Monday, July 28, 2008

The Story of the Commenters

All right, now is the time to talk about my commenters. I spend enough time in the garden and talking about it, time to let my faithful and loyal commenters shine.

A few bloggers have emailed me asking about my little group. Many know Skeeter and Lola. These two comment on a ton of blogs and are great commenters. Some know my mother, Jean. She comments on a few blogs she established a relationship with early on in my blogging 'career'. My mother reads more than she comments on. Dawn, my sister, is a loyal and funny commenter ever since my mother and I let her know how to comment. She now has her own blog and is very busy still talking here and blogging in the craft blog community. Anonymous and Nina, well you will have to read their stories below.


The commenters are not listed in any certain order. I have stuck to the original six NOT to slight anyone else who comments on here. Especially my wonderful oldest daughter (Christine) who comments occasionally. I have stuck with these six simply because they were with me when I blogged through an FTP site and were with me religiously. All kept me going and it was like having a conversation with each daily. I have met all, except Lola. Lola lives in Florida and it would difficult for us to meet. We have all traded emails, addresses and phone numbers. We have become friends through this blog and enjoy talking. Blogging buddies or not, you develop a relati
onship blogging and I think sometimes it is MUCH easier than developing relationships in person. At least you know the person you are speaking to has the same interest (gardening). I don't know about you all out there in cyberland, but as soon as I start talking gardening to others their eyes are liable to roll back in their heads and they are just not all interested (big surprise to me). Big hurdle when you try to establish something in common with someone else. Not so on here as everyone who visits usually likes to garden.

None of my commenters had their own blogs when we began talking. My sister Dawn started hers much later due to the great amount of fun she had on my blog. Skeeter was a member of another blog and was familiar with blogging, but d
oes not have her own blog. She and I share pretty well on here.

I am not including commenters like Dave, Frances and Gail, who all have their own blogs and were also early commenters in this posting. They would need their own posting. I do appreciate every one who takes the time to comment on here, especially other bloggers. I have also been fortunate to meet a few other bloggers; which was super great! But Dave, Frances and Gail and I all kind of found each other through the blogging community; whereas these original six found my blog through a different community, one published via an FTP.

This FTP was a whole new ballpark for bloggers. I would never recommend blogging throu
gh an FTP to anyone who truly WANTS to blog and relate to others, but it did bring into my life some really nice people I might not ever have met except through the FTP. (One can never be sure though) Those are: Skeeter, Nina, and Lola. I already knew Anonymous, and obviously I know my mother and sister.

Now, on to the commenters. Since this is a garden blog, and since you all know how corny I am at times (okay-maybe like all the time!), I chose pictures of flowers to represent my commenters. Also, I want to say I refer to these guys as my commenters, but really they aren't! They can read and comment anywhere! The good thing about the computer and cyberland is that commenters are not limited to a certain blog. There are SO many blogs that readers and commenters can be picky
and choosy. At the same time, there is no way commenters can ever possibly comment on all blogs they read and like. It is NEVER personal, and I know all folks understand this. Commenters, bloggers, and even readers who never comment, need to find their niche and they have to have something in common with the blogger in order to return. So, onto my flowers....oops! commenters!
This picture of lilacs represents Anonymous. Lilacs are her favorite flower. She is from Pennsylvania and remembers their sweet fragrance from the north. It is great she can grow them down here. She chooses to remain anonymous and I will always respect her privacy. Anonymous lives locally and she and I have been friends for more than five years, though we had lost contact for a few years. When my new blog (published through an FTP) was to begin, there was some publicity about it in the newspaper. Anonymous's Number #2 son saw my picture and told his mom. She began reading the blog from nearly day one way back in September of 2007. I never knew! Anonymous would never comment. I ran into her one day at the Wal-Mart and we began talking. I was quite shocked she knew all about me, my grandson and the Jimster and so on! I don't know why I would be surprised, I mean duh, the info is out there for anyone to read. I guess the shocking part was not knowing who was reading, and not knowing she was reading. Very shocking indeed in this small community.

Anonymous has contributed many photos to this blog and is an excellent photographer. She took the picture of the lilacs posted above.

