Getting it Write

A friend of mine, Patrick , finally read some of my blog. This is a good thing, I had asked him to read it for the hope of getting honest feedback from someone who knows me. He had only read a few of the posts, actually thought it was a confusing site. He saw pictures at the right of the screen and thought he'd already read the same posts...(he was seeing the permanent blog photos, not the new photos that appear with each installment.) His major criticism was that it seemed detached and catalog-like....... oh my. I LOVE gardening and nature-those things consume me, every day. When I write, I try convey the amazing feeling I get when I succeed at a given gardening challenge, or see a river Otter or other creature living it's life outside my door. Patrick thinks I should be more familiar and real in my writings, and with that in mind, I'll let my natural voice be more prominent in the future. I don't do everything my friends suggest, but I wanted to know what they thought about this garden blog, and I'll take the advice I've been given! So, here it goes---
My garden is full of last fall's weeds,but I don't care. I love a perfect garden, but the reality is,mine is nothing of the sort. I've done magazine styling for years, and I've never been to a shoot that was of how the family really lived. We bring in fresh flowers, food, accessories, art, furniture....you name it and it's been added. All to look perfect and casual and most of all, "spontaneous". Real people have mail on their kitchen table, along with seed packets,napkins,tools etc...at least I do. The reason to have a party is not to reciprocate or celebrate, it's to get your house clean and the garden "pulled together". My goal is always to keep the garden or the house in a state of perfection, but it just doesn't happen. That being said, I will try to make it look perfect and effortless in pictures but know that around the corner, there's a hose laying out and a stack of one gallon pots from last years boxwood just waiting to be put away, recycled or reluctantly thrown out. I'll try to convey the reality of garden failures as well as the successes that all real gardeners know as reality. If I had a dollar for every plant or seed that I've purchased, coddled and finally killed-repeatedly.... I've mastered some things, and failed at others,always trying more than once, usually giving up by the third time. With failure we learn,with more failure,we learn more still. So keep tuned in, watch me get stung by my new bees,again...(this time on my ear, yea) and kill more plants than I can remember. But also watch for garden miracles when they happen as well, it's all about growing , learning and truly seeing the beauty before me, enjoy!