There is a game of “tag” going around the blogging world, where the “tagee” is supposed to list 5 weird things about themselves. Though I have been “tagged” a few times, I’ve resisted posting on that topic because really, what is weird about me? But now that the “tag” has morphed into listing 5 things readers don’t know about you, I’ll give it a whirl.
1. During all the hoopla of the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl game, I made a few references to the now world champion Indianapolis Colts on my blog, which may have left people with the impression that I am an avid football fan. I am not. I am a fan of Indianapolis and so I am naturally excited when good things are happening in the city, like the Colts going to the Super Bowl. I did watch and enjoy the Super Bowl as did most everyone in Indianapolis. But for most of the football season, I’m still working in the garden and don’t have time to spend an entire Sunday afternoon watching a football game. I didn’t even buy my 1st article of Colts apparel until the Thursday night before the Super Bowl, and then I only bought it because I didn’t want to be the only one in the city not dressed appropriately for Blue Friday. I just never really liked the particular shade of blue of their uniforms.
2. I almost always wear something green. When I show up for work wearing another color, someone almost always comments “you aren’t wearing green today”. I usually just pause, act as though I am thinking about it, and then reply, “maybe I am”. Actually, the lanyard I wear with my work id badge is one I made in a beading class with mostly green and natural colored beads, so I really do have something green on everyday.
3. But when I am not wearing green, it is generally because I am at an Indiana Pacers NBA basketball game at the greatest sports venue in all of sports. The Pacer’s team colors are blue and gold, a good kind of blue. And I have lots of Pacer apparel in my wardrobe. Basketball is a sport for gardeners, especially in cold climates. The NBA regular season goes from early November until mid April, when not a lot is happening in the garden. The only time going to a game conflicts with gardening is during the playoffs, and the playoffs haven’t lasted as long for the Pacers as we would have hoped these last few years. They have been over, for us, by early May.
4. I really do garden a lot in May, and take a few weeks of vacation time during the month of May to spend in the garden. So the name of my blog is no accident! I love the first day of “gardening vacation”, which is generally on a Friday. I like to get up early that first day, put on my best gardening clothes (jeans and a green t-shirt of course) and do a slow walk around to decide what to do first. Then I dig in and start a week or more of wild, frenzied, non-stop gardening. Family and friends have learned that it is not a week to call me up and ask for me to go out for a long lunch, “since I am on vacation”. I just don’t want to give up all that time in the garden unless, of course, it is raining.
5. At work, I don’t have any plants in my office. My office is in the interior of the building and the nearest windows (north facing for me) are across a hall way and beyond some cubicles. But now I’ve decided I will try a plant in my office. Today I divided and repotted my two Clivia miniata plants since they had both sent up little side shoots that were just begging for their own pots. I am going to take one to my office, because now I have five plants and am looking for homes for them. If any plant can make a go of it in my interior office, Clivia can.
And now you know more about me. Consider yourself tagged…
Sophie said she would “sacrifice” and take a plant for her bedroom if you haven’t given them all away, and if they are not poisonous to cats, dogs, ferrets, rabbits, lizards, etc.
Hello
I came across your blog in the garden blog directory.I am also from Indianapolis I just joined the garden blog directory.
Nice to have found your blog.
Steven Wilson
I grinned at most of these, giggled outright at your answer to “You’re not wearing green” observations, but must respectfully take issue at #3. Baseball season may overlap with gardening season, but I enjoy listening to baseball on the radio on a warm summer’s night… even though “my guy” Ernie Harwell is no longer calling Detroit Tigers games. 🙂
Green is a wonderful color for clothes and gardeners.
I like the way you’ve carved some gardening territory out of the month of May, and are teaching other people to respect your horticultural traditions.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
My wife takes a week off at the end of April to do exactly what you’ve stated. It’s usually cool enough so working hard is enjoyable and there are few if any black flies around then, not like in May when they are erroneously known as “may flies”.
I’m the guilty one who is constantly, at all times of the year, walking around and peering at the plants, wondering what is going on, what is succeeding, where are the problems, and what to ignore because certain areas are still big messes. Those places are improving but I don’t like anyone (and sometimes my wife) to see them.
How fun to find another basketball fan. Two questions regarding that:
1) Were you a fan when the Pacers were part of the ABA?
2) What are your thoughts regarding the brawl between the Pacers and Detroit Pistons on 11/19/04?
I found your blog through Cold Climate Gardening and wish I had seen your post for 1/1/07 “Seed Buying – Method or Madness?” when you wrote it. I feel too much time – a mere month and a half! – has passed for me to comment. What do you think?
And lastly, besides a wonderful style of writing (and isn’t that the point?), I like the way your site looks and the different technical elements. Are you the blog hacker and where did you get so many cool toys?
Sister… the Clivia is poisonous, at least the roots. But since Sophie is interested in having a plant in her room, I’ll help find one that isn’t poisonous!
Steven… nice to meet another Indianapolis gardener/blogger, finally!
Blackswamp_Girl… I’ve never been a baseball fan, but if it fits in with your own gardening style, I’m all for it, for you.
Annie… thank you for your support of my tradition. It took people a few years to understand!
Craig… I was not following the Pacers during the ABA days, mostly just the last 10 years or so. We’ve moved on from the Malice in the Palace… my thoughts on that would take more than a comment! I remember your seed post on CCG, please do post on “method or madness”, it’s never too late to hear about another gardener’s seed habits. I am not the blog hacker, I think that’s MrBrownThumb, mrbrownthumb.blogspot.com. My blog “cool toys” are widgets I’ve just found different places. My gardening “cool toys”, ‘just happened’ over the course of years of gardening. Thanks for the compliment and questions!
My secondary school uniform was green and I had to wear it every day for five years. The colour itself was actually OK, but the uniform itself was so hideous (I can’t even begin to describe the hat)that I’ve never been able to wear green since.I haven’t had a single piece of green clothing for 36 years, and I’m sure I never will. And to think that one of my mother’s reasons for choosing the school in the first place was “Green suits you”.
A fellow green fan – excellent!