My favorite one, a retired Latin Professor, is learning to rap to the words of German poets. We're just too busy to publish.

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KathyS wrote:

G- you most always come across as a 'happy soul'...that's what I love about 'listening' to you talk.  Your adventures are always full and lovely.  I feel like I'm reading a short story, every time you tell us about one of your "characters", and you, trekking around the world, or just in your back yard.

I was wondering, and I know you've been asked this before, but you mention your memoir writing group....are you giving any serious thought to writing your memoir, and publishing it?  I can only imagine how much you've compiled over the years, with all of your journalizing, pictures, and note taking everywhere you go.  You do know that you would have a lot of readers, don't you?

Thank you for sharing yourself with all us!

K.

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[KathyS]

Ah, yes, G, I see your point.  Being creative is a non stop endeavor for you...I commend you for this.  If this is what makes you the happiest, then no reason to change that perspective!  It's productive, and  it's beautiful!  Your mind is much busier than mine...and I thought mine was non stop!  In actuality, I think too much!  I spend so much time in contemplation, I never seem to get much done! LOL

[becke_davis]

Sunlitcloud, thanks so much for sharing this with us -- it's so nice to find out a little more about all of you, makes it feel more like we're getting together for coffee and donuts!

[Par4course]

Hi, my name's Wendy, I'm 57 and I teach 4th grade at a year-round school in San Diego.  I was born in New York state, in the upstate dairy farming area, and my grandmother always had a huge flower garden.  Plus we always had our family vegetable garden, so I love gardening.  My family later moved to Daytona Beach, Florida, and had to learn a whole new way to garden, as everything was sand!!  I worked as a secretary at colleges, public health department, hospital, and a lawyer's office.  Got married, adopted a daughter, moved to San Diego, CA.  Went to college and started teaching at the age of 34.  After moving several times and re-doing the yard at each spot, was divorced (after 27 years of marriage) and moved into a condo.  Now have a little house of my own, with my daughter and son-in-law living with me and sharing expenses.  Redid the front yard from sad bushes and grass to a low-water use garden of kangaroo paws, flax, society garlic, rosemary, Mexican sage, lavender, and lots of succulents.  Now working on the backyard when I get a chance.

I love chatting with all of you on this board, and thanks for all your help.

[KathyS]

Hi!  Thanks for your bio!  Does this mean I can call you Wendy, now?  If not, let me know?  Calling you Par4Course all the time, seemed strange...you're not Par anything!  Looks like you and I stayed married about the same amount of years... I'm glad you have your family with you, and to share the expenses.  It really does sound like you're a happy gardener...that's nice to hear.  Hope all goes well for you, and it's nice to have you here, too!

[Par4course]

Sure, you can call me Wendy.  As my grandmother used to say, "You can call me anything you want, just don't call me late for dinner."   Or was that my uncle?  Actually, my mom was the 10th kid out of 13, and my dad was last out of 9 kids, so I probably heard it from a lot of my uncles - they all thought they were cute when they said it.

 I think we really should try to meet half-way sometime, we have so much in common.  Something to think about....

[KathyS]

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Par4course wrote:

Sure, you can call me Wendy.  As my grandmother used to say, "You can call me anything you want, just don't call me late for dinner."   Or was that my uncle?  Actually, my mom was the 10th kid out of 13, and my dad was last out of 9 kids, so I probably heard it from a lot of my uncles - they all thought they were cute when they said it.

 I think we really should try to meet half-way sometime, we have so much in common.  Something to think about....

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Thanks! Wendy it is!   Wow, what a big family! I promise not to call you late for dinner, or breakfast, or lunch!  I'll send a PM to you.

[becke_davis]

Wendy - we're exactly the same age! Oh, I'm glad it's not all youngsters here!

[Par4course]

Becky - that's cool that we're the same age.  I wonder if it takes awhile for people to really be into gardening?  My daughter is 30 and just now getting interested in certain flowers in the garden. 

Message Edited by Par4course on 07-09-2009 08:00 PM

[becke_davis]

I really got into it when my daughter was little - about 25 years now. Whew!