After a time, we began talking on here. Slowly and hesitantly at first. Commenting in cyberworld can be a daunting thing. Truly. And I do think you have to be careful about it all. Anonymous did the right thing by moving slowly. Now thanks to the blog, Anonymous and I have a daily relationship that has grown and grown. We all love to hear her talk about Sidekick chasing lizards, or catching snakes, Girl Model decorating her room, Boy #2's baseball antics, and Boy #1's activities as well. Not to mention her 'Red Beauty' and the ritual of cutting the grass (with a weedwhacker?!). I always enjoy her comments and we visit in person as well. This friendship has been going strong for awhile and will continue for life.


The hydrangea has to without a doubt represent my mother, Jean. Whenever I see hydrangeas I think of my grandmother and the hydrangea my grandmother planted in my mother's vegetable garden.

My mother is handicapped and has an awful hard time getting around. She has not gardened in years, but I grew up with a garden everywhere we lived due to her love for gardens. The one thing my mother can do is to use a computer. She doesn't know a single thing about the technical machines but sure does love the Internet. Along came a little blog called, In the Garden authored by her oldest daughter, and now my mother had a new outlet on the Internet that led to two very important things. The first is that she and I can talk not only each and every day, but she can also see what is going on in my life and my garden. She can see pictures of my family real time and we can talk about it all. The second thing is that she has been motivated to begin her own gardening endeavors. Her gardens have helped her to be able to move around a bit more and also have helped to bring our far flung family together in the common goal of working Mother Earth. It has been great fun talking with my mother each day.

My mother visits a few other blogs here in Tennessee. She doesn't always comments but reads and really takes an interest in the people behind the blogs.

My sister Dawn is not even one year younger than me. We never had much in common growing up (think always fighting as it is with close in age siblings who almost always had to share a room!) but we sure do now. The above rose is a beautiful rose growing in Dawn's garden in Maine. It is a purple bluish one and very fragrant. Dawn has many roses and that is why I chose a rose to represent Dawn. Though my mother would say she is a Georgia Peach, I do not have a photograph of a peach blossom.

Dawn is a gardener, a collector and a crafter. I am also all three of these but my first love is gardening. Dawn's first love is crafting. She used to read this blog occasionally, then was schooled on how to comment. She has been on here ever since. Oftentimes my commenters would send me pictures that they wanted to share. I used to do the posts but once I switched to blogger, I chose to invite my commenters to share their own pictures in their own words. Dawn took the plunge and began sharing gardening related posts from Maine. I always enjoy her posts and her comments, especially Oy Vey! A few of my favorite posts from Dawn are: Dwarf Dogwood and Fiddleheads and Sensation.

Dawn and her husband have been building their dream house for about four years now. She has finally completed the house and is getting settled. Once that hurdle was no more she was able to focus on her crafting. Dawn started her own blog called C & G Designs. She posts daily and has made many contacts of her own. She has agreed to continue to post on here occasionally, and we have decided the first Saturday of each month is her posting day. It has worked well and I enjoy being able to share this blog with the commenters and readers. I appreciate the break too!


The iris has to be Nina. Nina is a true meet on the blog gardening friend. I never knew her prior to her talking with me on the blog. She loves to garden and is an experienced gardener too! I have learned quite a bit from her and she enjoys my 'lectures' on gardening as well.

I can't remember what Nina first commented on, but I have a funny story to share about it. She would comment each night on the same post after I had already gone to bed. I would get up in the morning and check the posts and find she had commented. I would always start my reply with "Good morning." Do you know I probably had about 6 or 7 "Good mornings" on that one post to Nina? After a while it probably looked pretty silly to viewers. Sigh. Yes, we were all kind of new to blogging. Now I feel like I am an old experienced blogger but never do I miss those early days. No sirreee! Now I will say good morning just once on each post.

Nina and I continued to talk for some time. We talked of gardening, of her father and of plants. After a while some of the commenters began talking to each other. Nina and my mother had a great deal in common, though all commenters at the time started conversations with one another. There were some days I did not even need to comment because they would talk amongst themselves. Those days when the commenters talk with one another are always my proudest days as a blogger. I loved seeing the community develop among the commenters. A relationship began developing. Plans were made to meet and carried through. Nina, Anonymous, Sidekick and I had a delightful lunch at the Front Page Deli one bleary winter day. The next meeting was an invite to lunch at Nina and Jean's place south of Clarksville. It was delightful! I got to see her gardens and beautiful home, meet her husband, and just hang out and talk gardening. Since then we have met a few more times. Plants and gifts were exchanged (thanks Nina!) and we have gotten to know each other. I am so glad to have met Nina and look forward to exchanging many more gardening stories.

