Monday, August 16, 2010

Visiting a Garden Blogger - Blotanical

Almost a year ago I started garden blogging.  Until last year about this time, I had no idea that “out there” in the blogosphere there was a world of gardeners.  Social Networking uses the term “connect”. They say, “I am so happy to connect with you”.  At first I found that term so odd.  When you meet someone in person, you might say “I am so happy to meet you”, later “I am so happy we are friends”.  But, online, it is “connect”. I think of a link, maybe at first made of a single thread, but in time that connection might become stronger, maybe made of many threads  like the threads that weave us to friends and our families.  I started blogging as a result of an online class taught by my dear friend, customer and social networking rock star, Sabrina Gibson.  How many threads do you see there? With Sabrina’s teaching, and wow! she can teach,  homework assignments and my self-taught computer skills I jumped into the blogosphere.  About a month later I found Blotanical a network of garden bloggers. From Blotanical I met Kate, author of High Altitude Gardening who sent out a kind thread of friendship to me. Through the winter we emailed back and forth.  So, when Ted and I were to attend a work-related wellness conference in Salt Lake City, I emailed Kate to see if we could stop by on the way home and meet her and her garden. Without ever meeting us, she so graciously invited us to stay!  Normally a normal person would not invite a stranger to stay, nor would a normal person say yes.  So are we not normal?  But, remember through the winter we emailed and read each others blog and made those “connections”…..so with a leap of faith Kate asked and we said yes. We had a great time!  Kate wrote about it on her blog
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In the morning we stepped out on the deck. Across the street from her home, there is a Nature Conservancy property.  Two huge sand cranes were camouflaged in the scenery. In the winter Kate might see moose, elk, foxes, coyotes and who knows what else- Wow!
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There they are! 2 huge sand cranes
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Beautiful!
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To our delight, from the deck, we looked out in the morning and saw hot air balloons!
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Before leaving we met Bella and….
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Meg.  Now here comes Sweet Pete…Yes, he is sweet, but look at him, would you challenge him for his comfy chair?
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As they say in the west, “a good time was had by all!”. Kate has made a beautiful oasis of a garden, nestled in a big beautiful setting of mountains and valleys.  We enjoyed dinner sitting among the flowers.  We watched hummingbirds come to feed among the hollyhocks with bad dog resting at our feet.  The air was pure and sweet and so was the company.

31 comments:

  1. A sweet writeup on gardening blogosphere and the openness and warmth of a gardener. Yes, the connectivity is real. ~bangchik

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  2. Dear Bangchik, thank you so much for your kind words and the feeling that you too "get it".

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  3. Gloria, I too have been fascinated by how many strong threads those webs of connection can develop. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I've never actually met most of my Blotanical friends. -Jean

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  4. How delightful and fun that you 2 met. Fun to see Kate's life through your friendly eyes, Gloria :)

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  5. Jean, so true. I feel really close to you. Remember when I was trying to decide whether to change my blog's name, I emailed you :)

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  6. Hi Joey, thank you. I wish I could have better captured how beautiful her garden is. Sometimes it takes more than a day to get the right light, etc. But, Kate has done a great job.

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  7. Hey, you! Love the pics. Wasn't that nice of the cranes and the balloons to show up for a photo op?? Bell and Meg look fab. Poor Petey Pie, he's kind of a devil! I had such a marvy time getting to know the two of you. Great fun. Got your note about the weed ornament so I'll hang onto it until I get to SD to snoop around your garden. Glad you made it home safe and sound. :D

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  8. Kate, Thanks - yes we made it home safe and sound. It was so odd to have hail this morning. I just went out and raked up twigs. This summer we have had 5 hailstorms. I learned that big leaves don't like hail. But, it will be fine - :)

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  9. Thanks for sharing your meet up with Kate. I love her blog and her place seems like a oasis as you say. It is great when we finally meet our blogging friends... Love the pictures of the horses!

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  10. It really is amazing how many wonderful garden bloggers there are out there to connect with. I've met a few in person this year too. I think my husband thought I was crazy at first, but you're right, you feel, at least to some degree, that you get to know them through their writing, so when you finally meet in person, they're not really strangers at all. And no, I would never challenge sweet Pete for his comfy chair. :P

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  11. Meeting blogging friends is fun. I love the photos of Kate's place.

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  12. Hi Carol - I wish we could meet more bloggers. I'm pretty new at this, but I noticed that you in the East Coast did have a meetup. Is that once a year?

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  13. Hi Clare, Sweet Pete really was sweet. But we caught him in the picture with his eyes looking so eery.

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  14. Hi Melanie - It was fun! I think it would be fun also to visit you. I bet your area is just beautiful! Or you can all come to the Black Hills!

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  15. Gloria, this is a fantastic testimonial to our online friendships. How awesome of Kate to invite you and your husband. I'll bet it was so fun to meet a blogger face to face and visit their garden in person. So exciting for you!

    BTW...Kate's landscape is spectacular!

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  16. Gloria that sounds like it was like meeting an old friend. Her garden certainly is an oasis.

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  17. Hi Kimberly and Rosie, Kate has a beautiful fresh garden in a beautiful natural setting.

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  18. Dear Deborah, too sweet, thank you. I am glad I am connected to you also!

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  19. It was fun to see your photos of Kate's garden, and read what you said about the experience.

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  20. I am convinced that gardeners are the nicest people in the world! It is great that a connection has become your friend. Kate's place looks enchanting. Now I have to check out her blog!

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  21. Hi Sue, yes we are neighbors. Maybe sometime we can meet!

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  22. Hi Deb, you are going to love Kate's blog and I think she will love yours also!

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  23. Gloria, congratulations on your garden being pictured in the Wall Street Journal! Go Gloria!!!! I briefly posted about the article here: http://tanyasgarden.blogspot.com/2010/08/back-from-az-our-gloria-is-in-wsj.html

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  24. Sounds like a fun time and lucky you. Blogland is awesome. We are 'connecting' now. I love your blog. I'll be back.

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  25. Hey there Gloria! Tatyana spilled the beans about your big spread in the Wall Street Jounal. Congrats! I will mosey on over to WSJ and see if I can check it out.

    P.S. Can I have your autograph;)?

    Christine in Alaska

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  26. Hello Gloria,
    What a wonderful opportunity to meet Kate. I sometimes dream about walking through the gardens of my fellow garden bloggers....including yours :-)

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  27. Dear Tatyana - Thank you for writing about the WSJ article! That was so nice of you! My next post also mentions it and mentions you.

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  28. Hi Noelle, I would love to have my garden meet you! I loved your article about the children - You and your family are amazing.

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