[Par4course]

I think that, although my grandmother had a fantastic flower garden (people would stop and offer to buy her flowers), I never got into it until I was married and had my own home and yard.  I just enjoyed her flowers, but it's different when you have your own space.

[becke_davis]

I agree. My parents weren't really into gardening (although we did have a small garden at one house), but my grandfather cultivated begonias in his basement (under GRO-lights) and he raised bulbs in containers and glass jars so he could smell their fragrance in the house -- it was mainly hyacinths and narcissi. He had a tiny garden there, but he also maintained a sort of Victory Garden on common land the town allotted for that purpose. But I didn't really get into it until I had my own yard.

[becke_davis]

Hi all - I feel like I've been away for months, instead of just a few days. I'm still in Washington, DC, but I'm heading back to Cincinnati in a couple of hours. I've been at a romance writers' conference, but, oddly enough, I met an author who has a non-fiction book coming out in a few months. It's a funny story about a "killer parrot" -- a relative brought back the parrots as souvenirs of a tropical trip many years ago. The thing is, parrots live a really, really long time. One of the parrots has been a part of her family for years. It talks, and she had me in stitches telling me how the parrot bosses her kids around.

I told her about Hogzilla and she instantly starting coming up with more ideas as to the nature of the beast. I thought - "This woman would fit right in on the Garden board," so I asked her to stop by and talk to us when her book comes out. It's off-topic from gardening, but I thought you'd forgive me for leading us off the garden path since she is so much fun. And, who knows, she may be able to solve the mystery of Hogzilla's true nature!

 Her name is Jenny Gardiner and her book comes out in March -- it's called WINGING IT: A Memoir of a Vengeful Parrot Who's Determined to Kill Me.

[Melhay]

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Par4course wrote:
Becky - that's cool that we're the same age.  I wonder if it takes awhile for people to really be into gardening?  My daughter is 30 and just now getting interested in certain flowers in the garden. 

Message Edited by Par4course on 07-09-2009 08:00 PM

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I am 33 going on 34 here.  But, I just started getting into gardening this year.  My Fathers family had a farm when I was younger and I just absolutely loved it there.  My father then had a falling out with his family and we didn't go back.  But, anyway, I finally started myself a vegetable garden.  This is the start of it.  I plan on extending the garden next year along with the maintaince of the ground to get ready for next year.

We are doing work around the house now and put the weed paper down and some mulch.  Now, with all the trips to Lowes and the landscaping places for the items we need for outside I am getting to the point of wanting flowers.  I am ready to move on to the next stage in my gardening... Flowers around the house. 

I thought the vegetable garden would be easier than the flower gardens.  But with all the time I have in the vegetable garden I think the flowers will be easy.  So now I am going to start looking for flowers to go around the house.  I know I am running late this year to start it but I am starting to feel comfortable with the gardening thing now with the work in the vegetable garden.  I would like to get perennials so I don't have to replant all of them every year.  I will see what I come up with.  (And you all make it sound so beautiful and easy also.)

Melissa

[becke_davis]

Well, I don't know if gardening is ever easy. As to flowers vs. veggies, I'd say you get from it what you put into it. It depends if what you want is cut flowers to enjoy, or the joy of beautiful flowers to look at, or if you want food or herbs that have a practical use. For me, I like a little of both.

[Antonia-Amaris]

Hi All! Guess I was a little shocked when I read how old 'people' were thinking someone has to be to get into gardening. I personally have had my own garden since I was 12 and before that I helped tend my granny's garden on the weekends I visited her. I am 28 now and I could not live without my place of solitude.

[becke_davis]

I say, get that gardening bug growing as early as possible. I think I was five when I spent a summer with my grandfather in Arkansas. I remember playing in his garden while he picked peaches and plums. He thought my reaction was hilarious when he bit into a plum and found HALF a worm! Gross. But I can still remember the smell of sun-ripened tomatoes and freshly husked sweet corn, picked from his vegetable patch. My other grandfather had a Victory Garden and grew cool things like rhubarb and gladioli, and he propagated begonias on a ping-pong table in his basement, under GRO-lights. I think those early connections helped build my love of gardening.