Nina is also the person who introduced me to those famous 'Yucca Tulips'.She even made her own and sent me a picture. I have a feeling it will be an annual tradition here at In the Garden. Nina is also a bottle tree lover and has one of her own as well as many of my friends.

The daylily above can only be my one and only commenter, Lola. It is yellow, (my favorite color in the garden), strong and reliable. It is a mainstay in all of our gardens, as is Lola here at In the Garden. Lola is one of the most faithful and smartest commenters on here. I met Lola through the FTP website. The relationship began with emails then progressed onto talking on the blog. We still do email frequently. Since day one Lola has talked with each and every person on here. I always, always love how she makes a point to respond to each person.

Lola lives in Florida but is originally from close to me here in Tennessee. It is unlikely she will travel much so if we are to meet, I think it will have to be in Florida. One of my sisters lives in Florida, as does my uncle, so we may just meet one day. Even if we don't, my mother has talked of meeting up with Lola in Florida, and I have many pictures of her and her family. I know Lola has a few 'Young Uns', and some very cute great grandkids living near her. She loves to garden and is a brilliant gardener, coming up with some very innovative methods of solving problems.

Lola has collaborated with me on several postings, to include: Poke Me a Salat, Arbors (though some of the pictures were lost in the switchover from the FTP), Tuberroses, Tip Day, Poinsettias, Raised Beds, and most likely a few others as well. It is getting hard for me to remember with nearly 400 posts in 10 months. Please forgive me Lola. And keep up the super conversation and sharing of your vast knowledge.

Lastly, is Skeeter. Skeeter is a rose for sure (though lantana and butterfly weed ran a close second). Skeeter and I met when she was a member of another blog on the FTP website. She is an ardent blogger and super nice person. We first met last fall when she came to town from Georgia for a visit with her family. We met at the library on hot fall day and exchanged a few gifts. It was wonderful to meet her and her husband the Saint. Our next meeting saw Skeeter and the Saint coming out to Tiger Gardens. We had a lovely visit and talked for quite a while. I really appreciated her taking time out of her very busy visits to Clarksville to travel all the way out to my neck of the woods. Anyone who travels to visit family knows how busy these trips can be and to have her make the special effort meant a lot to me.

I wish I could say Skeeter was my very first commenter, but someone else beat her to the punch. No matter, Skeeter has been the longest and most faithful and regular commenter on this blog. Out of 342 posts (not counting this one), only six posts don't have a comment. This is solely due to Skeeter commenting every single day no matter what! Skeeter-what is up with those six??? Just kidding. Some posts would only have two comments, mine and hers, or even just one comment, hers. I was so discouraged those first few months that I considered giving up this blog. She encouraged me and kept the faith and held on. Somehow she just knew the blog would pick up and more people would begin commenting. I have to say, that this was during a time when this blog was published through an FTP website. I had no idea how many readers were reading (if any) and was discouraged about the whole situation. The FTP people were not much help, Skeeter was the biggest help through it all. I only tell you this because most bloggers have the ability to track their stats, I did not. So not getting comments (except from Skeeter) and not knowing my readership was a bit discouraging. Now of course I track my own stats and get comments regularly. Comments are-how did one blogger put it? Annie in Austin put it best when she says, "A comment from you is like chocolate- maybe I could live without it, but life is more fun with it." Skeeter is just one of the many commenters who put the fun in this blog, but she should get an award just for doing this so regularly and so faithfully that I am so impressed! Okay! Enough on the comments.

Skeeter is an avid gardener and pet lover. She will tell you her pets always come first, and they do! But running right alongside the two black-as-night kitties (Sheba and Cheetah?) is her love for gardening. She is an excellent gardener and has shared many, many photos and topics with me over the past ten months. Too many to link or address, but I will mention just a few. The very first post Skeeter helped me out with was Lantana. In fact, she brought me a huge lantana plant from her garden. I am happy to say it is doing well in blooming in yellow in my garden. This post was on October 2, 2007 and was posted within one week of my beginning the blog! Skeeter was there from the start and it has been so great!!!!!!!!!!!!! She was also my 'partner in crime' in taking pictures of some Butchered Crepe Myrtles. I never could've done this post without her help. From the beginning Skeeter has helped me out.

Once I switched my blog to blogger from the FTP site, I realized there was no need of her or any of the commenters helping me out anymore. Now I could easily add them in as contributors to In the Garden and they could post on their own about things they found important in their areas. This plan never would've worked had it not been for the relationship we all developed on this blog over the time it has been in existence. We have a unique blog in that we can do this here at In the Garden, and I can say it has been a painless process and one that I am ever so happy to have put into place! You see, early on in the beginning I was nervous and hesitant to really venture into blogging while posting on the FTP site. Skeeter gave me some great advice that has stuck to this day-even while I was on vacation last week! Skeeter's advice was this: (in a comment no less!)

"Tina, you have to post daily, try and post only once a day, and try to keep the posts short and not so technical."


This has been good advice and I have tried to follow it religiously. I think readers AND commenters like the regularity of the posts (maybe not always the length) and I try to keep them going daily. Subject matter is never an issue for me, time is the issue. That is why adding Skeeter, Dawn, and other occasional guests, (like my daughter Christine) is such a good idea for me and this blog. I get a break, they get to have fun and talk and share, and the blog goes on. Now onto my vacation and the advice. I contemplated not posting while I was out of the net, but Skeeter encouraged me to continue to do so and said she would fill in for me. What a pal! Recently Skeeter agreed to try out posting on Saturday and Sunday (with the exception of the first Saturday of the month which is still Dawn's day to post). I am hoping she enjoys it as much as I do on the other days of the week thanks to all of the commenters and readers. Thanks Skeeter and all of my commenters for being there and being a part of

In the Garden....

P.S. One more thing about In the Garden, the contributors have carried on my little closing on all my posts as a sort of homage to me and I want to say I appreciate this! It was totally their doing with no input from me.

Disclaimer: Most of the commenters knew I was preparing this post-but not all. So if you are one of them I hope you don't mind.:)

In closing FINALLY! I do want to say thanks to anyone and everyone who has ever commented on here or on ANY blog. Most bloggers love comments and they do mean alot to the blogger-so keep them coming! Even one single comment is important-so get your typing fingers warmed up!

30 comments:

  1. Wow! Long post, but very nice post. I like the flower touch, my rose looks better in photographs!

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  2. Fabulous post! You are a generous and kind soul and I am giving you a standing ovation. Also here is a hug (()) you are really the best Tina! I love your commenters...they often visit me (thank you). Did you know that I thought Skeeter was one of your sisters! Really! See, I am not a detail person and missed that pertinent piece of info.

    Gail

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  3. Tina - What a beautiful tribute to your commentors. It's hard for me to believe that you've only had your blog for 10 months. You've done marvelously (is that a word ?) in such a short time. And you do a great job at making all your commentors feel welcome.
    ~Cindy

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  4. Holy Smokes! I don't think anyone will ever be able to read it all. It honestly did not seem so long in the draft mode.

    Dawn, It is a pretty rose.

    Gail, Frances also thought Skeeter and I were related. That is why the post. Thanks for the hug and back to you.

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  5. Thanks, Tina--as someone relatively new to the blogging world and so to "In the Garden," it's wonderful to find out a little about the people who appear so frequently on your site (by the way, my sisters and I fought constantly as kids and now we can't get enough of each other! of course, I live across the country . . .) And I really like the idea of assigning flowers to friends.

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  6. Tina, I just found your blog in the last month--due to your commenting on mine, thank you--so I didn't know the "backstory" on all these people. I really appreciated getting to know more about all of these people who either post for you or are regular commenters.
    People who don't blog can't understand how you can become friends with someone you haven't met, but it is so true! As you say, many of my friends here aren't interested in gardening, so it's great to find someone to share ideas with, proudly show off your garden, and get advice from.

    I hope the Spring Fling held in Austin this year becomes a tradition so that more of us can actually meet in person at some point.
    Good post!

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  7. What a wonderful post. It's great to know a little history behind the commenters.
    I think I saw your article in the paper but I did not know about blogging at the time.

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  8. Cindy, Thanks for very high praise. Yes, I think marvelously is a marvelous word dahling....(think Green Acres...)

    Cosmo, Thanks! And don't worry, before you know your one year will have passed all too quickly. Sisters, aren't they something?

    Rose, It is great getting to know others and I agree totally, many don't understand. But don't you wonder about the readers? Do you think they know us pretty well? But we don't know them do we unless they comment like all of us do. Interesting dilemma. It is hard to make new friends, I agree. I heard talk of a get together in the Chicago area for this year. It would be great to get to meet other bloggers whom we have come to know so well. The Austin bloggers did a tremendous amount of work and it will be nice to see how the Chicago bloggers do if it goes off. I plan to try to attend. Gardens? Gardeners? Heck yeah!

    Sarah, Thanks so much! I hope you saw my little articles in the paper. People really enjoyed reading them but many never made the connection between the blog and the articles. It was not my choice to discontinue the articles but definitely my choice to save my blog by moving it. It all worked out well. Blogging is a whole new world and I enjoy it so much. Hope work is great today on this muggy muggy morning.

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  9. Hi Tina --I loved the post --my those lilacs are pretty:0) And, oh they smell even better --almost good enough to eat, hahaha. Another hot one here --will see you all later --girl model is wanting to get outside --see ya!

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  10. As always, very good post Tina.

    Gail, I read every single one of your posts but I just do not commemt all that much. That is funny about thinking Skeeter and Tina were sister as I can see where someone reading this blog could come up with that feeling.
    I had never read a blog before and when I heard the word blog I guess I sorta thought of porn. How far off was I? I only checked out In the Garden to support my daughter. Now I see what a truly wonderful world blogging is and I truly feel like we are all sisters!!! It is such a world of knowledge, friendship and oh the memories it brings up is priceless. All the blogs I read each day I always read all the comments and enjoy them as much as the blog itself. I can't recall one single blogger or commentor that I have thought "Now there is a real jerk". How often in life, is that the case? Go, go, go to the bloggers and commentors!!!!

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  11. I'm so glad you did this posting, it was nice to hear how you all came together. Thanks for introducing us to all your commentors. I've enjoying reading the daily postings and thanks for always leaving such nice comments on my blog too.

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  12. Wow Tina, I think by far, the longest Posting yet! Funny how I gave you advice on keeping them short but I dont seem to take my own advice! LOL... I did do better this past weekend though don’t ya think? LOL…This one may have been long but a great read indeed! This was a great way to introduce new comers to the Blog. I read more then I comment on, there are just so many hours in a day and I spend way more time then I should on this thing! But a heck of a lot better then any TV program on today!

    I live out in the country and I don’t have a lot of friends and I find myself a bit lonely at times. I talk to the animals but they just don’t quit have what it takes to keep me going. Then I found this little world of blogging and some Cyber friends! Through the “Pet People” and “In the Garden”, I have more friends then ever! I have learned so much and met some great people through blogging. It does bring me joy..

    Tina, I think you are a sweetheart to pick a Rose for me! I have never had luck with them and regret not trying harder as my Grandmother had the most beautiful Rose Garden! She had plans for her only granddaughter (me) to be married by that garden one day but she left this earth way too soon for that event. So Roses hold a special place in my heart! Thank you for the wonderful Rose!

    Tina, if I could pick a sister, it would be you! I like your kind heart...

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  13. Tina, a very nice post. I started reading your blog not long after it started, but didn't comment until November. I have ejoyed it so very much and have gained so much knowledge and hopefully some lasting friendships!

    Keep up the good work! NINA

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  14. Oh Tina, how very wonderful to learn of the relationships among these people whose names I see commenting on your blog. Some have even given my a visit and comment too. Some comment over and over again! You know who you are, and I love it. It's all thanks to you Tina, for bringing all these nice people together, and we thank you. I did at first think the whole group was your family, by the way you talk to each other about your kids and daily goings on. Now the truth is out. Your blog has a more communal feel than any other I have encountered. I really only read gardening blogs, and like you say, it is impossible to read all you would like to let alone comment on all the posts. I can barely keep up with your daily postings. In fact I am behind right now, sorry. ;->

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  15. Anonymous, It is hot but I noticed a nice breeze when I was cutting my grass. It was splendid and I hope you guys have a good day. Did you know high school orientation is Monday? I told the Jimster and he is ready.

    PG, I hope readers read this long post all the way to know the whole story. I think the story is good to know for more than just the commenters themselves. We do have a neat story with the FTP and all. But I think it is like most bloggers just that these folks are more local maybe. You should post on your mother sometime. Your blog is the only other one who has a mother commenting on it besides mine. Frances's children comment on her blog quite a bit too though and maybe a few others like Dave's mother and Gail's sisters, but you two talk daily. It is nice. And you are welcomed for my comments. When a blogger responds as good you do I always return. Never fear.

    Skeeter, No shortage of friends here. You and I could easily be sisters and I am honored you chose me too. We talk so well on here and in person. You did great on the short posts. I knew you would mention that as it is HARD to keep them short sometimes. I have some short ones coming up though. I am so surprised you do not have roses. They would do well for you down there. You should try a few knockouts by your lantana. Sorry for the loss of your grandmother too. I am so glad blogging gives you joy. It IS hard to find friends sometimes so you have to keep the ones you have and make new ones any way you can, even by blogging. We have both met some nice folks that might not have come into our lives without blogging. Beats TV any day.

    Nina, Definitely lasting friendships and I am so glad you started talking with us. It has been a pleasure to meet you and share our love for gardening. Your husband is a real charmer too! Do you remember my good mornings so much? That was silly of me.

    Frances, Thank you! The community is what I strived for from day one and it has worked well. We do have fun talking about life and every little thing on here. I can tell you my mother loves the comments and talking way more than any of my posts. lol So conversation it is! And we always include new commenters too as all are welcomed here. It takes time to develop that relationship then it feels so comfortable. You and Gail have the same type of blog and you and her have the added bonus of meeting many of your blogging friends in person. That is the treat. It was great meeting you and her as well and I look forward to meeting many more I talk to on here too. As much as we travel it is not a big deal to stop and say hello to my fellow blogging friends-just send the invite like you did and if possible I will be there! btw It is NEVER a problem to be behind on my posts. We are prolific with the posts if nothing else and it can be hard to keep up with daily. Some read a few posts just a few times a week and comment occasionally, that is perfectly fine with me. If I had to read daily posts from as many blogs as I read, I would be way behind all the time so don't sweat it! Especially these way long ones....Oops! Who can I blame but me! Hope all are speed readers like me. Right Mom?

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  16. Great post...and I agree, commenters are the best! And YAY, I have been upright all day.

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  17. This was a very lovely post, giving homage to your commentators. I loved how you compared them to the beautiful flowers. Very thoughtful of you! Thank you for all your great comments on my blog. All the TN garden bloggers have made me feel at home in the blogging world.

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  18. Jillybean, I am SO SO glad you are feeling better.

    DP, We all know how it is being new and you have done a great job with such enthusiasm it is refreshing and welcomed by this TN blogger. Sometime we all need to get together. I am coming to Nashville on the 19th. I will check with Gail but perhaps we three can meet for dinner somewhere prior to the PPS meeting which starts about 6:30? It is a Tuesday. Let me know.

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  19. Oh my goodness, we had over an inch of rain today! Hooray for the rain not so hooray for the neighbor’s tree falling on my fence and breaking a pole from the top! arggg, looks like we will be heading to Lowes again! Of course these neighbors are the ding a ling ones so they will not pay to repair the fence. The tree will probably lay in his yard for over a month... arggggg....

    We also had a crepe myrtle damaged. More on that later… sniff sniff… Saint and I were out with dueling blowers clearing off the driveway.

    Gonna be a busy day in the yard cleaning up debris tomorrow. But I don’t care; I am so excited we had decent rain today!

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  20. LOL! Your comment about wondering if anyone would even read it all? Priceless! I can identify though, I tend to ramble sometimes. I loved it though. I especially like how you identified your commentors with flowers. It makes me wonder what kind of flower you'd hook me up with.....

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  21. Hi Tina --busy day --no breeze on my side of town. I did manage to get the front and sides mowed for my friend. Of course no day would be complete without a swim --after mowing it feels fabulous. My friend is getting better each day --had the staples taken out today (ouch). Had a friend stop by --we had a nice chat --mutual friend of hubby's and mine. Tina you know how my chats go --heheheh think hours. But, oh so much fun on a nice hot day to sit inside and talk. We went by the high school today to drop off a physical form for Boy 1 --it sure was busy over there --band/soccer and all kinds of teenagers. You can tell school is just around the corner. Are you going to the orientation with Jimster? I have to go over here --but only for the first half hour and the rest is just for the kiddos. I have read and reread this post today --I love the flowers and association with each person. The rose was very pretty --but you know how I feel about my lilacs --want to bottle up that scent --it is simply heavenly. Just talking about it makes me smile:0) Nighty night y'all!

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  22. Skeeter, Yahoo the rain!!!! Boohoo the fallen tree! What a TOTAL bummer!

    Cinj, Hmmmmm, what type of flower are you? Magnolia comes to mind right away. Seems a strange choice since they probably don't grow up there, but when I think of you, that comes to mind. Southern magnolias are evergreen and shine all year, especially this time of year when they are blooming. Do you like these?

    Anonymous, Glad you had hours of talking, (yes of course I know!). Sounds like things are good over there with your neighbor. So glad. The Jimster doesn't really want me to go to orientation and since we don't much about it, we haven't decided about it yet, but don't parents have to go? I want to go.

    Glad you all like the flower association. Have you all ever thought about what flower you would be? There is something on the web that tells you what type you are, but can you yourself relate to a flower? And what would it be? I think I would be a daylily. That is not what the test said but it is what I relate myself with. How about you?

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  23. I read every word because a lot of your people are my people. I learned more about them. It was a great post.

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  24. First Tina, let me say "THANK YOU" for the uplifting praise. It means a lot to me that you considered me as one of the 6. The Day lily is beautiful. I like yellow in the garden. It signifies life, laughter & calmness all at the same time.
    When I first started reading your blog it was because of my interest & love of gardening. Even though I didn't start commenting at first was because I didn't know anything about it. But I learned as I have learned a great deal from you. It didn't take long reading & learning from you that the trust came then friendship. I'm so glad about that & if I ever get back home seeing you will be a priority of mine.
    I too at first thought Skeeter was related to you but soon I did realize she wasn't. It took me a little to figure out who was "family".
    I really enjoy reading all the comments from everyone as I learn how things are from different views & different places. I also read several different blogs but not always comment. I would be on this puter all day & half of the night. LOL
    I would be honored to meet all the commenter/bloggers but realize that is not possible. But that doesn't mean that you can't respect each person for their views. For my thought--All gardeners are connected in a kindred spirit as they have a love of the earth & what it can do for each of us.
    I truly hope ALL had a beautiful day & will have a very restful night. God Bless All.

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  25. Eve, Thanks! As time goes on you will get to know all even better. Now you especially know about this blog and this blogger too!

    Lola, Of course you would be in the original group! This is so not to exclude anyone else who has ever commented on here, but you guys have been here since the beginning and been regular and loyal and helpful and a big part of In the garden. And the talking amongst yourselves has been great! A nice friendship and you can visit anytime you come here. Should I venture to Florida (only in the winter!), I will surely come and see you too! You said it well about gardeners. All kindred spirits. We have to all be connected to grow and nurture little itty bitty seeds into giant plants and to love it too!

    Skeeter, What is up? Everyone thought we were related! Even Lola!

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  26. Hi Tina,

    I probably found your blog when you commented at Gail's blog, and you had a thriving community in place by that time...it was obvious you all knew each other and that some of you were related...and that Skeeter was your sister! Guess some of us did need this post ;-)

    My entry in the blog world was a lot different...I was just a commenter for a couple of years back when there were very few garden blogs. I met MSS of Zanthan gardens after talking to her online and started my blog in June 2006.

    Between Austin garden blogger get-togethers and Spring Fling - I've met so many bloggers in person that I started putting asterisks by their sidebar links!

    Hope you get lots of "Chocolate", Tina!

    Annie

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  27. Annie, I always keep in mind your story of getting into blogging and I love it! You and MSS seem to have a great relationship and I know you guys in Texas are very close to have put together such a great spring fling. Sorry I missed it but we will meet sometime I am sure.

    Skeeter, That is funny-another blogger thought we were sisters.

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  28. Hi Tina,

    That would be lovely. Just let me know the final details! :-) I've just sent you an email, so you have my email address now.

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  29. Tina I am shocked at how many people thought we were sisters! Too funny... I am going to take a stab at it and think that maybe by the way we always cut up with each other in a sisterly manner…?.... Hummmm. not sure but ifI had you as a sister, I would be proud to claim you!

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  30. Tina, what a lovely post and tribute to your commenters and contributers. It's nice to know more about the people who contribute so much to your wonderful blog.

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